Marx-Engels Correspondence 1865
Source: MECW Volume 42, p. 131;
First published: in Marx and Engels, Works, First Russian Edition, Moscow, 1934.
My dear Jung,
Mr Cremer has quite misunderstood me (and I shall write him immediately upon that point). I was so far from any intention of moving new amendments on Tuesday evening to the old resolutions that, before the arrival of your letter, I had to-day posted to Schily a letter containing the very same resolutions. I wrote him at the same time to wait with their communication until Thursday next, so as to give Mr Le Lubez the time to fulfil his functions, viz. to communicate himself the resolutions.
What I said to Cremer, and to Fox ditto, was, that if Le Lubez and Mr Wolff, by their foolish behaviour, had not excited the feelings, and killed the time, the resolutions would and might have been rédigées in a way more polite on the one, and more logical, on the other hand; [so that] f.i. Resolution II (concerning Lefort’s [defensive ways]) might, by a short phrase, have lost its aspect, while Resolution IV concedes too much to Lefort etc. All this might have been mended, and I expressed to Mr Cremer my regret that it had, after the vote on the contents of the resolutions, not been left to the subcommittee to give it the convenient stylistic form.
Yet, I should consider it the greatest folly to reopen the questions once settled, and which, as far as the substance of the resolutions goes, have been settled in the most fair spirit. I should consider it, particularly, quite unworthy of the Central Council to rescind one single word after the exhibitions Le Lubez and Wolff have made of themselves. Moreover, by my letter to Schily such a course has become impossible.
You will, of course, oblige me by communicating to me your résumé historique — but I beg you to understand me well. I shall like to read it, as the thing itself interests me, but not in order to control your writing. I am convinced beforehand that you will not embitter the spirits. I fear Mr Le Lubez has already sent to his friends private despatches in that childish spirit.
Yours fraternally
K. Marx