アメリカ合衆国憲法修正第13条
Townsend was elected as a Democrat to the Thirty-eighth Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Henry G. Stebbins and served from December 5, 1864, to March 3, 1865. During this term, Townsend voted "nay" (the minority position) on the question of adopting the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.