He served the federal government as Solicitor of the United States Treasury and Chargé d'affaires in Chile.
[3] In 1821 he relocated to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where he continued to practice law and became involved in the newspaper business.
[4][5] He apparently served in the militia, in that he was often referred to in correspondence and press accounts as "Colonel", though the exact details of his military service are not currently known.
[12] In 1843 he ran unsuccessfully for the Louisiana House of Representatives,[13] and in 1844 he supported James K. Polk for President, including writing letters to the editor under the pen name John Randolph of Roanoke.
[20][21][22] After leaving office, Barton resumed practicing law in New Orleans as the partner of Pierre Soulé.