Samuel Harrison Smith was an American journalist and newspaper publisher. He founded the National Intelligencer

National Intelligencer

The National Intelligencer newspaper was published in Washington, D.C. from about 1800 until 1870.Until 1810 it was named the National intelligencer, and Washington advertiser. Its name changed to the National Intelligencer starting with the issue of November 27, 1810...

at Washington

Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....

 in 1800. Joseph Gales

Joseph Gales

Joseph Gales, Jr. was an American journalist, born in Eckington, Derbyshire, England. His father, Joseph Gales, Sr. , was a printer in Sheffield, who was compelled to emigrate to America in 1795 because of his republican principles.-History:The son was educated at the University of North Carolina...

 became his assistant in 1807 and sole proprietor in 1810. In 1813 Smith was appointed the Commissioner of the Revenue

Commissioner of the Revenue

The Commissioner of the Revenue is one of five locally elected whose authority is specifically conveyed in the Virginia Constitution. The other four are Clerk of the Court, Commonwealth's Attorney, Sheriff, and Treasurer....

 for the United States Treasury Department by President Madison

James Madison

James Madison, Jr. was an American statesman and political theorist. He was the fourth President of the United States and is hailed as the “Father of the Constitution” for being the primary author of the United States Constitution and at first an opponent of, and then a key author of the United...

, and on September 30, 1814, Secretary of the Treasury, ad interim. During the period 1809-19 he was president of the Bank of Washington and then president of the Washington branch of the Bank of the United States

Second Bank of the United States

The Second Bank of the United States was chartered in 1816, five years after the First Bank of the United States lost its own charter. The Second Bank of the United States was initially headquartered in Carpenters' Hall, Philadelphia, the same as the First Bank, and had branches throughout the...

 until the position was abolished in 1835. He was married to the author Margaret Bayard Smith

Margaret Bayard Smith

Margaret Bayard Smith was an American author, born in Pennsylvania to Colonel John Bubenheim Bayard and Margaret Hodge....

, first cousin to James A. Bayard who was so influential in the 1800 presidential election.