ENGELS TO MARX
IN LONDON
Manchester, 2 April 1869
Dear Moor,
I cannot write much to you today, since for some time I have had a chronically inflamed eye (mild), and can only do the most essential work.
L'homme propose et la femme dispose.[1] [2] Yesterday evening I laid out for you a pile of copies of Zukunft, and also B. Becker on Lassalle,[3] but this morning the room was being swept out, so I forgot them. Die Zukunft, incidentally, has carried the Lugau story as a feature article.[4]
Wilhelm's stupidities exceed everything. Bebel's cry of alarm was really touching.[5] As you will see from Zukunft,[6] his friends in Hanover, the particularists, voted in the Lüneburg election against Yorck (Lassallean) and for the National-Liberal.[7] The rabble are all united against the workers but this does not disturb Liebknecht. I look forward to the dread debate with great eagerness.
About Vogt[8] : if I were you I would write directly to the Berlin Hirsch. Then you will finally reach the proper quarter.
Lizzie is better, but does not go out yet and is on a strengthening diet. How is MRS Lafargue?
Best wishes.
Your
F. E.
- ↑ Man proposes and woman disposes.
- ↑ A reference to Engels' intention to write a review of Volume One of Marx's Capital for The Fortnightly Review to which Professor Beesly was a contributor, (see Marx's letter to Engels of 8 January 1868, present edition, Vol. 42). While working on the review, Engels wrote out excerpts from Capital, which later made up a synopsis (see Note 26). The review was written around 20 May-1 June 1868, but rejected by the editorial board (see present edition, Vol. 20).
- ↑ B. Becker, Enthüllungen über das tragische Lebensende Ferdinand Lassalle's.
- ↑ Engels is referring to his 'Report on the Miners' Guilds in the Coalfields of Saxony' (see present edition, Vol. 21, and this volume, Note 281). Die Zukunft published it on 20 and 21 March 1869, ascribing it TO MARX and providing it with an editorial comment: 'The General Council of the International Working Men's Association has resolved to publish the following report by Karl Marx, Secretary of the General Council for Germany, both in the English original and the German translation.'
- ↑ A reference to August Bebel's letter TO MARX of 27 March 1869 written in connection with the dispute between Bebel and Liebknecht, on the one hand, and Schweitzer, on the other, at the congress of the General Association of German Workers held in Barmen-Elberfeld on 28-31 March 1869. Pressured by the workers, Schweitzer was obliged to meet half-way the demand of the Association's Leipzig members for an open discussion with Liebknecht, and for his and Bebel's presence at the Barmen-Elberfeld congress (see Note 318). Afraid of losing his prestige in the Association, Schweitzer intended to sub mit for discussion a proposal on establishing closer contacts with the Interna tional. Bebel, who had with Liebknecht arrived at Barmen-Elberfeld on the eve of the congress, warned Marx about Schweitzer's demagogic manoeuvres in the above-mentioned letter of 27 March 1869: 'We have heard so much about Schweitzer's mean tricks here that our hair is standing on end. It is now abundantly clear that Schweitzer has proposed the International's programme solely for the purpose of dealing us a strong blow and splitting up or winning over to his side the majority of the opposition. I request you therefore on my behalf, and also on that of Liebknecht and our other friends, to ignore for the time being the request to approve the corresponding decision of the congress or at least to give Schweitzer a very cautious reply.'
- ↑ 'Bei der in engerer Wahl vollzogenen Ersatz wahl...', Die Zukunft, No. 60, 12 March 1869, in the column 'Berlin, 11. März'.
- ↑ Gottlieb Planck
- ↑ K. Marx, Herr Vogt.