TO THE TIMES
The General Council of this Association has instructed
me to state in reply to your leader of June 19, 1871, on
the “International” the following facts:
The pretended Paris manifestoes, published by the
Paris-Journal and similar journals—manifestoes which are
mere fabrications of the Versailles police—you place on
the same line as our “Address on the Civil War in France”.
You say:
“The ‘political notes’ published by Professor Beesly, and quoted the
other day in these columns, are quoted also, with entire approval, in
the Address of the Council, and we can now understand how justly
the Ex-Emperor was entitled to be called the saviour of society.”
Now, the Council, in its Address, quotes nothing from
the “political notes” except the testimony of the writer,
who is a known and honourable French savant*  as to the
personal character of the “Internationals” implicated in
the last Paris revolution.**  What has this to do with the
“Ex-Emperor” and the Society saved by him? The “programme” of the Association was not, as you say, “prepared” by Messrs. Tolain and Odger “seven years ago”. It
was issued by the Provisional Council, chosen at the pub* Scientist.—Ed.
** See pp. 410-11 of the present volume.—Ed.
27*

420 DOCUMENTS  OF  THE GENERAL COUNCIL
lie meeting held at St. Martin’s Hall, Long Acre, on 28
September 1864. M. Tolain has never been a member of
that Council, nor was he present at London, when the
programme was drawn up.
You say that “Milliere” was “one of the most ferocious
members of the Commune”. Milliere has never been a member of the Commune.
“We,” you proceed, “should also point out that Assi, lately President
of the Association, etc.”
Assi has never been a member of the “International”,
and as to the dignity of “President of the Association”,
it has been abolished long ago, 1867.441
in the original