Marx-Engels Correspondence 1868
Source: MECW, Volume 43, p. 195;
First published: abridged in Der Briefwechsel zwischen F. Engels und K. Marx, Stuttgart, 1913 and in full in MEGA, Berlin, 1931.
Dear Fred,
Thanks for your marginal notes! When I wrote to you that evening I was excited. But the next morning there was already a reaction and the decision to treat the matter diplomatically, quite as you advise.
Ténot’s Province is much better. It contains many new details for us. Had the Parisians held out a couple of days longer, the Empire would have been foutu. [finished] The movement (republican) among the rural population was much bigger than we knew.
Enclosed Réveil, the organ of Ledru-Rollin. Delescluze his ame damnée, républicain de vieille roche, asinus. He is the provisional government’s commissioner who led the Belgians into the guet-àpens of Risquons Tout. Thus traitor or arch-ass. Probably the latter.
The stupid idea of the workers who wanted to give a banquet for [U.S. Ambassador in London] R. Johnson has been blocked by us. Coningsby, whose initiative it was, is a blackguard. This character was on a pleasure trip to the United States and was paid by Seward for this London reception for R. Johnson. He is the same workman who wrote to The Times years ago, stating that the workers were politically satisfied and did not want the suffrage.
If you could send me a few £ for the Christmas week now beginning, it would be very welcome.
Salut.
Your
K. M.