Evening journal., 1898-08-20
SATURDAY. AUGUST 20. 1888
BRoTHER WIIlds' ApPEAI.

bOOlp1ulN WILLIS AFbEAD1.
Rev. Jonathan S. Willis, once, by the
grace Of Hon. Anthony Higgins, repre-
sentative in Congress, and at another
time by the grace of his treason to Mr..
Higgins and the friendship OF j. Ed
ward Addicks, a candidate for re-elec-
tion to that high and honorable Office,
comes out in a fearful appeal for unity
OF the two Republican factions. In the
course of his lamentations he says:
If factionism in our party, and conse-
quent apathy In the voters, continue,
we shall relapse into that condition un-
der which we have been cursed for
thirty years; the Constitution will be
imperilled; fraud at the elections, pecu-
lations in the administration, and gen
eral political Generalization will be
the order Of the day.
How sad must become the conscien-
tious Republican when he beholds the
wreck and realizes that he, sither by
contributory negligence. or spiteful
partisanship, helped to sink the ship.
Now is our time to act-to act I'm uni
son-to act with promptitude-to act
as becomes reasonable men; subordi-
mating our selfish purposes to the gem
eral good-holding our passions and
desires in subiection, that we may
leave to our children at least heritage
Of decency in the politics Of our little
state
Therefore l appeal to my fellow Re-
publicans to hold in allegiance all non
essentials, and unite on the fundamen-
tails. Principles are more than faction,
more than party. Conventional repre-
sentation can be settled later. Wheel
into line now and save the state
What a mass OF hypoeritical cant
this is to come from man who wears
heavens livery. Does Rev. Jonathan
S. Willis entertain the idea that the
conscientious Republicans OF Delaware
have forgotten his baseness and in
gratitude in the short time which has
interyened since he betrayed his po-
litical maker and benefactor and went
over, body and soul, to ]. Edward Ad-
dicks, virtually selling his respecta-
bility and friends for a congressional
nominationIwhichw wasroredoomed to de-
feat? Can man OF such political char
acter nave the brazen presumption to
prate OF contributory negligence, spite
full partisanship and party disaster af-
ter playing such demeaning part IN
state politics? Is he man who should
pose as the advance agent of unity; as
the guide and prompter of reasonable
men; as the framer and expounder
OF a policy which subordinates selfish
purposes to the general good; holding
personal passions and desires in sub
lection, and leaving to children a heri-
tage Of decency in the politics OF our
little state? God forbid that a minis
ter Of the gosspl, who 50 far forgot his
calling in his desire for political pref
erence as to become one of the pillars
Of that heinous and corrupt thing
known as Addicksism, should be ac-
cepted as a disciple Of decent politics
His appeal to Republicans to hold in
allegiance all non-essentials, and unite
on the fundamentals, is so hypocritica
in the light Of his past actions as tC
shock public feeling. His declaration
that principles are more than factor
and party is true, but II comes from {
man who never practiced his Owl
preaching in this particular
II must have cost Mr.. Willis SOM
qualms Of conscience to pen such let
ter; for we cannot believe that hi
moral conscience is dead, even thougl
his political conscience is a thing o
the past. He has been false to hi
friends, false to his party and false {
himself. His course Of conduct ha
robbed him Of public respect and con
fdence. There was a time when al
utterance of his, whether written G
oral, was deserving Of attention, bu
that time passed when he played tn
Judas to Senator Higgins, and becam
an Esau to Mr.. Addicks. He has bee
repudiated by the decent element OF tt
Republican party of Delaware for h
treachery to those who made him VIII;
he was and who unmade him whe
they became ashamed OF his ow
handiwork.
The years which Rev. Jonathan
Willis has at his disposal are too fe
for him to reinstate himself in the p
sition which he one time held, al
which he re,inquished when J. Edwa
Addicks threw into the Republics
camp the golden apple Of political d
cord, and held up before his Wilt
eyes the glittering and irresistible ;
lurement Of a second term as congre'
man from Delaware.
Governor Tunnel has offered a
ward of $4,000 for the arrest and CT