[2] A Young Irelander in 1848, and subsequently a journalist in American exile, from 1871 he was an Irish Home Rule Member of the United Kingdom Parliament for Westmeath and from 1880 for Tipperary.

[4] Smyth used this newfound fortune to fund a daring plan: To rescue fellow Young Irelander John Mitchel from Van Diemen's Land (now Tasmania), where the British had banished him to for his part in the rebellion.

[2] Smyth's role in Mitchel's escape brought him fame and made him a hero in Irish-American circles, who held numerous banquets in his honour.

Under Smyth's guidance, the paper adopted a pro-Union stance upon the outbreak of the American Civil War and criticised British support for the CSA.

By the late 1860s, following the failure of the Fenian Rising of 1867, Smyth had lost faith in the belief of Irish Independence by violent rebellion.

He attempted to rally support for the Manchester martyrs, who in 1867 was arrested and charged with murdering a British police officer when they rescued Irish Republican Brotherhood leaders Thomas J. Kelly and Timothy Deasy from imprisonment in England.

Over time Smyth became disenchanted with Butt's approach of simply seeking home rule for Ireland and began to advocate for outright repeal of the Act of Union.

[5] Smyth died only weeks after his appointment, on 12 January 1885, at his home at 15 Belgrave Square East, Rathmines, Dublin, and was buried in Glasnevin cemetery.