The Washington times., 1924-08-12
. AR Y IS
.H|S0V|I
CLIENT
Republicans ,AssaiIed For Cor
ruption at Home ! and
lnacticn Abroad

d u
CLARKSBURG, w. Va, Aug
12.-A rigorous -GrYGigmment o.
che Republican Administration .cNG
The pledge of ian honest, an i'm
partial, and, so far as huntar
sOisdont will permit, a Just govern.
ase1tt,'' constituted the theme 81
the address delivered here tonigki
By John w. Davis IN formally
accepting the Democratic presideSs'
tlnt nomination. ~
The full tert of the speech Of
GcceptGnce follows:
MR.. CHAIRMAN and members
4N4 of the COMMITTEES:
You will understand, with lit
tie explanation on my part, the
feelings which have led me to
fix our meeting at this spot in
the hills of West Virginia. These
are the hills that Graded me and
to which as boy and man I lift
ed UP my eyes for help.
In this soil rest four genera
tons of my people artisans.
tradesmen, farmers and sprinl1-
ling of the Observation-Disclosures
all, who played in simple fashion
their appointed parts lin the life
Of this community. Among them
now lie those who gave me life,
and to whose high precept and
example owe all that / have
ever been and all that I can
hope to be.
These witnesses who surround
US are the companions Of my
youth and manhood. With them
most of my days have been spent,
and when circumstances have
called me elsewhere they have
followed me with regard and
affection that has laid on me
debt of gratitude greater than /
can repay.
Twenty-Five years ago they first
called me to their service as their
representative in the legislature
OF this State, and since that day,
In public office or in private life,
] have fought with them unceas-
ingly the battle for, democratic
ideals and democratic principles.
OF their own free will and mo-
ton they presented my name to
the Democratic convention as one
deserving it's consideration. Bet.
ter than all others, they will
know whether what shall say
to you today is in keeping with
the convictions i have expressed
and the action / have taken in
the past, and more than any 9th.
ers, they will resent anything ]
may say or do that shows their
confidence misplaced.
It is in the presence OF these
hills, these graves, these wit
nesses, that wish to hear your
message and give you my reply.
Government in Distrust.
You come to give me official
notice that / have been chosen
by the Democratic party as its
nominee for the highest office in
the gift of the American peo-
ple: You invite me to take the
reins of leadership and marshal
its hosts for the coming cam
paign.
No weightier commission could
be laid on any man. He must
be vain indeed who does not feel
his own unaided strength made
Quate to such a task, and he
must be ambitious beyond reason
whom thought of fame or honor
tempts to undertake it without
the fullest sympathy with his
party and its aims.
I reflect, however. that you
are the representatives of mil.
lions of Americans who are dis.
satisfied with existing conditions,
who long for the day when Amer
lea will set her face a to the
front again and who are ready to
march begins. And 1 have read
your platform and its declara-
tons of party principle and find
them such as 1 can heartily APP
prove. For these things / thank
God, and take courage.
1 take note. Mr.. Chairman, In
passing of what you were good
enough to say concerning my
past career and conduct as q
lawyer. have no apology to
offer for either. The answer to
any criticism on that score must
come not only from those who,
like yourself, have won the high
est distinction at the bar, but
also from the more than one
hundred thousand other honest
and patriotic men and women
who make up the legal profession
in this country. They know and
they will gladly join you in tes-
tifying that the upright lawyer
sells his services but never his
soul "A word of personal his.
story In this connection. however.
may not be out Of place.
Party Only Client.
When was advised Of the
purpose Of President Wilson to
appoint me to the high office
of Solicitor General, my first
act was to surrender all private
employment and to sever nv
connection with the law firm OF
which was then member
and of which my revered father
was the head. From that day
until my duties as Ambassador
to Great Britain were. ended,
eight years later, / had no other
client or employer than the gov.
eminent, and the people Of the
United States. Whether l seryed
them well or faithfully. not /. but
others must say.
AS soon as the convention,
over which you so ably presided,
had decided In my behalf, I real.
lied that was called upon to
repeat my former action. With.
In the week, therefore. I signi.
fled to all my clients thas /
could no longer serve them. and
severed my connection with the
honorable gentlemen who were
nv professional paFtners.
have no clients today but the