Letter to Friedrich Engels, March 18, 1865

Author(s) Karl Marx
Written 18 March 1865


First published abridged in Der Briefwechsel zwischen F. Engels und K. Marx, Bd. 3, Stuttgart, 1913 and in full in MEGA, Abt. III, Bd. 3, Berlin, 1930
Published in English for the first time in Marx-Engels Collected Works, Volume 42


MARX TO ENGELS

IN MANCHESTER

[London] 18 March 1865

DEAR FRED, There are a lot of things, some of them important, that I want to write to you about. But as there's A VERY GREAT DEAL OF BUSINESS to do in connection with my departure tomorrow,[1] just the following bare facts:

The remaining HALVES of the notes received. You can send the POST OFFICE order to my wife. I've sent off a note from Bender asking for 50 copies, etc., of your pamphlet,[2] etc., to O. Meissner direct, as I had to write to him today. It is possible that Meissner's answer may arrive too late for the next Londoner Anzeiger. Since Bender does at present without doubt know best how to disseminate things of this kind in England, you should send him a note about the price of the pamphlet by return if you can (i.e. if you know it yourself). He will then advertise it straightaway in the next number. His address is 8 Little Newport St., Leicester Square.

I did a short, highly condensed little article for Bender, such as I thought would be suitable for his paper,[3] a kind of prospectus of contents, and sent Juch conversely, contrariwise and notwithstanding, just your pamphlet itself, asking him to do a critique of it in his own way and according to his own point of view.[4] Then I received enclosed note from Juch (to be kept). There certainly wasn't the time for a critical review. So, I sent the notice originally intended for Bender (in today's Hermann) to Juch[5] (and the enclosed message to Bender instead[6] ). At the same time, I wrote to Juch—diplomacy becoming increasingly important—that I couldn't meet his request because I was going away, that he should print copious extracts in a later number; I would discuss his difficulty in finding contributors with him when I returned to London. (I am thinking of placing Eccarius there, instead of with the Social-Demokrat) I sent him ditto a copy of my statement against Schweitzer,[7] although the Hermann won't be able to print it until next Saturday's edition (copies sent at the same time to Reform in Berlin and to the Düsseldorfer Zeitung); no amendments in the version for the Hermann except a stab at Blind inserted at the beginning.

Bender has written to me ditto:

'Most obliged and grateful for notice you sent; but we now need a review as well.'

I've passed this on to Eccarius. Also enclosed a number of the Rheinische Zeitung sent to me by Liebknecht with HIS SPEECH.[8] His wife[9] has written to mine; they are really down on their luck. He still owed the Social-Demokrat £5, etc. I can't send him anything at the present moment. Nordstern enclosed. You must keep this document. You can see these gentlemen are now trying to make out that that wretch Schweitzer completely falsified Lassalle.[10] So, my statement against Schweitzer, which also repudiates Lassalle, even though very indirectly, comes at a most opportune moment. It will all come out in the wash by and by.

It appears from the enclosed letter from Bruhn that I was right about Frisch.[11] I've sent him the 6 talers (not 60!), although I'm not convinced by it, at the same time saying that I would 'make further enquiries' regarding the 50, etc.

Salut.

Your

K. M.

Apropos. Klings called in on his way to America. He had all kinds of interesting things to report to me. A real 'Rhineland' worker.

On 5 March the Cologne branch of the General Workers' Association decided to issue a protest (along the lines of our statement[12] ) against the Social-Demokrat, and against B. Becker as well, who is a kind of Biscamp Secundus. They have STOPPED THE MONEY SUPPLIES. And this refusal to pay taxes is catching.

  1. ↑ Marx stayed with his relatives, the Philipses, at Zalt-Bommel (Holland) from 19 March to 8 April 1865.
  2. ↑ F. Engels, The Prussian Military Question and the German Workers' Party.
  3. ↑ Londoner Anzeiger
  4. ↑ See this volume, pp. 130-31.
  5. ↑ K. Marx, 'Review of Engels' Pamphlet The Prussian Military Question and the German Workers' Party.
  6. ↑ K. Marx, 'Synopsis of Engels' Pamphlet The Prussian Military Question and the German Workers' Party.
  7. ↑ K. Marx, 'Statement [Regarding the Causes of the Breach with the Social-Demokrat].
  8. ↑ The Berliner Reform of 3 March, the Rheinische Zeitung of 4 March 1865 and other German papers published a report on Marx's and Engels' break with Der Social-Demokrat which Wilhelm Liebknecht made on 28 February in the Berlin Printers' Association that declared its adhesion to the International. The printers approved of Marx and Engels' statement of 23 February and Liebknecht's refusal to contribute to Der Social-Demokrat.
  9. ↑ Ernestine Liebknecht
  10. ↑ On 11 March 1865, the Nordstern (No. 300) published a protest by Georg Herwegh, Friedrich Wilhelm Rüstow and Friedrich Reusche. It was against a report in Der Social-Demokrat, of 26 February 1865, which said that Lassalle was flirting with the Prussian monarchy. The authors of the protest asserted that Lassalle did not show any special respect for the King of Prussia and that the report's allegations were unfounded.
  11. ↑ See this volume, pp. 117-18.
  12. ↑ K. Marx and F. Engels, 'To the Editor of the Social-Demokrat.'