Letters of Marx and Engels 1848
Source: MECW Volume 38, p. 174;
Written: 9 May 1848;
First published: in Der Briefwechsel zwischen F. Engels und K. Marx, 1913.
Dear Marx,
Herewith:
1. The list of the shares so far subscribed for, 14 in number.
2. A proxy for you. [227]
3. One for d'Ester (Bohnstedt is an acquaintance of his).
4. One for Bürgers.
It was unavoidable that Bohnstedt and Hecker should have given their proxies to personal acquaintances.
Hühnerbein will appear there in person on behalf of himself and two others here.
The list is not yet closed. Although I have called on Laverrière and Blank x times, I haven’t found them at home. Zulauff has taken over the former.
Two others, with whom I made no headway, will be worked upon by Hecker.
Today Zulauff is going to Ronsdorf, where he has good prospects.
The two kinds of people who prove the most difficult are, firstly, the republicans in kid gloves [a nickname of the moderate bourgeois republicans in France, followers of Armand Marrast], who fear for their fortunes and smell communism in the air and, secondly, the local panjandrums, who regard us as rivals.
Neither Nohl nor Bracht were to be persuaded. Of the jurists, Bohnstedt is the only one with whom anything can be done. All in all we've made fruitless moves enough.
Tomorrow I am going to Engelskirchen for 2 days. Let me know at once the results of the shareholders’ meeting.
A beginning has also been made with a community of the [Communist] League.
Your
Engels