bell was elected as a whig to the 29th congress in november, 1844. he did not seek reelection and served a single term in the house, march 4, 1845 – march 4, 1847. he was the kentucky secretary of state in 1849, and was sent by kentucky as a commissioner to the peace conference held in washington, d.c. in february 1861 in an unsuccessful last-ditch effort to stave off what became the american civil war.