{London,] I January 1869 

Dear Fred, 

Happy New Year! 

From the enclosed letter from Lafargue you will see that I have 
received a special New Year's Gift—THE DIGNITY OF GRANDFATHER.” 

From the attached 2 numbers printed in Paris—Cloche and 
Diable a quatre—you can see what an arrogant tone prevails there. 
It should be compared to the language used by the opposition in 
Prussia! This petite presse’-—and its men included even 
Rochefort—was the Bonaparte regime’s very own product. Now it 
is the most dangerous weapon against it. 

From the enclosed issues of the Vorbote you can learn about the 
scandal in Basle.** These bloody fellows—I mean our spokesmen 
over there—have a talent all their own for making the International 
Working Men’s Association responsible for every local quarre: between 
MASTER and MEN. At the same time, they neglect to take any measures for 
the event of war, ie., establishing trades unions. Instead 
they shout the more loudly. The petty cantonal government 
intervenes. The smallest incident thus becomes important. 
Then comes an appeal to the International Working Men’s 
Association in general and the London General Council in 
particular to pay, ON THE SHORTEST Notice, the Swiss war costs. And 
then ‘old man’ Becker writes* that we should not ‘compromise’ 
ourselves again, as in the Geneva affair, etc. Soon more about 
this and the Russian-International intermezzo.‘ 

@ Marx refers to the birth of Charles Etienne Lafargue - > little press - © Der Vorbote, 
No. 11, November 1868 ‘Zur Geschichte der Internationalen Arbeiterassociation’, 
and No. 12, December 1868, ‘Bericht über die Arbeiterbewegung in Basel’. - 4 See 
this volume, p. 203. - ¢ Ibid., pp. 201-02. 

The whole family sends the compliments OF THE SEASON. Tussy Says POOR 
Frep, HE MUST FEEL RATHER SEEDY BY THIS TIME OF THE YEAR. 

Addio. 
Your 
K. M.