The Wilmington daily Republican., 1895-05-07
MR. WILLIS AND TnE srNAroRsnIr
lie Urges Legislators TO Elect n Successor
TO MIR. Higgins

Congressman J. s. Willis Of Milford has
issued the following open letter:
To the Republican Senators and Represen-
tatives of the Delaware Legislature.
Gentlemen During the past four months
you have been engaged in a contest for the
election OF a United States senator. You
have suffered many disu ppolntments and
perplexities. endured much adverse criti-
cism, and many unjust accusations, as a
result of your failure in the matter.
Unfortunately you have been divided
into three parties each party adhering,
with unusual tenacity, to its favorte cand-
date. Such loyalty to n leader as you have
| manifested (while ordinarily 1t is to be
highly commended), II pursued too far, be-
comes pernicious and is destructive of the
very object desired. Matters have gone so
far that now 1t is a common rumor that
many of you have abandoned the hope, il
not the intention, to make an election at
all
My object In this writing is to enter my
protest and to express my sorrow a Re
publican at such condition of things,
While have said nothing in public hitherto
| have conversed with men of the party in
all parts of the state, and but voice the
unanimous sentiment OF the Republican
party of Delaware when l say 1t would be
a shame and reproach to have a vacancy
in the United States Senate on account of
our misdongs.
| This country is now passing through the
twin-crlss of the rebellion of 1861. That
was a crisis involving the nations life; this
is crisis involving the nations solvency,
and its credit at home and abroad. The
voters of the country recognized this when
at the last national election hey sent 2i5
Republicans to the Fifty-fourth Congress,
as against III Of all other parties; breaking
the Solid South electing thirty-seyen mem
bers from that section as against twelve
Democrats north of Mason and Dixon's
line; yindicating the theory of protection
to American industries, emphasizing the
spirit of Americanism and virtually reas-
serting that this is government of. for
and by the people. While we shall have
} an overwhelming majority In the next
! House of Representatives., we shall lose
control of the Senate Il Delaware fails TO
make an election. The loss of that sena-
torial control might involve this nation in
great difficulties. Our foreign relations to-
> LAY, under President whose party seems
} to have left him. and who himself appears
, to be Indifferent to our relations with for
eign countries. are anything but satisfac-
tory to every intelligent and patriotic
American.
The attitude of Great Britain toward u.s.
7 instead Of being one of friendship and CO.
operation becoming the leading Chris
tian nation of the world is much the same
, , as it was in the war of 1872, and n the re-
belIon of 1861: professedly a conservator
of peace and morality, her foreign policy is
controlled by commercial greed. She has
endeayored to circumvent us at Samoa and
, ! Hawaii, and now according to every
rational evidence. is seeking TO dispute our
; control of the proposed Nicaraguan canal.
American commerce. which is destined to
. play its part in the affairs of the world,
, has been insulted in the Atlantic ocean.
and ercumvented in the Pacific. with the
exception Of Pearl river harbor and Samoa
there is not volcanic mound in the Pa
citc large as a kitchen garden
which is not under the dominion of for
. eign flag.
. 1t is. therefore, vital to the nations safety
: that the Fifty-fourth Congress- in both its
! branches should be under Republican con
. troll. 1t can neither be denied. nor success
: fully refuted, that the great Republican
. party is, up to the present time, the prime
. dependence of national safety, solyency.
n prosperity, and honor.
And what would be thought, either in
state or nation. of a set of men elected by
the votes OF that great party to represent
: them in state Legislature, and aid in up
J. holding that grand policy by which this
@ country has become the admiration and
n wonder OF the world, who would, at the end
o of fuur-months' session. confess them
y selves unable to elect United States sena-
!, tor2
), My dear brethren. for truths sake, for the
D peoples sake, and for your own sake, let 1t
not be sol You have stood by your favorites
like men, up to the present tlme-good men,
= brave men, true men-but now II is the part
d of manlnCss to say to each Of them Sir.
inasmuch as | cannot serve both you and
n my party, you must excuse me If | serve my
y party"
L You are under the strlctest obligations of
u honor to serve that party by upholding its
n principles; that party voted you to the Leg
i. islature for that very purpose and. allow
e me to say, gentlemen, that holding the
If eminent positions that you do, both in the
& party and in the community, with the fiat
g. tering prospects for the future which most
of you have, you cannot afford, even for the
u sake of the most sacred personal prefer
]. ences, to ignore your obligations to the
a party and the public by winding up the
y present drama with an act of child's play.
You all have my high respect. esteem
y and love. and should be greved to know
that any of you had suffered detriment as
- the result of your maction. Therefore,
i. allow me to advise persuade and beg you
not to adjourn without an election.
n As l look at the subject there is no man to
h whom the party owes anything except 1t be
t. the old soldier who risked his life to save
"a the country. Everyone has received more
. than an adequate compensation in the Sc
:, curity of life, liberty and property, and the
a. innunerable privileges which this blessed
% land offers to every honest citizen. Do not
. be beguiled by the Slren-song that you are
y under obligations to vote for any particu-
a lar man. and do not allow your love for any
ID man. nor your disapprOval of any man &c
c. prevent your selecting some good, capable
4, Republican as United States senator. And
% may God speed the right!
" Yours fraternally and respectfully.
- ]. S. WILLIS.
X. OF p. Hall Company.
The annual meeting Of the knights o.
:; Pythias Hall Company was held las