[Draft] 
[London,] 3 October 1889 

Dear Liebknecht, 

On hearing for certain that Guesde was in the second ballot, ie. a 
week ago yesterday, I at once sent a most urgent letter to Bebel. What 
was decided I don’t know.>!? 

As regards your letter from Paris, I stick as firmly to my opinion 
concerning your conduct apropos the congress*”> in March and April as 
you do to yours. So it’s useless to bicker over what is past. 

As to the Schlesingeriad, I should be very happy were you to succeed 
in ridding yourself of it. Meanwhile you have seen that the affair cannot 
really be hushed up in that way and have been forced to issue a state- 
ment, which pleases me greatly.°!3 Had you issued it at once, the two of 
us would have been spared this unpleasant correspondence. I know as 
well as you do, and you as well as I, that it was by no means just Kautsky 
and I who considered it a scandal that your name should have served to 
shelter a piece such as this by so worthless a fellow. 

At all events your statement relieves me of the need to criticise the 
concoction myself. But the thing will inevitably be singled out, precisely 
because your name has unfortunately found its way onto it and not, 
what’s more, simply as publisher, but as editor. 

I too regard Guesde’s election as highly important. So far as the 
number of votes is concerned, the elections have turned out very well for 
us. I estimate that 60,000 votes were certainly cast in favour of ourselves 
(of those represented at our congress) and a further 18,000 probably so. 
Against this some 43,000 throughout France for the Possibilists. Baudin 
seems a certainty, also Boyer, Cluseret and Ferroul and besides these 
there are a few others whose prospects look bright. If Guesde gets in as 
well, he’s the sort of man round whom they would all rally. In which 
case the Possibilists, Joffrin and Dumay, will be in the same situation as 
the Lassalleans were in the Reichstag in 1874 and then, but only then, can 
there be any question of our having dealings with them, just as we had 
dealings with the Lassalleans in Germany;>"° and it is a condition of our 

success that until that time they should be treated as enemies and 
belaboured as such, that they should learn to respect the might of our 
people. 

At all events Boulangism!*’ is done for and will presumably be dealt 
further blows at the second ballots, unless the fatuous annulment of the 
poll in Montmartre>!* brings it new supporters, at least in Paris. If the 
Russians’ cash then fails to appear, le brave général will have to move 
from Portland Place to Soho,’ or rent a couple of rooms from Lessner. 

Regards to your wife and Theodor.» 

Your E E.