The speaker delivers a congressional eulogy and political address mourning the assassination of James Hinds, tracing his rise from poverty to a self-made public leader, his Reconstruction-era advocacy for reintegration and protections for the vulnerable, and his efforts drafting state constitutional safeguards. The remarks recount the threats and violent opposition Hinds confronted while campaigning in a hostile region, describe the circumstances of his murder, condemn the use of political terror to suppress rights, and call for national protection, justice, and a peaceful restoration of civil order.