London, 1 March 1869 
Enclosed 2 Lanternes and 1 Réveil 

Dear Fred, 

Thanks for the money. Paid out by Borkheim on Saturday.* He 
read me your letter and then his answer. He is very proud 
supposedly to have been able to prove that you muddle up 
genders (which apparently often happens with you). 

Ditto received Foster on Saturday evening. The book is indeed 
important for its time. First, because Ricardo’s theory is fully 
developed in it, and better than in Ricardo—on money, rate of 
exchange, etc.? Second, because you can see here how those 
jackasses, Bank or ENGLAND, COMMITTEE OF Inquiry,”*” the theo- 
reticians racked their brains over the problem: EncLanp debtor To 
IreLann. Despite the fact that the rate of exchange is always against 
Ireland, and money is exported from Ireland to England. Foster 
solves the puzzle for them: it is the depreciation of Irish paper 
money. In fact, two years earlier than him (1802), Blake had fully 
explained this difference between the nominal and the real rate of 
exchange, about which, incidentally, Petty 288 had said everything 
necessary —but after him this business was forgotten once again. 

The Irish amnesty is the paltriest of its kind ever seen. 
D’abord,’ most of those amnestied had almost served the term after 
which all penal servitude MEN are released on TICKETS oF LEAVE. And 
second, the chief ringleaders have been kept inside ‘because’ 
Fenianism is of ‘American’ origin, and thus all the more 
criminal. It is precisely for this reason that Yankee-Irishmen like 
Costello are released and the Ancio-Irish are kept under lock and 
key. 

If ever a mountain gave birth to a mouse, it was this ministry or 
ALL TALENTS,"”” indeed in every respect. 

I sent you earlier the report of Pollock and Knox (the same 
lousy London police magistrate, a former Times man, who so 

4 27 February - > Marx is referring to Ricardo’s book On the Principles of Political 
Economy, and Taxation... -¢ firstly -4 [A. Knox, G. D. Pollock] Report of the 
Commissioners on the Treatment of the Treason-Felony Convicts in the English Convict 
Prisons ; 

distinguished himself in the Hyde Park affair) on the treatment of 
Irish ‘convicts’ in England. One of the ‘convicts’ has exposed, in The 
Irishman, John Bull’s unprecedented infamies and the lies of that 
blockhead Knox. 

Since Laura’s health is not quite as good as we thought, I had 
intended to go to Paris for a few days next week. I had written to 
Lafargue about it." As a result, an unknown man, i.e., a police 
agent, asked him whether Monsieur Marx had arrived yet. He had 
for him ‘une communication a faire’.» How well the inviolability of 
the post is preserved in Paris—still! Now I am not going. 

Lafargue has been excused 3 of the 5 examinations (French), 
and received permission, or rather instructions, to take the 2 
remaining ones in Strasbourg. Meanwhile, he appears to me to be 
too absorbed in politics, which can become nasty, since his friends 
are a lot of Blanquists. I shall warn him. He should pass his 
examinations first. 

The coterie’ he keeps you can see from the enclosed prospec- 
tus.”"? What they lack is £250 security. This has a good side to it. 
It has emancipated Lafargue from Moilin, as rotows: 

‘Javais parlé a Moilin pour le cautionnement; il avait promis de le donner, mais 
au dernier moment il a refusé, si on ne voulait le nommer rédacteur en chef. IJ n’a 
pas dit la chose, mais il I’a Jaissé entrevoir. Tridon m/’a dit: Moilin est un diplomate, 
il a ailleurs la téte de Fouché; ainsi il [ne] faut jamais se facher avec lui: il faut le 
sonder, savoir ce qu'il veut, pour se tenir toujours en garde envers lui.’4 

With regard to my book against Proudhon, Lafargue writes: 

‘Blanqui en a un exemplaire et le préte a tous ses amis. Ainsi Tridon, I’a lu et a 
été heureux de voir de quelle fagon il Moro a roulé Proudhon. Blanqui a la plus 
grande estime pour vous... Il a trouvé pour Proudhon le mot le plus joli que je 
connaisse, il Pappelle un hygromètre.’f 

After John Bull had compromised himself so nicely with the 
concessions he made in the Alabama Treaty,”*! Uncle Sam has now 
kicked him in the behind. This is entirely the work of the Irish in 
America, as I have convinced myself from the Yankee papers. 

a See this volume, p. 216.- > ‘a communication to make’ -¢ company - 4 ‘I 
spoke to Moilin about the security; he promised to give it but, at the last moment, 
refused unless he were named editor. He did not say this, but allowed it to be 
understood. Tridon told me: Moilin is a diplomat and, incidentally, has the head of 
Fouché; so one should never quarrel with him: one has to sound him out, know 
what he wants, in order always to be on guard against him.’ - ¢ K. Marx, The Poverty of 
Philosophy - t ‘Blanqui has a copy of it and lends it to all his friends. So Tridon read it, 
and was happy to see how il Moro had disposed of Proudhon. Blanqui has the greatest 
respect for you... He has found the best name I know for Proudhon; he calls him a 
hygrometer.’ 

Perhaps Prof. Beesly will realise that the Irish in the United States 
are not=0. 
Salut. 

Your : 
K. M. 

As a comparative philologist, you may find forms of interest to 
you in the following extract from an early 16th*-century Scottish 
chronicle about the death of the Duke or Rothesay (son or Kine 
Robert IIT): 

‘Be quhais deith, succedit gret displeseir to hir son, David Duk of Rothesay: for, 
during hir life, he wes haldin in virtews and honest occupatioun: eftir hir deith’ 
(namely Queen Annabella) ‘he began to rage in all maner of insolence: and fulyeit 
virginis, matronis, and nunnis, be his unbridillit lust. At last, King Robert, informit 
of his young and insolent maneris, send letteris to his brothir, the Duk of Albany, 
to intertene his said son, the Duk of Rothesay, and to leir him honest and civill 
maneris. The Duk of Albany, glaid of thir writtingis, tuk the Duk of Rothesay 
betwix Dunde and Sanct Androis, and brocht him to Falkland, and inclusit him in 
the tour theirof, but ony meit or drink. It is said, ane woman, havand 
commiseratioun on this Duk, leit meill fall daun throw the loftis of the toure: be 
quhilkis, his life wes certane dayis savit. This woman, fra it wes knawin, wes put to 
deith. On the same maner, ane othir woman gaif him milk of hir paup, throw ane 
lang reid; and wes slane with gret cruelte, fra it wes knawin. Than wes the Duk 
destitute of all mortall supplie; and brocht, finalie, to sa miserable and hungry 
appetite, that he eit, nocht allanerlie the filth of the toure quhare he wes, bot his 
awin fingaris: to his gret marterdome. His body wes beryit in Lundonis, and kithit 
miraklis mony yeris eftir; quhil, at last, King James the First began to punis his 
slayaris: and fra that time furth, the miraklis ceissit.’ 

The Times does not seem to be publishing the report.”*' But as 
derniére instance” there is The Morning Advertiser, which publishes 
everything out of stupidity.