Early in his life he dedicated most of his time to his Hacienda San José in Puente Alto.

He was elected President of the Chamber of deputies on June 9, 1897, position he held until July 2, 1898.

President Pedro Montt appointed him again as Minister of the Interior between September 15, 1909 and June 17, 1910, same as Presidents Ramón Barros Luco between January 23 and May 20, 1912; Juan Luis Sanfuentes between July 14 and September 11, 1917 and Arturo Alessandri between November 3, 1921 and March 22, 1922.

In 1920, he was part of the tribunal of honor that decided the result of the presidential election between Arturo Alessandri and Luis Barros Borgoño.

At the creation of the Central Bank of Chile in 1925, Tocornal was appointed its first Governor, a position he retained until his death in Santiago in 1929, at the age of 79.