Happy to make appeals to the Editor (7)
I believe the answer is:
pleased
'happy' is the definition.
('pleased' can be similar in meaning to 'happy')
'appeals to the editor' is the wordplay.
'appeals' becomes 'pleas' (plea is a kind of appeal).
'to the editor' becomes 'ed'.
'pleas'+'ed'='PLEASED'
'to make' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for pleased that I've seen before include "Well satisfied" , "Euphoric" , "Happy, satisfied" , "like Punch?" , "Content" .)