Karl Marx/Friedrich Engels 
To the Editor of the "Daily News" 


The Daily News. 
Nr. 10907, 1. April 1881 


To the Editor of the Daily News. 


Sir,—The Daily News of to-day, in an article entitled, "Prosecution of the 
Freiheit Journal," states that the number of that paper containing an article 
on the death of the Emperor of Russia "also contained some allusion to the 
perpetrator of the Mansion House mystery." As this statement is open to 
an interpretation altogether at variance with the contents of the article in 
question, as that article is entirely unconnected with the one on the St. Peters- 
burg affair, and as Mr. Most, the editor, is at present not in a position to 
defend himself in the Press, we beg to ask you to insert the following literal 
translation of all that is said in the number of the Freiheit alluded to with 
regard to the "Mansion House mystery":—"Freiheit, 19th March, 1881.—On 
Wednesday evening a parcel full of gunpowder, about 151b., was placed by 
an 'unknown' hand before the Mansion House in the City. It was burning 
at one end, but 'accidentally' a policeman at once observed this and was 
plucky enough to put it out. Now, we do not see what purpose might possibly 
have been served by this powder explosion. Anyhow, the international police 
appear to have known how to make capital out of it, for on the following 
evening Government was to be asked in Parliament what measures they 
intended to take against the Socialist bands which had established themselves 
in London. However, the Home Secretary did not think proper to do anything 
besides shrugging his shoulders, and this was all the international police got 
for their pains."— 
We are, Sir, your obedient servants, KARL MARX. 
FREDERICK ENGELS. 


London, March 31. 


245