Marx-Engels Correspondence 1868
Source: MECW, Volume 43, p. 11;
First published: abridged in Der Briefwechsel zwischen F. Engels und K. Marx, Stuttgart, 1913 and in full in MEGA, Berlin, 1931.
Dear Moor,
Horn ‘awaits receipt’, as commercial style puts it.
It is certain that there is theoretically nothing of interest and nothing new to be said about agiotage. It all comes down to fraud under false pretences and nothing can change here except the manner. The secret material about the history of the Crédit mobilier can, by the way, and probably will, reach the light of day by itself on the fall of the Empire, even if there is no intervention by the courts.
I had already seen about the glorious victory in Geneva in the newspapers on Saturday morning. The business is all the better since the stupid philistines had made out the International Association to be the real motive force of the affair, and it now receives all the glory. You will have seen that the intermediaries in the business were Police Prefect Camperio and the noble and serrrious Amand Goegg. This will have instilled new respect for our power in Mr Amand. Incidentally, I should like to know how long — following this business — they will leave the International Association unmolested in Germany.
By the by, the workers’ affairs are proceeding famously. First Belgium, then Geneva, now Bologna — I am only surprised that the International has not yet been blamed for this — it keeps going everywhere.
You will have received the Schweitzer.
Tomorrow I shall send you — I have forgotten it at the office — l. a new copy of Wilhelmchen’s rag, 2. Eichhoff’s further jeremiad, 3. a section of an editorial declaration from the Zukunft about the curious article ad vocem Vogt, from which you will see what shits they are.
Making extracts from your book is, with my limited time, giving me more work than I expected, car enfin if this job is to be done, it must be done properly and not just for this special purpose.
Next week I expect to have more time, there is a pause in business, and if I can get away between 4 and 5 in the evening, this gives the whole evening a different character for working.
Kugelmann returned enclosed. I was very interested in his uterine polyp removed by splitting and compressed sponge; he will have to tell me about it personally in more detail in good time. But the attempt to turn Virchow into a communist with the aid of this polyp looks very much like an extra-uterine pregnancy. Even if Virchow had knowledge and theoretical interest in politics or political economy, this upright citizen is after all much too deeply engaged.
Incidentally, you will come here before you leave for the continent, cela est entendu, and bring Tussy with you as promised.
Your arm must surely have settled down by now? The fact that Kugelmann recommends arsenic will certainly have allayed some of your anxieties. Schorlemmer took a lot of it in his time, and never noted the slightest ill effects.
Heartiest greetings to the ladies.
Your
F. E.