Vocabulary in Remarks to the Senate in Support of a Declaration of Conscience

The noun “concurrence” means agreement. For the six other senators to concur means that they agree with Smith’s sentiments. This enhances the ethos of Smith’s speech since her words do not merely present her own opinions and expertise, but also those of six other Senators.

The adverb “advisedly” characterizes actions done deliberately and after careful consideration. The implication is that Smith does not believe “debate” is an accurate description of what has been happening in the Senate, but she uses the word anyways out of respect for tradition. The word “advisedly” also serves as a model for how the Senate should behave in the future: deliberately and with careful consideration.

The verb “to mangle” refers to the act of destroying or damaging something by tearing or crushing it. Smith’s description of “politically mangled” Americans evokes the idea of a violent attack, with the Senate as the aggressor. “Mangled” also bears an alternative colloquial meaning: something that has been ruined by incompetence or lack of skill. Viewing the Cold War political landscape from this light, not only has the Senate ruined people’s lives, but it has done so because it lacks the skill to tactfully address the situation.

The noun “prudence” refers to the quality of being cautious or careful. It is often associated with conservatism, since both outlooks take a cautious approach to change. For the Republican Party to be the “champion of unity and prudence” would further align them with the reputation of Abraham Lincoln, who fought to keep the United States together during the Civil War. By emphasizing the connection between the Republican Party and Abraham Lincoln, Smith appeals to the sense of pride that her fellow conservatives draw from the highest achievements of their party’s history. They are not the party of division and recklessness that McCarthy is trying to make them, but rather the party of “unity and prudence” that Lincoln established.

In this context, the verb “whitewash” is a metaphor that compares the act of painting over something with cheap white paint (called “whitewash”) to the act of covering up a scandal or crime using a biased investigation or trial. The implication is that the political parties of the 1950s not only falsely accused innocent people, but also protected guilty people.

The verb “to abuse” means to use something for immoral purposes. It stems from the verb “to use,” which typically refers to the act of holding, taking, or deploying something to accomplish a goal. Based on the use of the word “or,” Smith likely uses these two words as a contrast, with “using” representing responsible usage and “abusing” representing irresponsible usage. Smith intends to remind Senators of their responsibility to use their “powers and privileges” for the good of the American people.

The verb “to impute” means to attribute or connect an action or quality with someone. Essentially, Smith is saying that the Senate can accuse a non-Senator of “any conduct or motive unworthy or unbecoming an American” without consequence.