appointment as deputy state oil inspector, the first case of the kind North. A bond of $5000 being required, this was quickly furnished, three colored men signing it. He has discharged with credit the functions of this office for four years,—two terms.
One of the youngest editors of the country, he is probably the only Afro-American who has been a member of a white press association. All the Afro-American members of the Ohio Legislature have been his ardent supporters, and rely absolutely upon The Gazette for information on matters of special import to them.
In January, 1888, when Hon. Mr. McGregor, Democratic representative in the Ohio Legislature from Muskingum County, introduced a bill to re-enact Section 4008, which replaced upon the Ohio statutes a portion of the "black laws," Hon. Jere A. Brown wrote Mr. Smith as follows: A bill was introduced this forenoon by McGregor, of Muskingum county, a Democrat, to re-enact Section 4008. Sound the alarm! Let the friends of equality for all, know that again the enemy seeks to re-enact obnoxious, discriminating and unjust laws. When the time comes, I propose, with the aid of our friends, to oppose it to the death. I write hastily, so that our friends may be aroused through our race advocate, The Gazette."
Editor Smith sounded the alarm, which rang out all over the "Buck-eye State." Said he, commenting on the letter: " The above was received as we were going to press. It tells every race-loving colored man his duty. Let every Afro-American in the state of Ohio who values his rights as an American citizen, write the Senator and Representatives of his county, if he cannot see them personally, and importune them to fight this McGregor bill to the death. We cannot afford to lose a particle of the ground gained by the wiping out of Ohio's infernal 'black laws.' Let us fight as a unit
