Marx in Neue Rheinische Zeitung December 1848
Source: MECW Volume 8, p. 182;
Written: by Marx on December 13, 1848;
First published: in Neue Rheinische Zeitung No. 168, December 14, 1848.
Cologne, December 13. The article of the Neue Rheinische Zeitung of July 4, on account of which the responsible publisher, Korff, the editor-in-chief, Marx, and the editor of the Neue Rheinische Zeitung, Engels, are to appear before the assizes on the 20th inst., concludes with the following words:
“Those are the actions of the Government of Action, the Government of the Left Centre, the Government of transition to an old aristocratic, old bureaucratic and old Prussian Government. As soon as Herr Hansemann has fulfilled his transitory function, he will be dismissed.
“The Berlin Left, however, must realise that the old regime is willing to let it keep its small parliamentary victories and large constitutional designs as long as the old regime in the meantime is able to seize all the really important positions. It can confidently recognise the revolution of March 19 inside the Chamber provided the revolution can be disarmed outside of it.
“Some fine day the Left may find that its parliamentary victory coincides with its real defeat. Perhaps German development needs such contrasts. The Government of Action recognises the revolution in principle in order to carry out the counter-revolution in practice.”
Facts have proved to what extent the Neue Rheinische Zeitung has calumniated the Prussian Government and its henchmen.