[5] A firm believer in slavery, Ireland campaigned for greater efforts to reclaim slaves who had run away to freedom in Mexico.

[6][8] He enlisted in the Confederate States Army as a private and eventually worked his way through the ranks to that of lieutenant colonel.

[7] Ireland reentered politics in 1872, when he was elected to the Texas House of Representatives and chaired the executive committee of the Democratic party.

[9] During his time as a state legislator, Ireland backed the bill creating the University of Texas at Austin,[citation needed] was a proponent of low taxes, and favored regulating the railroads.

[9] The new state constitution reduced the number of associate justices on the supreme court, and in 1876 Ireland lost his position.

Coke's supporters accused Ireland of having been a member of the Know-Nothing party and of opposing ratification of the new constitution.

During a large drought in early 1883, people began cutting the barbed wire, leading to violence between the ranchers and farmers.

Ireland called a special session of the legislature in 1884 that passed a law allowing the Texas Rangers to intervene in these disputes.

[5] In 1887 Ireland attempted again to run for a U.S. Senate seat, but lost the race, ending his political career.