THE LATE HON. SIDNEY SMITH, Q.C., Cobourg, Ont., was born at Port Hope, Ont., October 16th, 1823. His grandfather, Elias Smith, was a U. E. Loyalist, while his father, John D. Smith, was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Canada, from 1824-27. Our subject began his education under Archdeacon Bethune, at Cobourg, continued at the Home Grammar School and under the late Dr. J. Short, Port Hope. He afterwards studied in the office of Smith & Crooks (the former being his brother), and was called to the Bar in 1844. He began practice in Cobourg, and established the largest business in the district. In 1862, he was created a Q.C., was elected municipal councillor in 1853, and warden of Northumberland and Durham. In 1854, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly, and subsequently twice elected. On his first entry into Parliament, in 1854, he moved the address in reply to the speech from the Throne. February 2nd, 1858, he was appointed Postmaster General, with a seat in the Cabinet, and in 1858, became President of the Council and Minister of Agriculture.
During the session of 1859, he moved and carried an address to Her Majesty the Queen, to recommend the Imperial Parliament to grant a subsidy to the Canadian line of Ocean steamers, and covered himself with laurels in connection with the Atlantic Mail arrangements, and the conversion of the postal deficit, into a surplus. His crowning act of administration was the Ocean Postal Service, the results of which are well known. In 1860, he settled the question of Sabbath labor in the post offices of Upper Canada, and reformed the Jury law. In 1863, he commenced practice at Peterboro. November 24th, 1866, he was appointed Inspector of Registry Offices for Upper Canada, which office he held for many years with universal satisfaction. During the visit of the Prince of Wales, in 1860, he was the guest of Mr. Smith. In 1844, he married Miss Bennett, of Port Hope, who, with five sons and one daughter, survive him. He died in 1889.
