SMITH, Sidney, Canadian statesman, born in Port Hope, Upper Canada, 16 October, 1823. His grandfather, Elias, adhered to the cause of the crown during the American Revolution, and, removing to Canada, founded what is now the town of Port Hope. Sidney was educated at Cobourg and Port Hope, studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1844. He began practice at Cobourg, in 1853 was elected warden of the united counties of Northumberland and Durham, in 1854 was elected to the legislative assembly for the west riding of Northumberland, and was twice re-elected for this constituency. Till 1856 he supported the coalition of which Sir Allan MacNab was the head, but he then went into opposition. He afterward travelled in Germany for his health, and on 2 February, 1858, was appointed postmaster-general with a seat in the cabinet, which office he held till the resignation of the government in 1862, with the exception of the period of the ministerial crisis in 1858, when he became president of the council and minister of agriculture. From 1858 till 1862 Mr. Smith was a member of the board of railway commissioners, and in 1858 he introduced and carried through parliament the consolidated jury act for Upper Canada, which is still the law with a few unimportant changes. While postmaster-general he succeeded in forming arrangements with the United States, France, Belgium, and Prussia for the conveyance of mail matter across the Atlantic in Canadian steamers, and through Canada on the Grand Trunk railway. In 1860 Mr. Smith secured the abolition of Sunday labor in the post-offices in Upper Canada. In 1861 he was elected to the legislative council, but he resigned in 1863, and unsuccessfully contested Victoria for the house of assembly. In 1866 he was appointed inspector of registry offices for Upper Canada, which post he still holds.