▁and ▁two ▁years ▁later ▁he ▁became ▁captain ▁of ▁Company ▁B . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 7 1 ▁he ▁returned ▁his ▁previous ▁position ▁as ▁captain ▁of ▁Company ▁A . ▁▁▁ ▁On ▁April ▁ 2 0 , ▁ 1 8 7 4 ▁he ▁was ▁commission ed ▁as ▁major ▁of ▁the ▁P H G . ▁ ▁On ▁May ▁ 1 3 , ▁ 1 8 7 8 ▁he ▁was ▁commission ed ▁as ▁lieutenant ▁colon el ▁in ▁command ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Squadron ▁of ▁Caval ry . ▁ ▁He ▁held ▁that ▁position ▁until ▁he ▁took ▁office ▁as ▁Governor ▁of ▁Rh ode ▁Island ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 3 . ▁ ▁Political ▁career ▁B ourn ▁was ▁a ▁Republican ▁and ▁was ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Rh ode ▁Island ▁State ▁Senate ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 6 – 8 3 ▁and ▁again ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 6 – 8 8 . ▁He ▁held ▁the ▁governor ' s ▁office ▁from ▁May ▁ 2 9 , ▁ 1 8 8 3 ▁to ▁May ▁ 2 6 , ▁ 1 8 8 5 . ▁During ▁his ▁administration , ▁a ▁constitution al ▁am end ment ▁was ▁proposed ▁to ▁extend ▁suff rage ▁to ▁natural ized ▁citizens . ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁author ▁of ▁this ▁am end ment . ▁Later ▁this ▁constitution al ▁am end ment ▁became ▁well ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁B ourn ▁Am end ment . ▁ ▁B ourn ▁was ▁an ▁active ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Fre em asons . ▁ ▁Later ▁years ▁In ▁ 1 8 7 3 , ▁B ourn ▁built ▁an ▁op