In 1855, Smith was elected to the Senate, representing Grand Bassa County. From 1856 to 1860, he was Secretary of State under President Stephen Allen Benson. In the 1869 presidential election, Smith was elected vice president alongside President Edward James Roye.
Smith entered politics in 1855, winning a seat in the Senate for Grand Bassa County. He held the position of Secretary of State from 1856 to 1860 under President Stephen Allen Benson. Two years later, he became vice president in the 1869 presidential election alongside President Edward James Roye.