International Workingmen’s Association 1868

Declaration of the General Council concerning the British Government’s Attitude Towards Tsarist Russia


Source: MECW Volume 21, p. 8;
Written: by Karl Marx;
Adopted: by the General Council on July 14, 1868;
First published: in The Bee-Hive, July 18, 1868.

In 1866-68, after the suppression of the Polish insurrection of 1863-64, the Russian Government promulgated “Regulations on the Gubernia and Uyezd Administration in the Kingdom of Poland” and a number of ukases aimed at the abolition of Polish institutions and the consolidation of the administrative apparatus — the chief means of national oppression. The number of gubernias was increased, the prerogatives of the governors appointed by the Russian Government were extended, supreme bodies (the State Council and others) were abolished, and different administrative departments (post, communications) were subordinated to the respective ministries in St. Petersburg.

Alexander II’s ukase of February 29, 1868 abolishing the Government Commission for Home Affairs in the Kingdom of Poland and the additional rules to the Regulations on the Gubernia and Uyezd Administration in the Gubernias in the Kingdom of Poland approved by thr Czar on December 19 (31), 1866.


The Council of the I.W. Association denounces the last manifestation of the subserviency to Russia of the British Government by suppressing the adjective “Polish” before the word “refugees” in the budget one month after the Russian Government had by an ukase suppressed the name of Poland.