Kuyper visited Grand Rapids from October 25–27, 1898 (for Kuyper’s stay in the United States, see 1898.07). On October 26 Kuyper gave a speech in Dutch to a gathering of some two thousand Dutch Americans. An English synopsis of his address was published in the Grand Rapids Herald, no. 5055, October 29, 1898 and also reprinted in 2001.10 (pp. 469–473). From the newspaper reports of this informal talk, which Kuyper gave in the auditorium of Lockerby Hall in Grand Rapids, it appeared that he was claimed by both Republicans and Democrats as a supporter of their party.

In this letter to the editor, therefore, Kuyper pointed out the nuances in what he had said about both parties during his talk. On being asked, he also said that he completely understood why Dutchmen had chosen the side of the Republicans (cf. 1900.34), although he then expressed regret that the Republican platform of 1896 did not openly endorse the Calvinistic principles of Alexander Hamilton (1757–1804) in the same way their opponents publicly defended the principles of Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826). In the Netherlands Hamilton was regarded as Christian-Democrat (which should not be confused with the Democratic Party in America).

A Dutch translation of this letter to the editor was published in De Grondwet (KA 318, 26; whole issue, HMA). The letter was printed under the heading, “Dr. Kuyper en Onze Politieke Partijen” [Dr. Kuyper and our political parties]. One of the most influential Dutch-American newspapers, De Grondwet (1860–1938) “as leader of the political sentiments of our Dutch American people” agitated for standing up more strongly for Calvinistic principles in the political sphere.