London. 1, Modena Villas, Maitland Park, Haverstock Hill. N.W. Dear, best Becker, you will bear me a grudge “with justice”, but at the same time “with injustice”. (You know from Heinzen that I am a “sophist”.) Apart from the fact that I have 1,200 pages of manuscript to copy out and my publisher has long been grumbling, and apart from the appalling loss of time visited upon me in this Babylon by the Central Committee, the Standing Committee, and the Directing Committee of the “Workman’s Advocate”, I had the most vexatious and most difficult “private conjunctures”, which obliged me to leave London for a time, and which are still not settled, etc. etc.

From the enclosed note, which I received today (or rather my wife), you will see that a packet I sent you about 14 days ago has been confiscated by the praiseworthy French police.

It contained mainly “Manifestoes of the Communist Party” and a note in which I briefly answered your questions, informed you that Bender is willing, that I had your appeal appear in English in the “Workman’s Advocate”, likewise a report on Swiss activities, etc. The reason why we decided not to publish an official report on the conference was — apart from lack of money and the circumstance that we are bound by the statutes to present a general report to the Congress, thus avoiding double emploi — essentially that the initiation of the public into the facts, especially the very “fragmentary” nature of the conference, would do us more harm than good and would offer our adversaries a useful handle. We knew that two members of the Central Committee, Le Lubez and Vésinier, were only waiting to seize this opportunity by the forelock. Events have confirmed this. First Vésinier’s denunciation of the Central Committee and the conference in “L’Écho de Verviers”. Immediately afterwards, in the same paper, Le Lubez’s declaration of principles and draft statutes, which he intended to impose upon the Association in the name of the French branch he has founded in London as a counterweight against us. Meanwhile this intrigue has been foiled. The branch has fallen away from its founder. Its two best men, Longuet (editor of the “Rive Gauche”) and Crespel, have entered the Central Committee. The latter has resolved that Vésinier must prove his slanders or be expelled.

I cannot send you an article for the time being. I do not have a single free hour. On the other hand, Engels will do so as soon as he has seen the first number and knows where and how. Likewise Liebknecht from Leipzig. I shall also write for that reason to Dr Kugelmann in Hanover. Likewise to Stumpf in Mainz. Dupleix’s paper, No. 1, is weak. Jung has written to him for that reason.

Liebknecht lives (address: J. Miller) 2, Gerichtsweg, Leipzig.

Here the movement has advanced well in one respect, badly in another. The Reform League founded by us held a mass meeting for universal suffrage, larger than any I have ever seen in London. Only workers spoke. The Times itself was alarmed and published 2 leading articles on the “ticklish” casus. On the other hand, this movement absorbs our best labour forces too much.

The “Workman’s Advocate” is weak. Now, under Eccarius’s editorship, it will improve. But the difficulties in raising the funds are enormous.

I have received a letter from Berlin, signed by Wolff, Metzner, and other workers, in which they judge the present state of the German labour movement with insight and criticism. Uncritical is only their demand that I should come to Berlin and take the matter in hand. They must surely know that the Prussian government has “forbidden” my domicile in Prussia. Before I hear from you how I can get the “Manifestoes” to you, I shall send a piece on trial via Mainz. You may perhaps be able to use some of it for your paper. The German sections will do best to have themselves admitted in Geneva for the time being and to get into continuous contact with you. As soon as anything of the kind occurs, let me know, so that I can at last communicate some progress in Germany here. I am sending this letter under Dupleix’s address, on account of the “French confiscation”.

It seems to me the Empire is tottering. First the affairs with Mexico and the U.S. Then the mutiny of 3 French regiments. Then the student riots. Bonaparte’s loss of head, as it reveals itself in his quarrel with England over the renewal of the “extradition treaty” — and in the banning of the servile “Indép. Belge”. Finally the commercial crisis, which will be greatly accelerated by the current English, or rather European, over-import to the U.S.

Best greetings from my wife and child.
Your K. Marx