APPENDIX. 585 



the Convention to form a Constitution for the State of Wisconsin ; the 

 journals of that convention show that General Smith originated many 

 of the great legislative reforms that have since become law, not only in 

 Wisconsin, but have been widely adopted in other and older States of 

 the Union, notably the "Homestead Exemption Law," and the Rights 

 of Married Women to hold their own earnings and to own property, 

 independently of and beyond the control of their husbands. In 1849 

 General Smith was elected Chief Clerk of the Senate, and again in 1850 

 was re-elected to the same office, receiving a unanimous vote. In 1849 

 he, together with a few other citizens of kindred spirit and with similar 

 tastes, all deeply interested in collecting and preserving matters of his- 

 torical interest, founded the "State Historical Society of Wisconsin." 

 The immediate success of the society in this work induced the Legis- 

 lature to place the institution under State patronage. A room in the 

 Capitol was assigned for their use, and annual appropriations of money 

 made to carry out and enlarge the designs of the society. 



By a special act of the Legislature, in 1852, General Smith was au- 

 thorized to compile a " Documentary History of Wisconsin from its 

 Earliest Settlement to the Present Time." To this work he devoted 

 several years of his life, and the first two volumes of the history were 

 published by the State in 1854. 



In 1856 General Smith was elected Attorney-General of the State of 

 Wisconsin, and filled the office with marked ability for two years; then 

 having reached the ripe age of 71 years, he deemed it best to rest from 

 his labors and retire from active professional and political life, intending 

 for the remainder of his days to quietly enjoy his home, his library, and 

 the society of his family and intimate friends. Here for eleven years 

 more he was the delight of all who approached him, his ripe scholar- 

 ship and varied information, his sparkling wit and kindly disposition, 

 gave a charm to his conversation that will never be obliterated from the 

 memories of those who knew him. His reminiscences of Washington 

 and the statesmen of his day, and the leading incidents of those early 

 days of the republic, were related with dramatic effect; the hands of 

 Washington had rested upon his head, he had listened to the first read- 

 ing of the Farewell Address, and was present in the German Lutheran 

 church in Philadelphia when Major-General Lee, by the appointment 

 of Congress, pronounced the funeral oration of Washington. He was 

 present in the theatre on the night when the now national anthem of 

 "Hail Columbia" was first sung, and was witness to the enthusiasm 

 with which the song was greeted. It had been his strange fortune to 

 see every President of the United States from Washington to Lincoln; 

 these and similar recollections served to entrance a generation of listen- 



