Manchester, 14 October 1868 

Dear Moor, 

Today the Kélnische Zeitung states that the workers (coutiers) in 
Essen, who have just ended the strike successfully,” have revolted 
against Schweitzerism and its supporters, the local bigwigs, and are 
demanding strict accounting of the sree funds.” The source is 
suspect, but the symptom is significant. This whole agitation 
breaks down on money matters; the Lassallean leaders are too 
scoundrelly in this respect. 

Further, it reports that in Gladbach the cotton manufacturers 
have recognised that the working day is too long, and are forming 
an association among themselves to reduce the day from 13 hours 
to 12 for the time being (issue of 12 October). You see that your 
book” is also having a practical effect on the bourgeoisie. 

Yet another stupid issue of Wilhelm’s sheet this week! He 
interrupts your stuff about Hirsch? in order to publish a rubbishy 
article which amounts to saying that bourgeois society, or ‘the 
social’, as he puts it, is determined by ‘the political’ and not vice 
versa.© Naturam si furca expellas,’ etc. Nearly every article is crawling 
with nonsense. 

Ernest the Fox now seems to be a certainty here if you can trust 
the cheers with which he, in particular, is honoured everywhere 
among the 8 liberal candidates.'” If things go well, this will be due 
neither to his cunning, nor to his straightforwardness, but only to 
the instinct of the masses. The Tories can find no candidate, it is 
said they wish to put up here one of the Hoares (London 
bankers); but the man will have to have a lot of money to throw 
away for nothing if he lets himself in for it. 

a The reports, datelined ‘Essen, 8. Okt.’ and ‘Gladbach, 10. Okt.’, appeared in the 
column Vermischte Nachrichten (Miscellaneous Reports), Kélnische Zeitung, No. 284, 
12 October 1868. -> the first volume of Capital - © Demokratisches Wochenblatt - 
d K. Marx, ‘Connections Between the International Working Men’s Association and 
English Working Men’s Organisations’.- ¢ ‘Der Staat und die soziale Frage’, 
Demokratisches Wochenblatt, No. 41, 10 October 1868. - £ naturam expellas furca, tamen 
usque recurret-— You may drive nature out with a pitchfork, still it will return (Horace, 
Epistles, 1, 10, 24).