Complex sentence: Ferrell was elected as a Democrat to the Forty-eighth Congress, serving in office from March 4,1883 to March 3,1885, but was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1884 to the Forty-ninth Congress.
Split into simpler sentences: Ferrell was elected as a Democrat to the Forty-eighth Congress (March 4,1883-March 3,1885). He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1884 to the Forty-ninth Congress.