London, 21 February 1874 

Dear Friend Blos, 

Things received with thanks. I enclose the article on the English 
elections.’ The first of a series on the Military Law‘ will follow in a 
few days; the second’ as soon as I have obtained a copy of 
Moltke’s speech. 

a K. Marx, General Rules and Administrative Regulations of the International Working 
Men’s Association. - > F. Engels, ‘The English Elections’. - © F. Engels, ‘The Imperial 
Military Law. I’. - 4 F. Engels, ‘The Imperial Military Law. II’. 

Jacoby’s conduct is irresponsible.? If he did not wish to take up 
his seat he should have requested the Party Committee in advance 
just to put him forward as a mere ‘name’ in completely hopeless 
constituencies. The workers have neither the money nor the time 
to squander on empty gestures of this sort. The most strenuous 
efforts will be needed to get Bracke in, and victory there is doubly 
important since it is in a rural constituency. Jacoby has disqualified 
himself for good with this. The man is just too much of a sage. And 
his reasons are so trivial and vulgar-democratic! He hurls abuse at 
force as something reprehensible in itself, even though we all know 
that, when it comes down to it, nothing can be achieved without 
force. If Léb Sonnemann had written such things, that would not 
be so bad, or Karl Mayer of the Schwdabischer Beobachter—but a 
candidate of our party! However, it is a good thing that he has 
reduced himself to the level of a mere ‘name’. 

And in fact it is all very fine and logical: on the one hand, he 
rejects force, on the other, parliamentary legal action—what is left 
then but pure Bakuninist abstention? 

Yours in friendship, 
F. E. 

Liebknecht’s letter arrived yesterday.