He was a frequent guest at the Lincoln White House. He served as chairman of the Committee on Mines and Mining (Thirty-ninth and Fortieth Congresses). He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1868.
As a frequent guest at the Lincoln White House, he was an influential figure in the Committee on Mines and Mining during the Thirty-ninth and Fortieth Congresses. Unfortunately, his efforts to retain his position in 1868 were unsuccessful.