▁office ▁by ▁becoming ▁the ▁Republican ▁candidate ▁for ▁membership ▁of ▁the ▁Illinois ▁State ▁Constitution al ▁Convention ▁and ▁was ▁elected . ▁He ▁served ▁until ▁ 1 8 6 9 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 7 7 ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁a ▁Republican ▁to ▁the ▁ 4 5 th , ▁ 4 6 th ▁and ▁ 4 7 th ▁Congress . ▁( M arch ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 8 7 7 ▁– ▁March ▁ 3 , ▁ 1 8 8 3 ) ▁ ▁Marsh ▁then ▁became ▁chairman ▁for ▁the ▁Committee ▁on ▁P ensions , ▁and ▁was ▁an ▁un success ful ▁candidate ▁for ▁re e lection ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 2 ▁to ▁the ▁ 4 8 th ▁Congress . ▁ ▁Then , ▁Marsh ▁became ▁delegate ▁to ▁the ▁Republican ▁National ▁Convention ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 8 ; ▁and ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁ 5 3 rd , ▁ 5 4 th , ▁ 5 5 th , ▁and ▁ 5 6 th ▁Congress es , ▁which ▁he ▁served ▁March ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 8 9 3 ▁– ▁March ▁ 3 , ▁ 1 9 0 1 . ▁ ▁He ▁then ▁became ▁chairman ▁on ▁the ▁Committee ▁of ▁the ▁Milit ia ▁( 5 4 th ▁through ▁ 5 6 th ▁Congress es ). ▁ ▁Marsh ▁then ▁was ▁un success ful ▁when ▁he ▁ran ▁for ▁re e lection ▁for ▁the ▁ 5 7 th ▁Congress , ▁but ▁was ▁successful ▁when ▁he ▁ran ▁for ▁election ▁to ▁the ▁ 5 8 th ▁and ▁ 5 9 th ,