ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti sˈɪks, hiː ɹˈæn fɔːɹ juːnˈaɪɾᵻd stˈeɪts kˈɑːŋɡɹəs fɔːɹ tˌɛnəsˈiːz θˈɜːd kəŋɡɹˈɛʃənəl dˈɪstɹɪkt ɔnðə nˈoʊ nˈʌθɪŋ tˈɪkɪt, bˌʌt ˈʌltᵻmətli lˈɔst ðɪ ᵻlˈɛkʃən tə ðɪ ɪŋkˈʌmbənt sˈæmjuːl ˈæksli smˈɪθ.
In 1856, he ran for United States Congress for Tennessee's 3rd congressional district on the Know Nothing ticket, but ultimately lost the election to the incumbent Samuel Axley Smith.