[London,] 24 February 1872 

Citizen Secretary, 

I can only write a few words today. Because of the conspiracy of 
the ‘international police’ with certain faux fréres’ within they 
International, the General Council has heaped so many tasks upon 
me that I have even been compelled to put aside my theoretical 
work. So to business: 

1. A resolution of the General Council, based on the four- 
month-long delay in printing the stamps (itself due to unforeseen 
obstacles in London), has set back the date by which unsold stamps 
should be returned from I March to I July. (Be kind enough to 
inform Liebknecht of this since I have no time to write to him at 
present.) 

2. As far as double payment for the stamps is concerned, you 
have only to state in your report on 1 July that such-and-such a 
proportion of the money being forwarded stems from that source. 

3. As far as the ‘corresponding secretary’ is concerned, the 
General Council leaves it to the Berlin section to arrange the 
matter as it thinks fit. 

4. The Berlin section falls into the category of countries where 
‘legal obstacles’ exist to regular organisation and in such countries 
the sections have absolute freedom to constitute themselves in a 
manner appropriate to the law of the land, without thereby 
forfeiting any right possessed by the other sections.*” 

5. The next Congress will be held in September 1872. The 
General Council has not yet decided on a location for the 
gathering.*° The Social-Democratic Party would be well-advised to 
let us know without delay when they intend to hold their 
Congress, 

6. The periodic reports of the General Council have been 
replaced by its weekly reports in The Eastern Post, the first despatch 
of which you will receive today. 

6.° The Volksstaat is one of the organs in question. 

7. The General Council thanks the Berlin section for having 
already appointed a statistical commission.*” 

4 traitors - © ‘6’ occurs twice in the handwritten copy. 

8. The Council enquires through me in what relationship the 
Hamburgers (i.e. the Committee of the Social-Democratic Party) *? 
stand towards the General Council. Up to now we have not had a 
word from them. 

9. The General Council requests the Berlin section to declare its 
approval of the resolutions of the last Conference of delegates of 
the International (in London). 

With fraternal greetings, 
K. M.