The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1910-09-20
LETTER OF ACCEPTANCE.
To Messrs. Will A. Stricken, AL
fred E. Kenney and w. c.. Nc
Conaughey, Committee,
Parkersburg, w. Va,

lTeu IL. henney ana w. y. NC
Conaughey, Committee,
Parkersburg, w. Va,
Gentlemen
| have just received your letter
under date of September 18th,
1910, which gives me formal no.
tlce that at a meeting of the
Democratic Congressional Com
mittee for the Fourth Congress-
ional District of West Virginia,
held in the city of Parkersburg,
on the 9Th inst, | was selected
as the candidate of that party
for Congress to supply the vacan-
cy on the ticket occasioned by the
inability of the Hon. John S.
Withers to accept the nomination
rendered him by the convention
recently assembled in that city.
In common with the Democrat
ic voters of this district and num-
erous others who are not habitual
supporters of the Democratic par
ty, sincerely regret that the
circumstances and environments
of Mr.. Withers were such as to
compel him to decline to make
the race. | feel that there are
hundreds of men in the Fourth
District, outside of the Demo-
cratic ranks, who would have
rallied to his support, and that
If he could have accepted the
nomination, his election would
have been practically assured
But from my acquaintance with
him, which | may say has been
close and intimate since my child
hood, and from knowledge that
he takes no action except from a
conscientious sense of duty, I
feel fully satisfied that the rea-
sons which compelled his resig-
nation are strong and cogent,
and that they are amply sufficient
to warrant the action which he
has seen proper to take in the
premises. / am likewise con-
WINGED of the further fact that
the mantle has fallen upon one
whose only hope is that he may
to some extent partially occupy
the vacancy created, but who can
not even for a moment entertain
the thought that he can fill it.
am fully sensible and to the
highest degree appreciative of
the great honor which your Com
mittee has conferred upon me by
the tender of this nomination.
During the remainder of my life,
whatever its length may be and
whatever may befall me i'm its
progress, | shall ever bear in
mind and recall with utmost
pleasure the fact that the repre-
sentatives of that portion of the
people of this district who have
been taught to believe that
equal and exact justice to all
men of whatever state or condi-
ton, >" is the foundation stone of
American liberty, winch doctrine
has been a tenet of the Demo
cratic party from its organization,
as well as the creed of thousands
of other men under other party
names and designations, have
called upon me to be the expon-
ent of their faith in what is per-
haps the most peculiar political
campaign in the history of the
country. The honor to me is
none the less because candor
compels me to admit the pOssibil-
.ity that at the outcome victory
may not resi- upon our banners.
To be followed by such hosts is
.of Itself, to the candidate, a thing
. so pleasurable that well might ne
desire it though the march should
end i'm loss of battle.
The reading Of your letter
brings TO my nina i'm an cmphat-
ic way the existence Of such cir
. cumstance5 and facts i'm the cur
rent political history of the coun-
try as well might cause the can
didate for Congress to give deer