ach ita , ▁Louisiana ▁and ▁then ▁to ▁New ▁Orleans ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 5 , ▁where ▁he ▁engaged ▁in ▁the ▁practice ▁of ▁law ▁and ▁was ▁a ▁successful ▁plan ter . ▁ ▁Down s ▁was ▁United ▁States ▁Att orney ▁for ▁the ▁district ▁of ▁Louisiana ▁from ▁ 1 8 4 5 ▁to ▁ 1 8 4 6 ▁and ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁State ▁constitution al ▁convention . ▁He ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁a ▁Dem ocrat ▁to ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Senate ▁and ▁served ▁from ▁March ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 8 4 7 , ▁to ▁March ▁ 3 , ▁ 1 8 5 3 ; ▁while ▁in ▁the ▁Senate ▁he ▁was ▁chairman ▁of ▁the ▁Committee ▁on ▁Eng ross ed ▁B ills ▁( Th ir ti eth ▁Congress ) ▁and ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Committee ▁on ▁Private ▁Land ▁Cla ims ▁( Th ir ti eth ▁through ▁Th irty - second ▁Congress es ). ▁He ▁was ▁appointed ▁by ▁President ▁Franklin ▁Pier ce ▁as ▁United ▁States ▁Collect or ▁of ▁Custom s ▁for ▁the ▁District ▁of ▁Orleans ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 3 . ▁He ▁died ▁in ▁Lincoln ▁County , ▁Kentucky ▁and ▁was ▁buried ▁on ▁his ▁family ▁plant ation . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁later ▁re inter red ▁at ▁River view ▁C emetery ▁in ▁Mon roe , ▁Louisiana . ▁ ▁S ources ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁ ▁Category : 1 8 0 1 ▁birth s ▁Category : 1 8 5 4 ▁death s ▁Category : Un ited ▁States ▁Att or ne ys ▁for ▁the ▁District ▁of ▁Louisiana ▁Category : Un