[1][2] In 1858, as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, he introduced and secured passage (over the Governor's veto) of an act that repealed the 1855 law "To punish offenses against slave property", effectively making expansion of slavery in Kansas impossible.

[5] He was appointed United States Attorney for Indiana by President Lincoln in 1861.

[6] Active in pursuing disloyalty claims against Southern sympathizers, he appeared for the United States in Ex Parte Milligan prior to the appeal to the U. S. Supreme Court.

[9][10] He then retired to private law practice in partnership with civil war general Frederick Knefler.

He was elected as a Republican to the 45th Congress in 1876,[1] defeating the Democratic incumbent 19,534 to 18,236, as the Greenback party candidate polled 1,595 votes.