Rubuta ci gaba ga wannan sakin layi - Stedman ya fara shiga siyasa a matsayin wakili a 1880 Democratic National Convention
, wanda ya zabi Winfield Scott Hancock da William Hayden Turanci don Shugaba da Mataimakin Shugaban Amurka. An zabe shi Mataimakin Gwamna na biyar na Arewacin Carolina a 1884, yana aiki daga 1885 zuwa 1889, kuma bai yi nasara ba a zaben Democrat na Gwamna na Arewacin Carolina a 1888. Ya koma Asheville, Arewacin Carolina a 1891 da Greensboro, Arewacin Carolina a 1898, yana ci gaba da aiki a matsayin lauya. Stedman ya yi aiki a matsayin mai kula da Jami'ar Arewacin Carolina daga 1899 zuwa 1915, shi ne shugaban kungiyar lauyoyi na Arewacin Carolina daga 1900 zuwa 1901, ya sake zama dan takarar da ba shi da nasara ga Gwamnan Arewacin Carolina a 1903-04, kuma shi ne darektan da shugaban kamfanin jirgin kasa na Arewacin Carolina daga 1909 zuwa 1910.