William Smith (1762 – June 26, 1840) was chosen as a Democratic-Republican to the U.S. Senate representing South Carolina in 1816. The legislature declined to re-elect him when his term expired in 1823. He was narrowly chosen Senator in 1826 and was again replaced in 1831.
Smith was one of the first Southerners to argue, at the time of the Missouri Compromise in 1820, that slavery was a positive good; nevertheless, he opposed John C. Calhoun's doctrine and tactic of nullification. In 1828, seven electors from Georgia chose him for Vice President, instead of Calhoun, the Democratic nominee. He was also a splinter candidate for Vice President in 1836: Virginia refused to accept Richard Mentor Johnson as the Democratic Vice Presidential candidate, and voted for the ticket of Martin Van Buren and William Smith, putting Johnson two electoral votes short of a majority; the Senate chose Johnson.
In 1832, he moved to Louisiana, having lost his political base in South Carolina; in 1836, he moved on to Huntsville, Alabama, and was elected to the Alabama Legislature; he held that seat for the rest of his life.
On March 3, 1837, outgoing President Andrew Jackson nominated Smith to the Supreme Court. The Senate confirmed Smith's nomination by a vote of 23–18; nevertheless, Smith declined to serve.
Famous quotes containing the words smith and/or carolina:
“Our Bog is dood, our Bog is dood,
They lisped in accents mild,
But when I asked them to explain
They grew a little wild.”
—Stevie Smith (1902–1971)
“I hear ... foreigners, who would boycott an employer if he hired a colored workman, complain of wrong and oppression, of low wages and long hours, clamoring for eight-hour systems ... ah, come with me, I feel like saying, I can show you workingmen’s wrong and workingmen’s toil which, could it speak, would send up a wail that might be heard from the Potomac to the Rio Grande; and should it unite and act, would shake this country from Carolina to California.”
—Anna Julia Cooper (1859–1964)