Prompted by the split within the Anti-Revolutionary Party (see 1894.04 and 1894.05), De Nederlander, which had been under the editorial leadership of A.F. de Savornin Lohman since May 14, 1894 (cf. 1894.10), published an article critical of Kuyper’s political leadership. Entitled “Een ongeval op zee” [An accident at sea], the article served as the introduction to a four-part series that was published under the title De scheiding [The separation].

Kuyper’s letter to the editor was published in De Standaard on the same day the fourth article in the series appeared in De Nederlander. In his letter Kuyper contends that he will no longer respond to criticisms published in De Nederlander and that he will make internal party affairs known to the public in due course (cf. 1896.16 and 1896.20). Kuyper further promises that if the accusations leveled at him in De Nederlander turn out to be warranted he will resign both his membership in and his chairmanship of the Central Committee at the next meeting of delegates.