“I think that it is high time that we remembered that the Constitution speaks not only of the freedom of speech but also of trial by jury instead of trial by accusation. Whether it be a criminal prosecution in court or a character prosecution in the Senate, there is little practical distinction when the life of a person has been ruined.”
Although Senator Smith does not name anyone in this quotation, she is most likely referring to C. Joseph McCarthy, because she disagreed with his ideas and tactics, and thus spoke against him.