ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti nˈaɪn, hiː kæmpˈeɪnd tə bɪkˌʌm mək mˈɪn kˈaʊntiz dˈɛlɪɡˌeɪt tə ðə wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti kˌɑːnstɪtˈuːʃənəl kənvˈɛnʃən ðæt wʊd kɹiːˈeɪt ðə pɹˈɛzənt stˈeɪt kˌɑːnstɪtˈuːʃən, bˌʌt ðə kˈaʊnti tʃˈoʊz kˈɜːnəl ˈɑːɹtʃɪbˌɔːld blˈɪzɚd.
In 1869, he campaigned to become McMinn County's delegate to the 1870 constitutional convention that would create the present state constitution, but the county chose Colonel Archibald Blizard.