York dailies have also received aid from him during the same period. History, antiquity, biography, translation, criticism, political economy, statistics, and almost every department of knowledge, received attention from his able, ready, versatile and unwearied pen.
The emancipator of the slave, and of the elevation of the free colored people, has been the greatest slave of his time as a writer.
Dr. Smith was born and raised in New York City, but educated at Edinburgh. During the years 1838-49, he had some memorable newspaper controversies; prominent among them was the fight with Bishop Hughes and, later on, with one Grant.
A lecture of his on the "Destiny of the People of Color," delivered before the Philomathean Society and the Hamilton Society in January, 1841, and published by request, received flattering comments. He was one of the most logical and scientific writers the world ever knew.
Besides this eminent gentleman, Mr. Bell had an able corps of correspondents, which made The Colored American felt as a power in the land. Mr. Bell severed his connection with The American in 1839; but did not leave the work, for which it seems the Maker had intended him. We shall have cause to notice him later on in this volume.
