MARX TO ENGELS” 

{London,] 28 July 1870 

Dear FRrep, 

1 forwarded your article* at once to the Pall Mall Enrror 
(F. Greenwood), with the request to return it immediately if he 
does not wish to print it. I have no doubt that, in that event, we 
could place it with The Times or The Daily News. 

The Times had given us every reason, via Eccarius, to believe it 
would print our (i.e. the International’s) Avpress.” It did not appear, 
probably because of a uit at Russia. Whereupon (Monpay tas‘) I 
sent the thing off without delay to the Pall Mall and also wrote to 
the Epiror,’” in accordance with the agreement with their war 
CORRESPONDENT (Thieblin, now in Luxembourg), about the Military 
CORRESPONDENCE. Requested an answer. No reply. Nor was the Address 
printed. So today on sending your article to the Eprror of the Pall 
Mall, 1 wrote a curt letter," speaking ONLY OF THE MILITARY CORRESPON- 
DENCE, i.e. I simply asked whether yes or no. 

Last Tuesday the General Council ordered a thousand copis of 
the Address to be run off. Today I expect the page proofs. 

The singing of the Marseillaise in France is a parody just like 
the whole Szconp Empire. But the dog at least feels that ‘Partant 
pour la Syrie’ wovutp not vo. In Prussia, on the other hand, such 
buffoonery is not necessary. ‘Lord, in Thee is all my trust’,’? sung 
by William I, with Bismarck on the right and Stieber on the left, is 
the German Marseillaise! As in 1812 sqq. The German philistine 
seems fairly enraptured, now that he can give free vent to his 
innate servility. Who would have thought it possible that 22 years 
after 1848 a national war in Germany would be given such 
theoretical expression! 

Fortunately, this whole demonstration stems from the middle 
class. The working class, with the exception of the direct adherents 
of Schweitzer, takes no part in it. And fortunately, the war oF Classes 

a F. Engels, Notes on the War—I.-> K. Marx, ‘First Address of the General 
Council of the International Working Men’s Association on the Franco-Prussian 
War’. - © 25 July - 4 Napoleon Il 

in both countries, France and Germany, is so far advanced that no 
war ABROAD can seriously turn back the wheel of history. 

By publishing the rreaty (on Belgium), Bismarck too has 
overstepped the mark.?? Even London respecrasiity no longer 
ventures to talk of the integrity of Prussia. Macaire et Co.! 
Incidentally, shortly before 1866, I recollect reading articles in the 
organ of the worthy Brass* and in the Kreuz-Zeitung, in which 
Belgium was denounced as a ‘nest of Jacobins’ (!) and_ its 
annexation by France was recommended. On the other hand, the 
moral indignation of John Bull is no less comic! Ricut oF treaties! 
Tue vevit! After all, it was Palmerston who made it a maxim of 
English policy that when you solemnly conclude a treaty, you do 
not necessarily swear to abide by it, and England has acted 
accordingly ever since 1830! Own atu ses, nothing but war and 
immorality. 

Charming of the Kreuz-Zeitung to demand that England should 
refuse to supply the French with coal, i.e. that she should violate 
the Anglo-French commercial treaty, i.e. declare war on France.” 
That coal can be a military commodity is a fact that was vividly 
brought home to Pam? by the opposition at the time. He fobbed 
them off with bad jokes. So the point is one that was by no means 
overlooked when the treaty was concluded. Urquhart wrote fierce 
denunciations about it during the negotiations. So if England does 
not declare war de prime abord‘ she must continue to supply the 
French with coal. As far as a declaration of war is concerned, that 
could produce some extremely serious ill-feeling between the 
POWERS THAT BE and the London proletariat. The mood of the 
workers here is pecipepLy against such ostentatious gestures.” 

At last a letter from the Russians in Geneva.” I enclose it. 
Return it soon, say Monpay next,* since I have to reply. 

From the enclosed letter by E. Oswald (an Urquhartite, but 
relatively rationalised in a continental Spirit), you can see that even 
the democrats wish to do something." I have written to him* that 
I have already signed an Address of the Inrernationat which, as far 
as the purely political aspect is concerned, puts forward essentially 
similar views. In further letters, yesterday and today, he insists that I 
should attend their meetinc in his house this afternoon. (He lives very 
near here.) He also sends me an extract from a letter by Louis Blanc. 

a Norddeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung-> Palmerston -¢* from the very outset - 
¢ 1 August - © See previous letter. 

However, I cannot possibly go at the moment. Who can guarantee 
that where Louis Blanc is, Karl Blind won’t turn up also? 

I intend to go to Smith right away about the house.” 

Salut. 

Your 
K. M.