that gentleman was again nominated for Congress—and
again in 1884, Col. Smith with others, represented Mr.
Covington in the Cambridge Convention, and did all in
his power to bring about his nomination, but owing to
the feeling prevailing in that district against a third
term, his efforts were unavailing. Finding it impossible
to bring about Mr. Covington's nomination for a third
term, the Worcester delegation, with Col. Smith as their
leader, made a fight for Charles H. Gibbon, and secured
the latter's nomination. In the winter of 1884, during
the contest over the United States Senatorship in the
Legislature, Col. Smith was a warm advocate and sup-
porter of the late Senator Wilson, and aided largely in
bringing about the latter's election. In 1889, at the
earnest solicitation, of Senator Wilson, Col. Smith—though
often begged to accept official positions before—consented
for the first time to become a candidate for public office.
He was unanimously nominated for State Senator by the
Democratic County Convention, and was afterwards
elected to that oflice by a large majority. In the contest
of the Legislature of 1890 over the United States Senator-
ship, Col. Smith was the acknowledged leader of Senator
Wilson's forces. In the State Senate during the session
of 1890, Col. Smith made a most creditable record. As
chairman of the important committee on elections—
especially important at the last session, because of the
fact that the new Australian election bill and the new
registration bill, both of which elicited so much discus-
sion in the General Assembly and throughout the State,
were before his committee—he had much to do and many
intricate questions to deal with. Both of the above-
named bills became laws, and both received his support.
He also introduced in the Senate several financial bills,
the tendency of which was to relieve real estate of a
portion of its burden of taxation and place the same on
the rich corporations doing business in this State. These
bills are now on our statute books. Colonel Smith is a
man of untiring energy of mind and body. His judg-
ment as to men and measures is most excellent. As a
public speaker he has had but little experience, but when,
during his campaign in his county as a candidate for the
State Senate, he made a few public speeches on the issues
of the campaign, he astonished both his friends and
enemies by the force of the logic with which he expressed
his views. - He was president of the State Senate in 1894,