DECLARATION OF THE GENERAL COUNCIL OF THE INTERNATIONAL WORKING MEN’S ASSOCIATION ON THE OCCASION OF THE LATEST SO-CALLED PLOT

La Marseillaise, No. 138, 7 May 1870

International Working Men’s Association
General Council, London

To the Members of the International Working Men’s Association

London, 3 May 1870

On the occasion of the latest so-called plot, the French government has arrested several members of the Paris and Lyons sections and insinuated that the International Working Men’s Association is an accomplice in this so-called plot.

According to our Rules, it is certainly the special mission of all our branches, in England, in the United States, and on the Continent, to act not only as centres of the militant organisation of the working class, but also to support, in their respective countries, all political movements conducive to the economic emancipation of the proletariat. At the same time, these Rules oblige all sections of our Association to act openly. If these Rules were not explicit on this point, the very nature of an association identified with the working class would preclude any idea of a secret society. If the working class, which forms the great mass of nations, which creates all their wealth, and in the name of which all power claims to rule, conspires – it conspires publicly, like the sun against darkness.

If the other incidents of the plot denounced by the French government are as false and as unfounded as its insinuations against the International Association, this latest plot will worthily take its place beside its two predecessors, of ridiculous memory. The violent measures taken against our French sections are evidently only manoeuvres within the framework of the plebiscitary policy.

In the name of and by order of the General Council of the International Working Men’s Association:
R. Applegarth, chairman of the meeting.
A. Serrallier, secretary for Belgium and assistant secretary for Spain.
J. Cohn, secretary for Denmark.
E. Dupont, secretary for France.
J. Agossa, secretary for Italy.
Karl Marx, secretary for Germany.
A. Zabicki, secretary for Poland.
H. Jung, secretary for Switzerland.
J. G. Eccarius, secretary for the General Council and the United States.
G. Harris, B. Lucraft, J. Mottershead, members of the Finance Committee.
J. Bora, J. Hales, W. Hales, F. Lessner, Odger, J. Weston, C. Murray,
W. Townshend, J. Rühl, Karl Pfänder, G. Milner, members of the General Council of the International Working Men’s Association.

Certified true copy:
Eugène Dupont,
Corresponding Secretary for France.