[LETTER TO THE GENERAL COUNCIL
OF THE INTERNATIONAL WORKING MEN’S
ASSOCIATION IN NEW YORK]

London, August 13, 1875
122 Regent’s Park Road, NW

TO THE GENERAL COUNCIL
OF THE INTERNATIONAL WORKING MEN’S ASSOCIATION

Citizens!

The circulars” sent to me with the letter from Secretary Speyer
(June 4, received 21st) have been put into circulation according to
the instructions, and I have been able to do the following in the
interests of the cause:

1. On account of its amalgamation with the Lasselleans and its
over-generous policy in accepting new members— roughly 120—
the Working Men’s Society (German section) here would not be
suitable for confidential communications, unless one wished them
to be published immediately. I therefore gave circulars to Lessner
and Frankel, who agreed with me that the content was not
suitable for official release to the Society, and that we should have
to confine ourselves to communicating it to suitable persons, and
work behind the scenes in other ways to promote the matter in
question. Since it is fairly certain that no German workers will be
sent to Philadelphia from here, it will not affect the practical
consequences in any way.

2. Our friend Mesa from Madrid, who now lives in Paris,
happened to be here when the circular arrived. He showed a keen
interest in the matter; I translated the circular for him, and as he
knows members of the committee that administers the subscriptions in Paris to the workers’ donations to Philadelphia, I dare say
that, with his well-known energy, he will be able to get something
done. He is also sending it to Spain.

3. I could not send it to Belgium, as the whole Belgian
International supports the Alliancists,"* and it is not in our
interests to communicate the plan to them. I have no addresses for

Portugal and Italy. The Plebe of Lodi has virtually joined the
Alliancists and would be quite capable of publishing the story
straightaway.”

4. As Germany, Austria and Switzerland are not mentioned in
the instructions, and the General Council has plenty of direct
contacts with these countries,’” I have taken no steps there, so as
not to frustrate any action that may have been taken directly on
the spot.

5. The circular has been very well received by all who have seen
it, and the just proposal for a conference is universally regarded
as the sole practical one. It appears impossible to us here,
however, to hold a ballot on the issue. The Society here has
already been mentioned. Other sections in England have all fizzled
out; the best people have mostly left. In Denmark, France and
Spain, where the International is officially prohibited, there can be
no question of a ballot. In Germany there has never been a vote
on anything like this and, after uniting with the Lassalleans, they
have totally renounced the already loose connection with the
International. In these circumstances, the American votes should
be enough to cover the General Council if it tables the motion for
a decision, especially since we know from a reliable source that the
Alliancists are not holding a congress this year either (and
probably never will again).

6. Would it not be a good thing if a brief announcement were
placed in the European party newspapers around the time the
exhibition opens, to the effect that: “Socialist workers visiting the
exhibition in Philadelphia are asked to go to ... (address), where
they will be put in touch with the Philadelphia party comrades”,
or if we founded a “committee for the accommodation of socialist
workers, or to protect them against trickery” and published its
address? The latter, in particular, would look very innocent, but a
few private letters would suffice to make the true state of affairs
known.

Fraternal greetings,

F. Engels