He represented Waterloo South in the House of Commons of Canada as a Liberal member from 1867 to 1878.

[1] In 1867, he was elected to the 1st Canadian Parliament for Waterloo South as a member of the Liberal Party; he was reelected in 1872 and 1874.

He was appointed Treasurer and Commissioner of Agriculture in 1883, but resigned these posts later that year due to ill health.

He opposed reciprocity in trade with the United States and supported an elected Senate.

After he retired from politics in 1886, he wrote a number of books dealing with Canadian history and politics, including Public men and public life in Canada, being recollections of parliament and the press, published in 1902.