"Let Us Have Peace" / Remarks of Logan H. Roots on the Assassination of Hon. James Hinds, Delivered in the House of Representatives, Washington, D. C., on Friday, January 22, 1869.

REMARKS OF LOGAN H. ROOTS, ON THE Assassination of Hon. James Hinds, DELIVERED IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, WASHINGTON, D. C., On Friday, January 22, 1869.
WASHINGTON: 1869.


Mr. Speaker—
The sad subject occupying the attention of this honorable body is one that bears upon my mind with peculiar force. I was personally acquainted with James Hinds during a busy portion of his eventful life, and it was in the district that I have the honor to represent in which he met his terrible death by political assassination.
His life, though short, was long enough for many hundreds to have become so endeared as to have wished it longer. His life, though short, was long enough to afford a wonderfully instructive lesson of encouragement to all those in this crowded world struggling against the barriers of poverty. Its history is an account of the child of poverty, developed into the honored man by its own exertions. Its history recounts what mighty results may be accomplished on no other capital than a clear intellect under the impetus of an indomitable will. Generally, when one falls so young the exclamation is, “Oh! what might have been.” In this instance imagination might feast itself on such a theme ad libitum ; but that is not necessary, it is grand enough to say, “See what was!”
Only twenty years ago James Hinds was a fatherless, penniless lad. But so determined was he to acquire knowledge that he attended school when he only did so by hiring a room, doing his own housekeeping, and working enough beside outside of school hours to earn the means of paying for his school expenses and daily living. Such earnest perseverance created success even under the most lowering clouds of adversity.
Traveling by such rugged steps he did not come upon the stage of manhood a mere hot-house production of opulence, but an earnest, laborious youth, gradually developed into a self-made, self-reliant man. Experience taught him to never wait for the coming of success or friends, but first make success, and then friends would come. His nature and training alike rendered it equally impossible for him to play sycophant to the rich or oppressor to the poor. His warm sympathy with the oppressed and downtrodden touched a responsive chord in men’s hearts that returned him in a remarkable degree the affection of the masses. The humblest and most friendless loved him without fear of being repulsed, and learned to regard him as their especial champion.