Marx-Engels Correspondence 1869
Source: MECW, Volume 43, p. 221;
First published: in Der Briefwechsel zwischen F. Engels und K. Marx, Stuttgart, 1913.
Dear Fred,
Best thanks for the Report [on the coalminers in Saxony]. It is transparently clear. I have changed nothing, except to strike out the final sentence (or rather some words of it). Yesterday read out in the Central Council. Adopted. Will be sent first to The Times (or rather taken there by Eccarius). If they don’t take it, then to The Daily News. Then the English press cutting will be sent to Zukunft, Social-Demokrat and Wilhelm. The poor devils of Lugau will have the great satisfaction of being mentioned in the English press.
Enclosed Resolutions, etc., 6 in all. The circumstances are as follows. The resolution of the Congress (Brussels) obliged us to have the Brussels resolutions printed. Using the excuse that the Geneva resolutions form part of the platform, we have printed, at the same time, part of what was tabled at the Geneva congress by the London Central Council and adopted by the Geneva congress, omitting the amendments, etc., proposed by the French in Geneva and also adopted — rubbishy stuff. Thus, this portion is written by me. On the other hand, I had no part in drafting the 1868 Resolutions. The only phrase from me verbatim is the first considering ‘On the effects of machinery’.
That Bakunin should lay claim to the ‘Slav’ brothers in Courland and Livonia is great. Neither are his claims on Silesia bad.
What about Foster, Exchanges?
Meissner is a fine fellow; I sent him, a few days before your visit to London, a copy of Louis Bonaparte. Asked for immediate notification. No word yet.
Wilhelm remains unchangeably the same. He wrote to me that he had sent 50 or 60 copies to Kugelmann, but Kugelmann in fact has received only 6 copies!
Salut.
Your
K. M.