KARL  MARX
TO THE  EDITOR  OF THE  CORSAIRE NEWSPAPER  IN PARIS
The Hague, September 12, 1872
Dear Sir,
The Figaro of September 11 reproduces a conversation
which I am alleged to have had with the correspondent of
the Soir. The Figaro-type press can allow itself any calumny without anybody taking the trouble to point it out, but
when the mercenary imagination of a correspondent goes
so far as to put into my mouth grave accusations against
my friends of the ex-General Council, I feel bound to say
that he has violated all the rules of truth in daring to claim
to have exchanged a single word with me.
I profit by this opportunity to let our friends and enemies
know that I never dreamed of resigning from the International and that the transfer of the General Council to New
York was proposed by me and several other members of the
previous General Council.
It is false to report that Bakunin and his acolyte Guillaume
were expelled as heads of a so-called federalist party. The
expulsion of Bakunin and Guillaume was motivated by the
creation within our Association of a secret society, the Alliance of Socialist Democracy, which claimed to direct the
International to aims contrary to its principles.
The Resolution of the London Conference of the political
action of the working class was approved by the great majority of the Congress, and its insertion in the General Rules
was voted.
The working-class public of The Hague and Amsterdam
were most sympathetic towards the Congress.
So much for the value of the reports in the reactionary
press.
Yours sincerely,
Karl Marx
Translated from the French