[London,] 10 March‘ 1870 

Dear Fred, 

Since I know this stuff amuses you, the following with all haste 
(post just closing): in addition to a few introductory marginal 
notes on Gladstone’s latest declaration in the House of Commons 
about the prisoners, Jennychen sent the Marseillaise an extract from 
an older letter by O’Donovan Rossa, published in The Irishman on 
5 February (I believe that was the date). The Marseillaise (in a 
truly French way it gives this letter as from ‘Newgate’) proceeds to 
publish this in a special issue on Tuesday evening, containing only 
articles by ‘prisonniers politiques’ and costing 50 centimes.*”' This has 
now been reprinted (re-translation into English) this evening in The 
Echo, etc. Levy’s Telegraph also refers to it in its Paris correspon- 

@ Paul and Laura Lafargue -> See this volume, p. 444.-¢ In the original 
9 February is corrected to 10 March by Engels. 

dence. The Irishman may well complain that it is not quoted as the 
source. But Jennychen will use this to demonstrate how the English 
press suppresses the facts published in the Irish press, and only 
publishes them as such when they come from Paris in some 
extraordinary manner. The English press will soon note that the 
idyllic days of systematic lying and hushing up the Facts are over. 

Pays remarks that the increase in the price of the Marseillaise to 
50 c. is against all the rules, since ‘prison goods are always sold 
cheaper than others’. 

Salut. 
Your 
K. M.