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KARL MARX FRED ERICK ENGELS

C O L L E C T E D W ORKS V O LU M E

22

KARL MARX FREDERICK ENGELS

COLLECTED WORKS

KARL MARX FREDERICK ENGELS

Volume 22
MARX AN D ENGELS: 1870-71

IN T E R N A T IO N A L PUBLISHERS NEW YORK

IN T E R N A T IO N A L PU BLISH ERS NEW YORK

T h is volum e has been p re p a re d jointly by L aw rence & W ishart L td., L on d o n , In tern a tio n a l Publishers Co. Inc., New Y ork, a n d Progress Publishers, Moscow, in collaboration w ith the In stitu te o f M arxism Leninism , Moscow. E d ito ria l comm issions: G R E A T B R IT A IN : Eric H obsbaw m , Jo h n H offm an, N icholas Jacobs, M onty Jo h n sto n e, M artin Milligan, Je ff Skelley, E rn st W angerm ann. USA: L ouis D iskin, Philip S. F oner, Jam'es E. Jackson, L eo n a rd B. Levenson, B etty Sm ith, D irk J. Struik, William W. W einstone. USSR: fo r Progress P ublishers A. K. Avelichev, N. P. K arm anova, V. N. Sedikh, M. K. Shcheglova; fo r th e In stitu te of M arxism -Leninism P. N. Fedoseyev, L. I. G olm an, A. I. Malysh, M. P. M chedlov, V. N. Pospelova, A. G. Yegorov. C opyright Progress Publishers, Moscow, 1986 All rig h ts reserved. A p a rt fro m any fa ir dealing fo r the p u rp o se o f private study, research, criticism o r review, no p a rt o f this publication m ay be re p ro d u c e d , stored in a retrieval system, o r tran sm itted , in any form o r by any m eans, electronic, electrical, chem ical, m echanical, op ti cal, photocopying, re co rd in g o r otherw ise, w ithout the p rio r perm ission o f th e c opyright ow ner.

Contents
Preface . K A R L MA R X A N D F R E D E R I C K E N G E L S WORKS July 1870-0ctober 1871 1. Karl Marx. First Address of the General Council of the International Working Mens Association on the FrancoPrussian W ar....................................................................................... 2. Frederick Engels. Notes on the W a r................................................... Notes on the War. I ............................................................... Notes on the War.II ............................................................. Notes on the War. I I I ............................................................ Notes on the War.I V ............................................................ The Prussian Victories.............................................................. Notes on the War.V .............................................................. Notes on the War.V I ............................................................ Notes on the War.V II........................................................... Notes on the War.V II I ......................................................... Notes on the War.I X ............................................................ Notes on the War.X .............................................................. The Crisis of the W ar............................................................... Notes on the War.X I ............................................................ Notes on the War.X II........................................................... Notes on the War.X II I ......................................................... XV

Library o f Congress Cataloging in Publication Data

M arx, K arl, 1818-1883. K arl M arx, F rederick Engels: collected works. 1. Socialism Collected works. 2. Econom ics C ollected works. I. E ngels, F riedrich, 1820-1895. W orks. E nglish. 1975. II. T itle H X 39.5.A 16 1975 335. 4. 73-84671 ISBN 0-7178-0522-0 (v. 22)

Printed in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

3 9 11 15 19 22 27 32 36 40 44 48 52 56 61 67 71

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Notes on the War.XIV ......................................................... Notes on the War.X V ........................................................... The French Defeats.................................................................. Notes on the War. XVI ......................................................... Notes on the War.X V II..................... . ................................. The Rise and Fall of A rm ies.................................................... Notes on the War. X V IIl...................................................... How to Fight the Prussians...................................................... Notes on the War.X IX ......................................................... The Story of the Negotiations.................................................. Notes on the War.X X ........................................................... Notes on the War.XXI ......................................................... The Rationale of the Prussian Army System ........................ Notes on the War.X X II........................................................ Notes on the War.X X IIl...................................................... The Fate of M etz....................................................................... Notes on the War.XXIV....................................................... Saragossa Paris........................................................................ Notes on the War.X X V ........................................................ The Fall of M etz........................................................................ Notes on the War.XXVI....................................................... The Emperors Apologia.......................................................... The Fighting in F ran ce............................................................ Notes on the War.X X V II..................................................... Fortified Capitals....................................................................... Notes on the War.XXVIII ................................................... The Military Situation in France............................................. Notes on the War.XXIX....................................................... Notes on the War.X X X ........................................................ The Chances of the W a r.......................................................... Prussian Francs-Tireurs............................................................ Notes on the War.XXXI....................................................... Notes on the War.X X X II..................................................... The German Position in France.............................................. Notes on the W ar.-X X X III ................................................... Notes on the War.XXXIV.................................................... Notes on the War.XXXV ..................................................... Notes on the War.XXXVI.................................................... Notes on the War.XX X V II................................................. Notes on the War.XXXVIII................................................

74 78 82 87 91 95 100 104 108 112 115 119 123 127 130 134 138 142 146 150 154 157 163 168 172 176 180 185 189 193 198 203 208 212 216 221 226 231 236 240

Notes on the War.XXXIX.................................................... Notes on the War.X L ........................................................... The Military Aspect of Affairs in France............................... Bourbakis Disaster .................................................................... 3. Karl Marx. To the Committee of the Social-Democratic Workers Party..................................................................................................... 4. Karl Marx and Frederick Engels. Letter to the Committee of the Social-Democratic Workers Party..................................................... 5. Karl Marx. Second Address of the General Council of the International Working Mens Association on the FrancoPrussian W ar........................................................................................ 6 . Karl Marx. Concerning the Arrest of the Members of the Cent ral Committee of the Social-Democratic Workers P arty ................. 7. Frederick Engels. To the Sixth Congress of the Belgian Sections of the International Working Mens Association ................................. 8 . Karl Marx. On the Freedom of the Press and Meetings in Germany .............................................................................................. 9. Frederick Engels. To the Spanish Federal Council of the International Working Mens Association....................................... 10. Frederic* The Aspect of Affairs in R ussia........................... 11. Karl Marx and Frederick Engels. To the Editor of The Times ........ 12. Karl Marx. Statement by the General Council to the Editor of The Times and Other P ap ers............................................................. 13. Karl Marx. To the Editorial Boards of the Volksstaat and the Z u kunft ................................................................................................. 14. Karl Marx. To the Editor of De Werker........................................... 15. Karl Marx. To the Editor of The Times ........................................... 16. Frederick Engels. On the Cigar-Workers Strike in Antwerp.......... 17. Frederick Engels. Outiine of an Appeal of the General Council to the Weavers and Spinners Trade Unions of Manchester for Assistance to the Spanish Textile Workers Strike ........................ 18. Karl Marx and Frederick Engels. Resolution of the General Council Expelling Henri Louis Tolain from the International Working Mens Association ............................................................... 19. Frederick Engels. Once Again Herr Vogt ..................................... 20. Karl Marx. The Civil War in France. Address of the General Council of the International Working Mens Association.............
1 ................................................................................................. .. .................................................................................................. I I I ................................................................................................. ...................................................................................................... N otes.............................................. .............................................

243 247 251 255 259 260

263 271 272 ^74 277 281 285 286

291 292 294 295 297 298 307 311 320 328 343 356

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I ................................................................................................... ................................................................................................... 21. Karl Marx. To the Editor of The Pall Mall Gazette......................... 22. Karl Marx and Frederick Engels. Statement by tW General Council on Jules Favres C ircular..................................................... 23. Karl Marx and Frederick Engels. Statement by the General Council to the Editor of The Tim es .................................................. 24. Karl Marx and Frederick Engels. Statement by the General Council to the Editor of The Standard ............................................. 25. Frederick Engels. Statement by the General Council on George Jacob Holyoakes L etter..................................................................... 26. Frederick Engels. Letter from the General Council to the Editor of The Spectator (resp. Examiner) ...................................................... 27. Karl Marx. To the Editor of The Daily News................................... 28. Frederick Engels. Statement by the General Council on the Letters of G. J. Holyoake and B. Lucraft....................................... 29. Karl Marx. Letter to Max Friedlander, the Editor of the Neue Freie Presse............................................................................................ 30. Frederick Engels. The Address The Civil War in France and the English Press....................................................................................... 31. Karl Marx. Letter to Frederick Greenwood, the Editor of The Pall Mall Gazette............................................................. 32. Karl Marx. Mr. Washburne, the American Ambassador, in Paris ..................................................................................................... 33. Karl Marx. To the Editor of The Morning Advertiser..................... 34. Karl Marx. To the Editor of The Standard ...................................... 35. Frederick Engels. Mazzinis Statement against the International Working Mens Association............................................................... 36. Karl Marx. Covering Letter to the Editor of The Times ................ 37. Frederick Engels. To the Editor of The Tim es .................................. 38. Karl Marx. To the Editor of L Intemational .................................... 39. Karl Marx. To the Editor of Public Opinion .................................... 40. Karl Marx. To the Editor of Public Opinion .................................... 41. Karl Marx. To the Editor of the Gaulois......................................... 42. Karl Marx. Letter to the Editor of The Sun, Charles Dana ........... 43. Karl Marx. The Commune and Archbishop Darboy..................... 44. Karl Marx. To the Editor of La Verite............................................. 45. Karl Marx. To the Editor of The Evening Standard........................ 46. Karl Marx and Frederick Engels. Propositions to the General Council Concerning Preparations for the London Conference ... 47. Karl Marx and Frederick JEngek Propositions to Be Submitted to the Conference by the General Council............................................

356 357 360 361

The London Conference of the International Working Men s Association. September 17-23, 1871 .............................................................. .................. 48. Karl Marx. On the Activity of the Alliance of Socialist

409 411 413 415 417 419 423 432

49. 364 366

367

50. 51. 52. 53.

369

370 54. 372

Democracy. Record of the Speech at the Sitting of the Conference Commission of 18 September 1871 ............................ Karl Marx and Frederick Engels. Motions of the General Council Adopted by the Conference............................................................... Frederick Engels. On the Political Action of the Working Class.... Frederick ngek On the Political Action of the Working Class.... Karl Marx. Resolution of the London Conference relating to the Split in Romance Switzerland............................................................ Karl Marx and Frederick Engels. Resolutions of the Conference of Delegates of the International Working Mens Association Assembled at London from 17th to 23rd September 1871 .......... Karl Marx. To the Editors of Woodhull 8c Claflin s Weekly............. FROM THE PREPARATORY MATERIALS

374 375 3 '7g 379

383 384
385

388 389 39I 392

393 395 396 400

403
495

406 407

1. Karl Marx. Drafts of The Civil War in France................................... 435 First Draft of The Civil War in France.......................................... 437 The Government of Defence.................................................... 437 The Com mune........................................................................... 472 A) Measures for the Working Class ........................................ 472 2) Measures for the Working Class, but Mostly for the Middle Classes........................................................................... 473 3) General Measures ................................................................. 474 4) Measures of Public Safety .................................................... 476 5) Financial Measures............................................................... 479 The Com mune........................................................................... 480 The Rise of the Commune and the Central Committee......... 480 The Character of the Commune............................................... 483 Peasantry..................................................................................... 492 Union (Ligue) Republicaine...................................................... 495 The Communal Revolution as the Representative of All Classes of Society not Living upon Foreign Labour................ 495 Republic only Possible as Avowedly Social Republic............... 497 The Commune (Social Measures).......................................... 498 Decentralisation by the Rurals and the C om m une................. 502 Fragments................................................................................... 506 Second Draft of The Civil War in France...................................... 515 1) Government of Defence. Trochu, Favre, Picard, Ferry.... 515 2) Thiers. Dufaure. Pouyer-Quertier...................................... 519

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2. 3. 4. 5.

3) The Rural Assembly................................................................... 5) Opening of the Civil War. 18 March Revolution. Clement Thomas. Lecomte. The Vendome A ffair................................. 6 ) The Com m une........................................................................... 7) Schluss......................................................................................... Fragments ........................................................................................ Frederick Engels. Robert Reid, Ex-Correspondent of The Daily Telegraph .............................................................................................. Karl Marx and Frederick Engels. Notes from the Minutes of the General Council, 1869-1871 ............................................................. Frederick Engels. Meeting of Sub-Committee................................... Frederick Engels. Meeting of Sub-Committee................................... APPENDICES

522 524 532 538 540 552 554 565 567

17. Records of Marxs Speeches on Trade Unions............................... 18. Record of Marxs Speech on the Political Action of the Working C lass..................................................................................................... 19. Record of Marxs Speech on the Political Action of the Working C lass..................................................................................................... 20. Record of Marxs Speech on the Position of the International Working Mens Association in Germany and England ................. 21. Record of Marxs Speech on Secret Societies ................................. 22. Tenny Marxs Letter to the Editor of Woodhull & Claflin s Weekly ................................................................................................... 23. Record of Marxs Speech on the Seventh Anniversary of the International........................................................................................ NOTES AND INDEXES

614 616 618 619 621 622 633

1. Record of Marxs Speech on the Government of National D efence................................................................................................ 2. Records of Marxs and Engels Speeches on the Position of the English Working Class in the Franco-Prussian W ar...................... 3. Record of Engels Speech on the Revolution of March 18 in Paris................................................................;.................................... 4. Record of Marxs and Engels Speeches on the Republican Movement in England........................................................................ 5. Record of Engels Speech on the Paris C om m une........................ 6 . Record of Marxs Speech on the Paris Com m une......................... 7. Record of Engels Speeches on the Paris Commune and in Connection with the Centennial Anniversary of Robert Owens B irth ................................................................................................ 8 . Record of Marxs Speech on the Paris Com m une......................... 9. Record of Marxs Speech Against the Calumny Invented by the Bourgeois Press to Slander the International and the Paris C om m une............................................................................................ 10. Record of Marxs Speech on the Paris Com mune......................... 11. Record of Marxs Interview with The World C orrespondent......... 12. Account of Engels Speech on Mazzinis Attitude Towards the International........................................................................................ 13. Record of Engels Speech on the Convocation of the London Conference of 1871............................................................................ 14. Account of Marxs Speech Against O dger........................................ 15. Record of Engels Speech on the Situation in S pain..................... 16. Record of Marxs Speech in the Opening of the London Conference ..........................................................................................

571 573 585 587 588 589

Notes...................................................................................................... ....637 Name Index ............................................................................................... "^^8 Irukx of Quoted and Mentioned Literature .......................................... ....741 Index of Periodicals............................................................................... ....760 Subject Index ..............................................................................................^67

ILLUSTRATIONS 1. The first page of the leaflet The Address of the General Council of the
International Working Men s Association on the Franco-Prussian War,

593

595

597

599 600 607 609 610 612 613

July 23, 1870 .......................................................................................... 2-3 2. The Battle of Gravelotte-St. Privat on August 18, 1870 and the Siege of Metz. The Battle of Mars-la-Tour on August 16, 1870 (a m ap )........................................................................................................ 63 3. The Battle of Sedan on September 1-2, 1870 (a m ap )....................... 83 4. The Siege of Paris (September 19, 1870-January 28, 1871) (a m ap )................................................................................................... 217 5. The Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71 (a map) ................................... 256-57 6 . The tide-page of the third English edition of The Civil War in France ...................................................................................................... ^09 7. The Paris Commune (March 18-May 28, 1871) (a map) ................... 350 8 . A paragraph from the manuscript of the First Draft of The Civil War in France.......................................................................................... 489

TRANSLATORS K. M. C O O K : 43 D A V ID FORGACS: 35 GLENYS A N N KO ZLOV : 7, 13, A ppendices 2 R O D N EY L IV IN G S T O N E : 19 B A R R IE SELM AN; 3, 4, 7, 9, 14, 16, 29, 30, 38, 41, 44, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, A ppendices 16-21

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Preface
V olum e 22 of th e Collected Works of M arx an d Engels contains w orks w ritten betw een th e latter half of July 1870 an d th e en d of O ctober 1871. In this relatively b rief p erio d th ere occu rred th e FrancoPrussian w ar of 1870-71 a n d w hat L enin described as th e greatest working-class u p risin g of th e 19th cen tu ry (Collected Works, Vol. 41, p. 113), th e p ro letarian revolution of M arch 18, 1871 in Paris, d u rin g which a working-class state th e Paris C o m m u n e was set u p fo r th e first tim e in history. T h ese events arose from the socio-political a n d revolutionary crisis th a t h ad b een building u p in E u ro p e fo r som e years. T h e Paris C o m m u n e was a great victory fo r th e w orking class in th e struggle against capitalist exploitation an d polidcal d o m ination by th e bourgeoisie. T h e lessons of th e C om m une threw into sh arp relief th e fu rth e r tasks a n d prospects of th e working-class m ovem ent. O n the basis of this experience M arx an d Engels significantiy en rich ed th e th eo ry of scientific com m unism . M any works of M arx a n d Engels in this volum e direcdy reflect th eir practical activities in th e In tern atio n al W orking M ens Association (the International). In the conditions created by th e Franco-Prussian w ar the G eneral C ouncil of th e In tern atio n al h ad to arm th e p ro letariat, especially th e F rench a n d th e G erm an, with an u n d ersta n d in g of th eir class objectives an d p rev en t th e wave of chauvinism th at su r ged th ro u g h both th e belligerent countries from sw am ping the working-class m ovem ent. T h is was a test th at the In tern atio n al passed with flying colours. It succeeded in raising th e m ost advanced w orkers in its ranks from sp ontaneous actions an d an

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instinctive feeling of class b ro th erh o o d to aw areness of the need fo r international solidarity an d unity of action by the proletariat as a whole. T h e volum e begins with the First A ddress of the G eneral Council of the In tern atio n al W orking M ens Association on the Franco-Prussian W ar (July 1870) w ritten by M arx. T his docum ent contains the fu n d am en tal propositions of M arxism on the attitude of th e w orking class to m ilitarism an d war. M arx m aintains th at the aggressive wars w ere unleashed by the ru lin g classes to overcom e internal crises a n d to crush the revolutionary m ovem ent, above all, th at of the proletariat. H e analyses the developm ent of th e international contradictions in E urope th at led to th e Franco-Prussian w ar an d sets o u t the specific tasks fo r the w orkers of th e various countries in the c u rre n t situation. M arx exposes the B onapartist governm ent in France, which began the w ar in the nam e of preserving an d stren g th en in g the em pire, reinforcing its d o m in an t role in E urope, an d preventing th e unification o f G erm any. O n G erm anys side the w ar was, in its initial stage, defensive (see this volum e, p. 5). At the sam e tim e M arx shows the aggressive role played by the ruling circles of Prussia in its p rep aratio n . H e m akes a clear distinction betw een th e G erm an peoples national interests a n d th e dynastic, rapacious aims p u rsu e d by the Prussian Ju n k ers an d the G erm an bourgeoisie. M arx w arned the G erm an w orkers th at a w ar led by th e Prussian militarists could tu rn into an aggressive w ar against the F rench people: If the G erm an w orking class allow the p resen t w ar to lose its strictly defensive character an d to d eg en erate into a w ar against the F rench people, victory o r defeat will prove alike disastrous (this volum e, p. 6 ). A rg u in g th at the m ilitary defeat of the B onapartist em pire would u sh er in the reg en eratio n o f F rance an d rem ove one of the m am obstacles to the unification of G erm any, M arx supports the F rench m em bers o f th e In tern atio n al in th eir cam paign against the regim e o f N apoleon III. T h e A ddress h elped the G erm an Social-Democrats to see how aggressive the policy of B ism arcks Prussia actually was an d how incom patible with the G erm an peoples legitim ate national aspirations. M arx a n d Engels believed th at objectively G erm anys achieve m en t of national unity w ould .be in the interests of the G erm an w orking class an d w ould create favourable conditions fo r its organisation, which, in tu rn , would help to consolidate the whole in tern ational proletariat. T h e A ddress set the task of stren g th en in g the international

solidarity of th e w orking class, especially in th e belligerent countries. M arx gave a h igh appraisal of th e anti-m ilitarist activity of the m em bers of th e In tern atio n al in both G erm any an d France an d saw this as a sign th at th e alliance of th e w orking classes of all countries will ultim ately kill w ar (this volum e, p. 7). T h e developm ent of th e w orkers intern atio n al b ro th erh o o d despite the chauvinistic p ro p a g an d a of th e ru lin g classes, M arx em phasised, proves th at in contrast to old society, with its econom ical miseries an d its political delirium , a new society is springing up, whose In tern atio n al ru le will be Peace, because its national ru le r will be everyw here th e sam e Labour] (this volum e, p. 7). T h e sh atterin g m ilitary defeats of th e Second E m pire h erald ed its collapse. M arx n o ted th at in Prussian ru lin g circles claims were being m ade fo r th e an nexation of Alsace and L orraine. In these conditions it was especially im p o rtan t to help th e G erm an Social-Dem ocrats ad o p t a g en u in e class position and stren g th en th eir in ternatio n alist views. In a letter to th e C om m ittee of the G erm an Social-Dem ocratic W orkers Party, M arx a n d Engels u rg e d th e G erm an p ro letariat to com e o u t w holeheartedly against the annexationist plans of th e Prussian m ilitary an d the bourgeoisie. T h e Second A ddress of th e G eneral C ouncil on the FrancoPrussian war, w ritten after th e collapse of th e Second E m pire and the establishm ent, on S eptem ber 4, 1870, of th e F rench Republic, w hen the w ar h ad lost its defensive ch aracter fo r G erm any and becom e a blatantly expansionist w ar (see this volum e, p. 263), defined the new tactical line of th e In tern atio n al. T h e A ddress o rien ted the proletariat of th e E u ro p ean countries tow ards a resolute struggle against th e aggressive plans of th e Prussian Ju n k ers a n d th e G erm an bourgeoisie. It n o ted th at th ere could be no justification fo r th e an nexation of Alsace an d L orraine, and th at the determ in atio n of state b o rd ers on the g ro u n d s of m ilitary in terests only carried th e seed of fresh w ars (this volum e, p. 266). W ith exceptional insight M arx foresaw the consequences of B ism arcks aggression an d th e subsequent line-up of rival forces in E u ro p e for several decades. D eveloping th e principles of pro letarian internationalism , the A ddress outlined th e tactics for th e various contingents of the international p ro letariat, thus g u id in g them tow ards an u n d e r standing of th e unity of intern atio n al and national goals. As in the letter to the C om m ittee of th e G erm an Social-Dem ocratic W orkers Party, M arx o rien ted th e G erm an w orking class an d its party tow ards a struggle against Prussian m ilitarism , fo r an h onourable
2 -1 2 3 2

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peace with France, an d fo r recognition of the F rench Republic. H e stressed the connection betw een this international task a n d the fight against internal reaction, against B ism arcks plans to use the victory over F rance fo r an attack on the dem ocratic rights o f his own people. T h e In tern atio n al also u rg e d the English w orkers to recognise th e F rench R epublic (see this volum e, p. 269). F or the F rench w orkers it was vital y im p o rtan t, on the one h an d , to use all republican freedom s for the w ork of th e ir own class o rganisation (this volum e, p. 269) and, on the o th er, to avoid being carried away by chauvinistic phrase-m ongering. M arx w arned the F rench w orkers of the untim eliness of any attem p t to overthrow the gov ern m en t w hen the enem y was at the gates of Paris. B oth A ddresses, which w ere official docum ents of the In te rn a tional, o ffered the working-class m ovem ent scientifically g ro u n d e d guidelines an d proposed an overall solution to both the national an d international problem s facing the proletariat. O ne of th eir crucial features was th eir resolute condem nation o f m ilitarism and wars of conquest. T h e 59 articles by Engels on the Franco-Prussian w ar of 1870-1871, published in L o n d o n s Pall M all Gazette, occupy an im p o rtan t place in the volum e. W ritten in the form of separate m ilitary reviews, these articles are, in fact, closely interconnected a n d constitute a com plete an d unified whole. A lthough, u n d e r the term s stipulated by the p a p e rs editors, they should have been confined to purely m ilitary questions, Engels often reaches out beyond these limits an d gives his reviews a tren c h an t class and political m essage. In his Notes on the W ar , which in their political orientation are closely linked with the G eneral C ouncils A ddresses on the Franco-Prussian war, Engels was actually substantiating the tactics of the In tern atio n al at various stages of th e war. T h ese articles by Engels reveal his detailed know ledge of the hom e a n d foreign-policy situations of the belligerent pow ers th e ir econom ic an d political systems and, above all, the positions of th e various classes an d parties. All this, com bined with Engels truly encyclopaedic know ledge as a m ilitary historian and th eo reti cian, enabled him in m any cases to predict the exact course of events an d th eir outcom e. H e uncovered the strategic plans of the h ead q u arters of th e B onapartist an d Prussian arm ies, established th e areas an d days of the first m ajor batdes an d the forces that w ould take p art in them (see this volum e, pp. 15-16), anticipated the

situation th at w ould lead to th e re tre a t of th e F rench arm y u n d e r M acM ahon to Sedan (this volum e, pp. 32-33) an d p red icted th e place, the ap p ro x im ate date a n d th e outcom e of th e decisive battle which was fo u g h t th ere (this volum e, p. 69). T h e central idea of the articles was to show th e d ep en d en ce of m ilitary o p erations an d the outcom e of th e w ar on a co u n try s in tern al condition, and Engels m ost im p o rtan t p rediction was th at th e m ilitary d efeat of B onapartist France an d th e consequent fall of th e Second E m pire were inevitable. T h e N otes contain m uch ruthless a n d far-reach in g criticism of B onapartism . Engels paints a vivid p icture of th e decay of the B onapartist regim e an d its m ain bastion, th e arm y. T h e arm y organization fails everyw here; an d a noble an d gallant nation finds all its efforts fo r self-defence unavailing, because it has for twenty years suffered its destinies to be guided by a set of ad v en tu rers w ho tu rn e d adm inistration, governm ent, arm y, navy in fact, all F ran ce into a source of pecuniary p ro fit to them selves (this volum e, p. 77). Engels stresses th at th e B o n apartist regim e continued to have a pernicious effect on th e arm y even d u rin g the w ar because its actions w ere gu id ed by political ra th e r th an m ilitary considerations. H e shows how, because of th eir fe ar of th e Paris masses, the B onapartist g o v ern m en t refu sed to send to th e fro n t the forces vital fo r th e arm y, p re fe rrin g to keep th em in the capital as a safeg u ard against revolution (see this volum e, p. 55). Engels exposes th e m ilitarist p ro p a g an d a of th e Prussian ru lin g circles, w ho w ere trying to p resen t th e Prussian arm y as a truly p o p u la r arm y, as th e arm ed p eo p le . T h e ph rase of the nation in arm s hides th e creation of a large arm y fo r p u rposes of C abinet policy abro ad an d reaction at h o m e (this volum e, p. 125). H e mercilessly b ran d s th e barbaric acts p e rp e tra te d by the G erm an co m m an d th e b o m b ard m en t an d d estruction of cities fo r which th ere was no m ilitary justification, the b ru tal trea tm e n t of civilians, an d the harsh m easures taken against the F rench guerrillas, the
francs-tireurs.

T h e Notes on th e W ar form a notable co n tribution to the d evelopm ent of M arxist m ilitary theory. T h ey exam ine th e ch aracter of w ars expansionist, defensive, an d p o p u la r on th e basis of actual facts, an d reveal th e dialectics of th eir developm ent. Engels dem o n strated how a w ar in which G erm any, at the beginning, m erely d efen d ed h e r own against F rench chauvinisme ap p ears to be changing gradually, b u t surely, into a w ar in the interests of a new G erm an chauvinism e...' (this volum e, p. 104). Engels considered in great detail a n u m b er of general theoretical problem s of th e art

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of w a r the role of logistics, the influence of the political an d econo mic state of the country on the course of operations, the co r rect deploym ent of troops on the eve of war, the factor of su r prise in attack, an d so on. H e also showed w hat great changes h ad com e ab o u t in the arm ing an d equipping of troops before the w ar and how these changes influenced the course of m ilitary operations. A fter the defeat of the re g u lar F rench arm ies, Engels focused his attention on the possibility of creating new m ilitary form ations an d organising guerrilla w arfare against the invaders. H e showed p articular interest in the problem s of arm ed resistance to interventionist forces, in the problem s of a peoples war, including guerrilla m ovem ents, on both the political an d the m ilitary plane. In com plete accord with the line taken in the Second A ddress of the G eneral Council, Engels resolutely cham pioned th e rig h t of the F rench people to d efen d th eir country against enem y invasion by every m eans. H e considered a real w ar of liberation to be one in which the nation itself participates (this volum e, p. 193). Engels expected the operations of the guerrillas to inflict dam aging m aterial an d m oral losses on the enem y. T his constant erosion by the waves of p o p u lar w arfare in the long ru n melts dow n o r washes away the largest arm y in detail... , he w rote (this volum e, p. 207). At the sam e tim e Engels realised th at a decisive tu rn in m ilitary o p erations could no t be achieved w ithout the creation of a pow erful re g u lar arm y. H e revealed th e causes of the unw illing ness of the generals an d the new bourgeois republican govern m en t of France, who feared the revolutionary u p su rg e of the masses m ore th an the external enem y, to mobilise the co u n try s resources to the full. T h e articles by Engels, like the A ddresses of the G eneral Council on the Franco-Prussian war, clearly d em onstrate how fruitfully the m ethod of historical m aterialism can be applied in th e analysis of a com plex m ilitary a n d political situation. M arx an d Engels kept a close watch on the events in France, which w ere systematically discussed at the m eetings of the G eneral Council. In the Second A ddress on the Franco-Prussian w ar M arx, foreseeing the fu rth e r intensification of class contradictions in France, alerted the F rench w orkers to the need to stren g th en their own class organisation. T his w ould give them , he w rote, H e r culean pow ers for -the reg en eratio n of France, and o u r com m on task the em ancipation of lab o u r (this volum e, p. 269). O n M arch 18, 1871 a p roletarian revolution broke o u t in the F rench capital an d led to the proclam ation of the Paris C om m une,

the first working-class g o v ern m en t known to history. From the very beginning M arx and Engels saw th e C o m m u n e as an event of world-wide historical significance. T hey re g ard e d it as the brainchild of th e In tern atio n al, as an attem p t by the w orkm g class to p u t into practice th e g reat principles of its m ovem ent. M arx saw it as th e beginning of a new epoch in w orld history. W ith the struggle in Paris th e struggle of th e w orking class against the capitalist class an d its state has en tered u p o n a new p h ase, M arx no ted in a letter to Ludw ig K ugelm ann on 17 A pril 1871. W hatever the im m ediate outcom e may be, a new p o in t of d e p a rtu re of world-wide im p o rtan ce has been g ain ed (p resent edition. Vol. 44). M arx an d Engels welcom ed th e C om m une with all the enthusiasm of pro letarian revolutionaries su p p o rtin g its heroic fighters in every possible way. In th eir speeches at the m eetings of th e G eneral C ouncil they re p o rte d on th e course of the C o m m u n ard s struggle against the com bined forces of the Versailles counter-revolution a n d th e Prussian interventionists (see this volum e, pp. 585-86, 588, 590, 593, 595-98). M arx used various channels fo r establishing contacts with the leaders of th e C om m une in o rd e r to help th em avoid m istakes a n d w ork o u t a correct policy. H e w rote m any letters to th e leading figures in th e working-class m ovem ent of E u ro p e an d th e U n ited States (see p re sen t edition. Vol. 4 4 ) to explain th e tru e ch aracter of events a n d expose th e slander spread by the ru lin g classes. W ith the help of th e G eneral Council, led by M arx, a b ro ad cam paign in su p p o rt of th e C om m une was launched in m any countries. T h e advanced section of th e w orking class a n d of th e progressive intelligentsia in B ritain also jo in ed in the cam paign. As soon as th e Paris C om m une cam e into being, M arx set about studying a n d analysing its activities. Published in this volum e, the First a n d Second D rafts of The C ivil W ar in France, w here he sum m ed u p massive factual m aterial, testify to th e exceptional scientific thoro u g h n ess with w hich he investigated th e revolution ary creative w ork of th e C om m unards. ^ T h e central position in this volum e is occupied by M arx s o u tstan d in g w ork The C ivil W ar in France, w ritten in th e form of an address of th e G eneral C ouncil to all m em bers of th e In tern atio n al in E u ro p e a n d th e U n ited States of Am erica. U nanim ously ad o p ted at th e m eeting of th e G eneral C ouncil on May 30, 1871, it was published as an official d o cu m en t of the In tern atio n al W orking M ens Association a fo rtn ig h t after the d efeat of the C om m une an d becam e widely known in various countries.

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In The C ivil W ar in France, w ritten in the form of keen political satire, M arx expounds the key propositions of revolutionary theory. T h e theory of the state, the revolution, an d the dictatorship of the p ro letariat is developed on the basis of the experience of the Paris C om m une. L enin described this w ork as one of the fundam ental d ocum ents of scientific com m unism . In it, he w rote, M arx had given a p ro fo u n d , clear-cut, brilliant, effective analysis of the Paris C om m une (V. I. Lenin, Collected Works, Vol. 21, p. 49). The C ivil W ar in France analyses th e historical conditions of the origin of th e Paris C om m une. As Engels w rote in his 1891 In tro d u ctio n , this w ork was an exam ple of the a u th o rs rem arkable gift fo r grasping clearly the character, the im port and the necessary consequences of great historical events, at a tim e w hen these events are still in progress before o u r eyes o r have only ju st taken place (present edition. Vol. 27). Relying on m any years of study of the history of F rance in general an d of the B onapartist regim e in particular, which he had begun in The Eighteenth B rum aire o f Louis Bonaparte (see p resen t edition. Vol. 11), M arx revealed th e factors responsible fo r the revolution in Paris. W ith biting sarcasm h e exposed the leaders of the Versailles counter-revolutionary governm ent, the instigators an d organisers of th e savage reprisals against the Paris w orkers. T o these b lo odhounds of o rd e r (this volum e, p. 350), who in fe ar of revolution sank to national betrayal an d collusion with the external enem y, M arx contrasted th e courage, selflessness an d heroism of the C om m unards. M any years before this, w hen analysing the revolutionary events of 1848-49, M arx had concluded th at the p roletariat would play th e decisive role in the fu tu re revolution. T h e experience of the C om m une confirm ed this conclusion. T his was the first revolu tion in which the w orking class was openly acknow ledged as the only class capable of social initiative (this volum e, p. 336). For the first tim e in history the p roletariat had attem p ted to assert its political suprem acy and establish a new social order. Study of the experience of th e Paris C om m une gave M arx new m aterial fo r fu rth e r investigation of such a social institution as th e state. D raw ing on his previous research in this sphe re, M arx exam ines in The C ivil W ar in France an d its prelim i nary d rafts the origin an d stages of developm ent of the state su p erstru ctu re of capitalism , the dialectical interaction bet ween this su p erstru ctu re an d the econom ic basis capitalist rela tions of production, and the role of the bourgeois state as an in stru m en t of the oppression of the w orking people. Its exploitato-

r y essence as a public force organized fo r social enslavem ent an d an engine of class despotism , he w rote, rem ains u n changed, no m atter in w hat form s it ap p ears (see this volum e, p. 329). . ^ ^ Because of th e class ch aracter of th e bourgeois state an d the political functions of its ap p aratu s of oppression th e destruction of the bourgeois state m achine becom es a crucial condition for the social em ancipation of th e proletariat. T his conclusion, which M arx h ad arrived at in The Eighteenth B rum aire of Louis Bonaparte (1852), was co nfirm ed by th e experience of th e C om m une. B ut the w orking class, M arx w rote, cannot simply lay hold of the ready-m ade state m achinery an d wield it fo r th eir own purpose. T h e political in stru m en t of th eir enslavem ent cannot serve as th e political in stru m en t of th eir em an cip atio n (this volum e, p. 533). M arx attached special im portance to this key proposition of revolutionary theory, which was also clearly fo rm u lated in the In tro d u ctio n th at he an d Engels w rote to th e 1872 G erm an edition of the M anifesto of the C om m unist Party (see p resen t edition. Vol. 23). As we know, this proposition was fu rth e r developed in the works of L enin in its application to th e specific featu res of the im perialist epoch. In The C ivil W ar in France, M arx d em o n strated a dialectical and concrete historical ap p ro ach , a d ifferen tiated attitu d e to the various elem ents of th e state m achine. H e did n o t ru le o u t the possibility of th e victorious w orking class m aking use of the socially necessary bodies of th e bourgeois state on condition th at they were dem ocratically refo rm ed . U p to th e tim e of th e Paris C om m une th e history of p ro letarian struggle h ad p ro vided no practical exam ple of w hat the w orking class could substitute for th e state m achine w hen it h ad been sm ashed. M arx saw in th e C om m une, short-lived th o u g h it was, the features of a state of th e new type, a p ro letarian state, which was to replace the bourgeois state established fo r th e oppression of th e mass of th e w orking people. T h e experience of th e C om m une allowed M arx to enrich revolutionary theory with a concrete conclusion re g ard in g the form of p ro letarian state th at was n eed ed for its historic m ission of building a new socialist society. T h e tru e secret of the C om m une, he w rote in The C ivil W ar in France, was this. It was essentially a working-class g overnm ent, the pro d u ce of th e struggle of th e p ro d u cin g against the ap p ro p riatin g class, the political form at last discovered u n d e r which to work o u t the econom ical em ancipation of L a b o u r (this volum e, p. 334).

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M arx also considers the n a tu re of th e new type of state in his speech at the m eeting devoted to th e seventh anniversary of the In tern atio n al in S eptem ber 1871. T h e C om m une, he said, and th ere could no t be two opinions about it ... was the conquest of the political pow er of the w orking classes. T h e experience of the revolution of 1871, M arx stressed in this speech, clearly proved th at to destroy the existing conditions of oppression a proletarian dictature would becom e necessary (this volum e, p. 634). Sum m ing u p th e conclusions M arx reached concerning the new type of state in T he C iv il W ar in France, Engels in his In tro d u ctio n to th e th ird G erm an edition of this work (1891), m arking the tw entieth anniversary of th e C om m une, wrote, Look at the Paris C om m une. T h a t was th e dictatorship of the p ro leta riat (present edition, Vol. 27). T h e Paris C om m une gave M arx specific facts with which to d em o nstrate the truly dem ocratic n a tu re of the dictatorship of the p ro letariat as a form of state power. T h e C om m une consisted m ostly of w orking m en, of acknow ledged representatives of the w orking class (this volum e, p. 331). T h e principles of electiveness, revocability, an d responsibility to th e people of all organs of pow er an d of all functionaries, the dem ocratic principles of the organisa tion of the adm inistrative an d judicial system, w ere p u t into effect. M arx stresses th at the C om m une was to be a w orking, no t a p arliam entary, body, executive an d legislative at the sam e tim e . (Ibid.) M arx showed the creative character of the C om m unes activity, th e way it com bined destruction of the organs of th e bourgeois state, the instrum ents of the m aterial a n d spiritual oppression of th e people, with the setting u p o f new, revolutionary institutions. From this stan d p o in t h e analyses th e m ain initiatives of the C o m m u n e th e replacem ent of th e standing arm y by the arm ed people, the abolition of the police, the separation of ch u rch from state, the ex p ro p riatio n of the p ro p e rty of the churches, an d the abolition of religious instruction a n d gov ern m en t supervision in public education. H e attaches g reat im portance to th e C o m m u n es social initiatives, to its first steps in ex p ro p riatin g big capitals p ro p e rty in the m eans of p roduction an d the h an d in g over of idle factories aban d o n ed by th eir ow ners to the w orkers cooperative societies. M arx pointed to the coincidence of the p ro leta riats class interests with those of the nation at large as one of th e key featu res of the new type of state. T h e C om m une, he observed, was the tru e representative of all the healthy elem ents of F rench

society an d th ere fo re th e truly national G o v ern m en t , b u t at the sam e tim e it was a w orking m en s G o vernm ent ... th e bold cham pion of th e em ancipation of lab o u r (see this volum e, 338) T h e C om m une was th e highest form of p ro letarian dem ocracy, th e form of g o v ern m en t w here dem ocracy, in tro duced as fully an d consistently as is at all conceivable, is tran sfo rm ed from bourgeois into pro letarian dem ocracy (V. I. Lenin, Collected Works, Vol. 25, p. 424). W ith the experience of th e C om m une in m ind M arx w ent on to exam ine the problem of th e allies of th e p ro letariat in the revolution. H e analysed th e social initiatives th at attracted to the C om m une no t only the in d ig en t populace of Paris b u t also the m iddle strata of F rench society. H e expressed his firm conviction th at the policy of th e Paris C om m une as a pro letarian state fully co rresp o n d ed to th e essential interests of th e w orking peasantry an d th at, b u t fo r th e isolation of Paris from th e provinces d u e to the blockade by th e Versaillese, th e F rench p easantry w ould have taken the side of th e C o m m u n ard s (see this volum e, p p. 49294). In The C ivil W ar in France M arx poses th e problem of the period of transition from capitalism to socialism. In his First D raft he notes the lengthiness a n d com plexity of this process, th e n eed to go th ro u g h various stages of class struggle. T h e w orking class knows, he w rote, th at this w ork of re g en eratio n will be again an d again relen ted a n d im p ed ed by th e resistances of vested interests and class egotism s (this volum e, p. 491). T h e existence of a political organisation in the form of th e C om m une, i.e., the proletarian state, is necessary fo r these socio-economic refo rm s to be p u t into effect. T h e w orking class did n o t expect m iracles from the C om m u n e... , M arx writes in The C ivil W ar in France. T hey know th at in o rd e r to w ork o u t th eir own em ancipation, a n d along with it th at h ig h er form to which p resen t society is irresistibly ten d in g by its own econom ical agencies, they will have to pass th ro u g h long struggles, th ro u g h a series of historic processes, tran sfo rm in g circum stances an d m e n (this volum e, p. 335). T h e classical fo rm ulation of th e tasks of th e transitional period a n d th e dictatorship of th e p ro letariat as th e state of this period was later p ro p o u n d e d by M arx in his Critique of the Gotha Programme (1875). F rom the activities of th e C om m une M arx also drew m aterial fo r elaborating th e problem of the in tern atio n al ch aracter of the working-class struggle fo r em ancipation. A rising o u t of th e specific historical situation in France, the C om m une, by taking th e first

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practical steps in the great cause of em ancipating labour, em bodied th e aspirations of the w orking class of all countries an d was em phatically in tern a tio n al (this volum e, p. 338). T h e advanced section of the w orking class of E u ro p e an d the U nited States em braced the C om m une as its own cherished cause. T h e C om m une showed the full im portance of pro p erly com bin ing the spontaneous an d the conscious in the working-class m ovem ent. T h e C o m m u n ard s class instinct told them w hat steps to take. B ut in the g reat w ork of tran sfo rm in g society revolution ary instinct an d enthusiasm w ere no t enough. Consisting fo r the m ost p a rt of su p p o rters of pre-M arxian form s of socialism, the C om m une lacked ideological unity. It was no t arm ed with a revolutionary theory th at could ensure a consistent revolutionary policy. T h e experience of th e C om m une positively proved the p ro letariats n eed fo r a m ilitant vanguard, a political p arty arm ed with the theory of scientific com m unism . It was this task, which h ad becom e a p p a re n t from th e experience of th e Paris C om m une, th at M arx and Engels set before the In tern atio n al an d th e w orking class at the L ondon C onference. T h e co n ten t of The C iv il W ar in France is supplem ented in m any ways by the prelim inary d rafts of this work. A lthough parts of them are no m ore th an ro u g h notes, the bulk are in fini shed form an d are distinguished by the sam e pow er and vividness of expression th at m ark the final text. B oth d rafts are of in d e p e n d e n t theoretical value. In these drafts M arx exp o u n d ed several im p o rtan t propositions m ore thorougly than in the final version. H ere we have his propositions on the historical origins of th e C om m une, his analysis of its socio-economic initiatives, his characterisation of its policy tow ards the m iddle strata, an d also his theoretical generalisations concerning the historic mission and tasks of the proletarian state. O f exceptional im portance is th e th ought, form ulated in the First D raft, on the class struggle in the period of transition from capitalism to socialism. M arx pointed out: T h e C om m une does no t [do] away with the class struggles, th ro u g h which the w orking classes strive to th e abolition of all classes and, th erefo re, of all class ru le , b u t it affords the rational m edium in which th at class struggle can ru n th ro u g h its d iffe ren t phases in the m ost rational and hu m an way (this volum e, p. 491). In the d rafts M arx goes deeply into the dialectics of the d ev elopm ent of state pow er in the process of the transform ation of society, showing the historically transient character of the pro letarian state, of the dictatorship of the proletariat, which he

regards as a stage in the n atu ra l historical process of th e w ithering away of the state. T h e C om m une, he writes, was a Revolution against the State itself, this su p ern atu ralist abortion of soci ety... it was th e reab so rp tio n of the State pow er by society, as its own living forces instead of as forces controlling an d subduing it, by the p o p u lar masses them selves... (this volum e, p p . 486, 487). P roceeding not only from th e experience of th e C o m m u n e b u t also from th e results of his own econom ic research, M arx stressed in the First D raft of The C ivil W ar in France th at in the perio d of the building of a classless society th e econom ic activity of the p roletarian state w ould assum e increasing im portance. It was th e m ission of this state to reorganise th e whole econom y on a new basis, to achieve th e h arm onious national an d in tern atio n al co o rd in atio n of th e social form s of p ro d u ctio n (this volum e, p. 491). Analysing th e m istakes of th e C o m m unards, M arx declared that, notw ithstanding th e g reat b re ad th of its dem ocratic organisation, the pro letarian state m ust possess sufficiently effective revolution ary organs of pow er. It m ust be capable of reb u ffin g the attacks of the in tern al a n d ex ternal enem ies of th e revolution, of d efen d in g all th at th e people have won. M arx did n o t gloss over th e shortcom ings in the C o m m u n es activity. B ut he valued, above all, its attem pts in th e conditions of hard sh ip a n d siege to set ab o u t building a new society. H e showed the enorm ou s tran sfo rm in g pow er of th e revolution, which changed the face of th e F rench capital. W orking, thinking, fighting, bleeding Paris ... ra d ia n t in th e enthusiasm of its historic initiative! (this volum e, p. 341). H ere was th e tru e h ero of M arxs work. T h e conclusions M arx drew from th e experience an d lessons of the Paris C om m une w ere developed by him a n d by Engels th ro u g h o u t th eir lives. T h ey becam e the subject of a p ro fo u n d study an d creative application by L enin in the new historical epoch. D eveloping th e ideas of M arxism , L enin gave solid and convincing g ro u n d s fo r th e necessity of the Soviet form of the proletarian state, while allowing th at o th er form s w ere also quite possible, d e p e n d in g on th e specific national historical conditions of the struggle fo r th e socialist revolution. T h e intern atio n al counter-revolution tried to use th e defeat of the Paris C om m une to suppress th e whole working-class m ove

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m ent. T h e governm ents of the E u ro p ean states joined forces to intensify repressive m easures against the w orking class an d its organisations, particularly the sections of th e International. In a n u m b e r of countries the sections h ad to ad o p t an illegal o r sem i legal position. T h e reactionary press did all it could to d iscredit the In tern atio n al an d its leaders by publishing various kinds of forgeries a n d sp read in g slanderous allegations. T h e n u m ero u s statem ents sent to various new spapers by M arx an d Engels and, as a rule, published in the form of official d ocum ents of the G eneral C ouncil ( S tatem ent by the G eneral C ouncil on Jules Favres C ircu lar , S tatem ent by the G eneral C ouncil to the E ditor of The T im e s, M arxs letters to th e editors of th e new spapers De Werker, Public O pinion, L e Gaulois, L a V erity et al.), reflect the energetic cam paign M arx an d Engels waged agam st the bourgeois presss persecution of the In tern atio n al, against the attem pts to distort its principles an d aims and u n d erm in e its authority. A n address com posed by M arx in the nam e of the G eneral C ouncil a n d entided M r. W ashburne, the A m erican A m bassador, in Paris , exposes th e provocatory role of bourgeois diplom acy in th e period of the Paris C om m une. T his d o cum ent exposes the disreputable, double-faced attitu d e to the C om m une ad o p ted by a diplom atic representative of A m erican capitalist dem ocracy (see this volum e, pp. 379-82). T h e Paris C om m une was a tu rn in g -p o in t in the developm ent of the international working-class m ovem ent. Its lessons w ere learned by revolutionary p ro letarian circles. T h e ir u rg e n t task was to stren g th en th eir organisations a n d achieve ideological unity. M arx and Engels concentrated on helping th e new sections of the In tern atio n al in Italy, Spain an d o th er countries, establishing close ties betw een the sections an d the G eneral C ouncil an d inform ing 29^96^ its tasks a n d goals (see this volum e, pp. 272-73, 277-80, A t the sam e tim e th e C om m une stim ulated the polarisation of ideological tren d s in the working-class m ovem ent. T h e clear statem ent in The C iv il W ar in France o f the In tern atio n als revolutionary p latform caused the w avering reform ist elem ents to b reak away from it. In the sum m er of 1871 the G eneral Council h ad to condem n the leaders of the B ritish trad e unions L ucraft and O d ger, who in defiance of the principles of proletarian in te r nationalism struck th eir signatures off the G eneral C ouncils A ddress The C iv il W ar in France an d sided with the bourgeoisie (see this volum e, pp. 372-73, 610-11).

T h e G eneral Council co n d em n ed an d expelled from th e International the right-w ing P ro u d h o n ist T olain, who h ad o p ted for a d ep u ty s seat in the co unter-revolutionary Versailles assembly ra th e r than fighting fo r th e C om m une. T h e resolution u n d e r scored th at th e place of every F rench m em b er of th e I.W .M .A. is u n d o u b t e d l y on the side of th e C om m une of Paris (this volum e, p . 297). T h e m aterials p resen ted in this volum e reflect M arxism s consistent struggle against anarchism in its B akuninist fo rm th e m ain ideological o p p o n en t of M arxism in those days. T h e influence of B akuninism was grow ing in Spain, Italy, in R om ance Switzerland an d in the S outh of France, which was m ainly d u e to the fact th at new sections of th e w orking class w ere draw n into the working-class m ovem ent, sections th at w ere n o t as yet sufficiently differentiated from o th e r in d ig en t strata of bourgeois society. T h e d a n g e r of B akuninism reached a new peak afte r th e defeat of the Paris C om m une. M isinterpreting its experience, the B akuninists p resen ted th e C om m une n o t as a p ro letarian state, b u t as an exam ple of th e abolition of all statehood an d th e renunciation of all political activity on the p art of th e w orking class, as the em bodim ent of th eir federalist ideas . T h ey alleged that the C om m une h ad vindicated th eir tactics, based on notions of the possibility of carrying o u t a revolution in any place at any time w ithout re g ard to th e historical preconditions fo r it. While claim ing lead ersh ip of the intern atio n al working-class m ovem ent, the B akuninists steered a course tow ards splitting th e m ovem ent. In a n u m b er of countries they set u p sections on the basis of th eir program m e, which they presen ted as th e p ro g ram m e of the In ternational. Objectively, th e B akuninists held back the aw aken ing of class-consciousness am ong the proletariat an d h in d ere d the w orking ou t of its strategy an d tactics in the new conditions. Disassociation from B akuninism becam e an u rg e n t necessity for the fu rth e r developm ent of th e revolutionary working-class m ovem ent a n d its political organisation. A very im p o rtan t role in this process was played by th e L o ndon C onference of the In tern atio n al th at took place on S eptem ber 17-23, 1871. T his volum e contains various docum ents of th e L ondon C onference, a p ro m in en t place being given to th e speeches by M arx an d Engels an d the conference decisions an d resolutions which they d ra fte d an d which w ere afterw ards ap p ro v ed by the G eneral Council. T h e conference was held to delineate th e basic tren d s in the

XXX

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XX XI

activity of the In tern atio n al W orking M ens Association u n d e r the new conditions. As can be seen from the m inutes the work of the conference focused on the problem of setting u p a proletarian party, an d the discussion of its program m atic an d tactical principles. In his speech at the op en in g of the conference M arx said th at it had been called to set u p a new organisation to m eet the needs of the situ ation (this volum e, p. 613). T h e L ondon C onference was the first international fo ru m of the In tern atio n al th at took place u n d e r th e direct leadership of M arx a n d Engels. M arx was the m ain ra p p o rte u r on all im p o rtan t issues. Engels took a very active p a rt in p re p a rin g an d conducting the conference. D u ring the conference, as Engels no ted afterw ards, at the 1893 m eeting to com m em orate th e C om m une, the question of fo u n d in g a political party d iffe ren t an d distinct from all o th er political parties was raised fo r th e first tim e in the history of the In tern atio n al (see p resen t edition. Vol. 27). T his question becam e th e focal point of the struggle against the B akuninist an d reform ist ideology. In the subsequent debate M arx an d Engels em phasised th at those who even afte r the Paris C om m une still den ied the n eed for political action by the w orking class thereby re p u d ia ted the o p p o rtu n ity of its w inning political pow er, the only m eans by which the working-class m ovem ent could achieve its aims. T h e experience of real life an d the political oppression im posed on them by existing g overnm ents w h eth er fo r political o r social e n d s force the w orkers to concern them selves with politics, said Engels in his speech. T h e suprem e political act is revolution, the establishm ent of the political suprem acy of th e proletariat, b u t the first condition fo r this is the creation of a working-class party which m ust be constituted ... as an in d e p e n d e n t p arty with its own objective, its own politics (this volum e, p. 417). T h e crucial n in th resolution of the conference, draw n u p by M arx an d Engels, stated: against this collective pow er of th e p ro p e rtie d classes the w orking class cannot act, as a class, except by constituting itself into a political party, distinct from , an d opposed to, all old parties form ed by the p ro p e rtie d classes; ... this constitution of the w orking class into a political party is indispensable in o rd e r to insure the triu m p h of the social R evolution a n d its ultim ate e n d the abolition of classes... (this volum e, p. 427). T his resolution clearly indicated the basic direction of the fu rth e r developm ent of the struggle of the w orking class for

an d defin ed th e m ain objective facing th e w orkers 1 8 7 1 - t h e fo u n d in g of mass poli.ical n lrtle s l i the proletariat. T h e im m ediate fu tu re show ed th at this Tas the course taken by th e working-class m ovem ent. A s the docum ents published in this volum e d em o n strate o th er issues th at w ere d e b a te d th e significance of th e struggle fo r the dem ocratic rights of th e w orking class, the draw ing of peasants into the m ovem ent of th e industrial proletariat, th e developm ent of the w om ens working-class m ovem ent, the interrelatio n of the political organisation of th e w orking class an d th e trad e unions, an d so o n are all organically connected with th e solution of the nroblem of th e pro letarian party, with the elaboration of its organisational an d tactical principles. M arx and Engels showed th at in its political activities th e w orking class an d its p arty should use various m eans in bourgeois society, cornbinm g legal a n d illegal form s of struggle d e p e n d in g on th e conditions u n d e r which it h ad to be waged. T h ey attached great im portance to participation in parliam entary elections an d g etting working-class deputies into parliam ent. In his speech on political action by th e w orking class M arx cited as an exam ple of th e successful use of th e p arliam en tary p latform in th e interests of th e w orking class th e speeches of the socialist d eputies Bebel an d L iebknecht in the G ernian Reichstag, whose w ords th e entire w orld can h e a r . Every w orker elected to parliam ent, said M arx, is a victory over th e ru h n g classes b u t we m ust choose th e rig h t m e n (this volum e, ^ T h P sp e e c h e s of M arx an d Engels a n d th e resolutions passed by the conference against anarchistic sectarianism an d adventurism are published in this volum e. T hey sharply criticised th e B ak u n in ist dogm as on abstention from political activity, an d dem o n strated that, in fact, such abstention would m ean the w orkers passive subm ission to bourgeois policies (see this volum e, pp. 411-12, 415-16). O ne of th e co nference resolutions b an n e d th e setting u p of sectarian, separatist organisations. T h e rules of any section joining the In tern atio n al should co nform to th e p rogram m atic and organisation principles of th e general Rules of th e In tern atio n al W orking M ens Association. T h e conference opposed th e attem pts of th e B akuninists, and also the Blanquists to substitute secret conspiratorial societies for mass working-class organisations. In his speech on secret societies M arx no ted th at this type of organisation is opposed to th e developm ent of th e pro letarian m ovem ent because instead of instructing the w orkers, these societies subject them to au-

X X X II

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X X X III

th o n ta ria n mystical laws which cram p th eir indep en d en ce and d istort th eir pow ers o f re aso n (this volum e, p. 621). A t the L ondon C onference B akuninism suffered a dam aging blow an d in the subsequent struggle against B akuninist sectarian ism the decisions of th e conference served as a reliable guide for th e revolutionary wing of the International. T h e conference authorised the G eneral C ouncil to b rin g o u t a new edition of the Rules, taking into account all the am endm ents pro p osed by the congresses of the In ternational. T h e L ondon C onference becam e a landm ark in the develop m en t of the international working-class m ovem ent, a new step in the process of u n itin g M arxism with the mass m ovem ent of the proletariat. Its decisions d eterm in ed th e program m atic an d tactical objectives o f th e p ro letarian parties, the creation of which the w orkers of several countries h ad already begun. T h e discussion at th e conference a n d its resolutions reflected th e creative develop m en t of scientific com m unism , particularly such aspects of it as the theory of the socialist revolution, of the party of th e w orking class th e tactics of class struggle by the proletariat. T h e speeches of M arx an d Engels at the conference, the docum ents which they wrote affirm ed th e organic link betw een M arxism an d the practical aim s of th e working-class m ovem ent. T h e significance of the decisions of the L ondon C onference and th e historic lessons of the Paris C om m une w ere revealed by M arx m his speech (published in this volum e) at the celebration m eeting dedicated to the seventh anniversary of th e International. M arx n o ted the role played in the rallying of the m ilitant forces of the p ro letariat in various countries by the In tern atio n al W orking M ens Association. H e en d ed his speech by saying: T h e w orking classes w ould have to conquer the right to em ancipate them selves on th e battlefield. T h e task of the In tern atio n al was to organize and com bine th e forces of labor fo r th e com ing stru g g le (this volum e p^ 634). In this struggle fo r the fu n d am en tal restru ctu rin g of society th e In tern atio n al relied on the historical experience of the first pro letarian state the Paris C om m une.

O f th e 82 works by M arx an d Engels published in this v ^ u m e 17 such as O n the C igar-W orkers Strike in A n tw e rp O nce A gain H e rr V ogt , T h e A ddress The C ivil W ar in France an d the English P ress , several letters to the editors of new spapers

records of speeches are published in English fo r th e first time. T h e A ppendices contain records of th e speeches of M arx and Engels at the m eetings of th e G eneral Council, th e resum es of some of these speeches in new spaper rep o rts, an d th e records of M arxs speeches at th e L ondon C onference of th e In tern atio n al. T hese docum ents w ere too im perfect an d frag m en tary to be included in the m ain body of th e volum e. T h e speeches of M arx a n d Engels preserved in Engels notes are published in th e m ain body. T h e A ppendices also include a new spaper re p o rt of M arxs interview with the co rresp o n d en t of th e New Y ork p ap e r The World, and a letter from M arxs d a u g h te r Jen n y to th e editors of Woodhull and C la flin s Weekly. All these docum ents provide additional m aterial illum inating the activities of M arx an d Engels as leaders of the In ternatio n al. In cases w here m ore o r less au th en tic versions of th e docum ents of the In tern atio n al w ritten by M arx an d Engels o r with th eir participation have reached us in several languages, th e so u rce m anuscript o r p rin te d with an English text has been used as the basis fo r publication in this edition. Any substantial variant readings in o th er languages are given as footnotes. D uring the p re p ara tio n of th e volum e th e d atin g of w orks was checked an d in som e cases corrected, an d m ost of th e sources used by the autho rs w ere traced. T h e results of this work are reflected in the endings an d th e referen ce app aratu s. Any headings supplied by th e editors of th e volum e are given in square brackets. Obvious m isprints in p ro p e r nam es, geographical designations, num erical data, dates, an d so on, have been co rrected by referen ce to the sources used by M arx and Engels, usually w ithout com m ent. T h e . spelling of p ro p e r nam es an d geographical designations in English texts is re p ro d u ce d from th e originals, collated with reference works of th e 19th century; in some cases th e m o d ern spelling is given as a footnote. T h e English p arag rap h s, sentences an d w ords in the G erm an o r F rench originals are given in small caps o r in asterisks. W hen the exact titles of docum ents re fe rre d to by M arx an d Engels have n o t been established, they are given u n d e r foot an d in th e in dex of qu o ted an d m en tio n ed lite ratu re as they are cited in new spaper articles, in square brackets. T h e first p a rt of th e volum e was com piled, p re p a re d and ann o tated by A lex an d er Zubkov, the second p art, b eg inning with The C ivil W ar in France, by Yevgenia D akhina (Institute of M arxism -Leninism of th e CC CPSU); th e preface an d th e index of quoted an d m entioned literatu re w ere w ritten by A lex an d er Zubkov
and

XXXIV

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an d Yevgenia D akhina (Institute of M arxism -Leninism of the CC CPSU). T h e nam e index was com piled by T aty an a Nikolayeva and th e index of periodicals, by Sergei C huyanov (Institute of M arxism -Leninism of the CC CPSU). T h e ed ito r of the volum e was T aty an a V erem eyeva an d scientific editor Valeriya K unina (Institute of M arxism -Leninism of the CC CPSU). T h e subject index was com piled by A lexander Zubkov. T h e translations w ere m ade by K.M. Cook, David Forgacs, Glenys A nn Kozlov, R odney Livingstone and B arrie Selm an an d edited by Nicholas Jacobs, Glenys A nn Kozlov, K. M. Cook, T aty an a G rishina an d Y elena Kalinina. T h e volum e was p re p a re d fo r th e press by the ed ito r T aty an a G rishina.

KARL MARX and FREDERICK ENGELS

WORKS July 1870-0ctober 1871

th e

g e n e r a l c o u n c il
OE t B E

liitKiratiotral m o r M u p c n s is s o m t t o n
OTSr T H E 'W - A . R -

TO M E MEMBBES OF THE raTEraATIOSAl W0EKIN9W

a s s o c ia t io n

IN EUEOPE AND TH E UNITED STATES. AssocuTios.of N o je ^ e r , 1. , fraternal concurrenoo, how are a foreign policy ia purrait of

pcnodic^al wars

|.i,0 gye f the plebiscite ha

SISd fd tli memben o 't the A dm inU traiiT e Comiltee

tv ,/b llan ee ^as turned by the heary ignorance of the rural distHctS The Stock Exchanges, the Cabinets, the rnling classes and the Dres8 of Erope celebrated the plebiscite^ as a signal oi tf e F re n c h E r P o r o r the French working c the sienal for the assassination, not of an individual, but of ^ ^ lo n . T h e n a r plot of July, IWO, is but an amended edition of the of December, 1851. At first view the thing seemed bo absurd that France would not b e l i e v e in its real good earnest. It rather

Karl Marx
[f i r s t a d d r e s s o f t h e g e n e r a l c o u n c i l o f ^ HE IN T E R N A T IO N A L W O R K IN G M ENS A SSO C IA TIO N ON T H E ERANCO-PRUSSIAN W A R ']
T O T H E M EMBERS O F T H E IN T E R N A T IO N A L W O R K IN G M EN S A S SO C IA T IO N IN E U R O PE A N D T H E U N IT E D ST A T E S

In the Inaugural Address of the International W orking M en s Association, of N ovem ber, 1864, we said: If th e em ancipation of the w orking classes requires th eir fratern al concurrence, how are they to fulfil th a t great mission with a foreign policy in p u rsu it of crim inal designs, playing u p o n national prejudices an d sq u an d er ing in piratical wars th e p eoples blood and treasu re? We defined the foreign policy aim ed at by th e In tern atio n al m these words: V indicate th e sim ple laws of m orals an d justice, which ought to govern the relations of private individuals, as th e laws p aram o u n t of th e in tercourse of nations. No w onder th at Louis B o naparte, who u su rp e d his pow er by exploiting the w ar of classes in France, an d p erp etu ated it by periodical wars abroad, should from th e first have treated the In tern atio n al as a dan g ero u s foe. O n th e eve of th e plebiscite he o rd e red a raid on the m em bers of th e A dm inistrative Com m ittees of the In tern atio n al W orking M ens Association th ro u g h o u t France, at Paris, Lyons, R ouen, Marseilles, B rest, etc., on the pretex t th at th e In tern atio n al was a secret society dabbling in a com plot fo r his assassination, a p re te x t soon after exposed m its full absurdity by his own judges.^ W hat was th e real crim e of the F rench branches of th e In ternational? T h ey told the F rench people publicly an d em phatically th at voting the plebiscite was voting despotism at hom e an d w ar a b r o a d / It has been, in fact, th eir work that in all th e great towns, in all th e industrial centres
3 See p re sen t edition, Vol. 20, pp. 12-13. Ed. b Ibid., p. 13. Ed. ^ T h e G erm an edition of 1870 has m ain tain ed a n d th a t of 1891 pro lo n g ed , instead of p e rp e tu a te d . (/. ,, , j r . i ,j i d Manifeste antiplebiscitaire des Sections pansiennes federees del Internationale et ae la Chambre federate des Societes ouvrieres, Paris [1870].

K arl M arx

F irst A d d re s s o n th e F ra n c o -P ru ss ia n W a r

of France, the w orking class rose like one m an to reject the plebiscite. U nfortunately the balance was tu rn e d by the heavy ignorance of the ru ral districts. T h e Stock Exchanges, the Cabinets, the ru lin g classes an d the press of E u ro p e celebrated the plebiscite as a signal victory of th e F rench E m p e ro r, over the F rench w orking class; a n d it was th e signal fo r th e assassination, no t of an individual, b u t of nations. T h e w ar plot of July, 1870, is b u t an am ended edition of the coup d etat of D ecem ber, 1851. A t first view the th in g seem ed so ab su rd th at F rance w ould no t believe in its real good earnest. It ra th e r believed the dep u ty den o u n cin g th e m inisterial w ar talk as a m ere stock-jobbing trick."* W hen, on July 15th, w ar was at last officially an n o u n ced to th e Corps Legislatif,^ the whole opposition refused to vote the prelim inary subsidies, even T h iers b ra n d ed it as detestable all th e in d e p e n d e n t jo u rn als of Paris condem ned it, and, w onderful to relate, the provincial press joined in alm ost unanim ously. M eanwhile, the Paris m em bers of th e In tern atio n al h ad again set to work. In the Reveil of July 12th they published th eir m anifesto to the w orkm en of all n atio n s , from which we extract the following few passages;
O nce m o re , they say, on the p re te x t of th e E u ro p ea n equilibrium , of national h o n o u r, th e peace o f the w orld is m enaced by political am bitions. French, G erm an , Spanish w orkm en! Let o u r voices u n ite in o n e cry of re p ro b a tio n against w ar!... W ar fo r a question of p re p o n d e ra n c e o r a dynasty, can, in the eyes of w orkm en, be n o th in g b u t a crim inal absurdity. In answ er to th e w arhke proclam ations of those w ho exem pt them selves from th e im post of blood, a n d find in public m isfortunes a source of fresh speculations, we p rotest, we w ho w ant peace, lab o u r a n d liberty!... B ro th ers of G erm any! O u r division w ould only result in the com plete triu m p h of despotism o n b oth sides of th e R hine.... W orkm en of all countries! W hatever m ay fo r th e p re sen t becom e of o u r com m on efforts, we, the m em bers o f th e In tern a tio n a l W orking M ens A ssociation, w ho know of no frontiers, we send you as a pledge of indissoluble solidarity the good wishes and th e salutations of th e w orkm en o f F ra n c e.

T h e war, is it jusi. i d h f r e coC pletely the w ar. '"

a " T en

ir i u s t ? - N o ' T h e w ar, is it n a tio n a l? - N o ! It is m erely dynastic. dem ocracy, a n d th e tru e interests of France, we J;getically to th e p rotestation o f th e In tern a tio n a l against r
t

T hese protestations expressed th e tru e sentim ents of the F re r^ h I ^f^nnle as was soon shown by a curious incident. The S r o / the Foth of December, first organised u n d e r th e presidency of Louis B onaparte, having been m asq u erad ed into blouses and let ^>ose on the streets of Paris, th ere to p erfo rm th e contortions of . r fever ^ the real w orkm en of th e F aubourgs cam e forw ard with nublic peace d em onstrations so overw helm ing th at P ietn , the Prefect of Police, th o u g h t it p ru d e n t to at once stop all fu rth e r street politics, on the plea th at th e re a P Paris people h ad given sufficient vent to th eir p e n t u p patriotism an d e x u b e ran t war e n t h u s i a s m . . > W hatever may be th e incidents of Louis B o n ap arte s war with Prussia the d eath knell of th e Second E m pire has already sounded at Paris. It will en d as it began, by a parody. B ut let us no t forget th at it is th e G overnm ents a n d th e ru h n g classes of E urope who enabled Louis B o n ap arte to play d u rin g eighteen years the ferocious farce of th e Restored Empire. O n the G erm an side, th e w ar is a w ar of defence, b u t who p u t G erm any to th e necessity of d efen d in g herself? W ho enabled Louis B onaparte to wage w ar u p o n her? Prm sia! It was Bism arck who conspired with th at very sanae Louis B o n ap arte fo r th e purpose of cru sh in g p o p u lar opposition at hom e, a n d anne^ang G erm any to th e H o h enzollern dynasty. If th e battle of Sadowa h ad been lost instead of being won, F rench battalions w ould have o v erru n G erm any as th e allies of P russia.' A fter h e r victory did Prussia d ream o ne m o m en t of opposing a free G erm any to an enslaved France? Ju st the contrary. W hile carefully p reserving all the native beauties of h e r old system, she su p erad d ed all th e tricks of the Second E m pire, its real despotism an d its m ock d em o crat ism, its political sham s an d its financial jobs, its high-flow n talk an d its low legerdemains. T h e B onapartist regim e, which till th en only flourished on o ne side of th e R hine, h ad now got its
C om m une d e N euilly-sur-Seine , La Marseillaise, No. 153, July 22, 1870.

T h is m anifesto of o u r Paris section was followed by n u m erous sim ilar F rench addresses, of which we can h ere only quote the declaration of Neuilly-sur-Seine, published in the Marseillaise of July 22nd:
T h e re fe re n ce is to J. Favres speech in the C orps Legislatif of July 7, 1870 re p o rte d in the item Paris, T h u rsd a y E vening , The Times, No. 26798, July 9,

T h e G erm an edition of 1870 has loyal a n d th a t of 1891 fa ith fu l , instead of T h e refe re n ce is to th e an n o u n ce m e n t of the Paris P refect on the b an n in g of dem o n stratio n s re p o rte d in the item Paris, le 17 ju illet , Le Temps, No. 3429, July 19, 1870. d.

m o . Ed.
* > E. O lliviers speech in the C orps Legislatif on July 15, 1870, Le Temps, No. 3427, July 17, 1870. d. A. T h ie rs speech in the C orps L egislatif on July 15, 1870, Le Temps, No. 5426, July 16, 1870. rf.

Karl M arx

F irst A d d re s s o n th e F ra n c o -P ru ss ia n W a r

co u n terfeit on the other. From such a state of things, w hat else could result b u t war? If the G erm an w orking class allow the p resen t w ar to lose its strictly defensive ch aracter a n d to d eg en erate into a w ar against the F rench people, victory o r defeat will prove alike disastrous. All th e m iseries th at befell G erm any after her^ w ar of independence will revive with accum ulated intensity. T h e principles of the In tern atio n al are, however, too widely sp read and too firm ly rooted am ongst the G erm an w orking class to a p p re h e n d such a sad consum m ation. T h e voices of the F rench w orkm en have re-echoed from G erm any. A mass m eeting of w orkm en, held at B runsw ick on July 16th, expressed its full co n currence with the Paris m anifesto, sp u rn e d the idea of national antagonism to France, a n d w ound u p its resolutions with these words:
W e a re enem ies of all wars, b u t above all o f dynastic w ars.... W ith d e e p sorrow an d g rief we a re forced to u n d e rg o a defensive w ar as an unavoidable evil; b u t we call, at the sam e tim e, u p o n th e w hole G erm an w orking class to re n d e r the re cu rre n c e o f such a n im m ense social m isfo rtu n e im possible by vindicating fo r the peoples them selves th e pow er to decide on peace a n d w ar, a n d m aking them m asters of th e ir ow n destinies.

At C hem nitz, a m eeting of delegates re p resen tin g 50,000 Saxon w orkers ad opted unanim ously a resolution to this e ffe c t:
In th e nam e o f th e G erm an Dem ocracy, a n d especially o f th e w orkm en fo rm in g the D em ocratic Socialist Party, we declare th e p re sen t w ar to be exclusively dynastic.... W e are h a p p y to g rasp th e frate rn al h a n d stretch ed o u t to us by the w orkm en of France.... M indful of th e w atchw ord of th e In tern a tio n a l W orking M ens Association: Proletarians of all countries, unite, we shall nev er fo rg et th a t the w orkm en o f all countries a re o u r friends a n d th e despots of all countries o u r enemies."

background of this suicidal strife looms th e d ark figure In the b ^ k g j ^^at th e signal for th e p resen t war been given at * e m om ent v.hen the Moscov.te should hav g finished its strategical lines of railway and G overnm ^sing troops in the direction of th e P ru th . S ^ a t i e ? sym pathy th e G erm ans m ay justly claim in a w ar of S n c e ag a in st B o L p a rtis t aggression, they w ould fo rfeit at once b f allowing the Prussian G o vernm ent to call for o r accept, the help of the Cossacks. Let them rem em b er th at, after th eir w ar of in d e p e n d e n c e against th e first N apoleon, G erm any lay for generations p ro strate at the feet of th e Czar. T h e English w orking class stretch th e h a n d of fellowship to the French and G erm an w orking people. T h ey feel deeply convinced th at w hatever tu rn the im p en d in g h o rrid w ar may take, the alliance of the w orking classes of all countries will ultim ately kill war T h e very fact th at while official F rance a n d G erm any are rush in g into a fratricidal feud, th e w orkm en of France and G erm any send each o th er messages of peace and goodwill , this great fact, unp aralleled in the history of th e past, opens th e vista of a b rig h ter fu tu re . It proves th at in contrast to old society, with its economical m iseries an d its political delirium , a new society is springing u p , whose In tern atio n al ru le will be Peace, because its national ru le r will be everyw here th e s a m e Laftotir! T h e Pio n ee r of th at new society is th e In tern atio n al W orking M e n s Association.' * * *

T h e B erlin bran ch of the In tern atio n al has also replied to the Paris m anifesto:
W e, they say, join with h e a rt a n d h a n d y our protestation.... Solem nly we prom ise th a t n e ith e r th e sou n d of th e tru m p e t, n o r th e ro a r of th e can n o n , n e ith e r victory n o r d e fea t shall divert us from o u r com m on w ork fo r the u n io n of the ch ild ren of toil<* of all c o u n tries. ' T h e 1891 G erm an edition has a fte r th e so-called . Ed. Politische U ebersicht, Der Volksstaat, No. 58, July 20, 1870. Ed. Les travailleurs allem ands a leurs freres d e F ra n c e , L Internalionale, No. 81, July 31, 1870. T h e G erm an editions of 1870 a n d 1891 have w o rk ers instead of ch ild ren of toil . Ed. R eponse des o uvriers allem ands au m anifeste de Iln te rn a tio n a le , La Marseillaise, No. 153, July 22, 1870.

T h e G eneral Council:
Applegarth, Robert Boon, M artin J. Bradnick, Fred. Stepney, Cowell Hales, John Hales, W illiam Harris, George
The G erm an editions of

Lessner, Fred. Lintern, W. Legreulier M aurice Zevy M ilner, George Mottershead, Thomas Murray, Charles
1870 a n d 1891 have frie n d s h ip instead of id .

goodwill . Ed. . T h is sentence is om itted in the 1870 G erm an edition,

K arl M arx

Odger, George Pam ell, James Pfander R iihl

Shepherd, Joseph Stoll Schmutz Townshend, W.

F re d e ric k Engels

C orresp o n d in g Secretaries:
Eugene Dupont, fo r France K arl M arx, for G erm any A . Serraillier, fo r B elgium , H olland an d Spain H erm ann Jung, fo r Switzerland G iovanni Bora, fo r Italy A n to n Zabicki, fo r Poland James Cohen, fo r D enm ark J. G. Eccarius, fo r U nited States B enjam in Lucraft, C hairm an John Weston, T re a su re r J. George Eccarius, G eneral Secretary O ffice: 256, H igh H olborn, W.C., July 23rd, 1870
W ritten on the instructions of th e G e n er al C ouncil betw een July 19 a n d 23, 1870 A pproved at the m eeting of th e G eneral C ouncil on July 26, 1870 Published as a leaflet in E nglish in July 1870, as well as in th e form o f leaflets a n d in periodicals in G erm an , F rench a n d R ussian in A ugust-S eptem ber 1870 R e p ro d u ce d fro m th e tex t o f the first E nglish edition o f th e leaflet, verified with th e second E nglish edition of 1870, the 1870 a u th o r ised G erm an translation a n d the 1891 G erm an edition

N O T E S ON T H E W A R '

TH E

p a ll m a ll g a z e tte
A n Evening Newspaper and Review.

notes on

the

w a r . r

[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1703, July 29, 1870]

Scarcely a shot has been fired so far, an d yet a first stage of the war has passed away, en d in g in d isap p o in tm en t to th e F rench E m peror. A few observations on the political an d m ilitary situation will re n d e r this evident. It is now ad m itted on all h an d s th a t Louis N apoleon expected to be able to isolate th e N o rth G erm an C o n fed eratio n from the Southern States, an d to take advantage of th e disaffection existing in the newly an n ex ed Prussian provinces. A ra p id dash u p o n the Rhine with as large a force as could be collected, a passage of th at river som ew here betw een G erm ersheim a n d M ayence, an advance in the direction of F ran k fo rt an d W iirzburg, m ight prom ise to effect this T h e F rench would find theniM-lves m asters o t the com m unications betw een N o rth an d South, an d w ould com pel Prussia to b rin g dow n to th e M am , m hot haste, all available troops, w heth er ready o r not, fo r a cam paign. T h e whole process of m obilization in Prussia w ould be d isturbed, an d all th e chances would be in favour of th e invaders being able to d efeat the Prussians in detail as they arrived from th e various p arts of th e country. N ot only political b u t also m ilitary reasons w ere in favour of such an attem pt. T h e F rench cadre system adm its of a far quicker concentration of say 1 2 0 ,0 0 0 to 150,000 m en th an the Prussian land w eh r system ." T h e F rench peace footing differs from the w ar footing m erely by th e n u m b er of m en on fu rlo u g h , and by the non-existence of depots, which are fo rm ed on th e eve of m arching out. B ut th e Prussian peace footing includes less th an
W ritten in late July 1870-February 1871 First published in The Pall M all Gazette in late July 1870-February 1871 R eproduced fro m the n ew spaper W ritten not earlie r th an July 27, 1870. Signed Z. Ed. ^ N apoleon III . Ed.

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13

o n e-third of th e m en who com pose the w ar footing; and m oreover, not only the m en, b u t the officers also of these rem aining tw o-thirds are in tim e of peace civilians. T h e mobiliza tion of these im m ense n u m bers of m en takes tim e; it is, m oreover, a com plicated process, which w ould be throw n into com plete d iso rd er by the su dden irru p tio n of a hostile arm y. T his is the reason why the w ar was so m uch brusque by the E m peror. Unless h e in ten d ed some such unexpected surprise, the hot language of Gramont,'* an d the precipitate declaration of war* would have been absurd. B ut the sudden, violent o u tb u rst of G erm an feeling p u t an end to any such plan. Louis N apoleon fo u n d him self face to face, not with K ing William A n n e x a n d e r, ^ b u t with the G erm an nation. A nd, in th at case, a dash across th e R hine, even with 120,000 to 150,000 m en, was not to be th o u g h t of. Instead of a surprise, a re g u la r cam paign with all available forces h ad to be u n d ertak en . T h e G uards, the arm ies of Paris and Lyons, and the corps of the cam p at C halons, which m ight have sufficed fo r the first purpose, w ere now barely sufficient to form the m ere nucleus of the great arm y of invasion. A nd thus began the second phase of the w a r th at of p re p ara tio n fo r a great cam paign; a n d from th at day the chances of ultim ate success fo r the E m p ero r began to decline. Let us now com pare th e forces th at are being got ready for m utual destruction; a n d to simplify m atters, we will take the in fan try only. T h e infantry is the arm which decides batdes; any trifling balance of stren g th in cavalry and artillery, including m itrailleurs a n d o th e r m iracle-w orking engines, will not count for m uch on eith er side. France has 376 battalions of in fan try (38 battalions of G uards, 20 Chasseurs,'^ 300 line, 9 Zouaves, 9 Turcos,' &c.) of eight com panies each in tim e of peace. Each of the 300 line battalions, in tim e of war, leaves two com panies behind to form a dep o t, an d m arches o u t with six com panies only. In the p resen t instance, fo u r of the six d ep o t com panies of each line regim ent (of th ree battalions) are in ten d ed to ex p an d into a fo u rth battalion by being filled u p with m en on fu rlo u g h an d with reserves. T h e rem aining two com panies
T h e refe re n ce is to Due d e G ra m o n ts speech in the C orps Legislatif on July 6, 1871, re p o rte d in the item Paris, July 6, E vening , The Times, No. 26796, July 7, m o . Ed. b O n July 19, 1870. </. A coinage of two w ords, a n n ex a tio n a n d A le x an d e r , as an allusion to A lexander of M acedon. Ed. '* R iflem en. Ed.

as a d epot, and may h e re a fte r be fo rm ed B ut it will be certainly some time, at least six into battalions will be so fa r organized as to weeks, before thes resen t they an d th e G arde Mobile can H ^ p s only. T h u s, fo r the firs, decisive be counted as g available b u t the above 376 battalions. bajtles. France has n h .n g
^

r h a tta liS a s

s in the s " arm y corps No. 1 to 6 an d th e G uards, com prises, i Seventh C orps (G eneral M ontauban), h i r r p p o s e d to ^ in ten d ed fo r th e B altic,- th e fig u re is '^ ven as high as 340 battalions, which w ould leave b u t 36 battal^ to cTuard Algiers, the colonies, an d th e in terio r of France. C m his It ap p ears tk at France has sent every available battalion S s t G erm any, and cannot increase h e r force by new fo rm a tions fit for the field before th e b eg inning of S eptem ber at th e '"^No^'fOT A e o th er side. T h e N o rth G erm an arm y consists of thirteen arm y corps, com posed of 368 battalions of infantry, or, m ro u n d num bers, tw enty-eight battalions p e r corps. Each battalion counts, on the peace footing, ab out 540, a n d on th e w ar footm g 1 000 m en. O n th e o rd e r fo r th e m obilization of th e arm y being received, a few officers are told o ff in each reg im en t of th ree battalions for th e fo rm ation of th e fo u rth battalion. T h e reserve m en are at once called in. T hey are m en who have served two to th ree years in the regim ent, an d rem ain liable to be called o u t until they are twenty-seven years of age. T h e re are plenty of them to fill u p the th re e field battalions an d fu rn ish a good stock towards the fo u rth battalion, which is com pleted by m en from the landw ehr. T h u s th e field battalions are ready to m arch in a few days, and the fo u rth battalions can follow in fo u r o r five weeks afterw ards. At the sam e tim e, fo r every line reg im en t a landw ehr regim ent of two battalions is fo rm ed o u t of th e m en betw een twenty-eight an d thirty-six years of age, and as soon as they are ready the form ation of th e th ird lan d w eh r battalions is taken in hand. T h e tim e re q u ired fo r all this, including the m obilization of cavalry and artillery, is exactly th irteen days; an d the first day of mobilization having been fixed for the 16th, everything is o r should be ready to-day. At this m om ent, probably. N o rth G erm any has in the field 358 battalions of th e line, an d in garrison 198 battalions of th e landw ehr; to be reinforced, certainly not later th an the second half of A ugust, by 114 fo u rth battalions of the line and 93 th ird battalions of the landw ehr. In all these troops th ere will scarcely be a m an who has n o t passed th ro u g h his

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15

re g u la r tim e of service in the arm y. T o these we m ust ad d th e! troops of H esse-D arm stadt, B aden, W iirttem berg, an d Bavaria,} 104 battalions of the line in all; but as the landw ehr system in j these States has no t yet had tim e to fully develop itself, th ere m ay! be not m ore th an seventy o r eighty battalions available fo r th e l field. T h e landw ehr are principally in ten d ed fo r garrison duty, bu t in the w ar of 1866 a large portion m arched ou t as a reserve arm y for th e field. T his will no d o u b t be do n e again. O f the th irteen N o rth G erm an arm y corps ten are now on the R hine, fo rm in g a total of 280 battalions; then the S outh G erm ans, say 70 battalions; g ra n d total, 350 battalions. T h e re rem ain available on the coast o r as a reserve th ree arm y corps o r 84 battalions. O ne corps, to g eth er with the landw ehr, will be am ple fo r the defence of the coast. T h e two rem aining corps may be, fo r au g h t we know, on the ro ad to th e R hine too. T hese troops can be reinforced by the 20th of A ugust by at least 100 fo u rth battalions an d 40 to 50 landw ehr battalions, m en su p erio r to the fo u rth battalions an d G ardes Mobiles of the French, which mostly are com posed of alm ost u ndrilled m en. T h e fact is, F rance has not m o re th an ab o u t 550,000 drilled m en at h e r disposal, while N o rth G erm any alone has 950,000. A nd this is an advantage for G erm any, which will tell m ore and m ore the longer decisive fighting is delayed, until it will reach its culm inating point tow ards th e en d of Septem ber. U n d e r these circum stances, we need no t be astonished at the news from B erlin th at the G erm an com m anders ho p e to save G erm an soil from the sufferings of war^*; in o th er words, that unless they are attacked soon they will attack themselves. How th at attack, unless anticipated by Louis N apoleon, will be conducted is a n o th er question.

[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1705, A ugust 1, 1870]

On the m o rn in g of Friday, th e 29th of July, the forw ard m ovem ent of th e F rench arm y will have com m enced. In which direction? A glance at the m ap will show it. T h e valley of th e R hine, on th e left bank, is closed in to th e west by the m ountain chain of th e Vosges from B elfort to Kaisers lautern. N o rth of this latter town th e hills becom e m ore undulating, until they gradually m erge in the plain n e a r M ayence. T he valley of th e Moselle in R henish Prussia form s a d eep and winding d o u g h , which the river has w orked o u t fo r itself th ro u g h a plateau, which rises to th e south of th e valley into a considerable range called th e H ochw ald. As this ran g e approaches th e R hine the plateau ch aracter becom es m o re p re d o m in a n t, until th e last outlying hills m eet th e farth est spurs of th e Vosges. N either th e Vosges n o r th e H ochw ald are absolutely im practica ble fo r an arm y; b oth are crossed by several good high-roads, b u t neither are of th at class of g ro u n d w here arm ies of from 2 0 0 ,0 0 0 to 300,000 m en could o p erate with advantage. T h e country between the two, however, form s a kind of bro ad gap, twenty-five to thirty miles in w idth, u n d u lated g ro u n d , traversed by n u m ero u s roads in all directions, a n d o fferin g every facility to the m ovem ents of large arm ies. M oreover, the ro a d from Metz to Mayence goes th ro u g h this gap, a n d M ayence is th e first im p o rtan t point on which the F rench will probably move. H ere, then, we have th e line of operations prescribed by n atu re. In case of a G erm an invasion of France, both arm ies being
W ritten n o t later th an July 29, signed Z . Ed. 1870. T h e first p a rt o f the article is

B erlin, July 26, E vening , The Times, No. 26813, July 27, 1870. Ed.

3 - 1 2 3 2

I.

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N otes on the W ar. II

17

p re p a re d , the first great en co u n ter m ust take place in the corn( of L orraine east of the Moselle an d n o rth of th e fro, N ancy to S tra sb o u rg '; so, with a F rench arm y advancm g from th positions w here it concentrated last week, action will take place som ew here m this gap, o r beyond it, undei th e walls of M ayence. , T h e F rench arm y was thus co n c en trate d : T h re e corps (thi 3 rd 4th, an d 5th) in a first line at Thionville, St. Avoid an. Bitche; two corps (the 1st a n d 2nd) in second hne at Strasbourj an d Metz; and as a reserve, the G uards at N ancy an d th e 6 tl C orps at Chalons. D uring the last few days the second hne wa, b ro u g h t forw ard into the intervals of the first, the to Metz S trasbourg was abandoned to the Mobile Guard^, T h u s th whole body of the F rench forces was concentrated betw een Thionville a n d Bitche, th at is, facing the en tran ce of the gap betw eeri th e m ountains. T h e n atu ra l conclusion from these prem isses is th at they in ten d m arching into it. , , T h u s the invasion will have com m enced by occupying the passages of the Saar a n d th e Blies; th e n ext d a / s Proceedings will probably be to occupy the line from T holey to H om b u rg , th e n the| line from B irkenfeld to L andstuhl o r O berstein to Kaiserslautern,: an d so f o r t h - t h a t is to say, unless they are in te rru p te d by an advance of the G erm ans. T h e re will be, no doubt, flanking corps of both parties in the hills, an d they, too, will com e to blows, but] fo r th e real battie we m ust look to the ground just described. O f the positions of th e G erm ans we know nothing. W e suppose, however, th at th eir g ro u n d of concentration, if they n ten d to m eet th e enem y on the left ban k of the R hine will be im m ediately in fro n t of M ayence, th at is, at the o th e r en d of th e gap. If no , they will rem ain on the rig h t bank, from B ingen to M annheim , concentrating eith er above o r below M ayence as circum stances may require. As to M ayence, which in its old shape was op en to b o m b ard m en t by rifled artillery, the erection of a new line of d etached forts, 4,000 to 5,000 yards from the ra m p arts of the town, seems to have m ade it pretty secure. Everything points to th e supposition th at the G erm ans will be ready an d willing to advance not m ore th an two o r t ^ e e days later th an the French. In th at case u will be a b a ttk hke S o lferin o * two arm ies deployed on th eir full fro n t, m arching to m eet each other. . Kp M uch learn ed an d over-skilful m anoeuvring is no t to be expected. W ith arm ies of such m agnitude th ere is trouble enough to m ake them move simply to the fro n t according to the

.
p re c o n c e rte a n o e u v res d e v e lo p e d .

Ia n

W hichever side attem pts d an g ero u s m a cru shed by th e plain f o r w a r d m ovem ent o f enem y long before these m anoeuvres can be

A military work on the R hine fortresses, by H e rr von W iddern, T h talked of iust now at Berlin.^ T h e a u th o r says th at the R hi^e from Bale to th e M urg is n o t fortified at all, a n d th a t the Iv defence of South G erm any a n d A ustria against a F rench ck in that direction is the strong fortress of Ulm , occupied inre 1866 by a m ixed force of Bavarians a n d W iirttem bergers, am ounting to 10,000 m en. T h is force could in case of w ar be augm ented to 25,000 m en, an d 25,000 m ore could be stationed m an en trenched cam p within the walls of th e fortress. Rastatt, which it is expected, will p re sen t a form idable obstacle to the French advance, lies in a valley th ro u g h which ru n s th e river M urg. T h e defences of th e tow n consist of th re e large forts, which com m and the su rro u n d in g country, an d are u n ited by walls. T h e southern an d w estern forts, called L eopold a n d Frederick, are on the left bank of the M urg; th e n o rth e rn fo rt, called Louis on the rig h t bank, w here th ere is also an en tren ch ed cam p capable of holding 25,000 m en. R astatt is fo u r miles from th e R hine, and the intervening country is covered with woods, so th a t th e fortress could not p reven t an arm y from crossing at th at point. T h e n ex t fortress is L and au , which form erly consisted of th ree fo rts one to the south, one to th e east, an d one to the north-w est, separated from the town by m arshes on the banks of th e little river Q ueich. T h e southern an d eastern forts have been recendy ab an d o n ed , and the only one k ep t in a state of defence is now th e north-w estern. T h e m ost im p o rtan t an d the best situated fortress in this district is G erm ersheim , on the banks of th e R hine. It com m ands a considerable stretch of th e river on both sides, and practically closes it to an enem y as far as M ayence an d Coblenz. It would greatly facilitate th e advance of troops into th e R hine Palatinate, as two o r th ree bridges m ight be throw n across the river, besides th e floating b rid g e which already exists th ere, u n d e r cover of its guns. It w ould also form a basis of operations fo r the
G C ardinal von W iddern, Der Rhein und die Rheinfeldziige. Militdr-geographische I'lirf Operations-Studien im Bereich des Rheins und der benachbarten deutschen und h>inzosischen Landschaften, B erlin, 1869. Ed.

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19

left wing of an arm y posted on the line of the River Queich, M ayence, one of the m ost im p o rtan t of the R hine fortresses is co m m anded by some of the adjoining hills; this has re n d e re d ib necessary to m ultiply the fortifications in the tow n, an d th ere is, im consequence, hardly room en o u g h fo r a large garrison. T h e who e of the country betw een M ayence an d B ingen is now strongly fortified, an d betw een it and the m o u th of the M am (on the opposite ban k of the Rhine) th ere are th ree large en tren ch ed cam ps As to Coblenz, H e rr von W iddern says th at it w ould re q u ire a force six times as large as the garrison to besiege n with any prospect of success. An enem y w ould probably begin the attack by op en in g fire on F ort A lexander from the hill know n as the K u h k o p f, w here his troops w ould be sheltered by the ^ T h e au th o r also describes th e fortifications of C ologne an d Wesel, b u t adds n o th in g to w hat is already know n on the subject.

N O TE S ON T H E W AR. H P

[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1706, A ugust 2, 1870]

At last the plan of cam paign of th e Prussians begins to em erge from the dark. It will be recollected that, alth o u g h im m ense transports of troops have taken place on the rig h t ban k of the Rhine, from th e east tow ards the west and south-west, very litde was heard of concentrations in the im m ediate vicinity of the m enaced frontier. T h e fortresses received strong reinforcem ents from the n earest troops. At Saarbriicken, 500 m en of th e 40th Infantry an d th ree squadrons of the 7th L ancers (both 8 th C orps) skirm ished with the enem y; B avarian C hasseurs an d B aden dragoons continued the line of outposts to th e R hine. B ut no large masses of troops ap p e a r to have been placed im m ediately in re a r of this curtain fo rm ed by a few light troops. Artillery h ad never been m entioned in any of th e skirm ishes. T reves was quite em pty of troops. O n the o th e r h an d , we h eard of large masses on the Belgian frontier; of 30,000 cavalry about C ologne (w here the whole country on the left bank of the R hine, to n e a r Aix-laChapelle, abounds in forage); of 70,000 m en befo re M ayence. All this seem ed strange; it looked like an alm ost culpable distribution of troops, contrasted with the close concentration of the F rench within a couple of h o u rs m arch of th e fro n tier. All at once, a few indications d ro p in from d iffe ren t q u arters which seem to dispel the mystery. I he co rresp o n d en t of the Temps, who h ad v en tu red as fa r as I reves, w itnessed on the 25th an d 26th th e passage of a large body of troops of all arm s th ro u g h th at city tow ards th e line of the Saar.' T h e weak garrison of S aarbriicken was considerably
W ritten not later th an July 31, 1870. Signed Z. Ed. 'O n nous ecrit de L u x em b o u rg ... , Le Temps, No. 3439, July 29, 1870. Ed.

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N otes o n the W ar. III

21

rein forced about the same time, probably from Coblenz, the I h ead -q u arters of the 8 th C orps. T h e troops passm g th ro u g h T reves m ust have belonged to some o th er corps, com ing from the n o rth across the Eifel. Finally, from a private source we l e y n th at the 7th A rm y C orps on the 27th was on its m arch from Aix-la-Chapelle, by T reves, to the frontier. mnnnn H ere, then, we have at least th ree arm y corps, o r about 1 UU,UUU m en, throw n on the line of the Saar. Tw o of these are the 7th anc^ 8 th both fo rm in g p a rt of the A rm y of the N o rth u n d e r G eneral Steinm etz (7th, 8 th, 9th, and 10th corps). We may pretty safely assum e th at the whole of this arm y is by this tim e concentrated betw een S arrebourg an d S aarbrucken. If the 30,000 cavalry (m ore o r less) w ere really in the neigh b o u rh o o d of Cologne, the^y too m ust have m arched across th e Eifel an d the Moselle to w y d s the Saar T h e whole of these dispositions w ould indicate th at the m am attack of th e G erm ans will be m ade with th eir rig h t wing, th ro u g h th e space betw een Metz an d Saarlouis, tow ards the u p p e r Nied valley. If the reserve cavalry has gone th at way, this becom es a certainty. > i /T his plan presupposes th e concentration of th e whole G erm an arm y betw een the Vosges a n d th e Moselle. T h e A rm y of the C en tre (Prince F rederick C harles, with the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 12th corps) would have to take u p a position either adjoining the left flank of Steinm etz o r beh in d him as a reserve. T h e A rm y of the South (the C row n Prince,^ with the 5th C orps, the G uards, an d the South G erm ans) would form the left wing, som ew here about Zweibriicken. As to w here all these troops are, and how they are to be tran sp o rte d to th eir positions, we know nothing. W e only know th at the 3 rd A rm y C orps began passing th ro u g h C ologne southw ards by the railway on the left bank of the Rhine. B ut we may assum e th at the sam e h a n d which traced the dispositions by which from 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 to 150,000 m en w ere rapidly concentrated on th e Saar from distant and ap p aren d y divergent points, will also have traced sim ilar converging lines of m arch fo r the rest of the army.* .. T his is, indeed, a bold plan, an d is likely to prove as effective as any th at could be devised. It is in ten d ed for a battle in which the G erm an left, from Zweibriicken to n e a r Saarlouis, m aintain a purely defensive fight; while th eir right, advancing from Saarlouis a n d west of it, su p p o rted by the full reserves, attack the enem y in
^ F rederick W illiam. Ed. ^ T h e referen ce is to H .C .B . M oltke. Ed.

d cut his com m unications with Metz by a flank m ovem ent ^whole of the reserve cavalry. If this plan succeeds, a n d the eat battle is won by th e G erm ans, the F rench arm y risks not being cut off from its n earest b ase Metz an d th e M oselle b u /a ls o being driven to a position w here th e G erm ans will be b e t w e e n it and Paris. T he G erm ans, having th eir com m unication with Coblenz and Cologne perfecdy safe, can affo rd to risk a defeat in this position; s u c h a defeat w ould n o t be nearly so disastrous in its consequences L them . Still it is a d arin g plan. It would be extrem ely difficult to get a defeated arm y, especially th e rig h t wing, safe across the defiles of the Moselle an d its tributaries. M any prisoners an d a great portion of th e artillery w ould un d o u b ted ly be lost, a n d the reform ing of th e arm y u n d e r shelter of the R hine fortresses would take a long time. It would be folly to ad o p t such a plan unless G eneral Moltke w ere perfecdy certain to have such overw helm ing s t r e n g t h at his com m and th at victory was alm ost u n d o u b ted , and, m oreover, unless h e knew th at the F rench w ere n o t in a position to fall u p o n his troops while still converging from all sides to the position selected fo r th e first batde. W h eth er this is really th e case we shall probably know very soon p erh ap s to-m orrow , even. In the m eantim e it is well to rem em b er th at these strategic plans can never be relied u p o n fo r th e full effect of w hat is expected from them . T h e re always occurs a hitch h ere an d a hitch there; corps do not arrive at the exact m om ent w hen they are w anted; the enem y m akes u n ex p ected moves, o r has taken u n expected precautions; an d finally, h ard , stubborn fighting, o r th e good sense of a general, o ften extricates th e d efeated arm y from the worst consequences a defeat can h av e th e loss of com m unica tions with its base.

22

Notes on the W ar. IV

23

N O TE S O N T H E WAR. IV ^

[The Pall M all Gazette, No. 1710, A ugust 6 , 1870]

O n the 28th of July the E m p ero r reached Metz, and from the following m o rn in g he assum ed the com m and of the A rm y of the R hine. A ccording to N apoleonic traditions, th at date o u g h t to have m arked the beginning of active operations; bu t a week has passed, an d we have no t yet h ea rd th at the A rm y of th e R hine, as a body, has m oved. O n the 30th the small Prussian force at Saarbriicken was enabled to repel a F rench reconnaissance. O n the 2nd of A ugust the second division (G eneral Bataille) of the 2nd A rm y C orps (G eneral Frossard) took the heights south of S aarbriicken an d shelled the enem y ou t of the town, bu t w ithout attem pting to pass the river an d to storm the heights which on its n o rth e rn bank com m and the town. T h u s the line of the Saar had not been forced by this attack. Since then no fu rth e r news of a F rench advance has been received, an d so fa r the advantage gained by the affair of the 2 n d is alm ost nil. Now it can scarcely be do u b ted th at w hen the E m p ero r left Paris fo r Metz his intention was to advance across the fro n tier at once. H ad he done so he would have been able to disturb the enem ys arran g em en ts very m aterially. O n the 29th an d 30th of July the G erm an arm ies w ere still very far from being concentrated. T h e South G erm ans were still converging by rail an d m arch towards th e bridges of the R hine. T h e Prussian reserve cavalry was passing in endless files th ro u g h Coblenz an d E hrenbreitstein, m arching southw ards. T h e 7th C orps was betw een Aix-la-Chapelle and T reves, far away from all railways. T h e 10th C orps was leaving H anover, an d the G uards were leaving B erlin by rail. A resolute
^ W ritten not earlier th an A ugust 5, 1870. Ed.

, nee at that tim e could scarcely have failed to b rin g the F rench ^ '^^to the oudying forts of M ayence, an d to en su re them ^considerable advantages over the re tirin g colum ns of th e G er m a n s ; perhaps even it m ight have enabled them to throw a bridge over the Rhine, and pro tect it by a b rid g eh ead on the rig h t bank. At all events, the w ar w ould have been carried into th e enem ys country, an d th e m oral effect u p o n the F rench troops m ust have been excellent. Why, then, has no such forw ard m ovem ent taken place? For this g o o d reason, that, if the F rench soldiers w ere ready, th eir com m issariat was not. We need n o t go by any of th e ru m o u rs com ing from the G erm an side; we have th e evidence of C aptain Jeannerod,"" an old F rench officer, now co rresp o n d en t of the Temps with the army. H e distinctly states th at the distribution of provisions fo r a cam paign began on the 1st of A ugust only; th at the troops w ere sh o rt of field flasks, cooking tins, a n d o th er cam ping utensils; th at th e m eat was p u trid an d th e b read often musty. It will be said, we fear, that so far th e arm y of the Second Em pire has been beaten by the Second E m pire itself. U n d e r a regime which has to yield bounties to its su p p o rters by all th e old regular established m eans of jobbery, it cannot be expected th at the system will stop at the in ten d an ce of th e arm y. T his war, according to M. R o u h ers confession, was p re p a re d long ago; the laying in of stores, especially equipm ents, was evidently one of the least conspicuous parts of th e p re p aratio n ; an d yet at this very point such irregularities occur as to cause nearly a w eeks delay at the m ost critical perio d of th e cam paign. Now, this weeks delay m ade all th e d ifference to the G erm ans. It gave them tim e to b rin g th eir troops to the fro n t a n d to mass t hem in the positions selected fo r them . O u r read ers are aw are that we suppose th e whole of th e G erm an forces to be by this time concentrated on th e left ban k of th e R hine, m ore o r less fac ing the F rench army.'^ All public an d private rep o rts received since T uesday, w hen we supplied The Tim es with all th e opinion it ever had on the subject, an d which this m o rn in g it swears is its own," tend to confirm this view. T h e th ree arm ies of Steinm etz, Prince F rederick C harles, an d th e C row n Prince re p resen t a g ra n d
G. Je a n n ero d , C orrespondances particulieres d u T em ps. Stiring-W endel, lundi l=r a o u t , Le Temps, No. 3444, A ugust 3, 1870. Ed. See this volum e, pp. 19-20. Ed. T h e first blow in the w ar... , The Times, No. 26821, A ugust 5, 1870. T his leader contains som e ideas from the article N otes on the W ar. 111 w ithout giving any referen ces to the source. Ed.

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F rederick Engels

N otes o n the W ar. IV

25

total of th irteen arm y corps, o r at least 430,000 to 450,000 m en. T h e total forces opposed to them cannot m uch exceed at a very liberal estim ate, 330,000 to 350,000 drilled soldiers. If they are stro n g er the excess m ust consist of u n d rilled an d recenuy fo rm ed battalions. B ut the G erm an forces are fa r from re p re se n t ing the total stren g th of G erm any. O f field troops alone th e re are th ree arm y corps (the 1 st, 6 th, a n d 1 1 th) no t m cluded m the above estim ate. W here they may be we do n o t know. W e know th at they have left th eir garrisons, an d we have traced regim ents of the 1 1th C orps to the left bank of th e R hine a n d th e B avarian Palati nate W e also know fo r certain th at th ere are now m H anover, B re m en, an d n eig h b o u rh o o d no troops b u t landw ehr. T h is w ould lead to the conclusion th at the g re ater p a rt at least of these th ree corps h ad also been forw arded to the fro n t, an d in th at case th e num erical superiority of th e G erm ans w ould be increased by from som e forty to sixty thousand m en. W e should not be su rp ris ed if even a couple of landw ehr divisions h ad been sent to take the field on the Saar; th ere are 210,000 m en of the landw ehr now quite ready, a n d 180,000 m en in the fo u rth battalions, &c., of the line nearly ready, an d som e of these m ight be spared fo r the first decisive blow. Let no one suppose th at these m en exist, to any extent, on p a p e r only. T h e m obilization of 1866 is th e re to prove th at the thing has been done, a n d th e p resen t m obilization has again proved th a t th ere are m ore drilled m en ready to m arch o u t th an are w anted. T h e n u m bers look incredible; b u t even they do no t exhaust th e m ilitary stren g th of G erm any. T h u s, at the en d of the p resen t week, the E m p ero r finds him self face to face with a num erically su p erio r force. A nd if he was willing b u t unable to move forw ard last week, he m ay be both unable an d unw illing to advance now. T h a t he is no t unaw are of th e stren g th of his op p o n en ts is h in ted at by the re p o rt from Paris th a t 250,000 Prussians are m assed betw een Saarlouis a n d N euenkirchen. W hat th ere is betw een N euenkirchen and K aiserslautern the Parisian telleth not. It is th ere fo re possible th at the inactivity of the F rench arm y u p to T h u rsd a y has been partly caused by a change in the plan of cam paign; th at instead of attacking, the F rench in ten d to rem ain on the defensive, an d to take advantage of the greatly increased stren g th which breech-loaders and rifled artillery give to an arm y aw aiting an attack in an en tren ch ed position. B ut if this be resolved u p o n , it will be a vCTy disappointing com m encem ent of the cam paign fo r the French. 1 o
N a p o le o n II I. Ed.

f h a lf L o r r a i n e a n d A ls a c e w i t h o u t a p itc h e d b a t d e a n d s a c rific e p o s itio n f o r s u c h a la r g e a r m y c a n b e

f ^ nd n ea rer the fro n tier th an about M etz is a serious u n d ertak A ffains\^L c^a move of th e F rench th e G erm ans w ould develop olan explained before. T hey w ould attem p t to entangle th eir onents into a great b atde before Metz could be reached; they " ^ u ld push forw ard betw een Saarlouis and Metz. T hey would try '^ a ll cases to o utflank the F rench en tren ch ed position, an d to in terru p t its com m unications tow ards th e rear. An arm y of 300,000 m en requires a great deal of feeding, and could not affo rd to have its lines of supply in te rru p te d even fo r a few days. T h u s it m ight be forced to com e o u t an d fight in the open, and then the advantage of position w ould be lost. W hatever may be done, we m ay be certain th at som ething m ust be do n e soon. T h re e-q u a rters of a m illion of m en cannot long rem ain concentrated on a space of fifty miles square. T h e impossibility of feeding such bodies of m en will com pel eith er one side o r the o th er to move. T o conclude. We re p eat th at we start from th e supposition th at both French and G erm ans have b ro u g h t u p every available m an to the fro n t to take p a rt in the first great batde. In th at case, o u r opinion still is th at the G erm ans will have a num erical superiority sufficient to en su re them th e victory b a rrin g great m istakes on their part. We are confirm ed in this supposition by all reports, public and private. B ut it is m anifest th at all this does n o t am o u n t to absolute certainty. W e have to in fer from indications which may be deceptive. W e do n o t know w hat dispositions may be taken even while we are w riting; an d it is im possible to forecast what blunders o r w hat strokes of genius may be displayed by the com m anders on eith er side. O ur last observations to-day shall be u p o n the storm ing of the lines of W issem bourg in Alsace by th e G e r m a n s . T h e troops engaged on th eir side belonged to th e Prussian 5th an d 11th, and Bavarian 2 n d corps. We have th u s d irect confirm ation not only of the 11th C orps b u t of all th e m ain forces of th e C row n Prince being in the Palatinate. T h e reg im en t m entioned in the rep o rt^ as the K ings G ren ad ier G u ard s is th e 7th o r 2nd W est Prussian regim ent of grenadiers, which, as well as th e 58th regim ent, belongs to the 5th C orps. T h e Prussian system is always to engage h
N ie d erro th en b ra ch , T h u rsd a y , Aug. 4, 5.55 P.M . , The Times, No. 26821, A ugust 5, 1870. Ed.

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27

th e whole of an arm y corps before troops from an o th er corps are b ro u g h t up. Now, here, troops from th ree corps, Prussians an d B avarians, are em ployed fo r a piece of work which one corps, at m ost, could have p erfo rm ed . T his looks as if the presence of th ree corps m enacing Alsace was to be im pressed u p o n the French. M oreover, an attack u p the valley of the R hine would be stopped by Strasbourg, an d a flank m arch th ro u g h the Vosges w ould find th e passes blocked by Bitche, Phalsbourg, Petite Pierre, little fortresses sufficient to stop the high roads. We expect th at while th ree o r fo u r brigades of the th ree G erm an corps attacked W issem bourg, the mass of these corps would be m arching by L an dau an d Pirm asens to Zweibriicken, while, if the first w ere successful, a couple of M acM ahons divisions would be m arching in the opposite direction tow ards the Rhine. T h e re they would be perfectly harm less, as any invasion of the Palatinate, in the plain, w ould be arrested by L andau an d G erm ersheim . T his affair at W issem bourg was evidently conducted with such a superiority of n um bers as m ade success alm ost certain. Its m oral effect, as the first serious engagem ent of the war, m ust necessarily be great, especially as the storm ing of an en tren ch ed position is always considered a difficult m atter. T h a t the G erm ans should have driven the F rench o u t of en tren ch ed lines, at the point of the bayonet, in spite of rifled artillery, m itrailleurs, an d Chassepots,^* will tell on both arm ies. It is u ndoubtedly the first instance w here th e bayonet has been successful against the breech-loader, an d on this account the action will rem ain m em orable. For this very reason it will d eran g e N apoleons plans. T his is a piece of news which cannot be given to the F rench arm y even in a highly diluted form , unless accom panied by rep o rts of success in o th er quarters. A nd it cannot be kept secret for m ore th an twelve h o u rs at most. We may expect, th erefo re, the E m p ero r will set his colum ns in m otion to look o u t fo r this success, an d it will be w o nderful if we do not soon have som e account of F rench victories. B ut at the sam e time, probably, the G erm ans will move, an d we shall have the heads of the opposite colum ns com ing into contact at m ore places th an one. To-day, o r at latest to-m orrow , o u g h t to b rin g on the first general engagem ent.

T H E PRU SSIAN V IC T O R IE S

[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1711, A ugust 8 , 1870]

T he rapid action of th e G erm an T h ird A rm y throw s m o re and m ore light u p o n M oltkes plans. T h e concentration of this arm y in the Palatinate m ust have taken place by th e bridges of M annheim and G erm ersheim , a n d p erh ap s by interm ed iate m ilitary pontoon bridges. B efore en terin g u p o n the roads across th e H a rd t from Landau an d N eustadt westwards, the troops m assed in th e R hine valley were available fo r an attack on th e F rench rig h t wing. Such an attack, with the su p erio r forces in han d , and with L an d au close to the rear, was perfectly safe, an d m ight lead to g reat results. If it succeeded in draw ing a considerable body of F rench troops away from their m ain body into th e R hine valley, in defeatin g it and driving it u p th e valley tow ards Strasbourg, these forces w ould be out of the way fo r th e general battle, while th e G erm an T h ird Arm y would still be in a position to take p a rt in it, being so m uch n earer to the m ain body of th e French. A t any rate, an attack upon the F rench rig h t would m islead them if th e chief G erm an attack, as we still believe, in spite of th e contrary opinion of a host of military an d unm ilitary quidnuncs, w ere in ten d ed to be m ade on the F rench left. T h e sudden a n d successful attack u p o n W issem bourg shows that the G erm ans possessed info rm atio n as to th e positions of the French which en co uraged such a m anoeuvre. T h e F rench, in th eir haste for a revanche, ra n h eadlong into th e trap . M arshal M acM ahon im m ediately co n cen trated his corps tow ards W issem bourg, an d to com plete this m anoeuvre he is re p o rte d to have required two days.** B ut th e C row n P rin ceSwas n o t likely to give him
W ritten on A ugust 8, 1870. F rench official re p o rt of A ugust 6, 1870,datelined Metz, A ug. 6, 1.20 P.M . , the Times, No. 26823, A ugust 8, 1870. F rederick W illiam. Ed.

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F rederick Engels

T h e Prussian Victories

29

th at time. H e followed u p his advantage at once, an d attacked him o: Saturday n e a r W oerth on the Sauer, about fifteen miles south-wesi of Wissembourg.^^ M acM ahons position is described by him self as strong one. N evertheless, by five o clock in the aftern o o n he w: driven o u t of it, an d was supposed by the C row n Prince to be in fu re tre a t u p o n Bitche. By this m eans he would have saved him se' from being driven excentrically u p o n Strasbourg, and maintained his com m unications with the mass of the army. By later F ren c telegram s, how ever, it appears th at he has really retreated tow ard Nancy, an d th at his head -q u arters are now at Saverne.'* T h e two F rench corps sent to resist this G erm an advance; consisted of seven divisions of infantry, of w hom we suppose a least five to have been engaged. It is possible th at the whole o them m ay have com e u p successively d u rin g the fight, b u t w ere no; m ore able to restore the balance th an the successive A ustrian brigades as they ap p eared on the battle-field of Magenta.^ At any rate, we m ay safely assum e th at from one-fifth to o n e-fo u rth of th e total stren g th of the F rench was here defeated. T h e troops on th e o th e r side w ere probably the sam e whose advanced g u ard had won W issem bourg th e Second B avarian, the Fifth an d Eleventh N o rth G erm an corps. O f these, the fifth consists of two Posen, five Silesian an d one W estphalian regim ents, the E leventh of one P om eranian, fo u r Hesse-Cassel an d Nassau, an d th ree T h u rin g ian regim ents, so th at troops of the m ost varied parts of G erm any w ere engaged. W hat surprises us m ost in these passages of arm s is the strategical a n d tactical p a rt played by each arm y. It is th e very reverse of what, from tradition, m ight have been expected. T h e G erm ans attack; th e F rench d efen d them selves. T h e G erm ans act rapidly and in large masses, an d they handle them with ease; the F rench own to having th eir troops, afte r a fo rtn ig h ts concentra tion, in such a dispersed state th at they req u ire two days to b rin g to g eth er two arm y corps. C onsequently they are beaten in detail. T h ey m ight be A ustrians, to ju d g e from the way they move th eir troops. How is this to be accounted for? Simply by the necessities of the Second E m pire. T h e sting of W issem bourg was en o u g h to arouse all Paris, and, no do u b t, to disturb the equanim ity of the arm y too. A revanche m ust be had: M acM ahon is sent off at once with two corps to effect it; the m ovem ent is palpably false, but, no m atter, it m ust be m ade, an d it is m a d e with w hat effect we have

If M arshal M acM ahon cannot be stren g th en ed so as to face **^^"crown Prince again, th e latter, by a m arch of some fifteen \ o the southw ard, may seize th e rail from S trasbourg to la* ^cv and push on to Nancy, tu rn in g by this m ove any line the F nch could ho p e to hold in advance of Metz. It is th e d re ad of tHs no doubt, th at leads th e F rench to ab an d o n th e S arre district. O r leaving the p u rsu it of M acM ahon to his advanced g u ard , he may file off to his rig h t by th e hills at once tow ards Pirm asens an d Zweibriicken, to effect a form al ju n ction with th e left of Prince Frederick C harles, who has all th e while been som ew here betw een Mayence and Saarbriicken, while th e F rench persisted in sending him to Treves. How th e defeat of G eneral F ro ssard s corps at Forbach,^'' followed, as it seems, by th e advance of th e Prussians to St. Avoid yesterday, will affect his course we cannot d e te r mine. If the Second E m pire absolutely re q u ired a victory after W issembourg, it now requires one, in a m uch h ig h er degree, after W oerth and Forbach. If W issem bourg was en o u g h to d isarran g e all previous plans with re g ard to th e rig h t wing, the battles of Saturday necessarily up set all arran g em en ts m ade fo r th e whole army. T he F rench arm y has lost all initiative. Its m ovem ents are dictated less by m ilitary considerations th an by political necessities. Here are 300,000 m en alm ost within sight of th e enem y. If th eir movem ents are to be ru led , n o t by w hat is do n e in th e en em y s camp, but by w hat h ap p en s o r may h ap p e n in Paris, they are half beaten already. Nobody, of course, can foretell with certainty the result of the g en eral battle which is now im p en d in g if n o t going on; but this m uch we may say, th at a n o th er week o f such strategy as N apoleon II I has shown since T h u rsd ay ^ is alone sufficient to destroy the best and largest arm y in th e world. T h e im pression gained from the Prussian accounts'" of these batdes will only be d eep en ed by th e telegram s from th e E m p ero r Napoleon. At m id n ig h t on S aturday he sent o ff th e bare facts:

M arshal M acM ahon has lost a battle. G eneral F rossard has been com pelled to
fall b a c k . '

a Metz, Aug. 7, 12.2 P.M . , The Times, No. 26823, A ugust 8, 1870. (i.

A ugust 4. Ed. .. . ^ refe re n ce is to th e Prussian telegram s published u n d e r the com m on title (^reat Prussian V ictories , The Times, No. 26823, A ugust 8, 1870. <i. N apoleon I l l s telegram of A ugust 7, 1870, datelined Metz, A ug. 7, 12.30 The Times, No. 26823, A ugust 8, 1870.

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T h re e h o u rs later cam e the news th at his com m unications wit M arshal M acM ahon w ere in te rru p te d / At six on Sunday m ornind th e serious m eaning of G eneral F rossards defeat was virtual]^ acknow ledged by the confession th at it was sustained as fa r west oi Saarbriicken as Forbach, a n d th e im possibility of im m ediately arrestin g the Prussian advance was fu rth e r conceded in thti an n o u n cem en t the troops, which had fo u n d them selves d iv id e d j are concentrated on M etz. * T h e next telegram is h a rd tc in terp ret.
T h e re tre a t will be effected in good o r d e r ?^

nw ard, is deeply dispirited, th an which of itself n o th in g could h '^m ore significant. Paris has been declared in a state of indisputable indication of w hat m ay follow u p o n an o th er Prussian victory, and th e M inisterial proclam ation ends.
Let us fight with vigour, a n d the c o untry will be saved.

W hat retreat? N ot M arshal M acM ahons, fo r the com m unica^ tions with him w ere still in te rru p te d . N ot G eneral F rossards, foi th e E m p ero r goes on to say, T h e re is no news from G en en F ro ssard . A nd if at 8.25 A.M. the E m p ero r could only speak in | th e fu tu re tense of a re tre a t to be effected by troops of w hose; position he knew nothing, w hat value m ust be assigned to thel telegram of eight h o u rs earlier, in which he says, in the present? tense, the re tre a t is being effected in good o rd e r. All these laterj m essages p ro lo n g the note struck in the T o u t p e u t se re ta b lir '* ^ of the first. T h e victories of th e Prussians w ere too serious to allow; of a reso rt to the tactics which the E m p ero r w ould naturally have adopted. H e could n o t v en tu re to conceal th e tru th in the prospect of being able to efface the effect of it by a contem poraneous account of a later batde with a d iffe re n t result. It was impossible to spare th e p rid e of the F rench people by disguising from them th at two of th eir arm ies h ad been w orsted, a n d th ere fo re the only resource left was to throw him self on the passionate desire to retrieve th eir losses which the news of sim ilar disasters has before now g en erated in F rench hearts. Private telegram s no do u b t sketched ou t fo r the Em press" an d the M inisters the line th eir public utterances w ere to take, o r m ore probably the actual text of th eir respective proclam ations was supplied to them from Metz. From both these we g ath er th at w hatever m ay be the tem p er of th e F rench people, every one in authority, from the E m p ero r
^ N apoleon I l l s telegram of A ugust 7, 1870, d atelined Metz, Sunday, 3.30 A .M . , The Times, No. 26823, A ugust 8, 1870. N apoleon I l l s telegram of A ugust 7, 1870, datelined Metz, A ug. 7, 6 A .M . , The Times, No. 26823, A ugust 8, 1870. Ed. N apoleon I l l s telegram of A ugust 7, 1870, datelined Metz, A ug. 7, 8.25 A .M . , The Times, No. 26823, A ugust 8, 1870. Ed. N ot all is lost. Ed. = E. M ontijo. Ed.

Saved, F renchm en may p erh ap s ask them selves, from what? From an invasion u n d erta k en by the Prussians in o rd e r to avert a French invasion of G erm any. If th e Prussians h ad been d efeated a n d a sim ilar ex h o rtatio n h ad com e from B erlin, its m eaning would have been clear, since every fresh victory of F rench arm s would have m ean t a fresh annexation of G erm an territo ry to France. B ut if th e Prussian G overnm ent are well advised a F rench defeat will only m ean th at the attem p t to p rev en t Prussia from pursuing h e r G erm an policy u n d istu rb ed has failed, a n d we can hardly believe th at the levy en masse, u p o n which th e French Ministers are said to be deliberating,*^ will be available fo r the renewal of an offensive war.

O n A ugust 7, 1870. Ed [Iroclam ation o f th e C ouncil o f M inisters to th e people of Paris, A ugust 6,] The iim es. No. 26823, A ugust 8, 1870. Paris, A ugust 8 , The Times, No. 26823, A ugust 8, 1870. Ed.

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33

[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1712, A ugust 9, 1870]

Saturday, the 6 th of A ugust, was the critical day fo r the first phase of the cam paign. T h e first despatches from the G erm an side, by th eir extrem e m odesty, ra th e r hid th an exposed the im portance of th e results gained on th at day. It is only th ro u g h the later and fuller accounts, an d by som e ra th e r awkward adm issions in the F rench reports," th at we are enabled to ju d g e of th e total change in the m ilitary situation accom plished on Saturday. W hile M acM ahon was defeated on the eastern slope of the Vosges, F rossards th ree divisions, an d at least one reg im en t of B azaines corps, the 69th, in all forty-tw o battalions, w ere driven from the heights south of S aarbriicken an d on beyond Forbach, by K am ekes division of the 7th (W estphalian), an d the two divisions of B arnekow a n d Stiilpnagel, of the 8 th (Rhenish) C orps, in all thirty-seven battalions. As th e G erm an battalions are stronger, the n u m bers engaged ap p e ar to have been pretty equal, b u t the F rench had the advantage of position. T h e re w ere to the left of Frossard the seven in fan try divisions of Bazaine an d L adm irault, an d to his re a r the two divisions of the G uards. W ith the exception of one regim ent, as above stated, not a m an of all these cam e u p to su p p o rt the unlucky Frossard. H e h ad to fall back after a sniart d efeat, an d is now in full re tre a t u p o n Metz; an d so are Bazaine,
= > W ritten on A ugust 9, 1870. Ed. See the rep o rts: M ayence, Sunday, Aug. 7, 6 A .M . , a n d Soultz, A ug. 7 , The Times, No. 26823, A ugust 8, 1870. See th e re p o rts entitled G reat Prussian V ictories a n d the French official re p o rt Metz, Aug. 7, 12.2 P.M . , The Times, No. 26823, A ugust 8, 1870. <i

It and the G uards. T h e G erm ans are in p u rsu it and Ladm irau^j^^^^^ Avoid, with all L o rrain e o p en to th em as were De Failly, an d C an ro b ert, in the m eantim e, are MacManoii, _ _______, r- ... _____ i u ,, ____ m _____ "not upon Bitche, as was at first stated, b u t u p o n Nancy; '^^T M acM ahons h ead q u arters w ere on Sunday at Saverne. T hese 5 th erefo re, are not only defeated, b u t also driven back ^ ^^*^direction d ivergent from the line of re tre a t of th e rest of the ^ strategical advantage aim ed at in the attack of the Crown Prince,* and explained by us yesterday," ap p ears th u s to have been attained, at least partially. W hile th e E m p ero r retires due west, M acM ahon goes m uch m ore tow ards th e south, an d will scarcely have reached Luneville at the tim e th e o th e r fo u r corps will be massed u n d e r the shelter of Metz. B ut from S arreguem ines to Luneville is only a few miles fa rth e r th an from Saverne to Luneville. A nd it is not to be expected th at, while Steinm etz follows u p the E m p ero r a n d th e C row n Prince tries to hold fast MacMahon in th e defiles of th e Vosges, Prince F rederick C harles, who was on Sunday at Blieskastel, with his advanced g u ard som ewhere n ear S arreguem ines, should look on quietly. T h e whole of N o rth e rn L o rrain e is a splendid cavalry country, an d Luneville in time of peace was always th e h ead -q u arters of a large portion of th e F rench cavalry q u arte red in th at n eig h bourhood. With the g reat superiority, both as to quantity an d quality, in cavalry on the side of th e G erm ans, it is difficult to suppose th at they will not at once launch large masses of th at arm tow ards Luneville, in ten d in g to in tercep t th e com m unications betw een M acM ahon and th e E m p ero r, destroy the railway bridges on the Strasbourg-N ancy line, and, if possible, the bridges of th e M eurthe. It is even possible th at they may succeed in in terp o sin g a body of infantry betw een the two sep arated bodies of th e F rench army, com pel M acM ahon to re tre a t still fa rth e r south, an d to take a still m ore circuitous ro u te to restore his connection with th e rest of the arm y. T h a t som ething of th at sort has already been done seems clear from th e E m p ero rs adm ission th at on S aturday his com m unications with M acM ahon were i n t e r r u p t e d a n d th e fear of m ore serious consequences is om inously expressed in th e re p o rt
' O n A ugust 7, 1870. Ed. Frederick W illiam . Ed. See this volum e, pp. 27-28. Ed. '* N apoleon I l l s telegram of A ugust 7, 1870, d atelined Metz, Sunday, 3.30 A .M , _ Xhe Times, No. 26823, A ugust 8, 1870. Ed.

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35

of a rem oval of th e F rench head-quarters to C halons beinj contemplated.'* _ , i u 1 F our of the eight corps of the F rench arm y have thus b e e n l m ore o r less com pletely defeated, and always in detail, while o fl o ne of them , the Seventh (Felix Douay), the w hereabouts is q uitel unknow n. T h e strategy which re n d e re d possible such b lunders isl w orthy of the A ustrians in th eir m ost helpless times. It is n o tl N apoleon, it is B eaulieu, Mack, Gyulay, an d the hke of them w e| are rem in d ed of. Im agine Frossard having to fight at Forbach all I day, while to his left, an d no t m ore th an ten miles o r so from t h e ! line of the Saar, seven divisions w ere looking on! T his w ould be F unaccountable, unless we suppose th at th ere w ere facm g them G erm an forces sufficient to p rev en t them from eith er su p p o rtin g Frossard o r assisting him by an in d ep en d e n t attack. A nd this, the only possible exculpation, is adm issible only if, as we have always said the decisive attack of th e G erm ans was in ten d ed to be m ade by th eir extrem e right. T h e hasty re tre a t u p o n Metz again confirm s this view; it looks uncom m only like a timely attem pt to w ithdraw from a position w here the com m unications with Metz w ere already th reaten ed . W hat G erm an troops th ere may have been facing, and perh ap s outflanking, L adm irault a n d Bazaine, we do n ot know; b u t we m ust not forget th at of Steinm etzs seven o r m ore divisions only th ree have been engaged. In the m eantim e an o th er N o rth G erm an corps has tu rn e d u p the Sixth o r U p p e r Silesian. It passed th ro u g h C ologne last T h u rsday,' an d will now be eith er with Steinm etz o r F rederick C harles, w hom The Tim es persists in placing on the extrem e right, at T reves in the sam e n u m b er which contains the telegram th at h e has m oved from H o m b u rg to Blieskastel.'* T h e superiority of th e G erm ans, both as to num bers, m orale, an d strategical position, m ust now be such that, fo r a time, they may with im punity do alm ost anything they like. If th e E m p ero r intends to keep his fo u r arm y corps in the en tre n ch ed cam p at M etz an d he has b u t the choice betw een th at an d an u n in te rru p te d re tre a t u p o n P a n s th at need no t stop the advance of the G erm ans any m ore th an the attem p t of B enedek, in 1866, to reassem ble his arm y u n d e r shelter of Olm iitz arrested the Prussian advance u p o n Vienna. B enedek.
Metz, Aug. 7, 1.20 P.M . , The Times, No. 26824, A ugust 9, 1870. b O n A ugust 4, 1870. d. oksq !! c It requires som ething m o re th an h u m a n foresight... , The Times, No. A ugust 8, m o . Ed. ^ ^ . d M ayence, Sunday, Aug. 7, 6 A .M . , The Times, No. 26823, A ugust 8, 1870. Ed.

W hat a

arison for th e co n q u ero r of M agenta an d Solferino! t h e p o in t th an any o th er. Like B enedek, the And yet * troops m assed in a position from which he could E niperor jj^ectio n , and th at a full fo rtn ig h t before the enem y move in Like B enedek, Louis N apoleon m anaged to cone beaten in detail by su p erio r n u m b ers o r generalship. B ut h ere, we are afraid, the likeness ceases. Hek had after a week of daily defeats, stren g th en o u g h left ^ ^"^fo r t h e suprem e effo rt of Sadowa. T o all appearances leon has his troops separated, alm ost hopelessly, after two H v s e n g a g e m e n t s , and cannot even affo rd to try a general action. T h e r e will now, we suppose, be an en d to th e in ten d ed expeditio f t r o o p s to th e Baltic, if th at was ever m o r e th a n a feint. Evebattalion will be w anted on the eastern fro n tier. O u t of the 3 7 6 battalions of th e F rench arm y, 300 w ere in the six corps of th e li ne a n d one of G uards which we know stood betw een Metz and S t r a s b o u r g . T h e seventh corps of th e line (Douay) m ight have b e e n sent either to th e Baltic o r to join th e m ain arm y, which a c c o u n t s for forty m ore. T h e rest, thirty-six battalions, can hardly have been sufficient for A lgeria an d various o th er duties in the interior. W hat resources has th e E m p ero r to draw u p o n for reinforcem ents? T h e 100 fo u rth battalions now in fo rm ation and t h e G arde Mobile. B ut both of these consist, th e first mostly, the second altogether, of raw recruits. By w hat tim e the fo u rth battalions may be ready to m arch we do n o t know; they will have to m arch w h eth er ready o r not. W hat the G ard e Mobile is at present we saw last week in th e cam p of Chalons.^' B oth are good m aterial for soldiers, no d o u b t, b u t n o t soldiers yet; not yet troops to w ithstand th e shock of m en w ho are becom ing used to the taking of m itrailleurs. O n th e o th er h an d , in ab out ten days, the G erm ans will have 190,000 to 2 0 0 ,0 0 0 of th e fo u rth battalions. Sec., to draw u p o n th e flow er of th eir arm y, besides at least an equal n u m b er of landw ehr, all fit fo r d uty in the field.

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N O TE S ON T H E W AR. V P

forces to opei the

sted on p ap e r only. T h e whole force h e b ro u g h t to g eth er cam paign with were, at th e outside, 360,000 m en of R hine, and 30,000 to 40,000 m o re fo r th e Baltic 400,000 m en in all. W ith such a d isp ro p o rtio n of and with th e long tim e it takes to get th e F rench new f[ons (fourth battalions) ready fo r th e field, his only ho p e of was a su d d en attack, while th e G erm ans w ere still in the *^H^T*of" thelr m obilization. W e have seen how this o p p o rtu n ity T ed away; how even th e second chance, th at of a p ush forw ard to the R hine , was neglected; an d we shall now p o in t o u t a n o th er *^*The^disposition of th e F rench ab out th e tim e of th e declaration of war was excellent. It was evidently p a rt an d parcel of a l o n g - c o n s i d e r e d plan of cam paign. T h re e corps at Thionville, St. A v o i d , and Bitche in the first line, im m ediately on the fro n tier; two corps at Metz an d S trasbourg, in a second line; two corps in r e s e r v e about Nancy, an d an eighth corps at B elfort. W ith th e aid of the railways, all these troops could be m assed in a few days fo r an attack eith er across th e Saar from L orraine, o r across th e R hine from Alsace, striking eith er n o rth o r east as m ight be req u ired . But this disposition was essentially one fo r attack. F or defence it was absolutely faulty. T h e very first condition of a disposition of an army of defence is this: to have y o u r advanced troops so fa r in front of your m ain body th at you receive th e news of th e en em ys attack in dm e to con cen trate y o u r troops befo re h e arrives u p o n you. Suppose it takes you o ne d ays m arch to get y o u r wings to c lo s e o n your centre, th en your advanced g u ard should be at least o n e days m arch in fro n t of y o u r centre. Now, h ere, th e th ree corps of L adm irault, Frossard, an d De Failly, an d afterw ards a portion of M acM ahons too, w ere close u p o n th e fro n tier, an d yet spread u p o n a line from W issem bourg to Sierck at least ninety miles. T o draw in th e wings on the cen tre w ould have re q u ired fully two days m arch; an d yet, even w hen th e G erm ans w ere known to be within a few miles in fro n t, no steps w ere taken either to shorten the length of fro n t, o r to push forw ard advanced guards to such a distance as w ould secure timely advice of an im pending attack. Is it to be w ondered at th at th e several corps were defeated by piecemeal? Then cam e th e b lu n d e r of posting one division of M acM ahons east of the Vosges, at W issem bourg, in a position inviting an attack with superior forces. D ouays d efeat b ro u g h t on M acM ahons next blunder in trying to retrieve th e fight east of th e Vosges, thereby separating the rig h t wing still m ore from th e .c e n tre , and laying

[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1714, A ugust 11, 187C

T h e re is no d o u b t now th at scarcely ever was th ere a ws u n d erta k en with such an u tte r disregard of the o rd in ary rules ' p ru d e n ce as the N apoleonic m ilitary p ro m en ad e to B erlm w ar fo r the R hine was N apoleons last an d m ost telling card; b u t a l th e sam e tim e its failure im plied the dow nfall of th e Second E m pire. T his was well u n d ersto o d in G erm any. T h e constani expectation of a F rench w ar was one of the chief considerationj which m ade very m any G erm ans acquiesce in the changes effected in 1866. If G erm any h ad been dism em bered in one sense, it hac b een stren g th en ed in another; the m ilitary organization of N o rtt G erm any gave a fa r g re ater gu aran tee of safety than th at of the larg er b u t sleepy old C onfederation.^ T his new m ilitary organizaH tion was calculated to place u n d e r arm s, in organized battalionsj squadrons, an d batteries, in eleven days, 552,000 m en of the line an d 205,000 of the landw ehr; an d in a fo rtn ig h t o r th re e weeks m ore a n o th er 187,000 m en of the reserve (Ersatztruppen) fully fit to take the field. T h e re was no m ystery about this. T h e w holel plan, showing the distribution of this force in the various corps,! th e districts from which each battalion, &c was to be raised, had o ften been published. M oreover, the m obilization of 1866 had shown th at this was no t an organization existing on p ap e r only. Every m an was duly registered; an d it was well know n th at in the office of every district com m ander of the landw ehr the o rd e rs for calling o u t each m an w ere ready, an d aw aited b u t the fiUing u p .o f th e date. For the F rench E m p ero r,' however, these enorm ous!
^ W ritten betw een A ugust 9 a n d 11, 1870. d. b See Nem eBis , Allgemeine Zeitung, No. 221, A ugust 9, 1870. id . N apoleon 111. Ed.

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op en his line of com m unications with it. W hile the rig h t w in| (M acM ahons, a n d portions at least of Faillys an d C an ro b e rti corps) was crushed at W oerth, the centre (Frossard, an d tw4 divisions of Bazaine, as it now appears) w ere severely beate before Saarbriicken.^ T h e rest of the troops w ere too far away I , com e u p to assistance. L adm irault was still n ear Bouzonville, th^ rest of B azaines m en an d the G uards w ere ab o u t Boulay, the mas' of C an ro b e rts troops tu rn e d u p at Nancy, p a rt of De Faillys w er lost sight of com pletely, an d Felix Douay, we now find, on tM 1st of A ugust was at A ltkirch, in the extrem e south of Alsace nearly 120 miles from the batde-field of W oerth, an d probabH with b u t im perfect m eans of railway conveyance. T h e whole ar-j ran g em en t indicates noth in g b u t hesitation, indecision, vacillationJ an d th a t in the m ost decisive m om ent of the cam paign. A nd w hat idea w ere the soldiers allowed to have of theh, opponents? It was all very well fo r the E m p ero r at the las^ m om ent to tell his m en th at they would have to face one of th e best arm ies of E u ro p e ; " b u t th at w ent fo r n o th in g afte r th t lessons of contem pt fo r the Prussians which had been driven into th em fo r years. We cannot show this b etter th a n by the evidence of C aptain Jea n n ero d , of th e Temps, w hom we have q u o ted l before, an d who left the arm y b u t th ree years ago. H e was tak en l p risoner by the Prussians at the baptism of fire affair, an d sp en ti two days am ong them , d u rin g which tim e h e saw th e g reater! p o rtio n of th eir E ighth A rm y C orps. H e was astounded to find suchl a d ifference betw een his idea of them an d the reality. T his is his firstj im pression on being b ro u g h t to th eir cam p:
O nce in the forest, th ere was a com plete change. T h e re w ere outposts u n d e r! the trees, battalions m assed along the roads; a n d let nobody try to deceive th e public in a m a n n e r unw o rth y of o u r c o u n try a n d o f o u r p re sen t circum stances; . from th e first step I h a d recognized th e ch aracters w hich an n o u n ce an excellent arm y (une belle et bonne armee) as well as a n ation pow erfully o rganized fo r war. In w hat consisted these characteristics? In everything. T h e d e m e a n o u r of the m en, the sub o rd in atio n of th e ir sm allest m ovem ents to chiefs p ro tected by a discipline far stro n g e r th an ours, the gaiety of som e, the serious a n d d e te rm in e d look of others, th e patriotism to w hich m ost of them gave vent, the th o ro u g h a n d co n stan t zeal of th e officers, and, above all, the m oral w o rth of which we m ay envy th e m of the non-com m issioned officers; th at is w hat struck me at once, a n d w hat has never b een from u n d e r my eyes fro m th e two days I passed in the m idst of th a t arm y a n d in th at c o untry w here signboards placed from distance to distance, w ith the

f the local battalions of th e landw ehr, recall the e ffo rt of w hich it is num bers t ^ of d a n g e r a n d of am bition.-' ^-apabie m th e

G erm an side it was quite d ifferen t. T h e m ilitary qualities

( h e F r e n c h were c e r t a i n l y n o t u n d e rra te d . T h e concentration of r e r n i a n troops took place rapidly b u t cautiously. Every available was b r o u g h t t o the fro n t; and now, the First N o rth G erm an C o r p s having tu rn e d u p at S aarbriicken in Prince F rederick

Ch irless army, it is certain th at every m an, horse, an d gu n of the 550 OOO troops of th e line has been b ro u g h t to t h e fro n t, th ere to be j o i n e d by t h e S outh G erm ans. A nd th e effect of such an en orm ous n u m e r i c a l superiority has been, so far, increased by su p erio r
g e n e ra ls h ip .

3 N apoleon I l l s appeal to the arm y A u q u a rtie r im perial de Metz, le 28 juillet 1870 , Le Temps, No. 3440, July 30, 1870. c(. ^ See this volum e, p. 23. Ed.

Je a n n ero d , C o rrespondances particulieres d u T em ps. Metz, v en d red i 5 " -f-'- Temps, No. 3448, A ugust 7, 1870. See also E ngels letter to M arx of 'gust 10, 1870 (present edition. Vol. 44). Ed. ,

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41

N O TE S ON T H E WAR. V IT

[T h e Pall M all Gazette, No. 1716, A ugust 13, 187C

T h e public have been waiting all this week fo r th at great battli before Metz which a F rench b u lle tin d e s c rib e d as im pending; a n yet no t one of o u r m ilitary critics has th o u g h t fit to explain t this im p en d in g battle was noth in g b u t a tu b throw n ou t to th u n ru ly whale, the people of Paris, to play with. A battle b e fo r Metz! W hy should the F rench desire it? T hey have collected u n d e shelter of th at fortress fo u r corps; they are trying to draw toward; it some of C an ro b e rts fo u r divisions; they m ay hope soon to lear: th at the rem aining th ree corps, of M acM ahon, De Failly, an Douay, have reached the Moselle at Nancy an d fo u n d shelte b ehind it. W hy should they court a pitched battle before all thei arm y is u n ited again, w hen the forts of Metz protect them from a attack? A nd why should the G erm ans break th eir heads in an u n p re p a re d assault against these forts? If the whole F rench arm y was u n ited u n d e r the ra m p arts of Metz, then the F rench m ight be expected to sally fo rth east of the Moselle an d o ffer battle in fro n t of th eir stronghold, bu t not till then. B ut th at has yet to be accom plished, an d it is still doubtful w hether it ever will be. O n Sunday last^ M acM ahon was com pelled to leave Saverne, which was occupied the sam e night by the G erm ans. H e h ad with him th e rem nants of his own corps, of one division (ConseilD um esnils) of D ouays corps, and, besides, one division of De Faillys, which had covered his retreat. O n the same evening the
^ W ritten betw een A ugust 11 a n d 13, 1870. Ed. ^ Metz, 7 aout, 4 h, 30 d u m atin. Le m ajo r general au m inistre de Iin te rie u r , Le Temps, No. 3449, A ugust 8, 1870. d. ^ O n A ugust 7. Ed.

F i r s t a n d Second arm ies w ere in advance of Forbach and in St. Avoid. B oth these places are n e a re r to Nancy than c they are considerably n e a re r th an Saverne to Pont-ason and D ieulouard, places on the Moselle betw een Nancy Metz. Now, w hen the G erm ans m ust, as soon as possible, re or construct a passage across th at river, an d th at above Metz /f v a r i o u s pretty evident reasons); w hen they are n e a re r to the river than M acM ahon, an d th u s by h u rry in g on may p rev en t his reunion with Bazaine; when they have troops en o u g h an d to jj-g_is it not alm ost evident th at they will attem p t som ething of the s o r t ? T h e ir cavalry, as we predicted it w ould, is already s c o u r i n g the whole of N o rth e rn L orraine,' an d m ust have ere now c o m e into contact with M acM ahons right; it h ad passed, on W ednesday, G ros-T enquin, which is only ab out twenty-five miles from the direct ro ad betw een Saverne an d Nancy. T h ey will, therefore, know perfectly w here he is an d o p erate accordingly, a n d we shall soon learn at w hat p o in t betw een Nancy (or, ra th e r, F r o u a r d ) and Metz they have struck the Moselle. This is the reason why we have n o t h ea rd of any fights since last Saturdays. T h e soldiers legs are doing all th e w ork ju st now; it is a race between M acM ahon an d F rederick C harles, which of them shall first get across th e river. A nd if F rederick C harles should win this race, then we may expect the F rench to issue from Metz, not to offer battle in sight of its ram p arts, b u t to d efen d th e passage of the Moselle; which, indeed, m ay be d o n e by an attack eith er on the right o r th e left bank. T h e two p o n toon trains ca p tu red at Forbach may have to do d uty very soon. Of De Failly we h e a r n o th in g definite. It is, indeed, stated in a Metz bulletin th at he has rejo in ed th e arm y.' B ut which? B azaines or M acM ahons? Evidently th e latter, if th ere be any tru th in the whole re p o rt; fo r betw een Bazaine an d him w ere th e heads of the G erm an colum ns ever since h e got lost. D ouays rem ain in g two divisions he was still on the Swiss fro n tier, n ear Basel, on th e 4th of A ugust m ust, by the G erm an advance u p o n Strasbourg, be cut off from th e rest of th e arm y for the present; they can only rejoin it by Vesoul. O f C an ro b e rts troops we find, all at once, at east one division (M artim preys) in Paris, facing, not th e G erm ans, the Republicans. T h e 25th, 26th, and 28th regim ents, which Delong to it, are m en tio n ed as having been em ployed on T uesday aniong the troops p ro tectin g the C orps Legislatif.^ T h e rest See this volum e, p. 33. <i. Metz, 8 aoiit, 10 h. so ir , Le Temps, No. 3451, A ugust 10, 1870. Ed.

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should now be in Metz, raising the arm y th ere to fifteen divisioii (infantry), th ree of which, however, are com pletely shattered th eir defeat at Spicheren. As to Spicheren, it is w rong to say th at the F rench w ere in eng agem ent crushed by su p erio r num bers. We have now tolerably full re p o rt of G enerals S teinm etz an d A lvenslebenl which shows pretty clearly w hat troops w ere engaged on tl) G erm an side. T h e attack was m ade by the 14th division su p p o rted by o u r old friends, the 40th re g im e n t in all fifteej battalions. T hey alone, of infantry, fo u g h t for six ho u rs agair th e th ree divisions, o r thirty-nine battalions, which Frossar b ro u g h t up successively. W hen they w ere nearly crushed, b u t st held the heights of Spicheren, which they had storm ed in beginning of the fight, the 5th division of the 3rd o r B rander b u rg C orps cam e up, and at least th ree out of its fo u r regim ent took p a rt in the fig h t all in all, eith er tw enty-four o r twenty seven battalions of G erm ans. T h ey drove the F rench from thei]| position, and it was only after the re tre a t had com m enced th at th^ h ead of the 13th division, which h ad tu rn e d the F rench rig h t b^ the valley of the Rossel, reached the field of battle, fell upor Forbach, an d tu rn e d an orderly re tre a t into a ro u t by cutting th e direct road to Metz. T h e G erm ans at the close of the fight hac an o th er division (the 6 th) ready to engage, and, indeed, slightlj engaged; b u t at the sam e tim e two F rench divisions, M ontau d o n i an d C astagnys (both of B azaines), h ad com e up, an d the 69th regim ent, which form s p a rt of the latter, had suffered severely^ T h us, if at W issem bourg an d W oerth the F rench w ere crushed by su p erio r masses, they w ere beaten by in ferio r n um bers atl Spicheren. As to th eir com m on re p o rt that they w ere o u tn u m -i b ered , it is no t to be fo rg o tten th at individual soldiers in a battlel cannot possibly ju d g e of num bers, an d th at it is the com m on J assertion of all beaten arm ies. Besides, it should no t be forgotten th at the solid qualities of th e G erm an arm y are only n o w : beg inning to be recognized. We have it officially from th e F rench h ead -q u arters th at the G erm an fire is m uch su p erio r in steadiness j an d precision to the French,'* an d M acM ahon insists th at the |
K. F. Steinm etz, Mainz, 7 A ug. V e n n . 9 U h r , Allgemeine Zeitung, No. 222, A ugust 10, 1870. Ed. K. A lvensleben, Mainz, 7 A ug. V orm . 9 U h r , Allgemeine Zeitung, No. 222, A ugust 10, 1870. Ed. See th e re p o rt Paris, Aug. 7, 10 A .M . , The Times, No. 26823, A ugust 8, 1870. d. Official re p o rt from th e F rench h e ad -q u a rte rs of A ugust 10, 1870 T h e Battle of W o e rth , The Times, No. 26826, A ugust 11, 1870. Ed.

chance against th e G erm ans in woods, because so m uch b etter how to take advantage of shelter. ^^*to the cavalry, h ere is w hat Jea n n ero d says in T h u rsd a y s
Temps-
T h e ir cavalry is m u c h s u p e r io r to o u rs , th e p riv a te s a r e b e tte r m o u n te d th a n

c h have no l a t t e r know

V officers in o u r arm y, a n d they rid e better. ... I have seen one of th eir rm 'rassier regim ents w hich was som ething splendid.... T h e ir horses, m oreover, are r less w eighted th an ours. T h e C uirassiers I saw carried less w eight o n th e ir big teeds than we do on o u r small A rabs a n d South of France horses.

He also praises th e great know ledge the officers have of th e ground, not only in th eir own country, b u t also in France. B ut no wonder. Every lieu ten an t is provided with excellent copies of the F r e n c h ordnan ce m aps, while th e F rench officers are supplied only with a ridiculous m ap (une carte derisoire) of th e seat of war. And so forth. It would have been good fo r th e F rench arm y if only one such sincere re p o rte r h ad been sent to G erm any before the war.

Je a n n ero d , C orresp o n d an ces particulieres d u T em ps. Metz, lundi, m id i , ^emps. No. 3452, A ugust 11, 1870. d

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rison of A lgeria, fully accounted fo r every battalion of the

ch arm y, including the m arines. We know th at 40,000 m en,
C a n r o b e r t s corps and from th e Baltic expedition, are in p is We know from G eneral D ejean s speech in th e C ham ber that the fo u rth battalions, so fa r from being ready, re q u ired filling a n d t h a t this was to be d o n e by d ra ftin g into them m en from the G arde Mobile.^ W here, th en , are these 70,000 m en to com e from? especially if, as is b u t likely. G eneral M ontauban de Palikao will n o t p art with th e 40,000 m en in Paris as long as he can help it Yet, if th ere is any m ean in g in w hat he said, these two corps m ust m ean the troops at Paris an d C an ro b e rts corps, which hitherto has always been co u n ted as p a rt of th e A rm y of the Rhine; and in th at case, th e only real rein fo rcem en t being the garrison of Paris, th e g ra n d total in the field will be raised from twenty-five to tw enty-eight divisions, seven at least of which have suffered severely. T hen we h e a r th at G eneral T ro c h u is n am ed chief of th e 12th Corps form ing at Paris, an d G eneral V endez (?) chief of th e 13th Corps form ing at Lyons. T h e arm y consisted h ith erto of the Guards, and corps Nos. 1 to 7. O f Nos. 8 , 9, 10, an d 1 1 we have never heard; now we are suddenly treated to Nos. 12 a n d 13. We have seen that th ere are no troops existing o u t of which any of these corps could be form ed; always excepting No. 12, if th at means the garrison of Paris. It seems a p o o r trick to raise public confidence by creating on p a p e r im aginary arm ies; yet th ere is no other in terp retatio n th an this to be p u t on th e alleged establish m ent of five arm y corps, fo u r of which have been hith erto non-existent. No doubt attem pts are being m ade to organize a fresh arm y; but what m aterials are th e re fo r it? T h e re is, firstly, the gendarm erie, o u t of which a reg im en t of horse and one of foot can be form ed; excellent troops, b u t they will n o t exceed 3,000 men, and will have to be b ro u g h t to g eth er from all parts of France. So will th e douaniers,*" who are expected to fu rn ish the stuff for four-and-tw enty battalions; we d o u b t w h eth er they will com plete half th at n um ber. T h e n com e the old soldiers of the classes of 1858 to 1863, the u n m arrie d m en am ongst whom have L>een called o u t again by special law. ^ T hese may fu rn ish a * D ejean s speech in the C orps Legislatif on A ugust 9, 1870, Le Temps, No. '^452, A ugust 11, m o . Ed. C ustom -house officers. Ed. I he law is set fo rth in de Forcade La R oquettes speech in the C orps 1-egislatif on A ugust 10, 1870, Le Temps, No. . 545,i, A ugust 12, 1870. Erf.

N O TE S ON T H E W AR. V H P

[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1717, A ugust 15, 1870)

W here is M acM ahon? T h e G erm an horse, in th eir raid u p to th gates of Luneville an d Nancy, ap p e ar no t to have m et with him otherw ise we should have h ea rd of encounters. O n the othen h an d , if h e h ad arrived in safety at Nancy, an d thus resto red his com m unications with the arm y at Metz, such a consoling fact w ould certainly have been an n o u n ced at once from the F rench h ead -quarters. T h e only conclusion we can draw from this absolute silence re g ard in g him is this, th at he has th o u g h t it too d an g erous to follow the direct ro ad from Saverne to Luneville and Nancy; and that, in o rd e r not to expose his rig h t flank to the enem y, he has taken a m ore circuitous ro u te, fa rth e r south, passing the Moselle at Bayon o r even hig h er up. If this surm ise be correct, th ere would be very little chance of his ever reaching Metz; and, in th at case, it m ust have been a question fo r the E m p ero r o r w hoever com m ands at Metz, w hether the arm y had n o t b etter at once re tre a t to C halons-sur-M arne, the n earest point w here a junction with M acM ahon may be effected. W e are th ere fo re disposed to accept the re p o rt of a general re tre a t of the F rench line in th at direction. In the m eantim e, we h e a r of trem en d o u s reinforcem ents fo r the F rench arm y. T h e new M inister of W a r' assures the C ham ber th at in fo u r days two arm y corps, 35,000 m en each, are to be sent to th e front." W here are they? W e know th at the eight corps of the A rm y of the R hine, and the troops in ten d ed fo r the Baltic, with
W ritten o n A ugust 14 o r 15, 1870. Ed. > > C om te d e Palikao. Ed. c Palikaos speech in the C orps Legislatif o n A ugust 12, 1870, The Times, No. 26829, A ugust 15, 1870. Ed.

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co n tin gent of 2 0 0 ,0 0 0 m en, an d will form th e m ost valuabl addition to th e arm y. W ith less th a n one half of these the fb u rq battalions may be filled up, and the rest form ed into ne^ battalions. B ut h ere begins th e difficulty w here are the office^ to com e from ? T h ey will have to be taken from the fighting arm j an d alth o u g h this may be effected by a considerable prom otion o sergeants to sub-lieutenants, it m ust w eaken the corps from whic^ they are taken. T h e whole of these th re e classes will give, at m ost a n increase of 220,000 to 230,000 m en, an d it will take unde favourable circum stances at least fo u rteen to tw enty days befor even a portion of them can be ready to join the active arm y. B ut u n fo rtu n ately for them , circum stances are not favourable. It now adm itted th at no t m erely the com m issariat, b u t the whole th e F rench arm y adm inistration was utterly ineffective, even tc supply the arm y on the frontier. W hat, then, will be the state o | forw ardness of accoutrem ents a n d equipm ents fo r these reserve? which nobody ever expected to be w anted in the field? It is very d o u btful, indeed, w hether, beyond th e fo u rth battalions, any new form ations will be ready before a couple of m onths. T h e n it is not to be forgotten th at no t one of these m en ever h an d led a b reech-loader, an d th at they are, all of them , totally ig n o ran t of th e new tactics in au g u ra ted by th at arm . A nd if the p re sen tl F rench line, as is now adm itted by them selves, fire hastily a n d at! ran d o m , an d sq u an d er th eir am m unition, w hat will these newly} fo rm ed battalions do in the presence of an enem y whosel steadiness an d precision of fire ap p e ar to be very litde affected by^ th e din of battle? . T h e re rem ain the G arde Mobile, the levy of all u n m arrie d m enl u p to thirty years, an d the sedentary N ational G uard. As to th el G ard e Mobile, w hat litde of it ever h ad any form al organization | ap p ears to have b ro k en dow n as soon as it was sent to Chalons, i Discipline th ere was none, an d the officers, m ost of them totally : u n acquainted with th eir duties, seem to have lost in authority every day; th ere w ere no t even arm s fo r the m en, a n d now the whole th in g ap p ears to be in com plete dissolution. G eneral D ejean indirectly acknow ledged this" by the proposal to fill u p th e ranks of the fo u rth battalions from the G arde Mobile. A nd if this, the ap p arently organized portion of the levy en masse be utterly useless, w hat is to becom e of th e rest of it? Even if th ere were officers, accoutrem ents, an d arm s fo r them , how long w ould it
P. Ch. D e jea n s speech in the C orps Legislatif on A ugust 9, 1870, Le Temps, No. 3452, A ugust 11, 1870. Ed.

to m ake them into soldiers? B ut th ere is n o th in g provided for Every officer fit fo r his post is already em ployed; },e F r e n c h have not th at alm ost inexhaustible reserve of officers f u r n i s h e d by the one y ears vo lu n teers, ab out 7,000 of whom e n t e r the G erm an arm ies every year, an d alm ost every one of leaves the service quite fit to u n d erta k e an officers duties. Accoutrem ents an d arm s ap p e a r to be equally absent; it is even s a id that the old flint-locks will have to be b ro u g h t o u t of store. And u n d e r these circum stances, w hat are these 2 0 0 ,0 0 0 o f m en worth to France? It is all very well fo r the F rench to p o in t to th e C o n v e n t i o n , to C arnot, with his fro n tier arm ies created o u t of nothing, and so fo rth . B ut while we are fa r from saying th at France is irretrievably beaten, let us n o t fo rget th at in the s u c c e s s e s of the C onvention th e allied arm ies^' b o re a significant part. At that tim e th e arm ies which attacked F rance n u m b ere d on an average 40,000 m en each; th ere w ere th re e o r fo u r o f them , e a c h acung o u t of reach of th e o th er, the one on the Schelde, th e other on the Moselle, th e th ird in Alsace, &c. T o each of these s m a ll a r m i e s the C onvention opposed im m ense n u m b ers of m ore or less raw levies which, by acUng u p o n the flanks a n d re a r of th e enemy, then entirely d e p e n d e n t u p o n his m agazines, com pelled h i m u pon the whole to keep p retty close to th e fro ntier; and, h a v i n g been fo rm ed into real soldiers by five years cam paigning, f in a lly succeeded in driving him across th e R hine. B ut is it fo r a m om ent to be supposed th at sim ilar tactics will avail against th e present im m ense arm y of invasion, which, th o u g h fo rm ed in th ree d i s t m c t bodies, has always m anaged to keep to g eth er within supporting distance, o r th at this arm y will leave th e F rench tim e to d e v e l o p th eir now d o rm an t resources? A nd to develop them to any extent is possible only in case th e F rench are p re p a re d to do what they never have d o n e before, to ab an d o n Paris an d its garrison to th e ir fate, a n d to co n tin u e th e struggle with the line of the Loire fo r th eir base of operations. It m ay never com e to that, but unless F rance is p re p a re d to face it, she h ad b etter n o t talk about a levy en masse.
e m e rg en c y .

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notes on

the

W A R .-IX =

[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1720, A ugust 18, 187C

The F ren ch arn.y com m enced to T h is (Sunday) considerable losses. ^ T fh e arm y h a d crossed, th e Prussians attackd w . T : ; ^ d fo u r h o u rs, w ere re p u lsed wi^

Irl"S :;.'S T L ';"L ;TwhS^

a W ritten o n A ugust 18, 1870. Ed, b N apoleon I l l's official re p o rt of A ugust 14, 1870 Pans, A ug The Times, No. 26830, A ugust 16, 1870. d. g 2 q ^ .M .

f e a t e d , took place in th e op en country. B ut how could this be, hen the F rench h ad all th e bridges inside Metz to cross h _-bridges perfecdy safe from any hostile in terference? w hen was, besides, plenty of room fo r m ore p o n to o n bridges to be c o n s t r u c t e d , in equally safe places, on the five o r six miles of river w h ic h are covered by the forts ro u n d Metz? Surely the F rench staff do not m ean us to im ply th at they w antonly d isreg ard ed all these advantages, led th e arm y outside of Metz, constructed th eir bridges i n the op en , a n d passed th e river within sight and reach of the enemy, m erely to b rin g on th at battle befo re M etz which had been prom ised us fo r a whole week? And if the passage of th e Moselle took place by bridges inside the works of Metz, how could th e Prussians attack the F rench troops still on th e rig h t bank so long as these kept, as they m ight have done, inside th e line of d etach ed forts? T h e artillery of these forts would soon have m ade th e place too h o t fo r any attacking troops. T he whole th in g seems impossible. T h e least the F rench staff could have done w ould have been to give the nam e of the locality, that we m ight have traced th e d iffe ren t phases of this glorious batde on the m ap. B ut th at nam e they will n o t give. F ortunately for us, the Prussians are n o t so m ysterious; they say th e fight occurred n ear Pange, on th e ro ad to Metz."* W e look at th e m ap, and the whole th in g is clear.^^ Pange is n o t on the Moselle, b u t eight miles away from it, on the Nied, ab out fo u r miles outside th e detached forts of Metz. If th e F rench w ere crossing th e Moselle, and had one-half of th eir troops over already, they h ad, in a military sense, no business w hatever to keep stro n g forces at o r near Pange. If they w ent there, it was fo r reasons n o t military. Napoleon, once com pelled to ab an d o n Metz an d th e line of th e Moselle, could not very well w ithout a fight, and, if possible, a real or sham victory, e n te r u p o n a re tre a t which m ust be co n tin u ed at least as far as Chalons. T h e o p p o rtu n ity was favourable. W hile one-half of his troops crossed, the o th er w ould debouch from between the forts east of Metz, push back th e Prussian advanced troops, bring on as m uch of a general eng ag em en t as ap p eared convenient, draw on the enem y until within reach of th e guns of the forts, an d then , with a showy advance of th e whole fro n t, drive them back to a safe distance from th e works. Such a plan could jiot entirely fail; it m ust lead to som ething which could be m ade to ook like a victory; it w ould resto re confidence in the arm y, * H enry, A ug. 15 , The Times, No. 26830, A ugust 16, 1870. Erf.

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p erh ap s even in Paris, an d m ake the re tre a t to C halons look le ^ T h l r v f e w explains th at apparently sim ple b u t in reality absur, bulletin from Metz. Every w ord of th a t bulletm is correct m certain sense, while th e whole context at the first glance i calculated to evoke a totally false im pression. T his view equalb explains how bo th parties could claim the victory. T h e Prussian drove back the F rench till u n d e r the shelter of th eir forts bui having advanced too close to these forts h ad to re tire in th eir tu rn So m uch fo r the celebrated battle b efo re Metz, which m ight a! well not have been fo u g h t at all, fo r its influence u p o n the cour: of th e cam paign will be zero. It will be observed th at the C o u n t o Palikao, speaking in the C ham ber, was m uch m ore cautious.
T h e re has n o t b e e n . he said, w hat you w ould call a battle, b u t p a rti

.
re tre a t of th e F ren ch arm y. = >

jf it be true, as F rench pap ers say, th at M acM ahon, having left his army, was in Nancy two days after th e b atde of W oerth, we jjjay assu m e that his corps is totally disorganized, an d that th e infection has caught th e troops of De Failly too. T h e G erm ans are ow m arching on to th e M arne, alm ost on an equal fro n t line with the two French arm ies, an d having o ne of them on each flank. B a z a i n e s line of m arch is from Metz by V e rd u n and St. jVfenehould to Chalons; th at of the G erm ans from Nancy, by Commercy and Bar-le-Duc, to Vitry; th at of M acM ahons troops (for even if th e M arshal him self has jo in ed th e E m p ero r at Chalons, it m ust be w ithout his arm y) som ew here to th e south, but, n o doubt, also d irected tow ards Vitry. T h e reu n io n of th e two French arm ies th u s becom es m o re do u b tfu l every day; an d unless D ouays troops have been o rd e re d from B elfort by Vesoul and C h au m on t to Vitry in time, they may have to rejoin the arm y by way of T royes and Paris, fo r Vitry will now soon be im passable by train for F rench soldiers.

T h e M arshals last assurance seems to have been only m o ^ n tarily tru e, fo r the re treatin g body of the F rench has certai been severely harassed by the Prussians at M ars-la-T our an. ^Tt'^was,^Indeed, high tim e th at N apoleon a n d his arm y left Metz^ W hile they w ere tarry in g ab o u t the Moselle, the G erm an cavaln passed the M euse at C om m ercy a n d destroyed the railway thenc to Bar-le-Duc; they also a p p e are d at flank of th e colum ns re treatin g from M etz to V erd u n . W hat these, ho rsem en d are risk we see from th e way in which a sq u ad ro n ot th em en tered Nancy, levied 50,000 francs, an d com pelled the tow nspeople to destroy the railway. W here are the w here are the forty-three regim ents attached to th e eight arm y corps, an d the twelve regim ents of reserve cavalry which figure on th e etat of the A rm y of the Rhine? T h e only obstacle in the way of the G erm ans now is th e fortress of T oul, an d this w ould no t be of any im portance w hatever if it d id n o t com m and the railway. T h e G erm ans are sure to w ant the railway, an d th ere fo re they no d o u b t will take the shortest m eans to red u ce T oul, which, being an old-fashioned d etached forts, is perfectly open to bom bardm ent. W e shaU probably soon h e a r th at it has su rre n d e re d after being bom barded by field guns fo r som ething like twelve ho u rs, perh ap s less.
a Engels gives a re n d e rin g of Palikaos speech in the C orps Legislatif on Angus' 16. 1870 a p p are n tly according to Le Temps, No, 3459, A ugust 18, 1 8 7 0 . '> French C om m and Metz, 9 aout. 1 h. 52. so ir , Le Temps A ugust 11, 1870. Ed.

N otes o n th e W ar. X

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52
h u n i t e again at V erd u n . It was n e a r M ars-la-T our th at the - man attack took place th e fight lasted all day, an d en d ed , - \ r d i n g to th e G erm an account, in the defeat of th e French, lo st two eagles, seven cannon, an d 2 ,0 0 0 prisoners, an d were , b a c k to M etz. O n th e o th er h an d , Bazaine too claims the v ic to r y . H e says his troops repelled th e G erm ans, an d passed th e on the position won. B ut th ere are two very om inous s t a t e m e n t s i n his telegram of W ednesday evening.* T h e re he says j,e f o u g h t all day on T u esday betw een D oncourt and Vionville; t h a t is to say, he fo u g h t with his fro n t ex ten d in g from D o n co u rt to V io n v ille , facing west, th e G erm ans b arrin g th e way to V e rd u n on b o t h r o a d s . W hatever success he claims, he does n o t p re te n d to say t h a t he cleared th e roads to V erd u n , o r only one of them . H ad he d o n e so, his evident du ty would have been to continue his re tre a t during the n ig h t as fast as h e could, as th e enem y w ould alm ost c e r t a i n l y be rein fo rced in th e m orning. B ut he stops an d passes the n i g h t on th e position w on, w hatever th at m ay m ean. N ot s a t is f ie d with th at, he stays th ere till fo u r o clock on W ednesday afternoon, an d even th en announces, n o t his in ten tio n of m oving, b u t of delaying his fu rth e r m ovem ents fo r a few h o u rs longer, in order to largely increase his am m unition. T h u s we may be certain t h a t the night to T h u rsd a y was also passed at the sam e spot; and as the only place w hence he could increase his am m unition was Metz, we shall be fully en tid ed to conclude th at th e positions conquered w ere positions to th e rear, th at the re tre a t to V erd u n was and rem ain ed cu t off, an d th at by this tim e M arshal Bazaine w ill have eith er gone back to Metz, o r attem p ted to escape by a route fa rth e r n o rth . If this view be co rrec t an d we do n o t see how th e evidence before us can be m ade to justify any o th e r a p o rtio n of the French arm y is again cut o ff from th e rest. We do n o t know w hat troops may have passed tow ards V e rd u n on M onday, an d on Tuesday m o rn in g befo re th e G erm ans cam e u p. B ut th e portion driven back to Metz is evidently considerable, a n d w hatever its 'm portance may be, by so m uch will be red u ced the g reat arm y which it was attem p ted to concentrate at Chalons. T h e re is, indeed, a loophole left by which Bazaine m ight try to escape. A railway runs, close to th e Belgian fro n tier, from Thionville to

N O TE S ON T H E W AR. X =

[T h e Pall M all Gazette, No. 1721, A ugust 19, 1870J

U ndoubtedly, if G eneral M oltke be old, his energy of youth. N ot satisfied with having once already p u shed his S m S c c a L y betw een one wing of th e F rench an d th e rest of th eir troops, he now repeats the same m anoeuvre over again, andl Apparently with equal success^ H ad he m arch on to the M arne, an d m erely harassed th e rig h t flank a n d j re a r of th e F rench d u rin g th eir parallel m arch tow ards th e sam e goal, he w ould, in the opinion of m ost m ilitary critics, hav^ done quite enough. B u t it was hardly to be expected th at h e w ould h a v e | used the legs of his soldiers with such terrible vigour a s he n^ow, appears to have done. W hat we took fo r m ere attacks of detached] corps u p o n the exposed flanks a n d re a r of th at long m arching, colum n which m oved from Metz tow ards V e rd u n appears now to | have been the reconnaissances p receding an attack m force u p o n , it T h re e o r fo u r G erm an arm y corps h ad m arched in a semicircle ro u n d on the so uthern side of Metz; th eir advanced troops reached the F rench line of m arch on T uesday once fell u p o n it. T h e F rench arm y began its re tre a t from Metz on Sunday; the engagem ents betw een Pange and F ort Bellecroix o th e evening of th at day may have re ta rd e d th at m ovem ent, still was continued on M onday an d h ad no t been com pleted on T uesday. It took place at least by two d iffe re n t colum ns, the two roads which separate, five miles west of Metz, at G ravelotte; the n o rth ern m o st of these roads passes D oncourt and Etain, the southernm ost Vionville, M ars-la-T our, and Fresnes, and
W ritten on A ugust 19, 1870. Ed. O n A ugust 16. Ed.

1 he B attle of Vionville. Pont-a-M ousson, A ug. 17 , The Times, No. 26833, August 19, m o . Ed. Bazaiues telegram o f A ugust 17, 1870 A ug. 17, 4 P.M . , The Times, No. 26833, -August 19, 1870. JEd.

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55

Longuyon, Montmedy and Reims an d C halons; b u t a y P ^ p u rsu in g enem m erely m arching tow ards l e n d e r o r to cross L , u p to the fro n tier an d c o m ^ an d be d ^ a rm e d by Be g^^ out-of-the-way hne t< th ere will be roHmg ^ o c ^ . ^nd, lastly, we have re p o rt take m m t have passed the M osell from V e rd u n th at W ednesday at B ney oi betw een .^ J^ ^ M e tz tow ards the available po rtio n of thal th e d irect ro ad from etz th a railway. Should cases, have the whole of th en direction he w ould, m th j-gtreat, with the enem y on th reduced to u tte r dissolution A lo g ^ d irect line of c o - - u r u c a t io n disastrous proceeding, ^ i t n e s of which have continued to arrive by tr o o p s,"so m e d rib le . Chalons. O n the 12tl

nom ination of G eneral T ro c h u to th e com m and of the ^ destined to d efen d Paris, so closely following u p o n his ^^'^^intment to th e com m and of th e 12th C orps fo rm in g at apP.*^S, proves th at it is n o t in ten d ed to send th e mass of th e s now in Paris to th e fro n t. Paris m ust be kept dow n. A nd who will be able to keep it dow n w hen th e tru th ab out last Tuesdays battle becomes know n there?

some 5 ;0 0 0 d ro p p e d m; m w j ^ e d u p , without; consisted of m en of all arms a ^ h ad noarm s, w ithout cartri ^ motley disorganized, dem oralized horses, the g unners ^ j^to battalions, squadrons, crew w hom it w ould ^e^^ ^^at correspondents decline to an d batteries again. It is eno g C halons fo r fe ar to describe the state of the enem y, divulge m atters destined to concentrate at C halons T h a t g ra n d arm y '^ ^ f . ^ c l r o b e r t s troops h ad been draw n, m ay never m eet jUgj-e rem ained b u t the eighteen p a r t ly to Paris and mentioning in a war like battalions of Mobiles tn e r , , ^as b een sent to this. Since th en some m arin j - -gjons if th ere is any com m on C halons; D ouays two rem aining . arrived by this time; sen s, left .n ^ ^ S s ee " in l 7 p erh ap s a few fo u rth battalions, Hmianiers* may, some of fo rm ed regim ents of ^ a few small bodies of them , arrive in the course of ^ J e w days^ A fra n cs-tireu rs-m ay also come in but, leavm account, the chief co n centrated ^^ere before re rw
T ^ c h

/-gj-mans arrive would, u n d e r all retirin g from Metz. A nd w hat ^ ^

a y " ^

re p o rt of A ugust 17, 1870 V e rd u n , A ug. 17, 4.50 P.M. , The

No. 26832, A ugust 18, 1870. <i. h C u s to m - h o u s e o f f ic e r s . Ed.

56 the
c o n tro l

T h e Crisis o f th e W ar

57

T H E C RISIS O F T H E WAR =

[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1722, A ugust 20, 1870]

T h e E m p ero r has left the arm y, b u t his evil genius hasS rem ained with it th at evil genius which h u rrie d on, m h o t! im patience, the declaration of w ar a n d th at accom plished was^ h en cefo rth unable to m ake u p its m ind to anything. T h e arm y was i to be ready to m arch by the 20th of July at latest. T h e 20th of July came an d n o th in g h ad been done. O n the 29th N apoleon II I took] the suprem e com m and at Metz, th ere was still tim e for an alm ost unresisted advance u p to th e R hine: yet the arm y did no t stir. H esitation even appears to have gone so far th at the E m p ero r could no t d eterm in e w hether to attack at all, o r to take u p a position for defence. T h e heads of the G erm an colum ns w ere already converging from all directions tow ards the Palatinate, an d every day they m ight be expected to attack. Yet the F rench rem ained in th eir positions on the fro n tie r positions designed for an attack which was never m ade, an d altogether u n fit fo r the defence which was so soon to be th eir only choice. T h e hesitation which lasted from th e 29th of July to the 5th of A ugust has been characteristic of the whole cam paign. T h e F rench arm y, being placed close to the frontier, was w ithout advanced guards at the p ro p e r distances in fro n t of the m ain body, and th ere w ere b u t two ways in which this defect could have been rem edied. T h e advanced guards m ight have been p u shed forw ard into the enem ys territory; o r they m ight have been left in th eir actual positions on the b o rd er, an d th e m ain bodies draw n n e a re r to g eth er a days m arch to the rear. B ut the first plan w ould have b ro u g h t on collisions with the enem y u n d e r circum stances beyond
W ritten on A ugust 20, 1870. Ed.

of th e E m p ero r; while th e second w ould have involved political impossibility of a re tre a t before th e first battle. T hus, hesitation continued, and n o th in g at all was done; as if th e enem y would be caught by th e infection, a n d equally re frain from m oving. B ut th e enem y did move. T h e very day before th e whole of his troops h ad arrived at the fro n t, on the 4 th of A ugust, it was resolved to take advantage of th e faulty disposition of th e French. X he batde of W issem bourg drew th e whole of M acM ahons and Faillys corps still m ore away from th e cen tre of th e F rench position; and on the 6 th, the G erm ans being now fully ready, th eir T hird A rm y d efeated M acM ahons six divisions at W oerth, and drove him , along with De Faillys rem ain in g two divisions, by Saverne tow ards Luneville, while th e advanced bodies of th eir First and Second arm ies beat F ro ssard s an d p a rt of B azaines troops at Spicheren, and drove th e whole centre an d left of the French back u p o n Metz. T h u s, all L o rrain e lay betw een the two retreatin g French arm ies, an d into this wide gap p o u re d the G erm an cavalry and, behind it, th e infantry, in o rd e r to m ake the m ost o f the advantage gained. T h e C row n Prince has been blam ed for no t having followed u p M acM ahons beaten arm y to and b ey o n d Saverne. B ut afte r W oerth th e p u rsu it was carried o u t in the m ost correct m an n er. As soon as th e beaten troops were driven so far south th at they could regain th e rest of th e F rench arm y only by a circuitous ro u te, the pursu ers, m arch in g straight on tow ards Nancy, kept continually betw een th e two; an d th at this m od e o f p u rsu it (the sam e as N apoleons afte r Jena^^) is at least as tellm g as a direct m arch in the re a r of th e fugitives is now shown by the results. W hatever th ere is still in existence of these eight divisions is eith er cut o ff from th e m ain body o r has jo in ed it in a state o f total disorganization. Thus m uch fo r th e consequences of th e hesitation which m arked the beginning of th e cam paign. It m ight surely have been expected th at the sam e m istake w ould n o t again have been com m itted. T h e E m p ero r had resigned his com m and into the ands of M arshal Bazaine, and M arshal Bazaine m ight certainly ave known that, w h eth er h e did o r did not, the enem y would not ow the grass to grow u n d e r his feet. of th Forbach to Metz is n o t quite fifty miles. Most he corps h ad less th an th irty miles to m arch. T h re e days would all of them safely u n d e r shelter at Metz; an d on the the re tre a t tow ards V e rd u n an d C halons m ight have been
Frederick W illiam.

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begun. For th ere could no longer be any d o u b t as to th e necessityl of th at retreat. M arshal M acM ahons eight divisions an d G enerali D ouays rem aining two divisions m ore th an on e-th ird of th e l arm y could no t possibly rejoin Bazaine at any n e a re r point th a n l Chalons. Bazaine h ad twelve divisions, including the Im p e ria l| G u ard ; so th at even after he h ad been joined by th ree o f | C an ro b e rts divisions, he cannot have had, with cavalry an d f artillery, above 180,000 m e n a force quite insufficient to m eet j his opponents in the field. Unless, th erefo re, he in ten d ed to ab an d on the whole of F rance to the invaders, an d to allow him self I to be sh u t u p in a place w here fam ine would soon com pel him to! s u rre n d e r o r to fight on term s dictated by the enem y, it seems as th o u g h he could no t have h ad a m o m en ts d o u b t ab o u t re treatm g | from Metz at once. Yet he does no t stir. O n the 11th, the G erm an ! cavalry is at Luneville; still he gives no sign of m oving. O n the* 12th they are across the Moselle, they m ake requisitions in Nancy, j they tear u p the railway betw een Metz an d F ro u ard , they show j them selves in Pont-a-M ousson. O n the 13th th eir in fan try occupy ] Pont-a-M ousson, an d are th en cefo rth m asters of bo th banks of th e i Moselle. A t last, on Sunday, the 14th, Bazaine begins m oving h is ; m en to th e left bank of the river; the engagem ent at Pange is: draw n on, by which the re tre a t is confessedly again re ta rd ed ; and we m ay suppose th a t on M onday the actual re tre a t tow ards C halons was com m enced by sending off the heavy trains and artillery. B ut on th at M onday the G erm an cavalry w ere across th e M euse at C om m ercy, an d within ten miles of the F rench line of , re tre a t at Vigneulles. How m any troops got away on M onday and early on T uesday m orn in g we cannot tell, b u t it ap p ears certain th at the m ain body was still beh in d w hen the G erm an T h ird C orps an d th e reserve cavalry attacked th e m arching colum ns n ea r M ars-la-T our about nine in the m o rn in g on T uesday, the 16th of A ugust. T h e result is know n: B azaines re tre a t was effectually stopped; on the 17th, his own telegram s show th at he h ad at the m ost only m aintained the position it was his one desire to leave b eh in d him . O n W ednesday, the 17th, the two arm ies seem to have taken b reath , b u t on T h u rsd a y any hopes th at Bazaine m ight still have en tertain ed of m aking good his re tre a t w ere fatally stricken down. T h e Prussians attacked him on th at m orning, an d after nine h o u rs fighting
th e F re n c h [...] a rm y w as c o m p le te ly d e f e a te d , c u t o ff f ro m its c o m m u n ic a tio n s w ith P aris, a n d d r iv e n b ack to w a rd s M e tz . '**

On that evening o r on th e following day th e A rm y of th e R hine have re-en tered th e fortress it h ad left at the beg in n in g of w e e k . O nce cooped u p th ere it will be easy for the G erm ans to c u t off all supplies; th e m o re so, as th e country is already t h o r o u g h l y drain ed of everything by the pro lo n g ed presence of the troops, and as the investing arm y is su re to req u ire fo r its own use everything th at can be got together. T h u s, fam ine m ust soon c o m p e l Bazaine to move; b u t in w hat direction it is difficult to tell. ^ move to th e west is sure to be resisted by overw helm ing forces; o n e to the n o rth is extrem ely d angerous; one to th e south-east might perhaps partially succeed, b u t it would be wholly b a rre n of immediate results. Even if h e reached B elfort o r B esanfon with a disorganized arm y, he could n o t exercise any appreciable in flu ence upon the fate of the cam paign. T h is is th e situation to which hesitation in the. second phase of th e cam paign has b ro u g h t the French arm y. No d o u b t it is accurately know n to th e G overnm ent in Paris. T h e recall of th e Mobile G u ard from C halons to Paris proves it. From th e m om ent B azaines m ain forces are cu t off, the position of Chalons, which was a m ere place of rendezvous, an d nothing else, has lost all im portance. T h e n earest place of rendezvous now fo r all forces is Paris, a n d th ith e r everything m ust n o w move. T h e re is no force w hatever which could oppose in the field the T h ird G erm an Arm y, now probably m oving u p o n the capital. B efore long the F rench will find out, by a practical trial, w hether o r no t th e fortifications of Paris are w orth th eir cost. T h o u g h this crow ning catastrophe has been im p en d in g fo r days. It is hardly piossible as yet to realize th at it has actually com e to pass. No expectations w ent th e length of this reality. A fo rtn ig h t ago Englishm en w ere speculating on the possible consequences of the F rench arm y w inning th e first great battle. T h e d an g e r to which their fears m ost po in ted was th at N apoleon II I m ight m ake such an initial success th e occasion of a hasty peace at th e expense of Belgium. U pon this p o in t they w ere speedily reassured. T h e batdes of W oerth and Forbach showed th at no theatrical triu m p h "'as in store fo r th e F rench arm s. T h e dem o n stratio n that Germ any had n o th in g to fear from F rance seem ed to prom ise well or the speedy en d in g of th e war. T h e tim e m ust soon com e, it "'as thought, w hen the F rench w ould acknow ledge th at the attem pt to control th e consolidation of G erm any u n d e r Prussia ^ad failed, an d th at, consequently, they h ad n o th in g left to fight while the G erm ans w ould hardly care to go on w aging a an d d o u b tfu l war, w hen th e adm ission it was designed ^ extort had been already conceded. T h e first five days of this

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week have again changed th e whole face of affairs. T h e m ihtaryi pow er of France has to all appearance been utterly overthrow n*, an d fo r the tim e being th ere seems to be n o lim it to G erm an am b if| tion except the do u b tfu l b a rrie r of G erm an m oderation. W e c a n J no t attem p t as yet to estim ate th e political results of this trem end^l ous reverse. W e can only look on in w onder at its m agnitude an d ] its suddenness, a n d in adm iration at the m an n er in which it hasj been sustained by the F rench troops. T h a t after fo u r days of alm ost constant fighting u n d e r th e m ost discouraging conditions possible they should on th e fifth have resisted th e attack of i greatly su p erio r n um bers fo r nine h o u rs reflects inf m ite cred it, u p o n th eir courage an d resolution. N ever in its m ost triu m p h a n t i cam paigns has th e F rench arm y won m ore real glory than in its^ disastrous re tre a t from Metz.

N O TE S O N T H E W AR. X r

[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1725, A ugust 24, 1870]

A lthough still w ithout full details of th e th re e terrible batdes fought last week aro u n d Metz,^ we have learn ed en o u g h about them to be able now to give an intelligible account of w hat actually occurred. T he battle of Sunday, th e 14th of A ugust, was com m enced by the G erm ans, with the in tention of delaying the re tre a t of th e French tow ards V erd u n . T h e re m n a n t of F rossards corps was observed to cross th e Moselle tow ards Longeville on Sunday afternoon; signs of m oving w ere visible am o n g the troops encam ped east of Metz. T h e First (East Prussian) an d Seventh (W estphalian an d H anoverian) arm y corps w ere o rd e re d to attack. T hey drove th e F rench in until they them selves got within range of the forts; b u t the French, foreseeing such a m ovem ent, had massed large bodies in sheltered positions in th e valley of the Moselle, and in a narrow d o u g h , th ro u g h which a b rook ru n s east and west, jo in in g th e m ain river to th e n o rth of Metz. T hese masses suddenly fell u p o n the rig h t flank of th e G erm ans, already suffering from th e fire of th e forts, an d are said to have driven them back in confusion; afte r which th e F rench m ust have retired again, for it is certain th at th e G erm ans rem ain ed in possession of that part of th e battle-field which is o u t of ran g e of th e forts, an d that they retired to th eir fo rm e r bivouacs after daybreak only. We know this both from private letters w ritten by m en engaged in the battle, and from a co rresp o n d en ts letter from Metz in M ondays* Manchester Guardian, who visited th e battle-field on M onday m orning, and fo u n d it in th e occupation of th e Prussians, by
'W ritten on A ugust 23 o r 24, 1870. <i. A u g u st 15. E d

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F red erick Engels

whom the F rench w ounded, th en still rem aining there, w ere being I atten d ed to. B oth parties, in a certain sense, may claim to have attained th e object fo r which the contest was engaged: the F rench enticed th e G erm ans into a tra p an d m ade them suffer severely; th e G erm ans delayed the F rench re tre a t until Prince F rederick C harles could gain the line by which this re tre a t was to be effected. O n the G erm an side th ere w ere two corps, o r fo u r divisions, engaged; on the F rench side, D ecaens an d L adm iraults corps, an d p a rt of the G uards, o r above seven divisions. T h e F rench in this battle w ere thus in a g reat num erical superiority. T h e ir position is also said to have been greatly stren g th en ed by rifle pits and trenches, from which they fired with m ore coolness th an usual. T h e re tre a t of the A rm v of the R hine tow ards V e rd u n was not com m enced in force before T uesday, the 16th. At th at tim e the heads of Prince F rederick C harless colum ns the 3rd A rm y C orps (B ran d en b u rg e rs) w ere ju st reaching the n eighbourhood of M ars-la-Tour. T h ey attacked at once, and fo r six hours held the F rench arm y at bay. R einforced later on by the 10th A rm y C orps (H anoverians an d W estphalians), an d portions of the 8 th (R hinelanders) an d 9th (Schleswig-Holsteiners an d M ecklenburgers), they not only m aintained th eir position, b u t drove back the enem y, took two eagles, seven cannon, an d above 2 ,0 0 0 prisoners. T h e forces against them consisted of D ecaens, L adm iraults, F ro ssard s, an d p a rt at least of C an ro b e rts corps (they had reached Metz from C halons d u rin g the last days the railway via F ro u ard was still open), an d th e G uards, or, in all, from fo u rteen to fifteen divisions. T h e eight G erm an divisions w ere thus again faced by su p erio r num bers, even if, as is likely, no t all B azaines troops w ere engaged. It is well to keep this in m ind, while the F rench accounts continue to explain all reverses by th eir being constantly outnum bered.^ T h a t the F rench w ere effectively stop p ed in th eir re tro g ra d e m ovem ent is clear from the fact th at they them selves speak of re a rg u a rd engagem ents having taken place on th e I7 th n ea r G ravelotte, m ore th an five miles to the re a r of th eir own position of the 16th. A t the sam e tim e, the fact th at only fo u r G erm an corps could be b ro u g h t u p on T uesday shows that th e success they obtained was incom plete. C aptain Jean n ero d , who cam e on the 17th from Briey to C onflans, fo u n d th ere two cavalry regim ents of the F rench G uard m uch cut u p an d taking flight at
See the re p o rt Paris, A ug. 2 2 , The Times, No. 26835, A ugust 22, 1870. Ed. Paris, A ug. 17 , The Times, No. 26834, A ugust 20, 1870. Ed.

N otes o n th e W ar. XI

65

bare cry, T h e Prussians are com ing!" ' T his proves th at jliough the ro ad by Etain, on th e evening of th e 16th, m ight not actually in the possession of th e G erm ans, they w ere so n e a r as JO re n d e r impossible any re tre a t by it w ithout a n o th er battle. B azaine, how ever, seems to have given u p all th o u g h t of th at, for he en tren ch ed him self in a very stro n g position n ear G ravelotte, and th ere aw aited th e attack of th e G erm ans, which took place on the I 8 th. T he plateau, over which ru n s th e road from M ars-la-T our by G ravelotte to Metz, is intersected by a series of d eep ravines, fo rm ed by brooks ru n n in g from n o rth to south tow ards the M oselle. T h e re is one of these ravines im m ediately in fro n t (west) o f G ravelotte; two oth ers ru n , in parallel lines, to the re a r of the first. Each of these form s a stro n g defensive position, which had been reinforced by earthw orks, an d by th e barricad in g an d loopholing of such farm yards an d villages as occupied places of tactical im portance. T o receive in this stro n g en tren ch ed position the enem y, to let them b reak th eir heads against it, to h u rl them back finally by a m ighty re to u r o ffensif, a n d th u s clear th e road to V e rd u n this was evidently th e only ho p e left to Bazaine. But the attack was m ade with such forces and with such energy that position after position was taken, an d th e A rm y of the R hine driven back close u n d e r th e guns of Metz. A gainst fo u rteen o r fifteen F rench divisions twelve G erm an divisions w ere actually engaged, a n d fo u r m ore in reserve. T h e n u m b ers engaged on both sides w ould be n o t far from equal; on th e whole som ew hat in favour of th e G erm ans, fo u r of th eir six corps having been nearly intact; but this slight num erical superiority would by no m eans m ake u p fo r th e stren g th of th e F rench position. French opinion still hesitates to accept th e full reality of the position created fo r Bazaine an d his arm y, a position the co u n terp art of th at into which G eneral B o n ap arte drove W urm ser at M antua, 1796, an d M ack at Ulm, 1805.^ T h a t th e brilliant Army of th e R hine, th e ho p e a n d stren g th of France, should after fourteen days cam paigning be red u ced to th e choice eith er to attem pt to force its passage th ro u g h th e enem y u n d e r disastrous circum stances, o r to capitulate, is m ore th an th e F rench can b rin g themselves to believe. T h ey look for all possible explanations. O ne theory is th at Bazaine is, so to say, sacrificing him self in o rd e r to gain tim e fo r M acM ahon an d Paris. W hile Bazaine retains two of
* G. Je a n n ero d , C orresp o n d an ces particulieres d u T em ps, Briey, m ercred i 17 aout , Le Tem ps,N o. 3461, A ugust 20, 1870. d C ounter-attack. Ed.

66

F rederick Engels

67

th e th ree G erm an arm ies before Metz, Paris can organize h e r defences an d M acM ahon will have tim e to create a fresh arm y Bazam e thus rem am s at Metz, no t because h e cannot help it b ^ ^^ere. B ut elem ents of M acM ahons new n u m b erin g at m ost 15,000 m en; De rirr-J-t troops, disorganized an d scattered by a long ^ rcuitous re tre a t h e is said to have arrived at Vitry-le-Francois The two H " " o fL n ro b e r? th e two divisions of Felix D ouays, the w hereabouts of which nobody seems to know: about 40,000 m en, including the m arines of the in ten d ed Baltic expedition. T hese include e L y b S r o n
Z a r m y L t s i d e of Metz T o these would com e the fo u rth battalions. T hey a p p e ar now to be arriving in P ans in p retty good num bers, but filk d u p to a g reat extent with recruits. T h e whole of these troops mav [T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1727, A ugust 26, 1870]

w h e re * ^ f' Trmv? Hi

'" k

N O T E S ON T H E WAR. XH^

bu t this new arm y ThT w .^o^P ared in quality to the old A rm y of the R hine he old regim ents in it cannot bu t have suffered gready from dem orahzation. T h e new battalions have been form ed Tn f h u r r ^ contain m any recruits, an d cannot be as well officered as the old
ir io t

in d eed fh

an d artillery m ust be very small

gam tim e fo r forces like these th at the whole of the best arm y which F rance possesses should be sacrificed. A nd sacrificed it is if t IS tru e th at it is sh u t u p in Metz. If B azaine h ad got his army into Its p resen t position advisedly, he w ould have com m itted I b lu n d e r co m pared to which all d e v i o u s b lunders J T h e wa? M^t I'egard to B azaines ru m o u re d retreat r e f,^ t junction with M acM ahon at M ontm edy the refu tatio n of the story to which The Standard yesterday eave arc u la tio n has been sufficiendy accom plished by the w riter of the m ihtary review in the sam e jo u rn al this m orning. Even if anv detachm ents of B azaines force have escaped t a the^north affer o r h ll engagem ents ro u n d M ars-la-T our the bulk of his arm y is still locked u p in Metz.
aont C o rrespondances particulieres tlu T em ps. Reims sam edi 20 aout, 3 h e u re s , Le Temps, No. 3463, A ugust 22, l70. E d sam edi 20

T h e two latest facts of th e w ar are th ese th at th e C rown P rin ce is" p u shin g on beyond Chalons, a n d th at M acM ahon has m oved his whole arm y from Reims, w h ither is n o t exactly known. M acM ahon, according to F ren ch rep o rts, finds th e w ar g etting on too slowly; in o rd e r to hasten its decision he is now said to be m arching from Reims to th e relief of Bazaine." T his w ould in d eed be h u rry in g on m atters to an alm ost final crisis. In o u r W ednesdays publication we estim ated M acM ahons force at from 130,000 to 150,000 m en on the assum ption that' all the troops from Paris h ad jo in ed him.'* W e w ere rig h t in supposing that he h ad at C halons th e rem n an ts of his own an d of De Faillys troops; also th at D ouays two divisions w ere at Chalons, w h ith er we know now they w ent by a circuitous railway jo u rn ey via Paris; also that the m arines an d o th e r p o rtions of th e Baltic corps w ere th ere. B ut we now learn th at th ere are still troops of th e line in th e forts ro u n d Paris; th at a p o rtio n of M acM ahons a n d F ro ssard s m en, especially cavalry, have gone back to Paris to be reorganized, and th at M acM ahon h as only ab o u t 80,000 re g u la r troops in camp. We m ay, th erefo re, red u ce o u r estim ate by fully 25,000 m en, and set dow n 110,000 to 120,000 m en as th e m axim um of M acM ahons forces, on e-th ird of which would consist of raw levies. A nd with this arm y h e is said to have set o u t to relieve Bazaine at Metz. Now, M acM ahons n ex t an d m o re im m ediate o p p o n e n t is the arm y of the C row n Prince. It occupied on the 24th with its
W ritten on A ugust 25, 1870. Ed. F rederick W illiam. Ed. Paris, A ug. 24, E vening , The Times, No. 26838, A ugust 25, 1870. <i See this volum e, p. 66. E d

68

F rederick Engels N otes on the W ar. X II

69

outposts th e fo rm e r cam p of Chalons, which fact is telegraphed to us from B ar-le-D uc. From this we may conclude th at at that town w ere th en the head-quarters. M acM ahons n earest road to Metz is by V erdun. From Reims to V erd u n by an alm ost straight country road th ere IS fully seventy miles; by the high road, v i| St. M enehould it is above eighty miles. T his latter road rnoreover leads th ro u g h the cam p of C h a l o n s - t h a t is to say th ro u g h the G erm an lines. From Bar-le-Duc to V erd u n the distance is less than forty miles. fi fall u p o n the flank of M acM ahon s m arch if he use eith er of the above roads to V erd u n , b u t it can get behind the M euse and join the rem aining betw een V e rd u n and Metz, long before M acM ahon can debouch from V e rd u n on the rig h t bank of the Meuse. A nd all this w ould rem ain unaltered, even if the Crown Prince h ad advanced as fa r as V itry-le-Franfois, o r req u ired an ex tra day to concentrate his troops from th eir extended fro n t of m arch; so g reat is the difference of distance in his favour. U nder these circum stances it m ay be do u b ted w h eth er Mac M ahon will use eith er of th e roads indicated; w h eth er h e will not at once w ithdraw from the im m ediate sphere of action of the Crown Prince and choose the ro ad from Reims by Vouziers G ran d p re, an d V arennes, to V erdun, o r by V ouziers to Stenay! w here h e would pass the Meuse, an d th en m arch south-east u p o n Metz. B ut that would only be to secure a m om entary advantage in o rd e r to m ake final defeat doubly certain. B oth these routes are stiH m o re circuitous, a n d w ould allow still m ore tim e to the C rown Prince to un ite his forces with those before Metz, an d thus to n u m b ers M acM ahon an d Bazaine a crushing superiority of T h u s, w hichever way M acM ahon chooses to get n ear Metz he cannot shake o ff the C row n Prince, who, m oreover, cannot be Choice of fighting him eith er singly o r in conjunction M i v / ? G erm an arm ies. From this it is evident that M acM ahon s move to the relief of Bazaine would be a gross m istake, so long as h e has no t com pletely disposed of the C rown Prince. T o get to Metz, his shortest, quickest, an d safest ro ad is rig h t across th e T h ird G erm an Army. If h e w ere to m arch straight u p o n It, attack it w herever h e finds it, defeat it, and drive it fo r a tew days in a south-easterly direction, so as to interpose his
A ug. 24, 9 P.M , The Times, No. 26838,

rorious arm y like a w edge betw een it and th e o th er two G erm an jes in the sam e way as th e C row n Prince has shown him how J q it then, and n o t till th en , w ould he have a chance to get to Metz an d set Bazaine free. B ut if he felt him self stro n g en o u g h to lo this, we may be sure h e w ould have do n e it at once. T h u s, the withdrawal from Reims assum es a d iffe ren t aspect. It is n o t so nuich a move tow ards th e relief of Bazaine from Steinm etz and Frederick C harles as a move fo r th e relief of M acM ahon from the C rown Prince. A nd from this p o in t of view it is th e w orst th at could be m ade. It abandons all d irect com m unications with Pans to the m ercy of th e enem y. It draw s off th e last available forces of France away from th e cen tre tow ards th e p erip h ery , a n d places them intentionally fa rth e r away from the cen tre th an the enem y is already. Such a m ove m ight be excusable if u n d erta k en wUh largely superior num bers; b u t h ere it is u n d e rta k e n with hopelessly in ferio r n u m b ers an d in the face of th e alm ost certainty of defeat. A nd w hat will th at d efeat bring? W h erever it occurs it will push the rem n an ts of th e beaten arm y away from Paris towards th e n o rth e rn fro n tier, w here they may be driven u p o n neutral g ro u n d o r forced to capitulate. M acM ahon, if he really has u n d erta k en the move in question, is deliberately placing his arm y in exactly the sam e position in which N apoleons flank m arch ro u n d the so u th ern en d of th e T h u rin g ia n forest in 1806 placed the Prussian arm y at Jena. A num erically an d m orally w eaker arm y is deliberately placed in a position w here, after a defeat, its only line of re tre a t is th ro u g h a n arro w strip of territo ry leading towards neu tral territo ry o r th e sea. N apoleon forced th e Prussians to capitulate by reach in g Stettin befo re them . Mac M ahons troops may have to s u rre n d e r in th at little strip of F rench territory ju ttin g o u t into Belgium betw een M ezieres an d C harlem ont-Givet."' In th e very best of cases they may escape to th e n o rth e rn fortresses V alenciennes, Lille, &c., w here, at all events, they will be harm less. A nd th en F rance will be at th e m ercy of th e invader. , . , j T h e whole plan seems so wild th at it can only be explained as having arisen from political necessities. It looks m o re like a coup de desespoir^ th an anything else. It looks as if anything m ust be done, anything risked, before Paris be allowed fully to u n d ersta n d the actual situation. It is th e plan n o t of a strategist, b u t of an A lgerien, ^ used to fight irregulars; th e plan not of a soldier, b u t of a political a n d m ilitary ad v en tu rer, such as have h ad it all
A n act of d esp air. Ed.

71 70
F rederick Engels

th eir own way in F rance these last nineteen years. T h e language ^ ascribed to M acM ahon in justifying this resolve is quite in keeping with this. W hat w ould they say if h e did not m arch to th e aid of Bazaine'*? Yes, bu t w hat would they say if he got him self into a worse position than Bazaine has got him self into? It is the Second E m p ire all over. T o keep u p appearances, to hide defeat, is the th in g m ost req u ired . N apoleon staked all u p o n one card, and lost it; an d now M acM ahon is again going to play va banque, w hen the odds are ten to one against him . T h e sooner F rance is freed from these m en the b etter fo r her. It is h e r only hope.

N O T E S ON T H E W A R X I I P

[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1728, A ugust 27, 1870]

Y esterday a piece of news was teleg rap h ed which caused great To X s o U h e ^ d \e c n d

facing B azaines arm y, an d th at the forces h ad resolutely en tered u p o n th eir m arch to P ans H ith erto the m ovem ents of th e G erm an arm ies have been kep^ secret d u rin g th eir execution. It was only w hen th e move h ad been c o m p l e t T w hen th e blow h a d been struck, th at we learned w hither the troops h ad been going. It seems strange th at th system should be reversed all at once; th at tacitu rn Mol ke should I 't h o u t any visible occasion fo r it, all of a world th at h e is m arch in g upon Pans, an d ^ At the same tim e we h e a r th a t the advanced tro o p s of the Crown Prince^ are p u sh ed n e a re r an d n e a re r to cavalry spread m ore an d Inn . a n d Paris the C h a te L -T h ie rry , alm ost half way betw een C halons a n d P ans, the d read ed U hlans are said to have b een seen. M ight th ere n o t be a special reason n o t quite evident at th e fi glance, why this an n o u n cem en t of th e f ^^e Prussia should be m ade ju st now, an d why, at th e same time, G erm an cavalry should red o u b le th eir activity?
P r^ sl" n td e g ra C d a ^ ^ ^ ^ 26, 1870. (i ^ F rederick W illiam . Ed. A ug. 25 , The T^mes, No. 26839, AugusC

Paris, A ug. 24, E vening , The Times, No. 26838, A ugust 25, 1870.

N otes o n th e W ar.

X III

73

72

F red erick Engels

M acM ahon

Tet US com pare dates. O n the evening of M onday, the 22nd, com m enced his m ovem ents th ro u g h Reims on the | r o a d to Rethel, an d fo r m ore th an fo u rte en ho u rs the colum ns 1 p a s s e d continually th ro u g h the town. By the evening of W ednes- | day if n o t before, the news of this m arch m ight have reached the * G erm an h ead -quarters. T h e re could be b u t one m eanm g m it: the intention to set free Bazaine from the tra p in which he is shut up. T h e m ore M acM ahon advanced in the direction he h ad taken the m ore w ould he en d a n g er his com m unications with Paris and his line of retreat, the m ore would he place him self betw een the G erm an arm y an d the Belgian frontier. Let him once get beyond th e M euse, which he is said to in ten d passing at Laneuville, opposite Stenay, an d his re tre a t may easily be cut off. Now, w hat could m ore en courage M acM ahon to persist in his dangerous m anoeuvre th an the news that, while h e was h u rry in g to the relief of Bazaine, the G erm ans h ad left only a com paratively small po rtio n of th eir forces before Metz, a n d w ere m arching resolute ly u p o n Paris with the g reat body of th eir troops? T h u s on W ednesday n ight this same piece of news is teleg rap h ed from Pont-a-M ousson to B erlin, from B erlin to L ondon, from L ondon to Paris an d Reims, w hence no d o u b t M acM ahon has at once been favoured with th e inform ation; an d while he m arches on tow ards Stenay, Longuyon, an d Briey, the arm y of the C row n Prince, leaving a corps o r two in C ham pagne, w here now noth in g opposes them , w ould draw off the rest tow ards St. Mihiel, pass the M euse there, and try to gain by Fresnes a position th rea ten in g the com m unications of M acM ahons arm y with the Meuse, an d yet within su p p o rtin g distance of the G erm an troops before Metz. If this w ere to succeed, an d if M acM ahon w ere to be defeated u n d e r these circum stances, his arm y w ould have eith er to pass into n eu tral territo ry o r to s u rre n d e r to the G erm ans. T h e re can be no d o u b t th at M acM ahons m ovem ents are perfectly well know n at the G erm an head-quarters. From the m o m en t th e battle of Rezonville (or G ravelotte, as it is to be officially called) had settled the fact th at Bazaine was sh u t u p in Metz, from th at m om ent M acM ahons arm y was the n ext object, n o t only of th e arm y of the Crow n Prince, b u t also of all o th er troops which could be spared from before Metz. In 1814, indeed, th e Allies, after the junction of B liicher and Schw arzenberg betw een A rcis-sur-A ube and Chalons, m arched u p o n ^Paris, entirely d isreg arding N apoleons m arch tow ards th e R hine, and this m arch decided th e cam paign. B ut at th at tim e N apoleon had been d efeated at A rd s and was unable to stand against the allied

value. "
M ahon s arm y, in v estm en t o f ^ e t z

I l'd o u b t
it th

in v estm en t b e e a r n e d o u t by n o on

Z l I qu.fe suffiden. to raise

f ^^e fortifications of

m ore troops th an are n^cess y . he o th er h an d , w hatever m ay be ^ ^ u g m

nobody tru m p e t b lajt of th e like the walls of Jericho, a lengthy investm ent to t a d e r s . ^ T h ey will at of a re g u lar starve ou t the ^s w ere resolutely arriving before s,ege. T h u s while the G e a n ^ M acM ahon would Pans, an d b ro u g h t to a d ead st p Bazaine, and defeat the G erm an troops befo ^ com m unications and then F rance J ^ o n g en o u g h to com pel th em to lines of supply of G erm ans st g ^ ^ ^^vanced. retreat m ore - resolutely Y neglected by the If M acM ahons arm y, th en be concluG erm ans u n d e r the circum stan ^jrch of K ing William to ,i th at the intelhgence of Paris, which m ost o u r co intentionally im p o r ta n c e , either is a pie indiscreet publication of to mislead th e enem y, or, if ^ ^ befo re M acM ahon s correct news, rep resen ts a ^ speedily reversed.

rSthTr-e%r p s f t o . ^
the f f * o s e advantages which M acM ahon alm ost throw s at th eir feet.

Joshua 6;20. Ed.

74

N otes on the W ar. XIV

75

N O TE S O N T H E WAR. XIV ^

[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1731, A ugust 31, 1870]

T h e G erm ans have again been too quick fo r M acM ahon. T h e F o u rth A rm y, u n d e r the C row n Prince A lbert of Saxony, com prising at least two corps (the Prussian G uards a n d the 12th o r Royal Saxon C orps), if no t m ore, have p u shed at once u p to the M euse, secured passages som ew here betw een Stenay and V erdun, an d sent th eir cavalry across. T h e defiles of the A rgonnes are in th eir power. At St. M enehould last Thursday* they took 800 G ardes Mobiles prisoners, an d at Buzancy on S aturday they defeated a F rench cavalry brigade. O n their road they pushed a stro n g reconnaissance against V erd u n last Thursday," but, finding the place in condition to receive them , they did not persist in an attack by m ain force. M acM ahon, who in the m eantim e h ad left Reims on the 22nd an d 23rd with an arm y, according to F rench reports, of 150,000 m en, well eq u ip p ed, well provided with artillery, am m unition, and provisions,*^ had not, on the evening of the 25th, got fa rth e r than Rethel, about tw enty-three miles beyond Reims. How long he co ntinued there, an d w hen he left it, we do no t know fo r certain. B ut th e cavalry engagem ent at Buzancy, which is on the road to Stenay, some tw enty miles fa rth e r on, proves th at even on Saturday his in fan try h ad n o t yet arrived there. T his slowness of m ovem ent contrasts vividly with the activity of th e G erm ans. No doubt, to a great ex ten t it is caused by the com position of his
W ritten on A ugust 30 o r 31, 1870. A ugust 25. Ed. " Paris, A ug. 2 3 , The Times, No. 26837, A ugust 24, 1870; Paris. Aug. 24, E v en in g The Times, No. 26838, A ugust 25, 1870. E d

rniv which contains eith er m ore o r less dem oralized troops, o r new form ations in which young recruits are p red o m m atm g ; sonie f them are even m ere v o lunteer corps with nu m b ers of on-professional officers. It is evident th at this arm y can n eith er have the discipline n o r th e cohesion of th e old A im y of the R h i n e an d th at it will be alm ost impossible ^ move from 120 0 0 0 to 150,000 m en of this sort b oth rapidly an d with order_ T h en th ere are the trains. T h e g reat mass of the heavy trains of the A rm y of the R hine did certainly escape from Metz on th e 14th nd 15th b u t it may be im agined th at they w ere n o t in the very j L t of c o n d itio n s ;'it m a y % e assum ed th at th eir su ,y o am m unition an d th e state of th eir horses are not all th a t is to be desired. A nd finally, we may take it for g ra n te d th at th e F rench Intendance has no t m en d ed since th e beginning of th e war, and that consequendy the provisioning of a large arm y in extrem ely noor country will be no easy m atter. B ut even if we allow very Hberally fo r all these obstacles, we shall still be com pelled to see besides in M acM ahons dilatoriness a distinct sym ptom of indecisfon His n earest way to th e relief of Bazaine, the d irect ro ad by V erd u n once given u p , was th a t by Stenay, an d in th at direction he struck. B ut befo re he got fa rth e r th a n R ethel h e m ust have know n th at the G erm ans h ad seized u p o n the passages of th M euse an d th a t the rig h t flank of his colum ns on the ro a d to Stenay was no t safe. T h is rapidity of th e G erm an advance ap pears f X d L o n c e n e d his plans. We are cold th at on M a y h e was Still at R ethel, w here h e received fresh reinforcem ents from P ans and th a t h e in ten d ed to m ove to M ezieres n ex t ^ h ad n o authentic news of im p o rtan t engagem ents, this appears very probable. It w ould im ply an alm ost com plete ab a n d o n m e n t of his p k n to relieve Bazaine; fo r a m ovem ent th ro u g h th e narrow ^trip of F rench territo ry on the rig h t b an k of th e M euse betw een M ezieres an d Stenay, w ould have its great difficulties an d dangers cause fresh delay a n d give his o p p o n en ts am ple tim e to envelop him fro m ail sides. Fo? th ere c ^ n be no d o u b t now th at quite sufficient forces have b een sent no rth w ard s fo r this p u rp o se from t h f arm y of the C row n Prince. W hatever we h e a r of the w hereabouts of th e T h ird A rm y points to a n o rth w a rd m ovem ent bv the th ree great ro u tes m ost h an d y fo r the p u rp o se E pernay, Reims Rethel; Chalons, Vouziers; a n d Bar-le-Duc, V arennes, G randp re T h e fact of th e eng ag em en t at Saint M enehould being fe L g rap h e d from Bar-le-Duc " re n d e rs it even possible th at it was
official re p o rt Bar-le-D uc, A ug. 2 6 , The T^mes, No. 26842, A ugust 30, 1870.

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p a rt of th e T h ird A rm y which th ere defeated the Mobiles and occupied th e town. B ut w hat can be M acM ahons intention if h e really moves upon Mezieres. W e d o u b t w h eth er h e has any very clear idea him self of w hat h e m tends dom g. We now know th at his m arch northw ards was to a certam extent at least, forced u p o n him by the in subordm ation of his m en, who grum bled at the re tre a t from tie cam p of C halons to Reims, an d ra th e r strongly d em an d ed to be led agam st the enem y. T h e m arch to relieve Bazaine was then en tered u p o n . By the en d of the week M acM ahon m ay have been p retty well convm ced th at his arm y had n o t the mobility necessary fo r a direct m arch u p o n Stenay, an d th at h e h ad b etter take the fo r th e m om ent, safer ro ad by Mezieres. T his w ould certainly postpone a n d m ight re n d e r im practicable the in ten d ed relief of Bazaine; but had M acM ahon ever any very decided faith in his ability to effect that? W e d o u b t it. A nd th en the m ove on M ezieres would, at all events, delay the enem ys m arch upon P ans, give th e Parisians m ore tim e to com plete th eir defence, gain tim e fo r th e organization o f the arm ies o f reserve behind the L oire an d at Lyons; a n d in case of n eed m ight he n o t re tire along th e n o rth e rn fro n tier u p o n the th reefo ld belt of fortresses, an d try w h eth er th ere was not som e q u ad rila te ral am ong them ? Some such m o re o r ess indefinite ideas m ay have induced M acM ahon, who certainly does n o t seem to be anything of a strategist, to m ake a second false m ove afte r once having entangled him self in a first one; an d thus we see th e last arm y which F rance has, and probably will have, in the field d u rin g this w ar m arch deliberately to Its ru m , from which only the grossest b lunders of the enem y can save it; an d th at enem y has n o t m ade one m istake yet We say th e last arm y which F rance probably will have in the fteld d u rin g this war. Bazaine has to be given up, unless MacMahon^ can relieve him , an d th at is m ore th an doubtful. M acM ahon s arm y m the best of cases, will get scattered am ong ^ e fortresses on the n o rth e rn frontier, w here it will be harm less I h e reserve arm ies th at are now spoken about will be raw levies m ingled with a certain n u m b e r of old soldiers, an d unavoidably com m anded by chiefly unprofessional officers; they will be arm ed with all sorts of arm s; they will be totally u n used to the breech- oaders, which is tan tam o u n t to saying that th eir am m uni tion will be sp ent before it is really w a n ted in one w ord, they will W f " o th in g but the defence of fortifications While the G erm ans have no t only b ro u g h t their battahons and squadrons to th eir full com plem ent again, but keep

ending division after division of lan d w eh r to France, the F rench fourth battalions are n o t com plete yet. Only sixty-six of th em have been form ed into regim ents de m arc h e, an d sent eith er to Paris o r to M acM ahon; th e rem ain in g thirty -fo u r w ere n o t ready to m arch o u t a few days ago. T h e arm y organization fails everywhere; a n d a noble and gallant nation finds all its efforts for s e l f - d e f e n c e unavailing, because it has fo r tw enty years su ffered its destinies to be guided by a set of ad v en tu rers who tu rn e d adm inistration, governm ent, arm y, navy in fact, all F ran ce into a source of pecuniary p ro fit to them selves.

R egim ents ready for battle. Ed.

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2 8 th and 29th only; a n d as by th at tim e th e d irect railway to

N O TE S O N T H E WAR. XV

[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1733, S eptem ber 2, 1870]

O n the 26th of A ugust, w hen the whole o f o u r contem poraries with scarcely one exception, w ere fa r too busy descanting upon the im m ense im portance of the C row n P rinces^ reso lu te m arch u p o n P an s to have any tim e left fo r M acM ahon, we v en tu red to p o in t o u t th at the really im p o rtan t m ovem ent of the day was th at f the latter general was re p o rte d to be m aking fo r th e relief of Metz. We said th at in case of defeat M acM ahons troops may have to s u rre n d e r in that little strip of F rench territory ju ttin g out betw een M ezieres an d C harlem ont-G ivet W hat we p resu m ed then is now alm ost accom plished. Mac M ahon has with him the 1 st (his own), 5th (form erly De Faillys. now W im p ffen s), 7th (D ouays), a n d 1 2 th (L ebruns) corps, J ith such troops as could be spared from Paris Up to the 29th including even those rebellious Mobiles o f Saint M aur: a n d besides, the cavalry o f C an ro b e rts corps, which was left at Chalons. T h e whole force will re p resen t, perhaps, 150,000 m en barely one h alf of which are troops o f th e old arm y; th e rest fo u rth battahons a n d Mobiles, in about equal proportions. It is said to be well provided with artillery, b u t of this a g reat portio n m ust consist of new ly-form ed batteries, a n d it is notoriously very weak m cavalry. Even if this arm y should be num erically stro n g er than we estim ate it, this excess m ust consist of new levies, an d will not ad d to Its stren g th which we can scarcely deem to be equivalent to a force of 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 good soldiers. M acM ahon left Reims fo r R ethel a n d the M euse on the evening of th e 2 2nd, b u t the 13th C orps was despatched from Paris on the
W ritten on S eptem ber 1, 1870. ^ F rederick W illiam. See this volum e, p. 69. Ed.

Rethel, via Reims, was m enaced by th e enem y, these troops h ad to be sent ro u n d by th e N o rth e rn of F rance Railway, by St. Q u entin, Avesnes, an d H irson. T h ey could n o t com plete th eir jo u rn ey before the 30th o r 31st, an d th en fighting h ad already b eg u n in earnest; so th at th e troops fo r which M acM ahon h ad waited were n o t th ere afte r all w hen w anted. For, while h e k ep t losing time between R ethel, M ezieres, an d Stenay, th e G erm ans cam e m arch ing on from all sides. O n th e 27th a brigade of his advanced cavalry was defeated at Buzancy. O n the 28th, Vouziers, an im p o rtan t crossing of roads in th e A rgonnes, was in G erm an hands, a n d two of th eir squadrons ch arg ed an d took Vrizy, a village occupied by in fan try , who h ad to s u rre n d e r a feat, by-the-by, of which th ere is b u t o n e previous ex am p le th e taking of Dem be WieJkie by Polish cavalry, from Russian in fan try and cavalry, in 1831. * O n th e 29th no engagem ents are re p o rte d from any trustw orthy source. B ut on th e 30th (Tuesday) th e G erm ans, having concentrated sufficient forces, fell u p o n M acM ahon and defeated him . T h e G erm an accounts speak of a battle n ear Beaumont,"* an d of an en g ag em en t n ear N o u a rt' (on th e road from Stenay to Buzancy),^ b u t Belgian rep o rts re fe r to fighting on the rig h t bank of th e M euse, betw een M ouzon an d Carignan.'^ T h e two can be easily reconciled, an d supposing th e Belgian telegram s to be substantially correct, the G erm an F o u rth A rm y (4th, 12th, and G uards corps) ap p e a r to have h ad the 4 th an d 12th corps on the left bank of th e Moselle, w here they w ere jo in ed by th e First B avarian C orps, the first instalm ent of th e T h ird A rm y arriving from th e South. T h ey m et M acM ahons m ain forces at B eaum ont, m arching evidendy in the direction of M ezieres to Stenay; they attacked them , a p o rtio n , probably the Bavarians, falling u p o n and overlapping th eir rig h t flank, a n d p u sh in g them away from th eir direct line of re tre a t tow ards th e M euse at M ouzon, w here the difficulty an d delay of th e passage over th e b rid g e w ould account for th eir great losses of prisoners, artillery, a n d stores. W hile this was going on, the advanced g u ard of th e 12th G erm an C orps, which ap p ears to have been sent o ff in a d iffe re n t direction, m et the 5th F rench C orps (W im pffens) m arching, to all appearances, by way of Le C hene Populeux, th e valley of th e B ar, and Buzancy,
Buzancy, A ug. 3 0 , The Times, No. 26844, S eptem ber 1, 1870. <i. I V arennes, A ug. 30, A fte rn o o n , The Times, No. 26844, S eptem ber 1, 1870. (/. ^ Florenville (Belgium ), A ug. 3 1 , The Times, No. 26844, S eptem ber 1, 1870.
5^1232

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tow ards th e flank of the G erm ans. T h e en co u n ter took place at N ouart, ab out seven miles south of B eaum ont, and was successful fo r the G erm ans; th at is to say, they succeeded in stopping W im pffens flank m ovem ent while the fighting was going on at B eaum ont. A th ird po rtio n of M acM ahons forces, according to th e Belgian rep orts, m ust have advanced on the rig h t bank of the M euse, w here it is said to have encam ped the previous night at Vaux, betw een C arignan a n d M ouzon; b u t this corps, too, was attacked by the G erm ans (probably the G uards) and com pletely d efeated , with the loss, as is alleged, of fo u r m itrailleurs. T h e ensemble of these th ree engagem ents (always supposing the Belgian accounts to be substantially correct) would constitute th at com plete defeat of M acM ahon which we have repeatedly p re dicted.'' T h e fo u r corps opposed to him would now n u m b er about 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 m en, b ut it is questionable w h eth er they were all engaged. M acM ahons troops, as we have said, would be equivalent to about th at n u m b er of good soldiers.*^ T h a t th eir resistance was nothing like th at of th e old A rm y of th e R hine is im plied in the re m ark of a G erm an official telegram , th at o u t losses are m o d era te, '* and th e n u m b e r of prisoners taken. It is too early yet to attem p t to criticise M acM ahons tactical arran g em en ts for an d d u rin g this batde, as we know scarcely anything ab o u t them . B ut his strategy cannot be too strongly condem ned. H e has throw n away every fair chance of escape. His position betw een R ethel an d M ezieres re n d e re d it possible fo r him to fight so as to have his re tre a t open to Laon an d Soissons, an d thereby the m eans of again reaching Paris o r w estern France. Instead of this, he fo u g h t as if his only line of re treat was to Mezieres, an d as if Belgium belonged to him. H e is said to be at Sedan, the victorious G erm ans will by this time have lined th e left bank of the Meuse, no t only before th at fortress, b u t also before M ezieres, w hence th eir left will, in an o th er day o r so, ex ten d to the Belgian fro n tier n e a r Rocroi, and th en M acM ahon will be shut u p in that litde strip of territory u p o n which we placed o u r fin g er six days ago. O nce th ere, he has b u t litde choice left to him . H e has fo u r fortresses aro u n d him Sedan, M ezieres, Rocroi, an d C harlem ont; b u t u p o n twelve square miles of territory, with an overpow ering
Florenviile (Belgium ), Aug. 3 1 , The Times, No. 26844, S eptem ber 1, 1870. d. See this volum e, pp. 69, 72 a n d 76. Ed. See this volum e, p. 78. Ed. W illiam I s telegram to the Q u e en V arennes, Aug. 30, A fte rn o o n , The Times, No. 26844, S eptem ber 1, 1870. Ed.

arm y in fro n t, an d a n eu tral country in the rear, he cannot play at quadrilaterals. H e will be starved o u t o r fo u g h t out; h e will be c o m p e l l e d to su rre n d e r eith er to the Prussians o r to th e Belgians. B ut th ere is one o th er course op en to him . W e said ju st now he had acted as if Belgium belonged to him . W hat if he really th o u g h t so? W hat if th e whole m ystery at the bottom of this inexplicable strategy was a setded d eterm in atio n to use Belgian territory as if it belonged to France? From C harlem o n t th ere is a straight ro ad th ro u g h Belgium , by Philippeville, to F rench territory, n ear M aubeuge. T his ro ad is b u t one half of the distance from M ezieres to M aubeuge th ro u g h F rench territory. W hat if M acM ahon in ten d ed to use th at road fo r escape, in case he was red u ced to the last extrem ity? T h e Belgians, he may think, will n o t be in a condition to effectually resist an arm y as strong as his; and if the G erm ans, as is very likely, follow M acM ahon into Belgian territory, in case th e Belgians cannot stop him , why, th en th ere arise new pohtical com plications which may better, b u t cannot re n d e r m uch w orse,^the p resen t situation of France. M oreover, if M acM ahon should succeed in driving b u t one G erm an patrol u p o n Belgian g ro u n d , th e b reach of neutrality w ould be estab lished, an d form an excuse fo r his subsequent violation of Belgium. Such ideas may have passed th ro u g h th e head of this old A lgerian; they are in keeping with A frican w arfare, and, indeed, they are alm ost th e only ones by which such strategy as he has shown can be excused. B ut even th at chance may be cu t off from him ; if the C row n Prince acts with his usual quickness, he may possibly reach M o ntherm e an d th e ju n ctio n of th e rivers Semois and M euse before M acM ahon, an d th en M acM ahon w ould be p en t u p betw een Semois an d Sedan on ab out as m uch g ro u n d as his m en req u ire for a cam p, and w ithout any ho p e of a sh o rt cut th ro u g h neu tral g ro u n d .

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T H E FREN CH DEFEATS^

[The Pall M all Gazette, No. 1734, S eptem ber 3, 1870]

A large arm y, w hen driven into a corner, dies h ard . It took first of all th ree battles to teach B azaines troops th at they w ere really sh u t u p in Metz, an d th en thirty-six h o u rs d esperate fighting th ro u g h day and n ight on W ednesday an d T h u rsd a y la st * to convince th e m if even th en convinced th at th ere was no o p en in g fo r escape th ro u g h the toils in which the Prussians h ad cau g h t them . N o r was the battle of T uesday en o u g h to com pel M acM ahon to give in. A fresh b attle apparently the greatest and m ost bloody of all the series h ad to be fo u g h t on T h u rsd a y , * an d he him self w ounded, before h e was b ro u g h t to a sense of his real position. T h e first account of the fighting n e a r Beaum ont* a n d Carignan'" appears to have been substantially correct, with this exception, th at th e line of re tre a t of the F rench corps engaged at B eaum ont, which ra n on the left bank of the M euse to Sedan, was n o t cut o ff entirely. Some po rtio n of these troops seem to have escaped on th e left bank to S ed an at least th ere was fighting again on th at sam e ban k on T h u rsd ay . T h e n th ere ap p ears to be some d o u b t as to the date of the engagem ent of N ouart, which the staff in B erlin are disposed to think took place on Monday.** This w ould certainly m ake th e G erm an telegram s agree better, and, if so, th e tu rn in g m ovem ent which was ascribed to th e F rench Fifth C orps would equally fall to th e g round.
W ritten o n S eptem ber 3, 1870. Ed. b Prussian telegram , d atelined Buzancy, A ug. 3 0 , The Times, No. 26844, S eptem ber 1, 1870. Ed. E ngels re fe rs to the telegram re p ro d u c e d from th e Belgian L E toile in The Times, No. 26844, S eptem ber 1, 1870, u n d e r th e h e ad in g C arignan, A ug, 30, 4 P .M .. Ed. Prussian telegram , d atelined B erlin, Sept, 1 , The Times, No. 26845, S eptem ber 2, 1870. Ed.

T h e F ren ch Defeats

85

T h e result of th e fighting on T uesday was disastrous to the F rench corps engaged. Above tw enty cannon, eleven m itrailleurs, and 7 ,0 0 0 prisoners are results alm ost equivalent to those of W oerth, but conqu ered m uch m ore easily, an d with m uch sm aller sacrifices. T h e F rench w ere driven back on b oth banks of th e Meuse to the im m ediate n eig h b o u rh o o d of Sedan. O n the left bank th eir position afte r the b atd e ap p ears to have been defin ed to the west by the River B ar an d th e Canal des A rdennes, bo th of which ru n along th e sam e valley, an d e n te r th e M euse at Villers, betw een Sedan a n d M ezieres; on th e east, by th e ravine a n d brook ru n n in g from R aucourt to th e M euse at Remilly. H aving th u s both flanks secured, th eir m ain body w ould occupy th e in tervening plateau, ready to m eet an attack from any side. O n th e rig h t bank, the river C hiers, which joins th e M euse ab out fo u r miles above Sedan, opposite Remilly, m ust have been crossed by th e F rench after T uesdays batde. T h e re are th re e parallel ravines, ru n n in g n o rth a n d south fro m th e Belgian fro n tier, th e first an d second tow ards th e C hiers, the th ird a n d largest im m ediately in fro n t of Sedan, tow ards th e M euse. O n the second of these, n ear its highest point, is th e village of C ernay; on th e th ird , above, w here it is crossed by th e ro ad to B ouillon in Belgium , G ivonne; an d lower dow n, w here th e ro ad to Stenay a n d M ontm edy crosses the ravine, is Bazeilles. T h ese th re e ravines in T h u rsd a y s b atd e m ust have fo rm ed as m any successive defensive positions fo r th e F rench, who naturally w ould h old th e last a n d strongest with the greatest tenacity. T h is p a rt of th e batde-field is som ething like th at of G ravelotte; but, while th ere th e ravines could be an d actually w ere tu rn e d by th e plateau w hence they sp rang, h ere th e proxim ity of th e Belgian fro n tier re n d e re d an attem p t at tu rn m g them very risky, a n d alm ost com pelled a d irect fro n t attack. W hile the F ren ch established them selves in this position, an d drew tow ards them such troops as h ad n o t taken p a rt in T u esday s b atde (am ong others, probably, th e 12th C orps, including the Mobiles from Paris), th e G erm ans h ad a days tim e to concentrate th eir arm y; an d w hen they attacked on T h u rsd ay they had on the spot the whole of th e F o u rth A rm y (G uards, 4 th an d 12th corps) and th ree corps (5th, 11th, and one B avarian) of th e T h ird , a force m orally if n o t num erically su p erio r to th at of M acM ahon. T h e fighting began at half-past seven in the m orn in g , an d at a q u a rte r past four, w hen the King of Prussia telegraphed,^ it was
WilHam I s telegram O n the Battle-Field of Sedan, Sept. 1, 4.15 P.M . , The rimes. No. 26846, S eptem ber 3, 1870.

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Still going on, the G erm ans gaining g ro u n d on all sides. A ccording to th e Belgian reports, the villages of Bazeilles, Remilly, Villers, a n d C ernay w ere in flam es, an d the chapel of G ivonne was in the hands of th e Germ ans.^ T his would indicate th at on the left bank of th e M euse the two villages which su p p o rted , in case of a retreat, th e F rench wings h ad been eith er taken o r re n d e re d untenable; while on th e rig h t bank the first an d second lines of defence h ad been conquered, an d th e th ird , betw een Bazeilles an d Givonne, was at least on the p oint of being ab an d o n ed by the French. U n d e r these circum stances th e re can be no d o u b t th at nightfall w ould see th e G erm ans victorious an d the F rench driven back to Sedan. T his, indeed, is confirm ed by telegram s from Belgium an n o u n cin g the fact th at M acM ahon was com pletely hem m ed in, an d th at thousands of F rench troops w ere crossing the fro n tier an d being disarmed.* U n d e r these circum stances th ere w ere only two alternatives op en to M acM ahon capitulation o r a dash across Belgian territory. T h e defeated arm y, sh u t u p in an d about S ed an that is, in a district no t larger, at best, than it would req u ire fo r its en c am p m en t could no t possibly m aintain itself; an d even if it had been able to keep open its com m unication with Mezieres, which is ab o u t ten miles to th e west, it w ould still be h em m ed in in a very confined strip of territory, an d unable to hold out. T h u s M acM ahon, unable to fray a ro ad th ro u g h his enem ies, m ust eith er pass on Belgian territo ry o r su rre n d er. As it hap p en ed , M acM ahon, disabled by his w ounds, was spared the pain of a decision. It fell to G eneral De W im pffen to announce the s u rre n d e r of the F rench arm y. T his conclusion can hardly fail to have been h astened by the news, supposing news could reach them , of B azaines decisive repulse in his efforts to get away from Metz. T h e G erm ans h ad foreseen his intention, an d were p re p a re d to m eet him at all points. N ot only Steinm etz bu t Prince Frederick C harles (as ap p ears from the corps m entioned, 1st and 9 th ), w ere on the watch, an d careful en tren ch m en ts fu rth e r stren g th en ed the b a rrie r encircling Metz.

N O TE S ON T H E WAR. X V P

[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1737, S < 2p tem b er 7, 1870]

^ Brussels, Sept. 2, 7.34 A .M . , The Times, No. 26846, S eptem ber 3, m o . Ed. * > T eleg ram from a special c o rre sp o n d e n t of The Times, datelined A rlon, Sept. 2, 7.46 P.M . , The Times, No. 26846, S eptem ber 3, 1870. E d " Prussian official re p o rt M alancourt, Sept. 2 , The Times, No. 26846 S eptem ber 3, 1870. Ed.

T h e capitulation of S edan setdes th e fate of th e last F rench arm y in the field. It setdes at th e sam e tim e th e fate of Metz and B azaines arm y; relief being now o u t of th e question, they will have to capitulate too, p erh ap s this week, alm ost certainly n o t later th an next week. T h e re rem ains th e colossal en tren ch ed cam p of Paris, th e last hope of France. T h e fortifications of Paris form th e hugest com plex of m ilitary en g in eerin g works ever constructed; they have n ever yet been p u t to th e test, an d consequently opinions as to th eir value are n o t only divided, b u t absolutely contradictory. By exam ining the actual facts of th e case, we shall gain a safe basis u p o n which to fo u n d o u r conclusions. M ontalem bert, a F rench cavalry officer, b u t a m ilitary en g in eer of uncom m on and, p erhaps, u n p aralleled genius, was th e first to propose a n d w ork o u t d u rin g th e latter half of th e eig hteenth century the plan of su rro u n d in g fortresses by detached forts at such a distance as to shelter th e place itself from b o m b ard m ent. B efore him th e o u tw orks citadels, lunettes, &c. were m ore o r less attached to th e enceinte o r ra m p a rt of th e place, scarcely ever fa rth e r d istant from it th an the foot of th e glacis. H e proposed forts large an d strong en o u g h to hold o u t a separate siege, an d d istant from th e ra m p a rts of th e town from six h u n d re d to twelve h u n d re d yards, an d even m ore. T h e new theory was fo r years treated with contem pt in France, while it fo u n d wiUing pupils in G erm any w hen, after 1815, the line of the R hine had to be fortified. Cologne, Coblenz, M ayence, an d later
W ritten betw een S eptem ber 3 a n d 7, 1870. Ed.

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on Ulm, Rastatt, a n d G erm ersheim , were su rro u n d e d with d etached forts; the proposals of M ontalem bert w ere m odified by A ster a n d others, and a new system of fortifications thus arose, know n u n d e r th e nam e of the G erm an school. By-and-by the F rench began to see the utility of detached forts, and, w hen Paris was fortified, it was at once evident th at the im m ense line of ram p arts ro u n d th at city would not be w orth constructing unless covered by detached forts, otherw ise a breach effected in one place of th e ra m p a rt w ould b rin g on the fall of the whole. M odern w arfare has shown in m ore th an one instance the value of such en tren ch ed cam ps, form ed by a circle of detached forts, with th e m ain fortress fo r its nucleus. M antua, by its position, was an en tren ch ed cam p, so was Dantzic, m ore o r less, in 1807, an d these two w ere the only fortresses which ever arrested N apoleon I. Again, in 1813, Dantzic was enabled by its detached fo rts field works fo r th e m ost p a r t to o ffer a prolonged resistance.' T h e whole of R adetzkys cam paign in 1849 in Lom bardy hinged on the en tren ch ed cam p of V erona, itself the nucleus of the celebrated Quadrilateral,^ so did the whole of the C rim ean w ar d ep e n d on th e fate of th e en tre n ch ed cam p of Sebastopol, which held ou t so long m erely because the Allies w ere unable to invest it on all sides, and cut o ff supplies a n d reinforcem ents from the besieged. T h e case of Sebastopol is, fo r o u r purpose, m ost in point, because th e ex ten t of th e fortified place was larg e r th a n in any previous instance. B ut Paris is m uch larger even than Sebastopol. T h e circuit of the forts m easures ab o u t tw enty-four miles. Will the stren g th of the place be increased in proportion? T h e works of them selves are m odels of their kind. T hey are of th e utm ost simplicity; a plain enceinte of bastions, w ithout even a single dem i-lune before th e curtains,^ the forts, mostly bastioned quad ran g les o r pentagons, w ithout any dem i-lunes o r o th er outw orks; h e re a n d th ere a horn-w ork o r crown-work to cover an outlying space of high g ro u n d . T hey are constructed n o t so m uch fo r passive as fo r active defence. T h e garrison of Paris is expected to com e o u t into th e open, to use the forts as su p p o rtin g points fo r its flanks, an d by constant sallies on a large scale to re n d e r im possible a re g u la r siege of any two o r th ree forts. T hus, whilst the forts p ro tect the garrison of the town from a too n ear ap p ro ach of the enem y, the garrison will have to protect the forts from siege batteries; it will have constantly to destroy the besiegers works. Let us ad d th at the distance of the forts from the ra m p arts precludes the possibility of an effective bo m b ard m en t of th e town until two o r th re e at least of the forts shall have been

taken. Let us fu rth e r add th at the position, at the ju n ction of th e Seine an d M arne, bo th with extrem ely w inding courses, and with a strong range of hills on the m ost exposed, th e n o rth -eastern fro n t, offers g reat n atu ral advantages, which have been m ade th e best of in the plannin g of th e works. If these conditions can be fulfilled, an d the two million people inside can be regularly fed, Paris is un d o u b ted ly an extrem ely strong place. T o p ro cu re provisions fo r the inhabitants is n o t a very difficult m atter, if taken in h an d in time, an d carried o u t systematically. W h eth er th at has been d o n e in th e p resen t instance is very doubtful. W hat has been do n e by th e late G overnm ent looks hke spasm odic an d even thoughtless work. T h e accum ulation of live catde w ithout p ro v e n d e r fo r them was a perfect piece of absurdity. We m ay p resu m e that, if th e G erm ans act with th eir usual decision, they will find Paris b u t poorly provisioned fo r a long siege. B ut how ab out th at chief condition, th e active defence, the garrison which goes o u t to attack th e enem y, instead of striking behind the ram parts? T o show th e full stren g th of its works, and to prev en t the enem y from taking advantage of its weakness, the absence of p ro tectin g outw orks in the m ain ditches, Paris requires to co u n t am ong its d efen d ers a re g u lar arm y. A nd th at was the fundam ental idea with the m en who p lan n ed th e works; th at a defeated F rench arm y, its inability to hold th e field being once established, should fall back u p o n Paris, an d participate in the defence of th e capital; eith er direcdy, as a g arrison strong en o u g h to prevent, by constant attacks, a re g u lar siege and even a com plete investm ent, o r indirecdy, by taking u p a posidon beh in d the Loire, th ere recru itin g its stren g th , a n d th en falling, as opportunities m ight offer, u p o n such weak points as th e besiegers, in th eir im m ense investing line, could n o t avoid presenting. Now, the whole co n d u ct of th e F rench com m anders in this war has contributed to deprive Paris of this one essential condition of its defence. T h e re are of all th e F rench arm y b u t th e troops which rem ained in Paris an d th e corps of G eneral Vinoy (the 13th, originally T ro c h u s); to g ether, p erhaps, 50,000 m en, alm ost all, if n o t indeed all of them , fo u rth battalions a n d Mobile G uards. T o these may be ad d ed p erh ap s 20,000 o r 30,000 m en m o re of fo u rth battalions, and an indefinite n u m b er of Mobile G uards of the provinces, raw levies totally u n fit for th e field. We have seen at S edan w hat litde use such troops are in a battle. T hey, no doubt, will be m ore tru stw orthy w hen they have forts to fall back upon, an d a few weeks drill, discipline, an d fighting will certainly

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im prove them . B ut the active defence of a large place like Paris im plies m ovem ents of large masses in the open, re g u la r battles at a distance in fro n t of the sheltering forts, attem pts to break th ro u g h the line of investm ent o r to p revent its com pletion. A nd fo r that, fo r attacks on a su p erio r enem y, w here surprise a n d dash are req u ired , an d w here the troops m ust be kept perfectly in h an d for th at pu rp o se, the p resen t garrison of Paris will be scarcely available. We suppose the united T h ird and F o u rth G erm an arm ies, fully 180,000 strong, will a p p e ar before Paris in the course of next week, su rro u n d it with flying colum ns of cavalry, destroy the railway com m unications, and thereby all chance of extensive supplies, an d p re p a re the re g u lar investm ent, which will be com pleted on the arrival of the First an d Second arm ies afte r the fall of Metz, leaving plenty of m en to be sent beyond the Loire to scour the country, and prevent any attem p t at the form ation of a new F rench arm y. Should Paris n o t su rre n d e r, then the regular siege will have to begin, and, in the absence of an active defence, m ust proceed com paratively rapidly. T his w ould be the re g u lar course of things if th ere w ere none b u t m ilitary considerations; b u t affairs have now com e to a point w hen these may be set aside by political events, to prognosticate which does not belong to o u r province here.

N O TE S ON T H E W AR. X V ir

[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1739, S ep tem b er-9, 1870]

T h e tim e it will take th e G erm an arm ies to m arch to Paris an d th ere open a new phase of th e w ar gives us leisure to look back u p o n w hat has been going on beh in d the fro n t of th e troops in the field, before th e fortresses. Leaving o u t of th e question Sedan, which was included as a corollary in the capitulation of M acM ahons arm y, th e G erm ans have taken fo u r fortresses La Petite P ierre an d Vitry, w ithout a blow; L ichtenberg an d Marsal, after a sh o rt b o m b ard m en t. T hey have m erely blockaded Bitche; they are besieging Strasbourg; they have bom barded , so fa r w ithout result, Phalsbourg, T oul, Montm edy; an d they in ten d to begin in a few days th e re g u lar sieges of T o u l a n d Metz. W ith the exception of Metz, which is p ro tected by d etached forts fa r in advance of the tow n, all o th er fortresses which resisted have been subjected to bo m b ard m en t. T his p ro ceeding has, at all times, form ed a p a rt of th e operations of a re g u lar siege; at first, it was principally in ten d ed to destroy the stores of provisions and am m unition of th e besieged, b u t since it has becom e th e custom to secure these in b om b-proof vaults, constructed fo r th e pu rp o se, the b o m b ard m en t has m o re an d m ore been used to set fire to and destroy as m any buildings as possible inside th e fortress. T h e destruction of th e p ro p e rty an d provisions of the inhabitants of the place becam e a m eans of pressu re u p o n them , and, th ro u g h them , u p o n th e garrison an d com m ander. In cases w here th e garrison was weak, ill-disciplined, an d dem oralized, an d w here the co m m ander was w ithout energy, a b o m b ard m en t alone often
W ritten betw een S eptem ber 7 a n d 9, 1870. Ed.

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effected th e su rre n d e r of a fortress. T his was the case especially in 1815 after Waterloo, w hen a whole series of fortresses, g ar risoned chiefly by National G uards, su rre n d ere d to a short b o m b ard m en t w ithout awaiting a re g u la r siege. Avesnes, Guise, M aubeuge, Landrecies, M arienbourg, Philippeville, &c., all fell after a few h o u rs, at best a few days, shelling. It was no d o u b t the recollection of these successes, and the know ledge th at m ost of the fro n tier places w ere garrisoned chiefly by Mobile an d sedentary N ational G uards, which induced the G erm ans to try the sam e plan again. M oreover, the introduction of rifled artillery having m ade shells th e alm ost exclusive projectiles even of field artillery, it is now com paratively easy to bom bard a place and set fire to its buildings with the ordinary field guns of an arm y corps, w ithout awaiting, as form erly, the arrival of m o rtars and heavy siege howitzers. A lthough recognized in m o d ern w arfare, it is n o t to be fo rg o tten th at th e b o m bardm ent of the private houses in a fortress is always a very harsh and cruel m easure, which ou g h t not to be h ad recourse to w ithout at least a reasonable hope of com pelling su rre n d e r, an d w ithout a certain d egree of necessity. If places like Phalsbourg, L ichtenberg, an d T oul are bom barded, this may be justified on the g ro u n d th at they stop m ountain passes an d railways, the im m ediate possession of which is of the greatest im portance to th e invader, an d m ight reasonably be expected to follow as th e result of a few days shelling. If two of these places have so fa r held out, this re d o u n d s so m uch m ore to the credit of th e garrison an d the inhabitants. B ut as to the bo m b ard m en t of S trasbourg, which preceded the re g u la r siege, the case is quite d ifferen t. S trasbourg, a city of above 80,000 inhabitants, su rro u n d e d by fortifications in the antiquated m an n er of the sixteenth century, was stren g th en ed by V auban, who built a citadel outside th e town, n e a re r th e R hine, and connected it with the ram parts of the town by th e continuous lines of w hat was th en called an en tren ch ed cam p. T h e citadel com m anding the tow n, an d being capable of in d e p e n d e n t defence after the town has capitulated, the sim plest way to take both would be to attack the citadel at once, so as no t to have to go th ro u g h two successive sieges; b u t then, the works of the citadel are so m uch stronger, an d its situation in the swampy lowlands n e a r the R hine ren d ers the throw ing up of trenches so m uch m ore difficult, th at circum stances may, and generally will, advise a previous attack on the tow n, with the fall of which a fu rth e r defence of the citadel alone w ould, in the eyes of a weak

com m ander, lose m uch of its p u rpose; except in so fa r as it m ight secure b etter conditions of su rre n d er. B ut, at all events, if the town alone be taken, the citadel rem ains to be reduced, an d an obstinate com m an d er may continue to hold ovit, an d keep th e town an d the besiegers establishm ents in it u n d e r fire. U n d e r these circum stances w hat could be the use of a bom b ard m en t of th e town? If all w ent well, the inhabitants m ight dem oralize the g re ater p a rt of th e garrison, an d com pel the com m ander to ab an d o n the town an d throw him self, with the elite of his soldiers, 3,000 to 5,000 m en, into th e citadel, an d th ere continue the defence an d hold th e town u n d e r his fire. A nd the character of G eneral U hrich (for th at, an d n o t Ulrich, is th e nam e of the gallant old soldier) was know n well en o u g h to p rev en t anybody from supposing th at he would allow him self to be intim idated into a su rre n d er, bo th of town an d citadel, by any am o u n t of shells th ro w n into them . T o b o m bard a place which has an in d ep en d e n t citadel co m m an d in g it is in itself an absurdity an d a useless cruelty. C ertainly, stray shells o r the slow shelling of a siege will always do dam age in a besieged town; b u t th at is n o th in g com pared to the destruction an d sacrifice of civilian life d u rin g a regular, systematic six days b o m b ard m en t such as has been inflicted u p o n the u n fo rtu n a te city. T h e G erm ans say they m ust have the town soon, fo r political reasons. T hey in ten d to keep it at th e peace. If th at be so, the bom bardm ent, the severity of which is u n paralleled, was n o t only a crim e, it was also a b lu n d er. An excellent way, indeed, to obtain the sym pathies of a town which is doom ed to annexation, by setting it on fire an d killing n u m b ers of th e inhabitants by exploding shells! A nd has th e b o m b ard m en t advanced the su rre n d e r by one single day? N ot th at we can see. If th e G erm ans w ant to annex th e town an d b reak th e F rench sym pathies of the inhabitants, th eir plan would have been to take the town by as short a re g u la r siege as possible, then besiege th e citadel, and place the co m m an d er on th e h o rn s of th e dilem m a, eith er to neglect some of th e m eans of defence at his disposal o r to fire on the town. As it is, the im m ense quantities of shell throw n into S trasbourg have no t superseded th e necessity fo r a re g u lar siege. O n the 29th of A ugust the first parallel h ad to be o p en ed on th e north-w estern side of the fortress, n e a r Schiltigheim , ru n n in g at a distance of from 500 to 650 yards from the works. O n th e 3 rd of Septem ber th e second parallel (some co rresp o n d en ts call it by m istake the third) was op en ed at 330 yards; th e useless b o m b ard m en t has

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been stopped by o rd e r of the K ing of Prussia, an d it m ay take till ab o u t the 17th o r 2 0 th before a practicable breach can be m ade in th e ram p arts. B ut all estim ates in this case are hazardous. It is the first instance of a siege in which the percussion shells o f m o d ern rifled artillery are used against m asonry. In th eir trials d u rin g the d ism anding of Julich the Prussians obtained ex trao rd in ary results; m asonry was breached an d blockhouses w ere dem olished at great distances, an d by indirect fire (that is, from batteries w here the object fired at could not be seen); bu t this was m erely a peace e x p erim en t an d will have to be confirm ed in actual war. S trasbourg will serve to give us a p retty good idea of th e effect of th e m o d ern heavy rifled artillery in siege operations, an d on this account its siege deserves to be w atched with peculiar interest.

T H E RISE AND FALL O F ARM IES

[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1740, S eptem ber 10, 1870]

W hen Louis N apoleon fo u n d e d th e E m pire which was peace, on the votes of the peasants an d on the bayonets of th eir sons, the soldiers of the arm y, th at arm y did n o t occupy a particularly p ro m in en t ra n k in E urope, except, p erh ap s, by tradition. T h e re h ad been peace since 1815 peace in te rru p te d , fo r som e arm ies, by the events of 1848 a n d 1849. T h e A ustrians h ad gone th ro u g h a successful cam paign in Italy and a disastrous one in H ungary; n eith er Russia in H u n g ary n o r Prussia in S outh G erm any had g ath ered any laurels w orth speaking of; Russia h ad h e r p e rm a n e n t w ar in th e Caucasus an d F rance in A lgeria.B ut none o f th e great arm ies h ad m et a n o th er on the field of battle since 1815. Louis Philippe h ad left th e F rench arm y in a condition of anything b u t efficiency; th e A lgerian troops, a n d especially the p et corps fo u n d e d m ore o r less fo r A frican w a rfare Chasseurs-aPied,"" Zouaves, T urcos, C hasseurs d A friq u e '' w ere in d eed the objects of m uch attention; b u t the mass of th e infan try , the cavalry, an d the m ateriel in F rance were m uch neglected. T h e R epublic did no t im prove th e state of th e arm y. B ut th e E m pire cam e which was peace, a n d si vis pacem , p ara bellu m " to it the arm y at once becam e th e chief object of attention. At th at time F rance possessed a g reat m any com paratively young officers who
W ritten on S eptem ber 9 o r 10, 1870. Ed. N apoleon I l l s speech at B ordeaux, O ctober 9, 1852, Oeuvres, t. 3, Paris, 1856. L ight infantry. Ed. A frican infantry. Ed. If you desire to m aintain peace, be p re p a re d fo r w a r (Vegetius, Epitome institutorum rei militar, 3, pro).). E d

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h ad served, in high positions, in A frica at the tim e w hen th ere was still som e serious fighting there. She possessed, in the A lgerian special corps, troops who u n doubtedly w ere su p erio r to any others in E urope. She had, in the n u m ero u s substitutes, a g re ater n u m b er of professional soldiers who h ad seen service, real veterans, th an any o th er continental Power. T h e one thing necessary was to elevate as m uch as possible the mass of the troops to th e level of the special corps. T his was done to a great extent. T h e pas gym nastique (the d o u b le of the English), h ith erto practised by the special corps only, was ex tended to the whole infan try , and thus a rapidity of m anoeuvring was obtained previously unknow n to arm ies. T h e cavalry was m ounted, as fa r as possible, with b etter horses; the m ateriel of the whole arm y was looked to and com pleted; and, finally, the C rim ean w ar was com m enced. T h e organization of the F rench arm y showed to g reat advantage beside th at of the English; the num erical p ro p o rtio n s of the Allied arm ies naturally gave the principal p art of th e g lo ry w hatever th ere was of it to the F rench; the ch aracter of th e war, circling entirely ro u n d one g ra n d siege, b ro u g h t o u t to the best advantage the peculiarly m athem atical genius of th e F rench as applied by th eir engineers; an d altogether the C rim ean w ar again elevated the F rench arm y to the ra n k of the first arm y in Europe. T h e n cam e the period of the rifle a n d the rifled gun. T h e incom parable superiority of the fire o f the rifled over the sm ooth-bore m usket led to the abolition, o r in some cases to the general rifling, of the latter.^ Prussia had h e r old m uskets converted into rifles in less than one year; E ngland gradually gave th e Enfield, A ustria an excellent sm all-bore rifle (Lorentz), to the whole infantry. F rance alone retained the old sm ooth-bore m usket, th e rifle being confined, as before, to the special corps alone. B ut while the mass of h e r artillery retained the short tw elve-pounder, a p et invention of th e E m peror, bu t of in ferio r efficiency to the old artillery on account of th e red u ced ch a rg e a n u m b er of rifled fo u r-p o u n d e r batteries w ere eq u ip p ed an d held in read i ness fo r a war. T h e ir construction was faulty, being the first rifled g uns m ade since the fifteenth century; b u t th eir efficiency was m uch su p erio r to th at of any sm ooth-bore field gun in existence. U n d e r these circum stances the Italian w ar broke out.' T h e A ustrian arm y h ad ra th e r easy-going ways; ex trao rd in ary efforts h ad seldom been its forte; in fact, it was respectable, and nothing
Engels has fo rm e r, clearly a slip of th e pen. Ed.

m ore. Its com m anders co u n ted som e of th e best an d a g reat m any the w orst generals of th e age. C o u rt influence b ro u g h t the mass o f the latter into h igh com m and. T h e b lu n d ers of th e A ustrian generals, the g re ater am bition of th e F rench soldiers, gave the French arm y a ra th e r h a rd -fo u g h t victory. M agenta b ro u g h t no trophies at all; Solferino only a few; an d politics d ro p p e d th e curtain before th e real difficulty of th e war, the contest fo r the Q uadrilateral, could com e off. A fter this cam paign th e F rench was th e m odel arm y of E iirope. I f after the C rim ean w ar th e F rench C hasseur-a-Pied h ad already becom e the beau ideal of a foot soldier, this ad m iratio n was now extended to the whole of th e F rench arm y. Its institutions were studied; its cam ps becam e in stru ctin g schools for officers of all nations. T h e invincibility of th e F rench becam e alm ost a E u ro p ean article of faith. In th e m eantim e France rifled all h e r old m uskets, and arm ed all h e r artillery with rifled cannon. B ut the sam e cam paign which elevated th e F rench arm y to th e first ra n k in E u ro p e gave rise to efforts which en d ed in p ro cu rin g for it, first a rival, th en a co n q u ero r. T h e Prussian arm y from 1815 to 1850 h ad u n d e rg o n e th e sam e process of ru stin g as all o th er E uro p ean hosts. B ut fo r Prussia this ru st of peace becam e a g re ater clog in h e r fighting m achinery th an anyw here else. T h e Prussian system at th at tim e u n ited a line a n d a lan d w eh r regim ent in every brigade, so th at one half of th e field troops had to be form ed anew on m obilization. T h e m aterial fo r th e line and landw ehr had becom e utterly deficient; th ere was a great deal of petty pilfering am o n g th e responsible m en. A ltogether, w hen the conflict of 1850 with A ustria com pelled a m obilization, th e whole thing broke dow n m iserably, an d Prussia had to pass th ro u g h the C audine Forks.^ T h e m ateriel was im m ediately replaced at great cost, an d the whole organization revised, b u t in its details only. W hen the Italian w ar of 1859 com pelled an o th er m obilization, the m ateriel was in b etter o rd e r, b u t not even th en com plete; an d the spirit of the landw ehr, excellent fo r a national war, showed itself com pletely unm anageable duriihg a m ilitary dem o n stratio n which m ight lead to a w ar with eith er one o r th e o th er of th e belligerents. T h e reorganization of th e arm y was resolved upon. T his reorganization, carried o u t beh in d th e back of the P arliam ent, kept th e whole of th e thirty-tw o lan d w eh r regim ents of infantry u n d e r arm s, gradually filling u p th e ranks by an increased levy of recruits, an d finally fo rm in g them into line regim ents, increasing th eir n u m b er from forty to seventy-two. T h e artillery was increased in the sam e p ro p o rtio n , the cavalry in a
of

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m uch sm aller one. T his increase of the arm y was about p ro p o rtio n al to th at of the population of Prussia from 1815 to 1860, from 10 Vz to 18 Vs millions. In spite of the opposition of the Second Chamber,^ it rem ained practically in force. T h e arm y was, besides, m ade m ore efficient in every respect. It h ad been the first to supply th e whole of the in fan try with rifles. Now the needle-gun breech-loader, which had h ith erto been supplied to a fraction of the in fan try only, was given to all, an d a reserve stock p re p are d . T h e experim ents with rifled artillery, carried on fo r som e years, w ere b ro u g h t to a close, a n d th e ad o p ted m odels gradually replaced the sm ooth-bores. T h e excessive p arad e drill, in h erited from stiff old F rederick William III, m ade room m ore an d m ore fo r a b etter system of training, in which outpost duty an d skirm ishing w ere chiefly practised, and the m odels in both branches w ere to a g reat ex ten t the A lgerian French. For the detached battalions the com pany colum n was ad o p ted as the chief fighting form ation. T arget-shooting was paid g reat attention to, an d capital results w ere obtained. T h e cavalry was likewise m uch im proved. T h e breed of horses, especially in East Prussia, the g reat ho rse-b reeding country, had been atten d ed to fo r years, m uch A rab blood having been introduced, an d the fruits now began to becom e available. T h e East Prussian horse, in ferio r in size an d speed to th e English tro o p er, is a fa r su p erio r war horse, an d will stand five times as m uch cam paigning. T h e professional education of the officers, which had been m uch neglected fo r a long time, was again screwed u p to th e prescribed very high level, a n d alto g eth er the Prussian arm y was u n d erg o in g a com plete change. T h e D anish war^ was sufficient to show to any one who would see th at this was th e case; bu t people would no t see. T h e n cam e th e th u n d erc lap of 1866, an d people could no t help seeing. Next, th ere was an extension of the Prussian system to the N orth G erm an arm y, an d in its fu n d am en tal essentials to the South G erm an arm ies too; a n d how easily it can be in tro d u ced th e result has shown. A nd then cam e 1870. B ut m 1870 the F rench arm y was no lo nger th at of 1859. T h e peculation, jobbery, an d general m isuse of public du ty fo r private in terest which fo rm ed th e essential base of the system of the Second Ernpire, h ad seized th e arm y. If H aussm ann and his crew m ade millions o u t of the im m ense Paris jo b , if the whole D ep artm en t of Public W orks, if every G overnm ent contract, every civil office, was shamelessly an d openly tu rn e d into a m eans of ro b bing the public, was the arm y alone to rem ain virtuous the arm y to which Louis N apoleon owed everything the arm y,

com m anded by m en who w ere quite as fond of w ealth as the m ore fo rtu n a te civilian hangers-on of th e C ourt? A nd w hen it came to be know n th at th e G o vernm ent was in the habit of receiving the m oney for substitutes w ithout providing these substitutes a thing necessarily known to every regim ental officer; w hen those o th er peculations in stores &c., com m enced which were to supply th e fu n d s secretly paid over to th e E m p ero r by the Ministry of W ar; w hen the highest places h ad to be held by m en who w ere in the secret and could not be dism issed w hatever they did o r neglected th e n the dem oralization sp read to th e reg im en tal officers. W e are fa r from saying th at peculation at the public expense becam e com m on am ong them ; b u t co n tem p t fo r th eir superiors, neglect of duty, an d decay of discipline w ere the necessary consequences. If th e chiefs had com m anded respect, w ould the officers have d ared , as was th e rule, to drive in coaches on the m arch? T h e whole th in g h ad becom e rotten ; the atm osphere of co rru p tio n in which th e Second E m pire lived had at last taken effect u p o n th e m ain p ro p of th at E m pire, th e arm y; in the h o u r of trial, th ere was n o th in g b u t th e glorious traditions of the service an d th e in n ate bravery of th e soldiers to oppose the enem y, and these are n o t alone sufficient to keep an arm y in the forem ost rank.

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N otes o n th e W ar. X V III

101

N O TE S O N T H E WAR. X V I IP

[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1744, S eptem ber 15, 1870]

T h e re still ap p ears to exist great m isapprehension with re g ard to th e siege operations now going on in France. Some of o u r contem poraries, T he Tim es fo r instance, incline tow ards the opinion th at the G erm ans, excellent th o u g h they be in the field, do n o t u n d ersta n d how to carry on a siege ^ others suppose th at the siege of S trasbourg is carried on for the p u rp o se n o t so m uch of g etting hold of the town as of m aking experim ents and exercism g the G erm an engineers an d artillerists. A nd all this because n eith er S trasbourg, n o r T oul, n o r Metz, n o r Phalsbourg has as yet su rre n d ere d . It appears to be com pletely fo rg o tten that the last siege carried on previous to this war, th at of Sebastopol, re q u ired eleven m onths of o p en trenches before the place was reduced. T o rectify such cru d e notions, which could no t be p u t fo rth but by people u n acquainted with m ilitary m atters, it will be necessary to recall to them w hat sort of a proceeding a siege really is. T h e ra m p a rt of m ost fortresses is bastioned th at is to say, it has at its angles pentagonal projections called bastions, which protect by th eir fire both the space in fro n t of the works an d th e ditch lying im rnediately at th eir foot. In this ditch, betw een every two bastions, th ere is a detached trian g u lar w ork called th e dem i-lune, which covers p a rt of the bastions, a n d th e c u rta in th at is, the p o rtio n of ra m p a rt betw een them ; the ditch extends ro u n d this dem i-lune. O utside this m ain ditch th ere is the covered way, a
^ W ritten betw een S eptem ber 10 a n d 15, 1870. d. 1870 i nf or me d th a t... , The Times, No. 26854, S eptem ber 13,

road pro tected by the edge of th e glacis, an elevation of g ro u n d about seven feet high, a n d gendy sloping dow n externally. In m any cases th ere are o th e r works ad d ed to com plicate the difficulties of the attack. T h e ra m p a rts of all these works are lined at the bottom with m asonry o r p ro tected by w ater in th e ditches, so as to re n d e r an assault on the intact works im possible; a n d th e works are so arra n g e d th at the o u ter ones are always com m a n d e d th at is, looked dow n u p o n by th e in n er ones, while they them selves com m and th e field by th e h eig h t of th eir ram parts. T o attack such a fortress th e m eth o d p erfected by V auban is still the one m ade use of, alth o u g h the rifled artillery of th e besieged may com pel variations if th e g ro u n d befo re th e fortress be perfectly level to a g reat distance. B ut as alm ost all these fortresses w ere constructed u n d e r th e reig n of sm ooth-bore artillery, the g ro u n d beyond 800 yards from th e works is generally left o u t of the calculation, an d in alm ost every case will give th e besiegers a sheltered ap p ro ach u p to th at distance w ithout re g u lar trenches. T h e first thing, th en , is to invest th e place, drive in its outposts an d o th e r detachm ents, reco n n o itre th e works, get th e siege guns, am m unition, an d o th er stores to th e fro n t, an d organize th e depots. In the p resen t w ar a first b o m b ard m en t by field g uns also belonged to this prelim inary period, which may last a considerable time. S trasbourg was loosely invested on the 10th of A ugust, closely ab o u t the 20th, b o m b ard ed from th e 2 3 rd to th e 28th, an d yet th e re g u la r siege began on th e 29th only. T h is re g u la r siege dates from the o p en in g of th e first parallel, a tren ch with the ea rth throw n u p on th e side tow ards th e fortress, so as to h id e an d shelter the m en passing th ro u g h it. T h is first parallel generally encircles the works at a distance of from 600 to 700 yards. In it are established th e enfilading batteries; they are placed in the prolongation of all th e faces th at is, those lines of ra m p a rt whose fire com m ands th e field; an d this is do n e u p o n all th at p a rt of the fortress which is subjected to attack. T h e ir object is to fire along these faces, an d th u s to destroy th e guns an d kill th e g u n n ers placed u p o n them . T h e re m ust be at least tw enty such batteries, w ith from two to th ree guns each; say fifty heavy guns in all. T h e re w ere also usually placed in th e first parallel a n u m b er of m ortars to bo m b ard th e town o r th e bo m b p ro o f m agazines of the garrison; they will, with o u r p resen t artillery, be re q u ired only for th e latter purpo se, rifled guns being now sufficient fo r th e form er. From th e first parallel, tren ch es are p u sh ed in advance in lines, the prolongatio n of which does n o t touch th e works of the
b ro a d

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fortress, so th at none of the works can enfilade them ; they advance in zigzag until they arrive within about 350 yards from th e works, w here the second parallel is then trac ed a trench sim ilar to th e first, bu t sh o rter in length. T his is generally done the fo u rth o r fifth night afte r th e op en in g of the trenches. In the second parallel are established the counter-batteries, one against each of th e attacked faces, an d nearly parallel to them ; they are to dem olish the guns an d ram p arts face to face, an d cross th eir fire with the enfilading batteries. T h ey will contain in all about sixty guns of heavy calibre. T h e n , again, the besiegers advance by new zigzags, which becom e sh o rter and closer to g eth er the n e a re r they com e to th e fortress. At about 150 yards from th e works the half-parallel is d u g ou t fo r m o rtar batteries, a n d at the foot of the glacis, ab out sixty yards from the works, the th ird parallel is placed, w hich again contains m o rtar batteries. T his m ay be com pleted on the n in th o r ten th n ight of open trenches. In this proxim ity to the works the real difficulty begins. T h e artillery fire of the besieged, as fa r as it com m ands the open, will by this tim e have been p retty nearly silenced, bu t the m usketry from th e ra m p arts is now m ore effective th an ever, an d will retard th e work in th e trenches very m uch. T h e approaches now have to be m ade with m uch g re ater caution an d u p o n a d iffe ren t plan which we cannot explain h ere in detail. T h e eleventh night may b rin g the besieger to th e salient angles of the covered way, in fro n t of th e salient points of th e bastions a n d dem i-lunes; an d by the sixteenth n ight he m ay have com pleted the crow ning of the glacis th at is to say, carried along his trenches behind the crest of th e glacis parallel to the covered way. T h e n only will he be in a position to establish batteries in o rd e r to break the m asonry of the ra m p a rts so as to effect a passage across the ditch into th e fortress, a n d to silence the guns on the bastion flanks, which fire along the ditch a n d forbid its passage. T hese flanks an d th eir guns may be destroyed an d the breach effected on the seventeenth day O n the following n ig h t the descent into th e ditch an d a covered way across it to p rotect the storm ing party against flanking fire may be com pleted and the assault given. We have in this sketch attem pted to give an account of the course of siege operations against one of the weakest an d sim plest classes of fortress (a V aubans hexagon), an d to fix the tim e necessary fo r the various stages of th e siege if un d istu rb ed by successful sallies on the supposition th at the defence does not display ex trao rd in ary activity, courage, o r resources. Yet, even u n d e r these favourable circum stances, we see it will take at least

seventeen days befo re th e m ain ram p arts can be b reached, and thereby the place o p en ed to an assault. If th e garrison be sufficient in n u m b er an d well supplied, th ere is no m ilitary reason w hatever why they should su rre n d e r before; from a m erely m ilitary point of view it is n o th in g b u t th eir d uty th at they should hold o u t at least so long. A nd th en people com plain th at Strasbourg, which has been subjected to b u t fo u rteen days of open trenches, and which possesses outw orks on th e fro n t of attack, enabling it to hold o u t at least five days lo n g er th an the average th at S trasbourg has n o t yet been taken. T h ey com plain th at Metz, T oul, P halsbourg have n o t yet su rre n d ere d . B ut we do not yet know w h eth er a single tren ch has been o p en ed against T oul, and of the o th er fortresses we know th at they are not yet regularly besieged at all. As to Metz, th ere seems at p resen t no intention to besiege it regularly; th e starving o u t of B azaines arm y appears the m ost effective way of taking it. T h ese im patient w riters o u g h t to know th at th ere are b u t very few com m anders of fortresses who will s u rre n d e r to a p atro l of fo u r Lancers, o r even to a bom bardm en t, if they have anything like sufficient garrisons an d stores at th eir com m and. If Stettin su rre n d e re d in 1807 to a regim ent of cavalry, if th e F rench b o rd e r fortresses in 1815 capitulated u n d e r th e effect, o r even the fear, of a short bom bardm ent, we roust not fo rg et th at W oerth an d Spicheren to g eth er am o u n ted n eith er to a Jena^'^ n o r to a W aterloo and, m oreover, it would be p rep o stero u s to d o u b t th at th ere are plenty of officers in the F rench arm y w ho can hold o u t a re g u lar siege even with a garrison of G ardes Mobiles.

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H ow to Fight th e Prussians

105

H O W T O F IG H T T H E PRUSSIANS =

[The Pall M all Gazette, N o . 1746, S eptem ber 17, 1870]

A fter th e Italian w ar of 1859, w hen the F rench m ilitary pow er was at its height. Prince F rederick C harles of Prussia, the same who is now investing B azaines arm y in Metz, w rote a pam phlet, How to F ight the Fr ench. At the p resen t day, w hen the im m ense m ilitary stren g th of G erm any, organized u p o n the Prussian system, is carrying everything before it, people begin to ask them selves who is in fu tu re , an d how, to fight the Prussians. A n d w hen a w ar in which G erm any, at th e beginning, m erely d efen d ed h e r own against F rench chauvinism e appears to be ch anging gradually, b u t surely, into a w ar in the interests of a new G erm an chauvinisme, it is w orth while to consider th at question. Providence always is on the side of the big battalions was a favourite way of the N apoleons to explain how batdes w ere won an d lost. It is u p o n this principle th at Prussia has acted. She took care to have the big battalions. W hen, in 1807, N apoleon fo rb ad e h e r to have an arm y of m ore than 40,000 m en, she dism issed h e r recruits afte r six m o n th s drill, an d p u t fresh m en in th eir places; and in 1813 she was able to b rin g into the field 250,000 soldiers ou t of a population of four-and-a-half millions. A fterw ards, this sam e principle of short service with the regim ent a n d long liability fo r service in the reserve was m ore fully developed, and, besides, b ro u g h t into harm ony with the necessities of an absolute m onarchy. T h e m en were kept from two to three years with the regim ents, so as no t only to drill them well, but also to b reak them in com pletely to habits of unconditional obedience.
W ritten a bout S eptem ber 16, 1870. [Friedrich Karl von Preussen,] Ueber die Kampfweise der Franzosen [I860].__ Ed.

Now, h ere is th e weak p oint in the Prussian system. It has to reconcile two d iffe re n t an d finally incom patible objects. O n the o ne han d , it preten d s to m ake every able-bodied m an a soldier; to have a standing arm y fo r no o th e r object th an to be a school in which the citizens learn th e use of arm s, an d a nucleus ro u n d which they rally in tim e of attack from abroad. So far th e system is purely defensive. But, on th e o th er h an d , this sam e arm y is to be the arm ed su p p o rt, th e m ainstay, of a quasi-absolute G overnm ent; a n d fo r this pu rp o se th e school of arm s fo r th e citizens has to be changed into a school of absolute obedience to superiors, an d of royalist sentim ents. T his can be d o n e by length of service only. H ere the incom patibility com es out. Foreign defensive policy requires th e drilling of m any m en fo r a sh o rt period, so as to have in the reserve large n u m b ers in case of foreign attack; an d hom e policy requires th e break in g in of a lim ited n u m b er of m en fo r a longer period, so as to have a tru stw orthy arm y in case of in tern al revolt. T h e quasi-absolute m onarchy chose an in term ed iate way. It kept the m en full th ree years u n d e r arm s, an d lim ited th e n u m b er of recruits according to its financial m eans. T h e boasted universal liability to m ilitary service does n o t in reality exist. It is changed into a conscription distinguished from th at of o th er countries m erely by being m ore oppressive. It costs m ore m oney, it takes m ore m en, a n d it ex tends th eir liability to be called o u t to a far longer period th a n is th e case anyw here else. A nd, at th e same time, w hat originally was a people arm ed fo r th eir own defence now becom es chan g ed into a ready an d h an d y arm y of attack, into an in stru m en t of C abinet policy. In 1861 Prussia had a population of ra th e r m o re th an eighteen millions, an d every year 227,000 young m en becam e liable to m ilitary service by attaining th e age of twenty.^* O u t of these, fully one-half w ere bodily fit fo r service if n o t th ere an d th en , at least a couple of years afterw ards. Well, instead of 114,000 recruits, not m ore th an 63,000 w ere annually placed in the ranks; so th at very n ea r one-half of the able-bodied m ale population w ere excluded from instruction in th e use of arm s. W hoever has been in Prussia d u rin g a w ar m ust have been struck by the en o rm o u s n u m b er of strong hearty fellows betw een twenty a n d thirty-tw o who rem ain ed quietly at hom e. T h e state of suspended an im atio n which special

Resultate d e r E rsatz-A ushebungsgeschafts im preussischen Staate in den Jah ren von 1855 bis m it 1862 , Zeitschrift des koniglich preussischen statistischen Bureaus, No. 3, M arch 1864. Ed.

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107

co rresp o n d en ts have noticed in Prussia d u rin g the w ar exists in th eir own im agination o n ly / Since 1866 the n u m b er of annual recruits in the N orth-G erm an C o n fed eratio n has not exceeded 93,000, on a population of 30,000,000. If the full com plem ent of able-bodied young m en even after th e strictest m edical scrutiny w ere taken, it would am o u n t to at least 170,000. Dynastic necessities on the one side, financial necessities on the oth er, d eterm in ed this lim itation of the n u m b e r of recruits. T h e arm y rem ained a handy in stru m en t for absolutist purposes at hom e, fo r C abinet wars abroad; b u t as to th e full stren g th of the nation fo r defence, th at was no t nearly m ade available. Still this system m aintained an im m ense superiority over the old-fashioned cadre system of the o th er great continental armies. As co m pared to them , Prussia drew twice the n u m b er of soldiers from th e sam e n u m b e r of population. A nd she has m anaged to m ake them good soldiers too, thanks to a system which exhausted h e r resources, an d which w ould never have been e n d u re d by the people h ad it no t been fo r Louis N apoleons constant feelers for th e R hine fro n tier, a n d fo r the aspirations tow ards G erm an unity of which this arm y was instinctively felt to be the necessary instru m en t. T h e R hine an d the unity of G erm any once secure, th at arm y system m ust becom e intolerable. H ere we have the answ er to th e question. How to fight the Prussians. If a nation equally populous, equally intelligent, equally brave, equally civilized w ere to carry o u t in reality th at which in Prussia is do ne on p a p e r only, to m ake a soldier of every able-bodied citizen; if th at nation lim ited th e actual tim e of service in peace an d fo r drill to w hat is really re q u ired fo r the purpose a n d no m ore; if it kept u p the organization fo r the war establishm ent in the same effective way as Prussia has lately d o n e th en , we say, that nation would possess the sam e im m ense advantage over Prussianized G erm any th at Prussianized G erm any has proved herself to possess over F rance in this p resen t war. A ccording to first-rate Prussian authorities (including G eneral von Roon, th e M inister of W ar) two years service is quite sufficient to tu rn a lout into a good soldier. W ith the perm ission of h e r M ajestys' m artinets, we should even be inclined to say th at fo r the mass of th e recruits eighteen m o n th s two sum m ers an d one w in ter w ould suffice. B ut the exact length of service is a
B erlin, July 17 , The Times, No. 26807, July 20, 1870. I V ictoria. Ed.

secondary question. T h e Prussians, as we have seen, obtained excellent results after six m onths service, an d with m en who h ad bu t just ceased to be serfs. T h e m ain p oint is, th at th e principle of universal liability to service be really carried out. A nd if the w ar be co n tin u ed to th at b itter en d fo r which the G erm an Philistines are now shouting, th e d ism em b erm en t of France, we may d e p e n d u p o n it th at th e F rench will ad o p t th at principle. T h ey have been so far a warlike b u t n o t a m ilitary nation. T h ey have h ated service in th at arm y of theirs which was established on th e cadre system, with long service an d few drilled reserves. T hey will be quite willing to serve in an arm y with short service an d long liability on the reserve, and they will do even m ore, if th at will enable th em to wipe o u t the insult an d restore the integrity of France. A nd th en , th e big battalions will be on the side of France, an d th e effect they p ro d u ce will be th e sam e as in this war, unless G erm any ad o p t th e sam e system. B ut th ere will be this difference. As th e Prussian lan d w eh r system was progress com pared with the F rench cad re system, because it red u ced th e tim e of service an d increased th e n u m b er of m en capable to d efen d th eir country, so will this new system of really universal liability to serve be an advance u p o n th e Prussian system. A rm am ents fo r w ar will becom e m o re colossal, b u t peace-arm ies will becom e sm aller; th e citizens of a country will, every o ne of them , have to fight o u t the q u arrels of th eir ru lers in p erson and no longer by substitute; defence will becom e stronger, an d attack will becom e m ore difficult; an d th e very extension of arm ies will finally tu rn o u t to be a red u ctio n of expense an d a g u aran tee of peace.

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N otes on the W ar. X IX

109

N O TE S ON T H E WAR. X IX

[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1754, S eptem ber 27, 1870]

T h e fortifications of Paris have shown th eir value already. T o them alone it is ow ing th at the G erm ans have no t been in possession of the town fo r m ore th an a week. In 1814 half a days fighting about th e heights of M ontm artre com pelled th e city to capitulate. In 1815, a ra n g e of earthw orks, constructed from the b eg inning of the cam paign, created som e delay; b u t their resistance would have been very short h ad it not been fo r the absolute certainty on the p a rt o f th e Allies th at the city would be h an d e d over to them w ithout fighting.* In this p resen t war, w hatever th e G erm ans m ay have expected from diplom acy has not been allowed to in terfe re with th eir m ilitary action. A nd this sam e m ilitary action, short, sharp, an d decisive u p to th e m iddle of S eptem ber, becam e slow, hesitating, tatonnante'' from the day the G erm an colum ns got within the sphere of operation of that im m ense fortified cam p, Paris. A nd naturally so. T h e m ere m vestm ent of such a vast place requires tim e an d caution, even if you ap p ro ach it with 200,000 o r 250,000 m en. A force so large as th at will be hardly sufficient to invest it properly on all sides, th o u g h , as in this p resen t case, the town contains no arm y fit to take th e field an d to fight pitched batdes. T h a t th ere is no such arm y in Paris the pitiable results of G eneral D ucrots sally near M eudon have m ost decisively proved. H e re the troops of the line behaved positively worse than the G arde Mobile; they actually bo lted , " the renow ned Zouaves leading the way. T h e thing is
W ritten betw een S eptem ber 23 a n d 27, 1870. I U n certain . Ed. ^ See official G erm an re p o rt F errieres, Sept. 2 2 , The Times, No. 26863, S eptem ber 23, 1870, and F rench re p o rt T o u rs, Sept. 25, E vening , The Times, No. 26865, S eptem ber 26, 1870. Ed.

easily explained. T h e old soldiers mostly m en of M acM ahons, De Faillys, an d Felix D ouays corps, who h ad fo u g h t at W o e rth w ere com pletely dem oralized by two disastrous retreats an d six weeks of constant ill-success; an d it is b u t n atu ral th at such causes will tell m ost severely u p o n m ercenaries, fo r th e Zouaves, consisting mostly of substitutes, deserve no o th er nam e. A nd these were the m en who w ere expected to steady the raw recruits with which the th in n ed battalions of the line h ad been filled u p. A fter this affair th ere may be small raids, successful h e re an d there, b u t th ere will scarcely be any m ore battles in th e open. A n o th er point; T h e G erm ans say th at Paris is co m m anded by th eir guns from th e heights n ear Sceaux^*; b u t this assertion is to be taken with a considerable g rain of salt. T h e nearest heights on which they can have placed any batteries above Fontenay-auxRoses, about 1,500 m etres from th e fo rt of Vanves, are fully 8,000 m etres, o r 8,700 yards, from th e cen tre of th e town. T h e G erm ans have no heavier field artillery th an the so-called rifled 6 -p o u n d e r (weight of projectile about 15 lb.), b u t even if they h ad rifled 12-pounders, with projectiles of 32 lb., ready to h an d , th e extrem e ran g e of these guns, at th e angles of elevation fo r which th eir lim bers are constructed, would n o t exceed 4,500 o r 5,000 m etres. T h u s this boast need n o t frig h ten th e Parisians. Unless two or m ore forts are taken, Paris need n o t fear a bo m b ard m en t; and even then the shells w ould sp read them selves so m uch over the enorm ous surface th at th e dam age m ust be com paratively small an d the m oral effect alm ost nothing. Look at th e en o rm o u s mass of artillery b ro u g h t to b ear u p o n Strasbourg: how m uch m ore will be re q u ired fo r red u cin g Paris, even if we keep in m ind th at the re g u lar attack by parallels will naturally be confined to a small portio n of the works! A nd until th e G erm ans can b rin g to g eth er u n d e r the walls of Paris all this artillery, with am m unition and all o th e r appliances, Paris is safe. From th e m om ent th e siege m ateriel is ready, from th at m om ent alone does th e real d a n g e r begin. We see now clearly w hat great intrinsic stren g th th ere is in the fortifications of Paris. If to this passive stren g th , this m ere pow er of resistance, w ere ad d ed th e active strength, the pow er of attack of a real arm y, the value of the fo rm er w ould be im m ediately increased. W hile th e investing force is unavoidably divided, by the rivers Seine a n d M arne, into at least th ree separate portions, which cannot com m unicate with each o th er except by bridges
a B erlin, Sept. 23, 10 A .M . , The Times, No. 26863, .Septem ber 23, 1870. Ed.

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constructed to the re a r of th eir fighting positions th at is to say, by ro u n d a b o u t roads an d with loss of tim e only the great mass of the arm y in Paris could attack with su p erio r forces any one of these th ree portions at its choice, inflict losses u p o n it, destroy any works com m enced, an d re tire u n d e r shelter of the forts before the besiegers supports h ad tim e to com e up. In case this arm y in Paris were n o t too weak com pared with the besiegers forces, it m ight re n d e r the com plete investm ent of the place im possible, o r break th ro u g h it at any time. A nd how necessary it is to com pletely invest a besieged place so long as reinforcem ents from w ithout are no t com pletely o u t of th e question has been shown in the case of Sebastopol, w here th e siege was p ro tracted entirely by the constant arrival of Russian reinforcem ents in the n o rth e rn half of the fortress, access to which could be cut off at the very last m om ent only. T h e m ore events will develop them selves before Paris, the m ore evident will becom e the perfect absurdity of the Im perialist generalship d u rin g this war, by which two arm ies w ere sacrificed an d Paris left w ithout its chief arm of defence, the pow er of retaliating attack fo r attack. As to th e provisioning such a large town, the difficulties ap p e ar to us even less th an in the case of a sm aller place. A capital like Paris is n o t only provided with a perfect com m ercial organization fo r provisioning itself at all times; it is at the sam e tim e the chief m ark et an d storehouse w here the agricultural pro d u ce of an extensive district is collected an d exchanged. A n active G overn m en t could easily take m easures to provide, by using these facilities, am ple stores fo r th e d u ra tio n of an average siege. W h eth er this has been d o n e we have n o m eans of judging; but why it m ight no t have been done, and rapidly too, we cannot see. Anyhow, if the fighting goes on to th e b itter e n d , as we now h e a r it will, resistance will probably not be very long from the day th e trenches are opened. T h e m asonry of the scarps is ra th e r exposed, an d th e absence of dem i-lunes before the curtains favours th e advance of the besieger an d the breaching of the walls. T h e confined space of the forts adm its of a lim ited n u m b er of d efen d ers only; th eir resistance to an assault, unless seconded by an advance of troops th ro u g h the intervals of the forts, cannot be serious. B ut if the trenches can be carried u p the glacis of the forts w ithout being destroyed by such sallies of the arm y in Paris, this very fact proves th at that arm y is too w eak in num bers.

organization, o r m o rale to sally fo rth with a chance of success on the night of th e assault. A couple of forts once taken, it is to be h o p ed th e town will desist from a hopeless struggle. If not, the o p eratio n of a siege will have to be rep eated , a couple of breaches effected, an d th e town again sum m oned to su rre n d er. A nd if th at be again rejected, then m ay com e the equally chanceless struggle on the barricades. Let us hope th at such useless sacrifices will be spared.

^ Paris, Sept. 14 , The Times, No. 26858, S ep tem ber 17, 1870. Ed.

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garrisons to becom e prisoners of war. T o u l a n d V erd u n a p p e a r to have been m ore o r less conceded. B ut Strasbourg? T h e d em an d was taken by M. Favre simply as an insult an d as n o th in g else. T H E STORY O F T H E N E G O T IA T IO N S =
You fo rg et th at you are speaking to a F renchm an, M. le C om te. T o thus sacrifice an heroic g arrison w hose beh av io u r has been ad m ired universally, a n d m ore particularly by us, w ould be cow ardice, a n d I prom ise n o t to say th a t you have o ffere d us such a co n d itio n .

[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1758, O ctober 1, 1870]

T h e story we laid before o u r read ers yesterday according to the version of M. Jules Favre we have no difficulty in accepting as correct; always excepting little errors, such as w hen Bism arck is said to in ten d the annexation of Metz, Chateau-Salins, and Soissons. M. Favre evidently is ig n o ran t of the geographical w hereabouts of Soissons. T h e C o u n t said S arrebourg, which town has long been singled o u t as falling within the new strategical b o rd e r line, while Soissons is as m uch outside of it as Paris o r T royes. In his re n d e rin g of the term s of the conversation M. Favre m ay no t be quite exact; b u t w here he asserts facts contested by the officious Prussian press, n eu tral E urope will be generally disposed to go by his statem ent. T hus, if at B erlin what M. Favre says about th e s u rre n d e r of M ont V alerien being pro p o sed at one tim e is disputed, th ere will be few to believe that M. Favre eith er invented this o r totally m isunderstood C ount Bism arcks m eaning. His own re p o rt shows b u t too clearly how little M. Favre u n d ersto o d the actual situation, o r how confused an d indistinct was his view of it. H e cam e to tre a t about an arm istice which was to lead to peace. His supposition th at F rance still has the pow er of com pelling h e r o p p o n en ts to ab an d o n all claim to territorial cession we readily excuse; b u t on w hat term s he expected to obtain a cessation of hostilities it is h a rd to say. T h e points finally insisted u p o n w ere th e su rre n d e r of Strasbourg, T oul, an d V e rd u n th eir
W ritten on O ctober 1, 1870. Ed. H ere a n d below the re fe re n ce is to T h e Story of th e N egotiations , The Pall Mall Gazette, No. 1757, S eptem ber 30, 1870. Ed.

In this reply we find little consideration of th e facts o f the case n o th in g b u t an o u tb u rst of patriotic sentim ent. Since this sentim ent op erated very pow erfully in Paris, it was not, of course, to be set aside at such a m om ent; b u t it m ight have been as well to have p o n d ered th e facts of th e case too. S trasbourg h ad been regularly besieged long en o u g h to m ake its early fall a m atter of positive certainty. A fortress regularly besieged can resist a given time; it may even p ro lo n g its defence fo r a few days by ex trao rd in ary efforts; but, unless th ere arrive an arm y to relieve it, it is m athem atically certain th at fall it m ust. T ro c h u a n d the engineering staff in Paris are perfectly aw are of this; they know th at th ere is no arm y anyw here to com e to th e relief of Strasbourg; an d yet T ro c h u s colleague in the G overnm ent, Jules Favre, appears to have p u t all this o u t of his reckoning. T h e only thing he saw in th e d em an d to s u rre n d e r S trasbourg was an insult to him self, to the garrison of Strasbourg, to th e F rench nation. B ut the chief parties in terested , G eneral U hrich an d his garrison, had certainly d o n e en o u g h fo r th eir own h o n o u r. T o spare them the last few days of a perfectly hopeless struggle, if thereby the feeble chances of salvation fo r France could be im proved, would no t have been an insult to them , b u t a w ell-m erited rew ard. G eneral U hrich m ust necessarily have p re fe rre d to s u rre n d e r to an o rd e r from the G overnm ent, an d fo r an equivalent, ra th e r th an to the th rea t of an assault an d fo r no re tu rn w hatsoever. In the m eantim e, T o u l an d S trasbourg have fallen, an d V erd u n , so long as Metz holds out, is of no earthly m ilitary use to th e G erm ans, who th u s have got, w ithout conceding th e armistice, alm ost everything B ism arck was b argaining for with Jules Favre. It would, th en , ap p e a r th at never was th ere an arm istice o ffered on ch eap er an d m o re gen ero u s term s by the co n q u ero r; never one m ore foolishly refu sed by the vanquished. Jules F avres intelli gence certainly does not shine in the transaction, th o u g h his instincts w ere probably rig h t en ough; w hereas B ism arck appears in the new character of th e gen ero u s co n q u ero r. T h e offer, as M. Favre u n d ersto o d it, was uncom m only cheap; and, had it been

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only w hat he th o u g h t, it was one to be accepted at once. B ut then the proposal was som ething m ore th an he perceived it to be. B etw een two arm ies in the field an arm istice is a m atter easily settled. A line of d em arcatio n perh ap s a belt of n eu tra l country betw een the two belligerents is established, an d the th in g is arran g ed . B ut h ere th ere is only one arm y in the field; th e other, as far as it still exists, is sh u t u p in fortresses m ore o r less invested. W hat is to becom e of all these places? W hat is to be th eir status d u rin g the armistice? B ism arck takes care no t to say a w ord about all this. If th e fo rtn ig h ts arm istice be concluded, an d n o thing said th ere in relating to these towns, the status quo is m aintained as a m atter of course, except as reg ard s actual hostilities against the g arrisons an d works. T h u s Bitche, Metz, Phalsbourg, Paris, an d we know n o t how m any o th e r fortified places, would rem ain invested an d cu t off from all supplies an d com m unications; th e people inside th em would eat u p th eir provisions just as if th ere was no arm istice; an d thus the arm istice w ould do fo r the besiegers alm ost as m uch as continued fighting w ould have done. Nay, it m ight even occur th at in the m idst of th e arm istice one o r m ore of these places would com pletely exhaust th eir stores, an d m ight have to s u rre n d e r to th e blockaders th ere an d th en , in o rd e r to avoid absolute starvation. From this it ap p ears th at C ount Bism arck, astute as ever, saw his way to m aking the arm istice red u ce the enem ys fortresses. O f course, if th e negotiations h ad continued fa r en o u g h to lead to a d ra ft agreem ent, the F rench staff would have fo u n d this out, an d w ould necessarily have m ade such dem ands, relatively to the invested towns, th at the whole thing probably w ould have fallen th ro u g h . B ut it was M. Jules Favres business to p ro b e B ism arcks proposals to the bottom , a n d to draw o u t w hat th e latter h ad an interest to hide. If h e h ad inquired w hat was to be th e status of the blockaded towns d u rin g the arm istice, he would no t have given C o u n t B ism arck the o p p o rtu n i ty of displaying before the world an a p p a re n t m agnanim ity, which was too d eep fo r M. Favre th o u g h it was b u t skin deep. Instead of th at, he fires u p at the d em an d for Strasbourg, with its garrison as prisoners of war, in a way which m akes it clear to all the world th at even after the severe lessons of th e last two m onths, the spokesm an of th e F rench G overnm ent was incapable of ap p reciat in g the actual facts of the situation because he was still sous la
dom ination de la phrase.''

N O T E S O N T H E WAR. XX

[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1759, O ctober 3, 1870]

It is a surp risin g fact, even after th e inconceivable b lu n d ers which have led to th e practical annihilation of th e F rench arm ies, th at France should be virtually at the m ercy o f a co n q u ero r who holds possession of barely one-eighth of h e r territory. T h e country actually occupied by the G erm ans is b o u n d ed by a line draw n from S trasbourg to Versailles, an d a n o th er from Versailles to Sedan. W ithin this n arro w strip th e F rench still hold th e fortresses of P ans, Metz, M ontm edy, V erd u n , Thionville, Bitche, and Phalsbourg. T h e observation, blockade, o r siege of these fortresses em ploy nearly all th e forces th at have so far been sent into France. T h e re may be plenty of cavalry left to scour th e co u n try ro u n d Paris as fa r as O rleans, R ouen, an d A m iens, an d even farth er; but a serious occupation of any extensive district is n o t to be th o u g h t of at present. T h e re is certainly a force of som e 40,000 o r 50,000 landw ehr now in Alsace south of S trasbourg, an d this arm y may be raised to double its stren g th by th e g re ater portio n of the besieging corps from S trasbourg. T hese troops are in ten d ed , it appears, fo r an excursion tow ards th e so u th ern portions of France: it is stated th at they are to m arch u p o n B elfort, B esqnfon, an d Lyons. Now, every one o f these th ree fortresses is a large en tren ch ed cam p, with d etached forts at a fair distance from the m ain ram p art; an d a siege, o r even a serious blockade, of all these th ree places at once would take m o re th an th e forces of this arm y. We take it th ere fo re fo r g ran ted th at this assertion is a m ere blind, an d th at the new G erm an arm y will take no m o re notice of these
W ritten betw een O ctober 1 a n d 3, 1870. Ed.

U n d e r th e sway of th e p h ra se. Ed.

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fortresses th an it can help; th at it will m arch into an d eat u p the valley of th e Saone, the richest p a rt of B urgundy, an d then advance tow ards the Loire, to open com m unications with the arm y ro u n d Paris, an d to be em ployed according to circum stances. B ut even this strong body of troops, while it has no d irect com m unica tions with th e arm y before Paris, so as to enable it to dispense with d irect and in d e p e n d e n t com m unications with the R hine, even this stro n g body of troops is em ployed on a m ere raid, and unable to hold in subjection an extensive territory. T h u s its operations fo r a couple of weeks to com e will not increase the actual hold the G erm ans have u p o n F rench soil, which rem ains lim ited to barely one-eighth of the whole ex ten t of France; an d yet France, though she will n o t own to it, is virtually conquered. How is this possible? T h e m ain cause is th e excessive centralization of all adm inistra tion in France, an d especially of m ilitary adm inistration. U p to a very recen t tim e F rance was divided, for m ilitary purposes, into tw enty-three districts, each containing, as m uch as possible, the g arrisons com posing one division of infantry, along with cavalry and artillery. Between the com m anders of these divisions and the M inistry of W ar th ere was no interm ediate link. T h ese divisions, m oreover, w ere m erely adm inistrative, no t m ilitary organizations. T h e regim ents com posing them w ere no t expected to be brigaded in war; they w ere m erely in tim e of peace u n d e r the disciplinary control of th e sam e general. As soon as a w ar was im m inent they m ight be sent to quite d iffe ren t arm y corps, divisions, o r brigades. As to a divisional staff o th er th an adm inistrative, o r personally attached to th e general in com m and, such a th in g did n o t exist. U n d e r Louis N apoleon, these tw enty-three divisions w ere united in six arm y corps, each u n d e r a m arshal of France. B ut these arm y corps w ere no m ore p e rm a n e n t organizations for w ar th an the divisions. T h ey w ere organized fo r political, not for m ilitary en d s.* T h ey h ad no re g u la r staff. T hey w ere the very reverse of th e Prussian arm y corps, each of which is perm anently organized fo r war, with its quota of infantry, cavalry, artillery, an d engineers, with its m ilitary, m edical, judicial, a n d adm inistrative staff ready fo r a cam paign. In France the adm inistrative portion of the arm y (In ten d an ce an d so forth) received th eir orders, no t from the m arshal o r g eneral in com m and, b u t from Paris direct. If u n d e r these circum stances Paris becom es paralyzed, if com m unication with it be cu t off, th ere is no nucleus of organization left in the provinces; they are equally paralyzed, a n d even m ore so, inasm uch as th e tim e-h onoured dependency of the provinces on Paris and its initiative has by long habit becom e p a rt an d parcel of the

national creed, to rebel against which is n o t m erely a crim e b u t a sacrilege. N ext to this chief cause, however, th ere is an o th er, a secondary one b u t scarcely less im p o rtan t in this case; which is that, in consequence of th e in tern al historical developm ent of France, h er centre is placed in d an g ero u s proxim ity to h e r n o rth -eastern frontier. T his was th e case to a fa r g re ater ex ten t th ree h u n d re d years ago. Paris th en lay at one extrem ity of th e country. T o cover Paris by a g re ater ex ten t of co n q u ered territo ry tow ards th e east and north-east was th e aim of th e alm ost u n in te rru p te d series of wars against G erm any an d Spain while th e latter possessed B elgium . F rom th e tim e H en ry II seized u p o n the th ree bishoprics of Metz, T oul, an d V e rd u n (1552) to th e Revolution, Artois, parts of Flanders and H ain au t, L orraine, Alsace, an d M ontbeliard w ere thus conquered an d an n ex ed to F rance to serve as b u ffers to receive the first shock of invasion against Paris. We m ust adm it th at nearly all these provinces w ere p red estin ed by race, language, a n d habits to becom e p a rt a n d parcel of France, an d th at France has u n d e rsto o d principally by the revolution of 1789-98 how to thoroughly assim ilate th e rest. B ut even now Paris is d an g ero u s ly exposed. From B ayonne to P erp ig n an , from Antibes to Geneva, the land frontiers of th e co u n try are at a g reat distance from Paris. From G eneva by Bale to L au terb o u rg in Alsace th e distance rem ains th e sam e; it form s an arc described from th e centre, Paris, with one an d th e sam e rad iu s of 250 miles. B ut at L au terb o u rg th e fro n tier leaves th e arc, an d form s a ch o rd inside it, which at one point is b u t 120 miles from Paris. La oii le R hin nous quitte, le d a n g e r com m ence, said Lavallee in his chauvinistic w ork on the frontiers o f ' France.' B ut if we continue th e arc from L au terb o u rg in a n o rth erly direction, we shall find th at it follows alm ost exactly the course of th e R hine to th e sea. H ere, th en , we have th e real cause of th e F rench clam our fo r th e whole of th e left bank of th at R hine. It is afte r th e acquisition of th at bou n d ary alone th at Paris is covered, on its m ost exposed side, by equidistant frontiers, an d with a river fo r th e b o u n d ary line into th e bargain. A nd if the m ilitary safety of Paris w ere th e leading principle of E uro p ean politics F rance would certainly be entitled to have it. Fortunately, th at is not th e case; an d if France chooses to have Paris fo r a capital she m ust p u t u p with th e draw backs attached to Paris as well as with the advantages, one of which draw backs is
D anger begins w here the R hine quits us. Ed. T h . Lavallee, Les frontieres de la France, Paris, 1864. Ed.

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th at an occupation of a small portion of France, including Paris, will paralyze h e r national action. B ut if this be th e case; if France acquire no rig h t to th e R hine by the accident of having h e r capital in an exposed situation, G erm any o u g h t to rem em b er th at m ilitary considerations of a sim ilar sort give h e r no b etter claim upon F rench territory.

N O T E S O N T H E W A R .-X X P

[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1762, O ctober 6 , 1870]

If we are to believe th e rep o rts sent by balloon from Paris, th at city is d efen d ed by forces innum erable. T h e re are betw een one an d two h u n d re d th o u san d G ardes Mobiles from th e provinces; th ere are 250 battalions of Parisian N ational G uards, n u m b erin g 1,500, some say 1,800 o r 1,900 m en each th a t is, at th e m ost m oderate com putation, 375,000 m en; th ere are at least 50,000 troops of the line, besides m arin e infantry, sailors, francs-tireurs, an d so forth. A n d so ru n s th e latest in fo rm atio n if these be all disabled, th ere are still 500,000 citizens beh in d them fit to bear arm s, ready in case of need to take th eir places.' O utside Paris th e re is a G erm an arm y com posed of six N o rth G erm an A rm y C orps (4th, 5th, 6 th, 11th, 12th, an d G uards), two B avarian corps, an d th e W iirttem b erg division; in all, eight corps an d a half, n u m b erin g som ew here betw een 200,000 an d 230,000 m e n certainly n o t m ore. Yet this G erm an arm y, alth o u g h ex ten d ed on a line of investm ent of at least eighty miles, notoriously keeps in check th at in n u m erab le force inside th e town, cuts off its supplies, g u ard s all roads and pathw ays leading outw ards from Paris, and so far has victoriously rep u lsed all sallies m ade by the garrison. How is this possible? First, th ere can be little d o u b t th at the accounts given of the im m ense n u m b er of arm ed m en in Paris are fanciful. If the 600.000 m en u n d e r arm s of w hom we h ea r so m uch be red u ced to 350.000 o r 400,000, we shall be n e a re r th e tru th . Still it cannot be
W ritten on O ctober 5 o r 6, 1870. Ed. U ne lettre de P aris... , Le Moniteur universel. No. 274, O ctober 4, 1870. Ed.

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den ied th at th ere are far m ore arm ed m en in Paris to d efen d it th an outside to attack it. Secondly, the quality of the defen d ers of Paris is of the m ost m otley kind. A m ong the whole of them , we should consider none as really trustw orthy troops b u t the m arines an d sailors w ho now m an the o u ter forts. T h e lin e the dregs of M acM ahons arm y rein fo rced by reserve m en, m ost of them raw re cru its have shown in the affair of the 19th of S eptem ber, n e a r M eudon, that they are dem oralized. T h e Mobiles, good m aterial in themselves, are b u t ju st now passing th ro u g h recruit-drill; they are badly officered, an d arm ed with th ree d iffe ren t kinds of rifle the Chassepot,^' th e converted Minie, and the unconverted M inie.^ No efforts, no am o u n t of skirm ishing with the enem y, can give them , in th e sh o rt tim e allowed, that steadiness which alone will enable th em to do th at which is m ost re q u ire d to m eet a n d defeat the enem y in the open field. It is the original fault of th eir organization, the w ant of train ed teachers, officers a n d sergeants, which prevents them from becom ing good soldiers. Still, they a p p e ar th e best elem ent in the defence of Paris; they are at least likely to subm it to discipline. T h e sedentary N ational G u ard is a very m ixed body. T h e battalions from the faubourgs, consisting of w orking m en, are willing an d determ in ed enough to fight; they will be obedient, an d show a kind of instinctive discipline if led by m en possessing personally an d politically th eir confidence; tow ards all o th er leaders they will be rebellious. M oreover, they are un d rilled and w ithout trained officers; an d unless th ere be actually a final struggle behind barricades, th eir best fighting qualities will no t be p u t to the test. B ut the mass of the N ational G uards, those arm ed by Palikao, consist of the bourgeoisie, especially the small shopkeeping class, an d these m en object to fighting on principle. T h e ir business u n d e r arm s is to g u ard th eir shops a n d their houses; and if these are attacked by the shells of an enem y firing from a distance th eir m artial enthusiasm will probably dw indle away. T h ey are, m oreover, a force organized less against a foreign th an against a dom estic enem y. All th eir traditions p oint th at way, a n d nine o u t of every ten of them are convinced th at such a dom estic enem y is, at this very m om ent, lurking in the very h eart of Paris, a n d only waiting his o p p o rtu n ity to fall u p o n them . T hey are mostly m arried m en, u n used to h ard sh ip an d exposure, and in d eed , they are grum bling already at the severity of the duty which m akes them spend one n ight out of th ree in the op en air on the ram p arts of the city. A m ong such a body you may find com panies and even battalions which, u n d e r peculiar cir

cum stances, will behave gallantly; but, as a body, an d especially for a re g u lar an d tiresom e course of duty, they cannot be relied on. W ith such a force inside Paris it is no w onder th at th e fa r less n u m ero u s an d widely dispersed G erm ans outside feel tran q u il as to any attacks from th at q u arter. In d eed , all engagem ents th at have so far taken place show th e A rm y of Paris (if we may call it so) to be incom p eten t to act in the field. T h e first great attack on the blockading troops, on the 19th, was characteristic enough. G eneral D ucrots corps of some 30,000 o r 40,000 m en was arrested fo r an h o u r and a half by two Prussian regim ents (the 7th an d 47th), until two B avarian regim ents cam e to th eir assistance, an d an o th er B avarian brigade fell u p o n th e flank of th e French; w hen the latter re treated in confusion, leaving in th e h an d s of th e enem y a re d o u b t arm ed with eight guns, an d n u m ero u s prisoners. T h e n u m b er of th e G erm ans engaged on this occasion could n o t exceed 15,000. Since th en , the sorties of th e F rench have been conducted quite differendy. T h ey have given u p all in ten tio n of delivering pitched battles; they send o u t sm aller parties to surprise outposts an d o th er small detachm ents; and if a brigade, a division, o r m ore advance beyond the line of th e forts, they are satisfied with a m ere dem onstration. T hese fights aim less at th e infliction of dam age u p o n the enem y th an at the breaking-iri of th e F rench levies to the practice of w arfare. T h ey will, no doubt, im prove them gradually, b u t only a small p ro p o rtio n of th e unw ieldy mass of m en in Paris can b enefit by practice on such a small scale. T h a t G eneral T ro c h u , afte r th e fight of th e 19th, was perfectly aw are of the ch aracter of th e force u n d e r his com m and his proclam ation of th e 30th of S eptem ber clearly shows.^* H e certainly lays th e blam e alm ost exclusively on the line, an d ra th e r pats the Mobiles on the back; b u t this m erely proves th at he considers these (and rightly so) as th e best portio n of th e m en u n d e r him. B oth the proclam ation an d th e change of tactics ad o p ted since prove distinctly th at he is u n d e r no delusion as to th e unfitness of his m en for operations in the op en field. A nd h e m ust, m oreover, know th at w hatever o th e r forces may rem ain to F rance u n d e r th e nam e of A rm y of Lyons,^ A rm y of th e Loire, and so fo rth , are of exactly the sam e com position as his own m en; and th at th ere fo re h e need no t expect to have the blockade o r siege of Paris raised by
L. J. T ro c h u s o rd e r to the Paris garrison, the N ational G u ard a n d th e G u ard e Mobile of S eptem ber 20, 1870 D ans le com bat d h ie r... , Le Temps, No. 3393, S eptem ber 21, 1870. It is re p o rte d in the item T h e B attle of th e N in e te e n th , The Times, No. 26865, S eptem ber 26, 1870. The Pall Mall Gazette gives th e w rong date: 30th of S e p tem b e r . Ed.

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a relieving arm y. It is th ere fo re rem arkable th at we should receive a re p o rt according to which T ro c h u h ad opposed, in a council of M inisters, the proposal to tre a t fo r peace. T h e re p o rt certainly comes from B erlin, not a good q u a rte r fo r im partial inform ation as to w hat is going on inside Paris. Be th at as it may, we cannot believe th at T ro c h u is ho p efu l of success. His views of arm y organization in 1867^ w ere strongly in favour of fully fo u r years service with th e reg im en t an d th ree years liability in the reserve, such as h ad been the ru le u n d e r Louis Philippe; he even considered th e tim e of service of th e P russians two o r th ree years totally inadequate to form good soldiers. T h e irony of history now places him in a position w here h e carries on a war with com pletely raw alm ost undrilled an d undisciplined m en against these very sam e Prussians, w hom h e b u t yesterday qualified as b u t half-form ed soldiers; an d th at after these Prussians have disposed in a m onth of th e whole re g u la r arm y of France.

T H E R A T IO N A L E OF T H E PRUSSIAN ARMY SYSTEM

[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1764, O ctober 8 , 1870]

A few weeks ago we p o in ted o u t th at th e Prussian system of recruiting the arm y was any th in g b u t perfect.* It professes to m ake every citizen a soldier. T h e arm y is, in the official Prussian words, noth in g b u t the school in which th e whole n ation is educated for w ar, an d yet a very small percen tag e only of th e population passes th ro u g h th at school. W e now re tu rn to this subject, in o rd e r to illustrate it by a few exact figures. A ccording to th e tables of the Prussian Statistical Bureau,"^ th ere w ere actually levied fo r th e arm y on th e average of th e years 1831 to 1854, 9.84 p er cent, p e r a n n u m of th e y o ung m en liable to service; th ere rem ain ed available every year 8.28 p e r cent.; th ere w ere totally u n fit fo r service from bodily infirm ities 6.40 p er cent.; th ere w ere tem porarily u nfit, to be re-exam ined in a fu tu re year, 53.28 p er cent.; th e rest w ere absent, o r com prised u n d e r headings too insignificant to be h ere noticed. T h u s, d u rin g these four-and-tw enty years, n o t o n e-ten th of th e young citizens w ere adm itted into th e national war-school; a n d th at is called a n ation in arm s ^! In 1861 the figures w ere as follows: Y oung m en of twenty, class 1861, 217,438; young m en of previous classes, still to be disposed of, 348,364; total, 565,802. O f these th ere w ere absent 148,946, o r 26.32 p e r cent.; totally u nfit, 17,727, o r 3.05 p e r cent.; placed in the Ersatz R eserv e^ th at is to say, liberated from
W ritten betw een O ctober 6 a n d 8, 1870. Ed. See this volum e, pp. 105, 106. Ed. c R esultate d e r E rsatz-A uhebungsgeschafts im preussischen Staate in den Ja h re n von 1855 bis niit 1862 , Zeitschrift des koniglich preussischen statistischen Bureaus, No. 3, M arch 1864. Ed.

[L. J. T ro ch u ,] L Armee fran(aise en 1867, Paris, 1867.

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service in tim e of peace, with liability to be called on in tim e of w a r 76,590, o r 13.50 p e r cent.; sent hom e for fu tu re re exam ination on account of tem porary unfitness, 230,236 o r 40.79 p e r cent.; disposed of on o th e r grounds, 22,369, o r 3.98 p e r cent.; rem ained available fo r the arm y, 69,934 m en, o r 12.36 p e r cent.; a n d of these, 59,459 only, o r 10.50 p er cent., were actually placed in th e ranks. No d o u b t since 1866 the percentage of recruits d ra u g h te d annually has been larger, b u t it cannot have been so to any considerable extent; and if at p resen t 12 o r 13 p e r cent, of the N o rth G erm an m ale population pass th ro u g h the arm y, it will be m uch. T his certainly does strongly contrast with the fervid descriptions of special co rresp o n d en ts d u rin g the m obilization in G erm any. Every able-bodied m an, according to them , then d o n n ed his un ifo rm an d shouldered his rifle, o r bestrode his horse; all kind of business was at a standstill; factories w ere closed, shops sh u t up, crops left on the fields uncut; all production was stopped, all com m erce ab a n d o n e d in fact, it was a case of suspended anim ation, a trem en d o u s national effort, bu t which, if pro lo n g ed only a few m onths, m ust en d in com plete national exhaustion. T h e transform ation of civilians into soldiers did certainly go on at a rate of which people o u t of G erm any had no idea; b u t if th e sam e w riters will look at G erm any now, after the w ithdraw al of above a million m en from civil life, they will find th e factories w orking, the crops housed, the shops a n d countinghouses open. P roduction, if stopped at all, is stopped fo r w ant of ord ers, not for w ant of hands; an d th ere are plenty of stout fellows to be seen about the streets quite as fit to shoulder a rifle as those w ho have gone off to France. T h e above figures explain all this. T h e m en w ho have passed th ro u g h th e arm y do certainly not exceed 12 p er cent, of the whole ad u lt m ale population. M ore than 12 p er cent, of them cannot, th erefore, be called ou t on a m obilization, and th ere rem ains fully 8 8 p er cent, of them at hom e; a portion of whom , of course, is called ou t as the w ar progresses to fill u p the gaps caused by battles and disease. T hese may am o u n t to two o r th ree p e r cent, m ore in the course of half a year; b u t still the im m ense m ajority of the m en is never called upon. T h e nation in arm s is altogether a sham. T h e cause of this we have before pointed out. It is th e necessity
See B erlin, July 17 , The Times, No. 26807, July 20, 1870. d. See this volum e, pp. 104-07. Ed.

u n d e r which the Prussian dynasty a n d G o v ern m en t are, as long as th eir hered itary policy is insisted u p o n , to have an arm y which is an obedient in stru m en t of th at policy. A ccording to Prussian experience, th ree years service in th e ranks is indispensable to break in the average civilian fo r th at class of work. It has never been seriously m aintained, even by the m ost obstinate m artinets in Prussia, th at an in fan try so ld ier an d they constitute th e vast mass of the arm y cannot learn all his m ilitary duties in two years; but, as was said in th e debates in the C ham ber from 1861 to 1866, the tru e m ilitary spirit, the habit of unconditional obedience, is learned in the th ird year only. Now, with a given am o u n t of m oney for the w ar bud g et, th e lo n g er th e m en serve, th e few er recruits can be tu rn e d into soldiers. A t p resen t, with th ree years service, 90,000 recruits annually e n te r th e arm y; with two years, 135,000; with eighteen m onths, 180,000 m en m ight be d ra u g h te d into it an d drilled every year. T h a t th ere are plenty of able-bodied m en to be h ad for th e p u rp o se is evident from th e figures we have given, and shall be m ade m ore evident by-and-by. T h u s we see th at the phrase of th e n ation in arm s hides th e creation of a large arm y fo r p u rposes of C abinet policy abro ad an d reaction at hom e. A nation in arm s w ould n o t be th e best in stru m en t for B ism arck to w ork with. T h e population of th e N o rth G erm an C o n fed eratio n is a trifle below 30,000,000. T h e w ar establishm ent of its arm y is in ro u n d num bers 950,000 m en, o r barely 3.17 p er cent, of th e population. T h e n u m b er of young m en attaining the age of twenty is about 1.23 p e r cent, of th e population in every year, say 360,000. O u t of these, according to th e experience of th e secondary G erm an States, fully one-half a re eith er th ere an d th en , o r within two years afterw ard s fit fo r service in the field; this w ould give 180,000 m en. O f th e rest, a goodly p ro p o rtio n is fit fo r garrison duty; b u t these we may leave o u t of th e account for th e present. T h e Prussian statistics seem to d iffer from this, b u t in Prussia these statistics m ust, fo r obvious reasons, be g ro u p e d in such a way as to m ake th e result ap p e ar com patible with th e delusion of the nation in arm s. Still th e tru th leaks o u t th ere too. In 1861 we h ad, besides th e 69,934 m en available fo r th e arm y, 76,590 m en placed in the Ersatz Reserve, raising the total of m en fit fo r service to 146,524, o u t of which b u t 59,459, o r 40 p e r cent., were d ra u g h te d into th e ranks. At all events, we shall be perfectly safe in reckoning one-half of th e young m en as fit fo r th e arm y. In th at case, 180,000 recruits m ight e n te r th e line every year, with twelve years liability to be called out, as at p resent. T his would

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give a force of 2,160,000 drilled m e n m ore than double the p resen t establishm ent, even afte r am ple allowance is m ade fo r all reductions by deaths an d o th er casua ties; a n d if th e o th e r half of th e y oung m en w ere again looked to w hen twenty-five years of age, th ere would be fo u n d the m aterial fo r an o th e r 500,000 o r 600,000 good garrison troops, o r m ore. Six to eight p e r cent of th e p o p ulation ready drilled and disciplined, to be called ou t in case of attack, the cadres fo r the whole of them being kept u p in tim e of peace, as is now d o n e th at w ould really be a nation in a rm s; b u t th at w ould no t be an arm y to be used fo r C abinet wars, fo r conquest, o r fo r a policy of reaction at hom e. Still this would be m erely the Prussian phrase tu rn e d into a reahty. If th e sem blance of a nation in arm s has h ad such a pow er w hat w ould th e reality be? A nd we m ay d ep e n d u p o n it if Prussia, by insisting on conquest, com pels F rance to it, F rance will tu rn th at sem blance into reality eith er in one form o r another. She will organize herself into a nation of soldiers, an d a few years h ence m ay astonish Prussia as m uch by the crushing n um bers of h e r soldiers as Prussia has astonished th e world this sum m er B ut cannot Prussia do the same? C ertainly, bu t then she will cease to be th e Prussia of to-day. She gains in pow er of defence, while she loses in pow er of attack; she will have m ore m en, b u t not quite so h an d y fo r invasion in the beginning of a war; she will have to give u p all idea of conquest, an d as to h e r p resen t hom e policy that would be seriously jeopardized.

N O T E S O N T H E WAR. X X IP

[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1766, O ctober 11, 1870]

In one of o u r preced in g Notes we called atten tio n to th e fact th at even now, afte r th e fall of S trasbourg, nearly th e whole of th e im m ense G erm an arm y in F rance is fully em ployed, alth o u g h not one-sixth of the territo ry of th e co u n try is held by th e invaders.'" T h e subject is so very significant th at we feel justified in re tu rn in g to it. Metz, with B azaines arm y enclosed within its line of forts, finds occupation fo r eight arm y corps (the 1 st, 2 nd, 3 rd , 7 th, 8 th, 9 th, 10th, the division of Hessians, an d G eneral R u m m e rs division of landw ehr), in all sixteen divisions of infantry. Paris engages seventeen divisions of in fan try (the G uards, 4th, 5th, 6 th, 11th, 12th N o rth G erm an, 1st an d 2 nd B avarian corps, an d the W iirttem berg division). T h e new ly-form ed 13th an d 14th corps, mostly landw ehr, an d som e detachm ents from th e corps already nam ed, occupy the co n q u ered country, an d observe, blockade, or besiege the places which, within it, still belong to th e French. T h e 15th C orps (the B aden division a n d at least one division of landw ehr), set free by the capitulation of S trasbourg, is alone disposable fo r active operations. Fresh lan d w eh r troops are to be joined to it, and th en it is to u n d erta k e som e operations, the character of which is still very indefinitely know n, in a m ore southerly direction. Now these forces com prise alm ost all th e organized troops of which G erm any disposes, with th e very im p o rtan t exception of th e fo u rth battalions of th e line. C o n trary to w hat was do n e in the A ustrian war, w hen they w ere sent o u t against th e enem y, these 114 battalions have this tim e been kept at hom e; in accordance with th eir original purpose, they serve as cadres fo r th e drill and organization of the m en in ten d ed to fill u p the gaps which battles
W ritten on O ctober 11, 1870. Ed. See this volum e, pp. 115-16. Ed.

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an d disease may have caused in the ranks of th eir respective regim ents. As soon as the th o u san d m en form ing the battalion are sufficiently b roken in to do duty before the enem y, they are sent off to jo in th e th ree field battalions of th e regim ent; this was done on a large scale afte r the severe fighting before Metz in the m iddle of S eptem ber. B ut the officers an d non-com m issioned officers of th e battalion rem ain at hom e, ready to receive an d p re p are fo r the field a fresh batch of 1,000 m en, taken from th e Ersatz Reserve or from th e recruits called o u t in due- course. T his m easure was absolutely necessary in a w ar as bloody as the p resen t one, an d the en d of which is no t to be foreseen with certainty; b u t it deprives th e G erm ans of the active services fo r th e tim e being of 114 battalions, an d a co rresp o n d in g force of cavalry an d artillery, re p resen tin g in all fully 200,000 m en. W ith the exception of these, th e occupation of scarcely one-sixth of France an d the reduction of th e two large fortresses in this te rrito ry Metz a n d P aris keeps th e whole of the G erm an forces so fully em ployed th a t they have barely 60,000 m en to spare fo r fu rth e r operations beyond th e territo ry already conquered. A nd this, while th ere is not anyw here a F rench arm y in the field to oppose serious resistance. If ever th ere was n eeded a p ro o f of th e im m ense im portance, in m o d ern w arfare, of large en tre n ch ed cam ps with a fortress for th eir nucleus, h ere th at p ro o f is furnished. T h e two en tren ch ed cam ps in question have n o t at all been m ade use of to the best advantage, as we m ay show on some o th e r occasion."* Metz has for a garrison too m any troops fo r its size an d im portance, a n d Paris has of real troops fit fo r the field scarcely any at all. Still, the first of these places at p re sen t holds at least 240,000, the second 250,000 enem ies in check; an d if F rance h ad only 200,000 real soldiers b eh in d the Loire, the siege of Paris w ould be an impossibility. U nfortunately fo r France, these 200,000 m en she does n o t possess; n o r is th ere any probability of th eir ever being b ro u g h t together, organized and disciplined in useful time. So th at th e red u ctio n of th e two g reat centres of defence is a m ere question of weeks. T h e arm y in Metz has so fa r k ept u p its discipline an d fighting qualities w onderfully well, b u t the constant repulses it has sustained m ust at length break dow n every hope of escape. F rench soldiers are capital defen d ers of fortresses, an d can stand defeat d u rin g a siege far b etter th an in the field; b u t if dem oralization once begins am ong them , it spreads rapidly and irresistibly. As to Paris, we will not take M. G am bettas 400,000
See this volum e, pp. 134-37, 138-41.

N ational G uards, 100,000 Mobiles, an d 60,000 troops of th e line too literally, any m ore th an the countless cannons and m itrailleurs th at are being m an u factu red in Paris, o r th e g reat stren g th of the barricades." B ut th ere is no d o u b t that th ere are elem ents en o u g h in Paris fo r a very respectable defence; th o u g h th at defence, by being, from the ch aracter of th e garrison, necessarily passive, will lack its strongest elem e n t pow erful attacks on the besiegers. Anyhow, it m ust be evident th at if th ere was a real national enthusiasm alive am ong th e F rench, everything m ight still be gained. W hile th e whole forces of th e invader, all b u t 60,000 m en a n d th e cavalry which can raid b u t not subdue, are laid fast in the conquered territo ry , the rem ain in g five-sixths of France m ight raise arm ed bands en o u g h to harass the G erm ans on every point, to in tercep t th eir com m unications, destroy bridges an d railways, provisions and am m unition in th eir re ar, an d com pel th em to detach from th eir two g reat arm ies such n u m b ers of troops that Bazaine m ight find m eans to b reak o u t of Metz, an d th at the investm ent of Paris would becom e illusory. A lready at p re sen t the m ovem ent of th e arm ed bands is a source of g reat trouble, th o u g h not as yet of dan g er, to th e G erm ans, a n d this will increase as the country ro u n d Paris becom es exhausted in food an d o th er supplies, an d as m o re d istant districts have to be placed u n d e r requisition. T h e new G erm an arm y now fo rm in g in Alsace will probably soon be called away from any expedition tow ards the South by the necessity of securing th e G erm an com m unications a n d of subjecting a g re ater tract of country ro u n d Paris. B ut w hat w ould be the fate of th e G erm ans if th e F rench people h ad been stirred u p by th e sam e national fanaticism as w ere th e S paniards in 1 8 0 8 if every town an d alm ost every village h ad been tu rn e d into a fortress, every peasan t an d citizen into a com batant? Even the 2 0 0 ,0 0 0 m en of th e fo u rth battalion w ould n o t suffice to hold dow n such a people. B ut such national fanaticism is n o t nowadays w ithin the habits of civilized nations. It m ay be fo u n d am ong M exicans an d T u rk s; its sources have d ried u p in the m oney m aking W est of E urope, an d th e tw enty years d u rin g which the incubus of the Second E m pire has w eighed u p o n France have anything bu t steeled th e national character. T h u s we see a great deal of talking an d a m inim um of work; a deal of show an d an alm ost total neglect of organization; very little non-official resistance an d a good deal of subm ission to th e enem y; very few real soldiers and an im m ense n u m b er of francs-tireurs.
a L. G am bettas proclam ation, d a te d O ctober 9, addressed to the citizens of the D epartm ents, The Times, No. 26878, O ctober 11, 1870. Ed.

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NOTES ON THE WAR. X X Iir

[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1768, O ctober 13, 1870]

T h e Prussian staff officers in B erlin seem to be getting im p atien t T h ro u g h the Tim es and D aily News correspondents in B erlin they inform us th at the siege m aterial has now been for some days ready before Paris, and th at the siege will begin presently. We have o u r doubts about this readiness. Firstly we know th at several tunnels on the only available line of railway have been blown u p by the re treatin g F rench n ear La Ferte-sousJo u arre, an d th at they are no t yet in w orking o rd er; secondly, we also know th at the m ateriel fo r a re g u lar and effective siege of such a vast place as Paris is so colossal th at it will take a long time It together, even had the railway been always open; and thirdly, live o r six days afte r this an n o u n cem en t from B erlin had been m ade, we have no t yet h ea rd o f the op en in g of a first parallel. We m ust th ere fo re conclude th at by readiness to op en the siege, o r re g u la r attack, we are to u n d ersta n d the readiness to o p en th e irre g u la r attack, the bom bardm ent. Still, a b o m b ardm ent of Paris, with any chance of com pelling a su rre n d er, would req u ire fa r m ore guns than a re g u lar siege. In the latter you may confine your attack to one o r two points o f the line of defence; in the form er, you m ust constantly scatter such a n u m b er of shells over the entire vast area of the town that m ore tires are m ade to break o u t everyw here than the population can extinguish, an d th at the very operation of extinguishing them
= > W ritten on O ctober 12 o r 13, 1 8 7 0 .B erlin, Oct. 8 10.12 A .M . , The Times, No. 26877, O ctober 10. I8 7 0 ,a n d B erlin. Oct. 12 . The Times, No. 26879. O ctober 12. 1870.__ Ed.

becomes too d an g ero u s to be attem pted. Now we have seen th at even S trasbourg, with 85,000 inhabitants, was perfectly able to hold o u t u n d e r a b o m b ard m en t of alm ost u n p aralleled severity; that, with the exception of a few solitary and p retty w ell-defined districts, which had to be sacrificed, the fires could be well kept down. T h e cause of this is th e com paratively great ex ten t of the town. It is easy to shell a small place of five o r ten tho u san d inhabitants into subm ission, unless th ere be plenty of b o m bproof shelter inside it; b u t a city of from 50,000 to 100,000 inhabitants can stand a g reat deal of shelling, especially if built, as m ost French towns are, of freestone, o r with thick brick walls. Paris, w ithin the fortifications, m easures twelve kilom etres by ten; within the old b arrieres, which com prise th e closely-built p art of the town, nine kilom etres by seven; th at is to say, this p a rt of th e town com prises an area of ab o u t fifty millions of square m etres o r nearly sixty millions of square yards. T o throw on an average one shell p e r h o u r into every o ne th o u san d square yards of th at surface w ould req u ire 60,000 shells p e r h o u r, o r a million an d a half of shells fo r every tw enty-four h o urs, which would p re su p pose the em ploym ent of at least 2 ,0 0 0 heavy guns fo r th e purpose. Yet one shell p e r h o u r fo r a space nearly one h u n d re d feet long by one h u n d re d feet bro ad would be a weak bo m b ard m en t. O f course th e fire m ight be co n cen trated tem porarily u p o n o ne o r m ore q u arters until these w ere th o ro u g h ly destroyed, an d th en tran sferre d to the n eig h b o u rin g quarters; b u t this proceeding, to be effective, would last alm ost as long as o r lo n g er th an a re g u lar siege, while it w ould be necessarily less certain to com pel th e su rre n d e r of the place. M oreover, Paris, while th e forts are not red u ced , is in fact o u t of reach of effective b o m b ard m en t. T h e n earest heights outside th e town now in the h an d s of th e besiegers, those n e a r C hatillon, are fully 8,000 m etres= 8 ,7 0 0 yards, o r five miles from th e Palais de Justice, which p retty nearly rep resen ts th e cen tre of th e town. O n the whole of th e so u th ern side, this distance will be ab out the same. O n the north-east, the line of forts is as fa r as 10,000 m etres, o r about 1 1 ,0 0 0 yards, from th e cen tre of th e tow n, so th at any b om bard in g batteries in th at q u a rte r would have to be placed 2 ,0 0 0 yards fa rth e r off, o r from seven to eight miles from th e Palace of Justice. O n th e north-w est, th e b ends of th e Seine an d F ort M ont V alerien protect th e town so well th at bo m b ard in g batteries could be erected in closed red o u b ts o r re g u lar parallels only; th at is to say, n o t before th e re g u lar siege h ad begun, to which we h ere suppose th e b o m b ard m en t to be a prelim inary.

N otes on the W ar. X X III

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Now th ere is no d o u b t th at the Prussian heavy rifled guns, of calibres of five, six, seven, eight, an d nine inches, throw ing shells from twenty-five to above th ree h u n d re d p o u n d s weight, m ight be m ade to cover a distance of five miles. In 1864 the rifled tw enty-four p o u n d ers on G am m elm ark bom barded S o n d e rb u rg at a distance of 5,700 paces= 4,750 yards, o r nearly th ree miles, although these guns were old bronze ones, and could not stand m ore th an a 4 lb. o r 5 lb. charge of pow der to a shell w eighing 6 8 lb. T h e elevation was necessarily considerable, an d h ad to be o btained by a peculiar adaptation of the gun-carriages, which w ould have b roken dow n if stro n g er charges had been used. T h e p resen t Prussian cast-steel guns can stand charges fa r heavier in p ro p o rtio n to the weights of th eir shells; but, to obtain a ran g e of five miles, the elevation m ust still be very considerable, an d the gun-carriages would have to be altered accordingly; and, being p u t to uses they w ere n o t constructed for, w ould soon be sm ashed. N o thing knocks u p a gun-carriage sooner th an firing at elevations even as low as five an d six degrees with full charges; b u t in this case, the elevation would average at least fifteen degrees, an d the gun-carriages w ould be knocked to pieces as fast as the houses in Paris. Leaving, however, this difficulty o u t of consideration, the b o m b ard m en t of Paris by batteries five miles distant from the cen tre of th e town, could be at best bu t a partial affair. T h e re w ould be en o u g h of destruction to exasperate, b u t not en o u g h to terrify. T h e shells, at such ranges, could no t be directed with sufficient certainty to any particular p a rt of the town. Hospitals, m useum s, libraries, th o u g h ever so conspicuous from the heights w here the batteries m ight be, could hardly be spared even if directions w ere given to avoid particular districts. Military build ings, arsenals, m agazines, storehouses, even if visible to the besieger, could no t be singled ou t fo r destruction with any surety; so th at the com m on excuse fo r a b o m b ard m e n t th at it aim ed at th e destruction of th e m eans of defence of the besieged would fail. All this is said on the supposition th at the besiegers have the m eans at h an d fo r a really serious b o m b ard m e n t th at is to say, some two th o u san d rifled guns an d m ortars of heavy calibre. B ut if, as we suppose is the case, the G erm an siege-park is com posed of som e fo u r o r five h u n d re d guns, this will n o t suffice to produce any such im pression on the city as to m ake its s u rre n d e r probable. T h e b o m b ard m ent of a fortress, th o u g h still considered as a step p erm itted by the laws of war, yet is a m easure im plying such an am o u n t of suffering to non-com batants th at history will blam e any one nowadays attem pting it w ithout reasonable chance of

thereby extorting the s u rre n d e r of th e place. W e smile at the chauvinism e of a V ictor H ugo, who considers Paris a holy city very holy! an d every attem p t to attack it a sacrilege.^ We look u p o n Paris as u p o n any o th er fortified town, which, if it chooses to d efen d itself, m ust ru n all th e risks of fair attack, of open trenches, siege batteries, an d stray shots hitting non-m ilitary buildings. B ut if th e m ere b o m b ard m en t of Paris cannot force the city into su rre n d er, an d if, nevertheless, such a b o m b ard m en t should take place, it will be a m ilitary b lu n d er such as few people w ould lay to the ch arg e of M oltkes staff. It will be said th at Paris was bom barded not fo r m ilitary b u t fo r political reasons.

^ V. H ugo, A ux Parisiens, Paris, 2 octobre 1870 , Le Temps, No. 3406, O ctober 4, 1870. Ed.

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T h e Fate o f Metz

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T H E FA TE O F M E T Z

[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1771, O ctober 17, 1870]

If we are to believe the news from B erlin, the Prussian staff seem to anticipate th at Paris will be conquered before Metz. B ut this opinion is evidently fo u n d ed quite as m uch on political as on m ilitary reasoning. T h e troubles within Paris for which C ount Bism arck has been waiting have no t yet begun; b u t discord and civil w ar are expected to break ou t w ithout fail as soon as the big. guns of th e besiegers shall com m ence boom ing over the city. So far, the Parisians have belied the opinion held of them in the G erm an h ead q u arters, an d they may do so to the end. If so, the notion th at Paris will be taken by the en d of this m o n th will alm ost certainly prove illusory, an d Metz m ay have to su rre n d e r before Paris. Metz, as a m ere fortress, is infinitely stro n g er th an Paris. T h e latter city is fortified on the supposition th at the whole o r at least th e g re ater portion of the beaten F rench arm y will re tire u p o n it an d conduct th e defence by constant attacks on the enem y, whose attem pts to invest the place necessarily w eaken him on every point of th e long line h e has to take up. T h e defensive stren g th of the works th ere fo re is no t very great, and very pro p erly so. T o provide for a case such as has now occurred by the blunders of B onapartist strategy w ould have raised the cost of the fortifications to an im m ense sum ; an d the tim e by which the defence could th ereb y be pro longed would scarcely am o u n t to a fortnight. M oreover, earthw orks erected d u rin g o r before the siege can be m ade to stren g th en the works considerably. W ith Metz the case is
W ritten betw een O ctober l.S a n d 17, 1870. Erf.

very different. Metz was h an d e d dow n to th e p resen t g eneration by C orm ontaigne an d o th er great engineers of th e last cen tu ry as a very strong fo rtress strong in its defensive works. T h e Second E m pire has ad d ed to these a circle of seven very large detached forts at distances of from tw o-and-a-half to th ree miles from the centre of th e town, so as to secure it from b o m b ard m en t even with rifled guns, and to tran sfo rm th e whole into a large en tren ch ed cam p second to Paris only. A siege of Metz, th erefo re, w ould be a very lengthy o peratio n even if th e town held b u t its n o rm al w ar garrison. B ut a siege in the face of th e 100,000 m en w ho are now sheltered u n d e r its forts w ould be alm ost impossible. T h e sp h ere in which the F rench are still m asters extends to fully two miles beyond th e line of forts; to drive them back to th e line of forts, so as to conquer the g ro u n d w here th e trenches w ould have to be dug, would necessitate a series of h an d -to -h an d fighting such as was only seen before Sebastopol; an d supposing th e garrison not to be dem oralized by th eir constant fights or th e besiegers n o t to be tired of such a sacrifice of life, th e struggle m ight last m any a m onth. T h e G erm ans have th e re fo re never attem p ted a re g u lar siege, but are trying to starve th e place out. A n arm y of 100,000 m en, ad d ed to a p o pulation of nearly 60,000 an d to th e nu m b ers of country people who have so ught shelter beh in d th e forts, m ust sooner o r later exhaust th e stock of provisions if the blockade be strictly enforced; and, even befo re this shall have taken place, the chances are th at dem oralization am ong th e garrison will com pel su rre n d er. W hen once an arm y finds itself com pletely sh u t up, all attem pts to break th ro u g h the investing circle fruidess, all ho p e of relief from w ithout cu t off, even th e best arm y will gradually lose its discipline a n d cohesion u n d e r sufferings, privations, labours, an d d angers which do n o t ap p e a r to serve any o th e r pu rp o se b u t to up h o ld the h o n o u r of th e flag. For sym ptom s of this dem oralization we have been w atching for some tim e in vain. T h e stock of provisions inside th e town has been m uch m ore considerable th an was supposed, an d th u s the arm y of Metz has h ad a p retty good tim e of it. B ut th e stores, if plentiful, m ust have been ill assorted; which is quite natu ral, as they w ere stray supplies for th e arm y, accidentally left in th e town an d never in ten d ed fo r th e p u rp o se they have now to serve. T h e consequence is th at the diet of th e soldiers in th e long ru n becomes not only d iffe ren t from w hat they are accustom ed to, but positively abnorm al, an d produces sickness of various kinds an d of daily increasing severity, th e causes of this sickness o p eratin g stro n g er a n d stro n g er every day. T his phase of th e blockade

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ap p ears to have now been reached. A m ong the articles of which M etz is sh o rt are bread, the chief o rd in ary food of the F rench peasantry, an d salt. T h e latter is absolutely indispensable to m aintain health; and, as b re ad is alm ost the only form in which th e F rench p artak e of starch fo r fat-producing food, the sam e may in this case be said of the form er. T h e necessity of feeding the m en an d inhabitants on m eat principally has, it is said, pro d u ced dysentery an d scurvy. W ithout tru stin g too m uch to re p o rts from deserters, who generally say w hat they think will please their captors, we may still believe such to be the case, as it is ju st what m ust occur u n d e r the circum stances. T h a t the chances of dem oralization m ust thereby increase rapidly is a m atter of course. T h e very capable co rresp o n d en t of The D aily News before Metz states, in his description of B azaines sortie of the 7th of O ctober, th at after th e F rench h ad established them selves in the villages to the n o rth of F o rt Saint-Eloy (north of Metz, in the valley of the Moselle) a mass of at least 30,000 of them was fo rm ed m ore to th eir right, close to the river, and advanced against th e G erm ans. T his colum n, o r g ro u p of colum ns, was evidently in ten d ed to b reak th ro u g h the circle of investm ent. T his task req u ired the utm ost determ in ation. T hey w ould have to m arch straight into a semicircle of troops an d batteries concentrating th eir fire upon them ; th e severity of this fire w ould increase u p to the point of actual contact with the enem ys masses, w hen, if they succeeded in ro u tin g them , it would at once considerably dim inish, while, if they h ad to retreat, they w ould have to u n d erg o th e same cross-fire a second time. T his th e m en m ust have know n; and, m oreover, Bazaine w ould use fo r this suprem e effo rt his very best troops. Yet we are told th at they never even got within the n fle-fire of the G erm an masses. B efore they reached the critical point, the fire of the artillery an d of the line of skirm ishers had dissolved th eir cohesion: the dense colum ns first staggered and th en b ro k e. T his is th e first tim e in this w ar th at we h e a r such things of the m en who could face cold steel an d h o t fire well en o u g h at Vionville, G ravelotte, a n d the latter sorties. T his inability even to attem p t thoroughly the task which they w ere p u t to seems to show th at the arm y of Metz is no longer w hat it was. It seems to indicate, not as yet dem oralization, bu t discouragem ent and hopelessness th e feeling th at it is n o use trying. From th at to positive dem oralization th ere are no t m any steps, especially with F rench soldiers. A nd th o u g h it would be p re m a tu re to predict from these indications th e speedy fall of Metz, yet it will be surprising

if we do n o t soon discover m o re sym ptom s an n o u n cm g th at the defence is on the wane. , , r T h e s u rre n d e r of M etz w ould have a fa r less m oral, b u t a far greater m aterial influence u p o n the course of th e w ar th an the fal of Paris. If Paris be taken, F rance may give m, b u t she need not any m ore th a n now. For by far th e g re ater Pprtion of th e troops now investing Paris would be re q u ired to hold th e tow n and its environs, and it is m ore th an d o u b tfu l w h eth er m en en o u g h could be spared to advance as fa r as B ordeaux. B ut, if Metz capitulated, m ore th an 200,000 G erm ans w ould be set at liberty, an d such an arm y, in the p re sen t state of th e F rench forces m the field, would be am ply sufficient to go w here it liked in the o p en country, and to do There w hat it liked. T h e progress of occupation, arrested by the two great en tre n ch ed cam ps, would at once com m ence again, an d a n y attem pts at guerrilla w arfare, which now m ight be very effective, would th en soon be crushed.

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N O TE S O N T H E WAR. X XIV ^

[T h e Pall M all Gazette, No. 1775, O ctober 21, 1870]

T h e investm ent of Paris has now lasted exactly one m onth. D u rin g this tim e two points relating to it have been practically settled m accordance with o u r predictions.'^ T h e first is th at Paris cannot h o p e to be relieved, in useful time, by any F rench arm y from w ithout T h e A rm y of the Loire is utterly deficient in cavalry a n d field artillery, while its infantry, with very trifling exceptions consists of eith er young o r dem oralized old troops, badly officered an d entirely w anting th at cohesion which alone could re n d e r them fit to m eet in the open old soldiers flushed with constant success such as von d e r T a n n leads against them . Even w ere the A rm y of th e L oire rai^sed to 100,000 o r 120,000 m en, which it m ay be before P an s falls, it would no t be able to raise the investm ent By th eir g reat superiority in cavalry an d field artillery, both of which can be sp ared to a g reat ex ten t before Paris as soon as th e siege tram with its g u n n ers has arrived, an d by the superiority of their infan try , soldier fo r soldier, the G erm ans are enabled to m eet such a lo rce with one of in ferio r num bers w ithout fear of the results. Besides, th e troops now scouring the country east an d n o rth of P an s to distances of fifty an d sixty miles could, in such a case be sent tem porarily to reinforce von d er T an n , as well as a division or two from th e investm g arm y. As to the A rm y of Lyons, w hatever of th at possesses any tangible existence will find plenty of work Fn? F o u rteen th N orth G erm an C orps, now in Epinal an d Vesoul, an d the F ifteenth C orps following in his re ar o r on his rig h t flank. T h e A rm y of the N orth, with B ourbaki for
W ritten on O ctober 19, 1870, i U See this volum e, pp. 121-22.__Ed.

com m ander, has as yet to be form ed. From all we h ear, the Mobiles about N o rm andy a n d Picardy are extrem ely deficient in officers an d drill; an d th e sedentary N ational G uards, if n o t m ost of the Mobiles too, will be req u ired to garrison the twenty-five or m ore fortresses en cu m b erin g the country betw een M ezieres and H avre. T h u s efficient relief from this q u a rte r is n o t very likely, an d Paris will have to rely u p o n itself. T h e second poin t settied is th at th e garrison of Paris is u n fit to act on the offensive on a large scale. It consists of the same elem ents as the troops outside Paris, an d it is equally deficient in cavalry an d field artillery. T h e th re e sorties of th e 19th an d 30th of S eptem ber an d of th e 13th of O ctober have fully p roved th eir inability to m ake any serious im pression u p o n the investing forces. As these latter said, T h ey never w ere able to b reak th ro u g h even o u r first line. A lthough G eneral T ro c h u states in public th at his disinclination to attack th e enem y in the field is caused by the deficiency in field artillery, an d th at he will n o t go o u t again until th at is supplied,"" he can n o t help know ing th at no field artillery in the w orld could p rev en t his first sortie en masse from en d in g in an u tte r ro u t. A nd by th e tim e his field artillery can be ready, if th at be m ore th an a m ere pretex t, th e fire of th e G erm an batteries against the forts a n d th e closing in of th eir lines of investm ent, will have re n d e re d its use in the op en impossible. T ro c h u an d his staff ap p e a r to be perfecdy aw are of this. All th eir m easures p o in t to a m ere passive defence, w ithout any m ore great sorties th an may be necessary to satisfy th e clam our of an undisciplined garrison. T h e ra m p a rts of th e forts can n o t long w ithstand th e projectiles of th e heavy G erm an guns, of which m ore anon. It m ay be, as th e staff in B erlin hopes, th at two o r th re e days will suffice to dem olish the guns on th e ra m p a rts of the so u th ern forts, to breach, from a distance a n d by indirect fire, the m asonry revetm en t of th eir escarps in one o r two places, an d th en to storm them while th e fire of th e batteries from th e co m m an d ing heights prevents any efficient succour from th e works to the rear. T h e re is no th in g in th e construction of the forts n o r in the configuration of th e g ro u n d to p rev en t this. In all th e forts ro u n d Paris, the escarp th at is, th e in n er side of th e ditch, o r th e o u ter face of the ra m p a rt is covered with m asonry to th e h eig h t of the horizon m erely, which is generally considered insufficient to secure the work from escalade. T his deviation from th e general
= > L. J. T ro c h u s d espatch to the M ayor of Paris, c. O ctober 16, 1870, Le Temps, No. 3418, O ctober 16, 1870. Ed.

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ru le was justified on the supposition that Paris would always be actively d efen d ed by an arm y. In the p resen t case it will even be an advantage inasm uch as this low m asonry will be difficult to hit by indirect fire from batteries from which it cannot be seen. T h e b reaching from a distance will thus be re n d e re d m ore tiresom e, unless th e heights on which these batteries are constructed will adm it of a really plunging fire; an d this cannot be ju d g ed of except on th e ground. U n d e r any circum stances, the resistance of these southern forts, com m anded as they are by heights within the m ost effective range of heavy rifled artillery, need no t be expected to be a long one. B ut im m ediately behind them , betw een the forts an d the enceinte, th e activity of the garrison has been chiefly displayed. N um erous earthw orks have been everyw here constructed; and though, as a m atter of course, we are kept in ignorance of all details, we may be sure th at they will have been p lanned and executed with all th at care, foresight, an d science which have placed fo r m ore than two centuries the F rench engineering staff in the forem ost rank. H ere, th en , evidently is the fighting g ro u n d chosen by the defence; a g ro u n d w here ravines an d hill-slopes, factories and villages, m osdy built of stone, facilitate th e w ork of the engineer and favour the resistance of young an d b u t half-disciplined troops. H ere, we expect, the G erm ans will find the toughest w ork cut out fo r them . We are, indeed, in fo rm ed by The Daily News, from B erlin, th at they will be satisfied with the conquest of som e of the forts, and leave h u n g e r to do the rest. B ut we presum e th at this choice will n o t be left to them , unless, indeed, they blow u p the forts an d retire again to th eir p resen t m ere investing positions; an d if they do th at the F rench can gradually by counter approaches recover the lost g ro u n d . W e presum e th ere fo re that the G erm ans intend to keep w hatever forts they may take, as efficient b o m barding positions to frig h ten the inhabitants by occasional shells, o r to use them fo r as com plete a bom bardm ent as they can carry ou t with the m eans at th eir com m and. A nd in th at case they cannot decline the com bat offered to them by the defence on the g ro u n d chosen an d p re p a re d fo r th e purpose, for th e forts will be u n d e r the close a n d effective fire of the new works. H ere we shall perh ap s witness the last struggle in this war offerin g any scientific interest; m ay be, the m ost interesting of all to m ilitary science. H ere the defence will be enabled to act on the offensive again, th o u g h u p o n a sm aller scale, and, thus restoring to a certain ex ten t the balance of the co n tending forces, may p ro lo n g resistance until fam ine com pels su rre n d er. F or we m ust

keep in m ind th at of th e stores of food provided for Paris one m o n th s stock has already been consum ed, an d nobody outside th e town knows w h eth er it is provisioned fo r m ore th an an o th er m onth. T h e re ap p ears to be great confusion of ideas am ong special co rresp o n d en ts as to th e G erm an siege guns; an d th ere may well be, considering th at the nom en clatu re of th e various calibres aniong G erm an artillerists is fo u n d e d u p o n principles at least as absurd an d contradictory as those ad o p ted in E ngland. It may be w orthw hile to clear this m atter u p a litde now th at these big guns may begin to speak any day. O f old-fashioned siege guns th ere w ere in use before S trasbourg, a n d have now been forw ard ed to Paris, tw enty-five-pounder and fifty -p o u n d er m ortars called so fro m the w eight of a m arble ball fitting th eir bore. T h e ir calibres are about 8 Vs to 8 ^ 4 inches respectively, an d the real w eight of the spherical shells they throw is, fo r th e first 64 lb., an d fo r the second 125 lb. T h e n th ere was a rifled m o rtar, calibre 21 centim etres, o r 8 'A inches, throw ing an elongated shell of 2 0 inches in length an d ra th e r above 200 lb. weight. T h ese m ortars have a trem en d o u s effect, n o t only because th e rifling gives th eir shells g re ater accuracy, b u t chiefly because th e elongated percu s sion shell, always falling u p o n its heavy point, w here the percussion fuze p ro tru d es, secures th e explosion of th e charge at the very m om en t of p en etratio n , thus com bining in one and the sam e m om ent th e effects of im pact with th at of explosion. O f rifled shell guns th ere w ere 12 lb. an d 24 lb. guns, so called from the w eight of th e spherical solid iron ball they used to fire before being rifled. T h e ir respective calibres are ab out four-and-a-half an d five-and-a-half inches, an d th e weights of th eir shells 33 lb. an d 64 lb. Besides these, th ere have been sent to Paris some of the heavy rifled guns in ten d ed fo r ironclad ships an d fo r coast defence against such ships. T h e exact details of th eir construction have never been published, b u t th eir calibres are of ab out 7, 8 and 9 inches, an d the co rresp o n d in g shells of th e weights of ab out 1 2 0 , 200, and 300 lb. respectively. T h e heaviest guns used eith er m or before Sebastopol w ere the English naval 6 8 -p o u n d er, the 8 - and 10-inch shell guns, an d the F rench 8 A and 12-inch shell guns, the heaviest projectile of which, the 1 2 -inch spherical shell, w eighed about 180 lb. T h u s th e siege of Paris will as m uch surpass Sebastopol as Sebastopol surpassed all fo rm er sieges by the w eight an d mass of the projectiles used. T h e G erm an siege park, we may add, will contain the n u m b er of guns we guessed it w ould nam ely, about fo u r h u n d re d .

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S aragossa Paris

143

[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1776, O ctober 22, 1870]

T o form an ap p ro p riate idea of such a colossal o peration as the siege an d defence of Paris, we shall do well to look out, in m ilitary history, fo r some previous siege on a large scale to serve, at least in some d eg ree as an exam ple of w hat we m ay expect to witness. Sebastopol w ould be a case in point if the defence of Paris took place u n d e r norm al conditions; th at is to say, if th ere w ere an arm y m the field to com e to the relief of Paris o r to reinforce its garrison, such as was the case with Sebastopol. B ut Paris defends Itself u n d e r quite abnorm al conditions: it has n eith er a garrison fit fo r an active defence, fo r fighting in the open, n o r any reasonable h o p e of relief from w ithout. T h u s the greatest siege on record th at o t Sebastopol, in ferio r only to the one we are about to see op en ed , offers no correct im age of w hat will be done before Parisan d It will be at later stages of the siege only, an d principally by contrast, th at the events of the C rim ean w ar will com e in for com parison. N or will th e si^eges of the A m erican war o ffer b etter exam ples. T hey o ccurred d u rin g a p erio d of the struggle w hen no t only the S o u th ern y m y , bu t also, following in its wake, the troops of the N o rth , had lost the character of raw levies an d had com e u n d e r th e description of re g u la r troops. In all these sieges the defence was extrem ely active. At V icksburg as well as at R ichm ond there w ere long prelim inary struggles fo r the m astery of the g ro u n d on which alone the siege batteries could be erected; and, with the exception of G ra n ts last siege of R ichm ond, th ere w ere always attem pts at relief too.' B ut here, in Paris, we have a garrison of
^ W ritten betw een O ctober 19 a n d 22, 1870.__ Ed.

new levies feebly su p p o rted by scattered new levies outside the town, an d attacked by a re g u la r arm y with all th e appliances of m o d ern w arfare. T o find a case in point, we shall have to go back to the last war in which an arm ed people h ad to fight against a re g u lar arm y, a n d actually did fight on a large scale the P eninsular war. A nd h ere we find a celebrated exam ple, which we shall see is in p o in t in m o re th an one respect: Saragossa. Saragossa h ad b u t o n e-th ird of th e d iam eter a n d o n e-n in th of the surface of Paris; b u t its fortifications, th o u g h erected in a h u rry an d w ithout d etach ed forts, w ould resem ble those of Paris in th eir general defensive stren g th . T h e town was occupied by 25.000 Spanish soldiers, refugees from th e d efeat of Tudela,^ am ong them n o t m ore th an 1 0 ,0 0 0 real soldiers of th e line, the rest young levies; th ere w ere besides arm ed peasants an d inhabitants, raising th e g arrison to 40,000 m en. T h e re w ere 160 guns in the town. O utside, a force of some 30,000 m en h ad been raised in the neig h b o u rin g provinces to com e to its succour. O n the o th e r han d , th e F rench M arshal S uchet h ad no m ore th an 26.000 m en w herew ith to invest th e fortress on b oth sides of the river Ebro, and, besides, 9,000 m en covering the siege at Calatayud. T hus, the num erical p ro p o rtio n of th e forces was ab out the sam e as th a t of th e arm ies now respectively in an d before Paris: the besieged nearly twice as n u m ero u s as th e besiegers. Yet the Saragossans could no m o re affo rd to go o u t a n d m eet the besiegers in the o p en th an th e Parisians can now. N o r could the S paniards outside at any tim e seriously in terfe re with th e siege. T h e investm ent of th e town was com pleted on the 19th of D ecem ber 1808; th e first parallel could be o p en ed as early as the 29th, only 350 yards from th e m ain ram p art. O n th e 2nd of January, 1809, th e second parallel is o p en ed 100 yards from th e works; on the 1 1 th th e breaches are practicable a n d th e whole of the attacked fro n t is taken by assault. B ut h ere, w here the resistance of an o rd in ary fortress garriso n ed by re g u la r troops would have ceased, the stren g th of a p o p u lar defence only com m enced. T h e p o rtio n of th e ra m p a rt which th e F rench had storm ed h ad been cut off from th e rest of th e town by new defences. E arthw orks, d efen d ed by artillery, h ad been throw n u p across all the streets leading to it, an d w ere rep eated at ap p ro p ria te distances to th e rear. T h e houses, built in the massive style of ho t S ou th ern E urope, with im m ensely thick walls, w ere loopholed a n d held in force by infantry. T h e b o m b ard m en t by the F rench was incessant; but, as they w ere badly provided with heavy m ortars, its effects w ere not decisive against th e town. Still it was
7 -1 2 3 2

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Saragossa Paris

145

con tin u ed for forty-one days w ithout interm ission. T o reduce the tow n, to take house afte r house, the F rench had to use the slowest process of all, th at of m ining. At last, after one-third of the buildings of the town h ad been destroyed, and the rest re n d ere d uninhabitable, Saragossa su rre n d e re d on the 20th of February. O u t of 100,000 hu m an beings p resen t in the town at the b eg inning of the siege 54,000 had perished. T his defence is classical of its kind, an d well m erits the celebrity it has gained. But, afte r all, the town resisted only sixty-three days, all told. T h e investm ent took ten days; the siege of the fortress fo u rteen ; th e siege of the in n e r defences an d the struggle for the houses thirty-nine. T h e sacrifices w ere o u t of all p ro p o rtio n to the length- of th e defence and the positive result obtained. H ad Saragossa been d efen d ed by 20,000 good en terp risin g soldiers, Suchet, with his force, could not have carried on the siege in the face of th eir sallies, an d the place m ight have rem ained in the h an d s of th e S paniards until afte r th e A ustrian w ar of 1809.^ Now we certainly do not expect Paris to prove a second Saragossa. T h e houses in Paris, strong th o u g h they be, cannot b ear any com parison as to massiveness with those of the Spanish city; n o r have we any authority fo r supposing th at the population will display the fanaticism of the S paniards of 1809, o r th at one half of th e inhabitants will patiendy subm it to be killed by fighting an d disease. Still th at phase of the struggle which cam e off in Saragossa afte r the storm ing of th e ra m p a rt, in the streets, houses, an d convents of the town, m ight to a certain extent re p eat itself in the fortified villages an d earthw orks betw een the forts of Paris and th e enceinte. T h e re , as we said yesterday in o u r tw enty-fourth batch of Notes on the W ar'" ap p ears to us to lie the centre of gravity of th e defence. T h e re the young Mobiles m ay m eet their o p p onents, even in offensive m ovem ents, upon som ething like equal term s, and com pel them to proceed in a m ore systematical way th an th e staff in B erlin seem ed to im agine w hen, a sh o rt tim e ago, it expected to red u ce the town in twelve o r fo u rteen days from th e o p en in g of the siege batteries. T h ere, too, the defence may cut o u t so m uch w ork fo r the m ortars an d shell-guns of the attack th at even a partial b o m b ard m en t of the town, at least upon a large scale, m ay be fo r the tim e being o u t of the question. T h e villages outside the enceinte will u n d e r all circum stances have to be sacrificed w herever they may h ap p en to lie betw een the G erm an fro n t of attack and the F rench fro n t of defence; an d if th erefo re
See this volum e, p. 140. Ed.

by sacrificing them th e town can be spared so m uch th e b etter for the defence. How long this defence of th e g ro u n d outside th e enceinte can be m ade to last we cannot even guess at. It will d ep e n d u p o n the strength of the works them selves, u p o n th e spirit with which the defence is conducted, u p o n the m ode of attack. If th e resistance become serious, the G erm ans will rely u p o n the fire of th eir artillery chiefly, in o rd e r to spare th eir troops. Anyhow, with the enorm ous artillery fire they will be able to concentrate u p o n any given point, it is not likely th at it will take them m ore th an a fo rtn ig h t o r th ree weeks befo re they arrive at the enceinte. T o break an d carry th at will be th e w ork of a few days. Even then th ere will be no absolute necessity to give u p resistance; b u t it will be b etter to d efer considering these eventualities until th ere shall be a g re ater probability of th eir actually occurring. U ntil th en , too, we may be allowed to say n o th in g ab out the m erits and dem erits of M. R ocheforts barricades.*^ U pon the whole, we are of opinion th at if the new works betw een the forts an d th e enceinte o ffer a really serious resistance, th e attack will confine itself as m uch as possible how fa r d ep en d s in a great m easure u p o n the energy of the d efen ce to artillery fire, vertical and horizontal, an d to the starving ou t of Paris.

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N otes o n the W ar. XXV

147

N O TE S O N T H E WAR. XXV

[The Pall M all Gazette, No. 1780, O ctober 27, 1870]

W hile th e negotiations fo r an arm istice are pending, it will be as well to m ake o u t the positions of the d iffe ren t corps of the G erm an arm ies, which do n o t ap p e a r to be generally understood. We say the G erm an arm ies, fo r of the F rench th ere is very litde to be said. W hat is no t sh u t u p in Metz consists alm ost exclusively of new levies, th e organization of which has never been m ade public, an d cannot b u t vary from day to day. M oreover, the ch aracter of these troops, who prove them selves in all engagem ents m ore or less u n fit fo r th e field, takes away alm ost all interest in eith er their organization o r th eir num bers. As to th e G erm ans, we know th at they m arched o u t with th irteen arm y corps of N o rth G erm any (including the G uards), o ne division of Hessians, one of B adeners, one of W iirttem bergers, an d two arm y corps of Bavarians. T h e I7 th division of the 9 th N o rth G erm an C orps (one brigade of which consists of M ecklenburgers) rem ained on the coast while the F rench fleet was in th e Baltic. In its stead the 25th, o r Hessian division, was attached to th e 9th C orps, and rem ains so u p to the p resen t day. T h e re rem ain ed at hom e, with the 17th division, nine divisions of landw ehr (one of the G uards, an d one fo r each of the eight old provinces of Prussia**; the tim e elapsed since 1866, w hen the Prussian system was in tro d u ced all over N o rth G erm any, having been barely sufficient to form the necessary n u m b er of reserve m en, b u t n o t as yet any landw ehr). W hen the recall of the French fleet and the com pletion of the fo u rth battalions of the line re n d e re d these forces disposable, fresh arm y corps w ere form ed
= W ritten betw een O ctober 22 a n d 27, 1870. d.

ou t of them an d sent to France. W e shall scarcely know, before the e n d of the war, th e details of form ation of all these corps, but w hat has leaked o u t in the m eantim e gives us a p retty clear insight into the general ch aracter of the plan. B efore Metz we have, u n d e r Prince F rederick C harles, the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 7th, 8 th , 9th, an d 10th corps, of which the 9th consists, fo r th e tim e being, of the 18th an d 25th divisions, besides two divisions of landw ehr, one, the first (East Prussian), u n d e r G eneral K um m er; th e n u m b er of th e o th er is not kn o w n in all sixteen divisions of infantry. B efore Paris th ere are, u n d e r th e C rown Prince,'* the 5th, 6 th, an d 11th N o rth G erm an, the two B avarian corps, a n d th e division of landw ehr of th e G uards; u n d e r th e C row n Prince of Saxony, the 4th an d 12th N o rth G erm an corps, an d th e Prussian G uards; u n d e r the G ran d D uke of Mecklenburg,*^ the 13th C orps and the W iirttem berg division. T h e 13th C orps is fo rm ed o f th e 17th division m entioned above, an d of one division of landw ehr. O f these troops, form in g in all tw enty divisions, th ere are fo u r divisions sent on d etached duty. Firstly, von d e r T a n n with two B avarian divisions an d th e 22nd N o rth G erm an division (of the 11th Corps) to th e south and west, holding with the Bavarians O rleans a n d the line of th e Loire; while th e 22nd division (G eneral W ittichs) successively occupied C h ateau d u n and C hartres. Secondly, the 17th division is d etached tow ards the north-east of Paris; it has occupied Laon, Soissons, Beauvais, St. Q uentin, &c., while o th e r tro o p s probably flying colum ns, chiefly com posed of cavalry have advanced alm ost to th e gates of R ouen. If we set dow n these as equal to an o th er division, we have in all five divisions d etached from th e arm y b efo re Paris to scour the country, to collect cattle a n d provisions, to p rev en t the form ation of arm ed bands, an d to keep at a distance any new bodies of troops which th e G o vernm ent of T o u rs m ay be able to send up. T his w ould leave fo r th e actual investm ent fifteen divisions of infantry, o r seven arm y corps and a half. Besides th e 13th C orps, the G ran d D uke of M ecklenburg com m ands th e whole of th e d etach ed troops in C ham pagne and the o th er occupied districts west of L orraine, the garrisons of Sedan, Reims, E pernay, Chalons, Vitry, an d th e troops besieging V erdun. T hese consist of landw ehr, principally of the 8 th landw ehr division. T h e garrisons in Alsace an d L orraine, alm ost all landw ehr, are u n d e r th e com m and of the respective military
F rederick W illiam. Ed. b A lbert. F rederick Francis II. Ed.

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governors of these provinces. M oreover, th ere are the troops echeloned along the line of railway an d the m ain roads whose exclusive d uty it is to keep these in w orking o rd e r an d open for arm y tran sp o rt; these, fo rm ed by detachm ents of th e various corps of th e line, an d am ounting at least to the stren g th of a division, are u n d e r th e E tap p en -C o m m an d an t. T h e B aden division an d a n o th er landw ehr division have been com bined into the 14th C orps, which is now, u n d e r G eneral von W erder, advancing u p o n B esanfon, while G eneral Schm eling, with th e fo u rth reserve division, has just successfully besieged Schelestadt, an d is now taking in h an d N eu Breisach. H ere fo r the first tim e we find the m ention of a reserve division, which, in Prussian m ilitary language, is som ething essentially d iffe ren t from a landw ehr division. In fact, we have so fa r accounted fo r six ou t of th e nine lan dw ehr divisions, an d it may well be supposed th at the g arrisoning of Alsace a n d L orraine, an d in p a rt of the R hine fortresses, will account fo r th e o th e r three. T h e application of the term reserve division proves th at the fo u rth battalions of th e line regim ents are now gradually arriving on F rench soil. T h e re will be nine of them , or, in some cases, ten, to every arm y corps; these have been fo rm ed in as m any reserve divisions, a n d probably bear th e sam e n u m b er as th e arm y corps to which they belong. T h u s th e fo u rth reserve division w ould be th e one form ed o u t of the fo u rth battalions of the F o u rth A rm y C orps recru ited in Prussian Saxony. T h is division form s p a rt of th e new 15th A rm y Corps. W hat th e o th e r division is we do no t know probably one of the th re e with which G eneral Low enfeld has just started from Silesia fo r Strasbourg; the o th e r two w ould th en form th e 16th Corps. T his would account fo r fo u r o u t of th irteen reserve divisions, leaving nine still disposable in the in terio r of N o rth G erm any. As to th e num erical stren g th of these bodies of troops, the N o rth G erm an battalions before Paris have certainly been b ro u g h t u p again to a full average of 750 m en; the B avarians are re p o rted to be weaker. T h e cavalry will scarcely average m ore th an 100 sabres to th e sq u adron instead of 150; and, u p o n the whole, an arm y corps before Paris will average 25,000 m en, so th at the whole arm y actually th ere will be nearly 190,000 m en. T h e battalions befo re Metz m ust be w eaker, on account of the g reater am o u n t of sickness, an d will hardly average 700 m en. T hose of th e lan d w eh r will scarcely n u m b er 500. T h e Polish press has lately begun to claim a ra th e r large share
L. of C. C o m m an d an t. Ed.

in the glory of th e Prussian arm s. T h e tru th of th e m atter is this: the whole n u m b e r of th e Polish-speaking p o pulation in Prussia is about two millions, o r one-fifteen th of th e whole N o rth G erm an population; in these we include both th e W ater-Polacks of U p p e r Silesia an d the M asures of East Prussia, who w ould b oth be very m uch surprised to h e a r them selves called Poles. T h e 1st, 2nd, 5th, and 6 th corps have an ad m ix tu re of Polish soldiers, b u t the Polish elem ent actually pred o m in ates in one division only of th e 5th, and p erh ap s in one brig ad e of th e 6 th C orps. It has been th e policy of th e Prussian G overnm ent as m uch as possible to scatter th e Polish elem ent in the arm y over a g reat n u m b er of corps. T h u s, the Poles of W est Prussia are divided betw een the 1st an d 2nd corps, an d those of Posen betw een the 2n d an d 5th, while in every case care has been taken th at the m ajority of th e m en in each corps should be G erm ans. T h e reduction of V e rd u n is now being energetically p u sh ed on. T h e town a n d citadel are n o t very strongly fortified, b u t have d eep wet ditches. O n the 11th an d 12th of O ctober th e garrison was driven from th e villages su rro u n d in g th e place, an d the investm ent m ade close; on the 13th a b o m b ard m en t was o p en ed with forty-eight guns an d m ortars (French ones taken in Sedan), placed betw een 700 an d 1,300 yards from th e works. O n th e 14th som e old F rench 24-pounders arrived from Sedan, an d on the following day some of th e new Prussian rifled 2 4 -pounders which h ad red u ced T oul. T h ey w ere in full activity on th e 18th. T h e town ap p eared to su ffer severely, being very closely built.

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T H E FALL O F METZ^

[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1782, O ctober 29, 1870]

T h e p resen t w ar is a w ar of capitulations, each one of which seems to be destined to surpass its predecessors in m agnitude. First cam e th e 84,000 m en laying dow n th eir arm s at Sedan, an event th e like of which, o r even anything ap p ro ach in g to which, had n o t been w itnessed in any previous war, not even in those of A ustria. Now com es th e su rre n d e r of 170,000 m en, to g eth er with the fortress of Metz, surpassing Sedan as m uch as Sedan surpassed all previous capitulations. Is Metz, in its tu rn , to be surpassed by Paris? If th e w ar be continued th e re can be littie d o u b t it will. T h e th re e radical b lunders which b ro u g h t N apoleon from the 2nd o f A ugust to th e 2nd of Septem ber, from S aarbriicken to Sedan, an d which virtually deprived F rance of the whole of h er arm ies, w ere first, the receiving of th e enem ys attack in a position which allowed the victorious G erm ans to push in betw een th e scattered corps of the F rench arm y, and thus to divide it into two distinct bodies, n eith er of which could rejoin o r even act in concert with the other; second, the delay of B azaines arm y at Metz, by which it got hopelessly shut u p th ere; a n d th ird , the m arch to th e relief of Bazaine with forces an d by a ro u te which positively invited th e enem y to take the whole of the relieving arm y prisoners. T h e effects o f the first b lu n d e r w ere conspicuous th ro u g h o u t th e cam paign. T h o se of the th ird w ere b ro u g h t to a close at Sedan; those of the second we have just witnessed at Metz. T h e whole of th at A rm y of the R hine, to which N apoleon prom ised an ard u o u s c a m p a i g n i n a country full of fortresses, is
W ritten betw een O ctober 27 a n d 29, 1870. Ed. ^ N apoleon I l l s appeal to th e arm y A u q u a rtie r im perial d e Metz, le 28 juillet 1870 , Le Temps, No. 3440, July 30, 1870. Erf.

now in, o r on the ro ad to, these very sam e fortresses as prisoners of war, and F rance is n o t only virtually, b u t positively, dep riv ed of nearly all of h e r re g u la r troops. T h e loss of th e m en them selves, an d of th e m ateriel s u rre n d ered along with Metz, which m ust be enorm ous, is a blow h a rd enough. B ut it is n o t th e hard est. T h e w orst fo r F rance is that, with these m en a n d this m ateriel, she is d eprived of th at m ilitary organization of which she is m ore in need th an of any th in g else. O f m en th ere are plenty; even of drilled m en betw een twenty-five an d thirty-five th ere m ust be at least 300,000. M ateriel can be replaced from stores a n d factories at hom e a n d by com m erce from abroad. U n d e r circum stances like these all good breech-loaders are useful, no m atter on w hat m odel they are constructed, o r w h eth er th e am m unition of th e o ne will suit th e o th er m odels. A nything serviceable being welcome, with a p ro p e r use of telegraphs and steam ers, th ere m ight be m ore arm s a n d cartridges now at the disposal of th e G o v ern m en t th an could be used. Even field artillery m ight have been supplied by this time. B ut w hat is m ost w anted is th at solid organization which can m ake an arm y o u t of all these arm ed m en. T his organization is p ersonified in the officers an d non-com m issioned officers of th e re g u la r arm y, and finally ceases to be available with th eir su rre n d er. T h e n u m b e r of officers w ithdraw n from th e active service of France, by losses on the battle-field an d by capitulations, cannot now be less th an from ten to twelve thou san d , th at of non-com m issioned officers being nearly th ree times as great. W ith such organizing forces all at once w ithdraw n from th e national defence, it becom es extrem ely difficult to tu rn crowds of m en into com panies a n d battalions of soldiers. W hoever has seen p o p u lar levies on th e d rill-g ro u n d or u n d e r fire be they B aden F reischaaren, B ull-Run Yankees, F rench Mobiles, o r B ritish Volunteers* will have perceived at once th at the chief cause of th e helplessness an d unsteadiness of these troops lies in th e fact of th e officers n o t know ing th eir duty; an d in this p resen t case in F rance who is th ere to teach th em th eir duty? T h e few old half-pay o r invalided officers are n o t sufficiently n u m ero u s to do it; they cannot be everyw here; the teaching has to be n o t theoretical only, b u t practical too; n o t by w ord of m o u th only, b u t by act a n d exam ple. A few y o ung officers o r newly-pi-omoted sergeants in a battalion will very soon setde dow n to th eir work by th e constant observation of w hat th e old officers do; b u t w hat is to be d o n e w hen the officers are alm ost all new, and no t even m any old sergeants to be h ad to be com m issioned? T h e sam e m en who now prove them selves in

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alm ost every en co u n ter u n fit to act in masses in the o p en would have soon learn ed how to fight if it h ad been possible to em body them in B azaines old battalions; nay, if they h ad m erely h ad the chance of being com m anded by B azaines officers an d sergeants. A nd in this final loss for this cam paign of alm ost the last vestige of h e r m ilitary organization, F rance suffers m ost by the capitulation of Metz. It will be tim e to form a decided opinion u p o n the conduct of th e defence w hen we shall have h ea rd w hat the d efen d ers have to say fo r them selves. B ut if it be a fact th at 170,000 m en capable of b earin g arm s have su rre n d e re d , then the presu m p tio n is th at the d efence has n o t been u p to th e m ark. A t no tim e since th e e n d of A ugust has the investing arm y been double the stren g th of the invested. It m ust have varied betw een 200,000 an d 230,000 m en, spread o u t on a circle of at least twenty-seven miles periphery, in the first line only; which m eans to say th at the circle occupied by th e masses m ust at least have been thirty-six to forty miles in periphery. T his circle was m oreover cut in two by the river Moselle, im passable except by bridges at som e distance to th e re a r of th e first line. If an arm y of 170,000 m en could n o t m anage to be in su p erio r stren g th at any one p oint of this circle, an d break th ro u g h it befo re sufficient reinforcem ents could be b ro u g h t up, we m ust conclude eith er th at the arran g em en ts of the investing troops w ere beyond all praise, o r th at the attem pts to get th ro u g h them w ere n ever m ade as they o u g h t to have been done. We shall probably learn th at here, as th ro u g h o u t this war, political considerations have lam ed m ilitary action. Unless peace be now concluded, the consequences of this fresh disaster will soon be b ro u g h t hom e to France. W e suppose th at the two lan d w eh r divisions will be left to garrison Metz. T h e 2nd C orps is already on the ro ad to Paris, which does no t absolutely im ply th at it is in ten d ed to take p a rt in the investm ent of the capital. B ut supposing th at to be the case, th ere would rem ain six corps, o r at least 130,000 to 140,000 m en, w hom M oltke can send w here he likes. T h e com m unications of th e arm y with G erm any were k ep t u p w ithout m uch participation of Prince Frederick C harless troops; fo r this p u rp o se he will have to detach few m en, if any at all. T h e rest is disposable fo r the invasion of the west and south of France. T h e re will be no necessity to keep the whole of them to g eth er. T h ey will probably be divided into two o r th ree bodies, form ing, with von d e r T a n n s corps, to g eth er at least 150,000, an d will be o rd e re d to advance into the parts of France h ith erto unoccupied by the G erm ans. O ne corps will alm ost

certainly occupy the rich provinces of N o rm an d y a n d Le M aine as fa r as the Loire, with Le Mans, w here five railways m eet, fo r a centre. A n o th er will push forw ard in the direction of B ordeaux, after having cleared th e line of th e Loire from T o u rs to Nevers, and occupied o r destroyed th e arsenals an d m ilitary factories of B ourges. T his corps m ight m arch from Metz by C h au m o n t and A uxerre, w here th e country has n o t yet been eaten u p by requisitions. A th ird corps m ight go straig h t to th e south, to open com m unications with G eneral W erder. T h e in terio r of France being alm ost entirely divested of fortresses deserving of th e nam e, th ere will be no resistance except the evanescent o ne of th e new levies, and the m o re passive b u t also m ore stubborn one of the populations. W hether, with such arm ies set free all at once, M oltke will attem p t the siege of any m ore fortresses, o r even the reduction of a fortified naval p o rt such as C h erb o u rg , rem ains to be seen; h e need red u ce no m ore fortresses now, except P halsbourg an d B elfort, which block m ain lines of railway, and, of course, Paris.

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N O TE S O N T H E WAR. X X V P

[T h e Pall M all Gazette, No. 1787, N ovem ber 4, 1870]

T h e re can be no longer any reasonable d o u b t th at the arm y which su rre n d e re d at Metz actually n u m b ere d 173,000 m en, 140.000 of which w ere fit to b ear arm s, while ra th e r m ore, than 30.000 w ere sick an d w ounded. The D aily News gives us, in a telegram from B erlin, w hat professes to be full particulars of these tro o p s: 67 in fan try regim ents, 13 battalions of C hasseurs-a-Pied,' 18 fo u rth an d dep o t battalions; 36 cavalry reg im en ts viz. 10 C uirassiers, 1 Guides, 11 D ragoons, 2 Lancers, 3 H ussars, 6 Chasseurs-a-Cheval,'" an d 3 C hasseurs d A frique,'' besides 6 dep o t squadrons. W e m ust suppose th at this statem ent comes from the Prussian Staff in B erlin, an d contains an abstract eith er of w hat they h ad m ade o u t from previous and indirect sources to be the com position of th e F rench forces in Metz, o r else of the French re tu rn s h an d e d over to the captors on su rre n d er. T h e latter ap p ears m ost likely. W e know th ere w ere within Metz, of infantry, the G uards (8 reg im en ts= 3 0 battalions, an d 1 battalion Chasseurs), the Second C orps (Frossard, 3 divisions), the T h ird (Decaen, late B azaine, 4 divisions), the F o u rth (L adm irault, 3 divisions), the Sixth (C anrobert, 3 divisions), and 1 division of the Fifth C orps (De Faillys), in all 14 divisions of the line, each containing 1 battalion of C hasseurs and 4 regim ents o r 12 battalions of the line, excepting 2 divisions of C an ro b e rts which h ad no C hasseurs. This w ould give 12 battalions of C hasseurs an d 168 battalions of the line, or, with th e G uards, a g ra n d total of 13 battalions C hasseurs
W ritten betw een O ctober 29 a n d N ovem ber 4, 1870. Ed. L ight infantry. Ed. L ight cavalry, Ed. A frican infantry. Ed.

and 198 of infantry, and, with th e 18 d ep o t battalions, in all 229 battalions, which is ra th e r m ore th an the 2 2 1 given as th e total n u m b er in The Daily News. O n th e o th er h an d , this list w ould give but 64 regim ents of infantry, while o u r co n tem p o rary has 67. We m ust th ere fo re conclude th at the th ree m issing regim ents form ed the garrison of Metz, and fo r th at reason do n o t figure in the status of the A rm y of th e R h in e. As to th e discrepancy in the n u m b er of battalions, th at is easily accounted for. T h e losses of m any regim ents d u rin g the batdes in A ugust, an d th e sorties of S eptem ber an d O ctober, as well as by sickness, m ust have been such th at the th ree battalions h ad to be fo rm ed into two, p erh ap s even one. T h a t such a force, as large as N apo leo n s arm y at Leipzig,* should be com pelled to s u rre n d e r at all, is a fact u n h e a rd of in the history of w arfare, and alm ost incredible even now afte r it has h ap p e n ed . B ut it becomes m o re inconceivable still if we com pare the stren g th of this arm y with th at of th e captors. O n th e 18th of A ugust Bazaine was throw n back, from th e heights o f G ravelotte, u n d e r the guns of th e forts of Metz; in a few days after, the investm ent of the place was com pleted. B ut of th e arm y which had fo u g h t at G ravelotte, 3 corps, o r 75 battalions, w ere detached u n d e r the C row n Prince of Saxony on th e 24th of A ugust, at latest; fo r th ree days afterw ards th eir cavalry d efeated MacM ahons Chasseurs-a-C heval at Buzancy. T h e re rem ain ed before Metz 7 corps, o r 175 battalions, an d 12 lan d w eh r battalions, in all 187 battalions, to invest an arm y of at least 221 battalions! A t that tim e B azaine m ust have h ad at his disposal 160,000 com batants, if no t m ore. T h e Prussians certainly h ad taken every step to send u p fresh m en from th eir reserve troops to m ake u p for th e losses of the late batdes; b u t it will be im possible to suppose th at th eir battalions w ere b ro u g h t u p again to the full com plem ent of 1 ,0 0 0 m en. Even supposing this to have been th e case, with the exception of the landw ehr, which form s battalions of five o r six h u n d re d only, this will give the Prussians a force of n o t m o re th an 182,000, o r with cavalry a n d artillery ab out 240,000 m en; th at is to say, m erely one-half m ore th an the arm y sh u t u p in Metz. A nd these 240,000 m en w ere sp read o u t on a fro n t of twenty-seven miles in length, an d th ere was an u n fo rd ab le riv er to divide them into two distinct bodies. U n d e r these circum stances, it is im possible to d o u b t th at Bazaine, h ad he really attem p ted to b reak th ro u g h the investing circle with the mass of his troops, could have do n e
A lbert. (/.

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SO unless in d eed we suppose th at the F rench, after G ravelotte, w ere no lo n g er the m en they had been before; an d fo r th at there is no reason. T h a t Bazaine, after the proclam ation of the Republic, should have refrain e d from breaking o u t of Metz th ro u g h political motives ap p ears to the w riter of these Notes quite certain. It is equally certain th at every day of delay decreased his chances of success fo r do ing so; still the Prussians them selves ap p e a r to think now that, h ad they been in the same position, they could have p erfo rm ed th e feat. B ut w hat rem ains inexplicable is the inaction, o r at least the indecision, of B azaine d u rin g the last days of A ugust and the first days of S eptem ber. O n the 31st of A ugust he attem pts an attack tow ards the north-east, an d continues it th ro u g h o u t the night an d the following m orning; yet three Prussian divisions are sufficient to drive him back u n d e r th e guns of th e forts. T h e attem p t m ust have been extrem ely feeble, considering the enorm ous stren g th with which he m ight have m ade it. A general who has sixteen divisions of splendid infantry u n d e r him , to be repelled by th ree divisions of the enemy! It is too bad. As to th e political motives which are said to have caused B azaines inactivity after the revolution of the 4th of Septem ber, and th e pohtical intrigues in which he engaged, with the connivance of the enem y, d u rin g the latter p a rt of the invest ment,^ they are thoroughly in keeping with the Second Em pire, which, in one form o r another, they w ere in ten d ed to restore. It shows to w hat an extent th at Second E m pire had lost every com prehension of F rench character if the general in com m and of th e only re g u lar arm y F rance th en possessed could think of resto rin g the fallen dynasty with the help of the invader of his country. B azaines previous m ilitary career was none of the brightest. His M exican cam paign m erely proved th at he cared m ore fo r rew ard th an fo r glory o r the cred it of his country. His nom ination to the com m and-in-chief of the A rm y of the R hine was d u e to accidental circum stances; he got it, not because he was the m ost eligible bu t th e least ineligible of the possible candidates; and the deciding considerations w ere anything b u t strictly m ilitary. H e will be im m ortalized as the m an who com m itted the m ost disgraceful act in F rench m ilitary history who p revented 160,000 F renchm en from b reaking th ro u g h the investing arm y of, u n d e r the circum stances, positively in ferio r strength, an d su rre n d e re d them as prisoners of w ar w hen th ere was noth in g m ore to eat.

T H E EM PERO RS A PO LO G IA =

[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1788, N ovem ber 5, 1870]

Like o th er great m en in bad luck, Louis N apoleon appears aw are th at he owes th e public an explanation of th e causes which led him , m uch against his will, from S aarbrucken to Sedan; and consequently we have now been p u t in possession of w hat professes to be this explanation of his.' As th ere is no evidence, eith er external o r in ternal, to fix any suspicion of spuriousness u p o n the docum ent, b u t ra th e r to th e contrary, we take it, fo r th e presen t, to be genuine. In d eed , we are alm ost b o u n d to do so, o u t of m ere com plim ent; fo r if ever th ere was a d o cu m en t confirm ing, both generally an d in detail, th e view taken of th e w ar by The Pall M all Gazette, it is this Im perial self-justification. Louis N apoleon inform s us th at he was perfectly aw are of the g reat num erical superiority of th e G erm ans; th at he h o p ed to counteract it by a rap id invasion of S o u th ern G erm any in o rd e r to com pel th at country to rem ain n eutral, an d to secure, by a first success, the alliance of A ustria an d Italy. For this p u rp o se 150,000 m en were to be co ncentrated at Metz, 100,000 at S trasbourg, and 50,000 at Chalons. W ith th e first two rapidly concentrated, the R hine was to be passed n e a r K arlsruhe, while th e 50,000 m en from C halons advanced on Metz to oppose any hostile m ovem ent on the flank an d re a r of th e advancing forces. B ut this plan evaporated as soon as th e E m p ero r cam e to Metz. H e fo u n d th ere only 100,000 m en, at S trasbourg th ere w ere only 40,000, while
^ W ritten betw een N ovem ber 1 a n d 5, 1870. Ed. [N apoleon III,] Campagne de 1870. Des causes qui ont amene la capitulation de Sedan. P ar u n officier attache a IE tat-M ajor G eneral, avec les plans de la place et de bataille, Brussels, 1870. Ed.

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C an ro b e rts reserves w ere anyw here an d everyw here except at Chalons, w here they o u g h t to have been. T h e n the troops w ere u n p ro v id ed with the first necessaries fo r a cam paign, knapsacks, tents, cam p-kettles, an d cooking-tins. M oreover, noth in g was know n of th e enem ys w hereabouts. In fact, the bold, dashing offensive was from the very beginning tu rn e d into a very m odest defensive. T h e re will be scarcely anything new in all this to the read ers of The Pall M all Gazette. O u r Notes on the W ar sketched o u t the above plan of attack as the m ost rational the F rench could pursue, an d traced th e causes why it h ad to be abandoned."" B u t th ere is one fact, which was th e proxim ate cause of his first defeats, for which th e E m p ero r does no t account: why he left his several corps in the faulty position of attack close to the frontier, w hen the in tention of attack had been long given up. As to his figures, we shall criticize th em by-and-by. T h e causes of th e breakdow n of th e F rench m ilitary adm inistra tion th e E m p ero r finds in
th e defects o f o u r m ilitary organization such as it has existed fo r the last fifty years.

B ut surely this was no t the first tim e th a t this organization was p u t u p o n its trial. It had answ ered well en o u g h d u rin g the C rim ean war. It pro d u ced brilliant results at the outset o f the Italian war, w hen it was held u p in E ngland, not less th an in G erm any, as th e very m odel of arm y organization. No d o u b t it was show n to have m any shortcom ings even then. B ut th ere is this d ifference betw een then an d now: th en it did work, an d now it does not. A nd th e E m p ero r does no t profess to account fo r this difference, which was th e very th in g to be accounted fo r but, at th e sam e tim e, the m ost te n d e r point of th e Second E m pire, which h ad clogged th e wheels of this organization by all m an n er of co rru p tio n an d jobbery. W hen Metz was reached by the re treatin g arm y,
its effective force was b ro u g h t u p to 140,000 by the arrival of M arshal C a n ro b ert w ith two divisions a n d th e re serv e .

T his statem ent, com pared with the n um bers who have ju st laid dow n th eir arm s at Metz, com pels us to look a little m ore closely into th e Im perial figures. T h e arm y of S trasbourg was to be com posed of M acM ahons, De Faillys, an d D ouays corps, in all ten divisions, an d should n u m b e r 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 m en; b u t it is now said
See this volum e, pp. 15-16 a n d 22-23. Ed.

no t to have exceeded 40,000. Leaving D ouays th ree divisions entirely o u t of the question, alth o u g h one of them cam e to M acM ahons assistance at o r afte r W oerth, this would give less th a n 6,000 m en p e r division (13 battalions), o r barely 430 m en p er battalion, even if we do n o t co unt one single m an fo r cavalry o r artillery. Now, with all th e cred it we are inclined to give the Second E m pire in th e m atter of jobbery an d dilapidation, we cannot b rin g ourselves to believe th at th ere should have been ninety battalions in th e arm y the effective stren g th o f which, tw enty days afte r th e calling o u t of th e reserves an d m en on fu rlo u g h , averaged 430 m en instead of 900. As to th e arm y of Metz it com prised, in the G uards an d ten divisions of th e line, 161 battalions; an d if we take th e 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 m en given in th e p am p h let as consisting of in fan try only, w ithout allowing anything for cavalry o r artillery, th at would still give n o t m ore th an 620 m en p e r battalion, which is u n d o u b ted ly below th e reality. M ore w onderful still, afte r th e re tre a t to Metz, this arm y was raised to 140,000 m en by the arrival of two divisions of C an ro b e rt an d the reserves. T h e new additions th u s consisted of 40,000 m en. Now, as th e reserves arriv in g at Metz afte r Spicheren could consist of cavalry an d artillery only, th e G u ard s having arriv ed th ere long before, they cannot be set dow n at m o re th an 2 0 ,0 0 0 m en, leaving a n o th er 20,000 fo r C an ro b e rts two divisions, which, fo r twentyfive battalions, would give 800 m en p er battalion; th at is to say, C an ro b e rts battalions, which w ere th e m ost u n read y of all, are m ade by this account to be fa r stro n g er th an those which h ad been concentrated a n d got ready long before. But, if th e arm y of Metz, before the battles of th e 14th, 16th, an d 18th of A ugust, counted b u t 140,000 m en, how com es it th at afte r th e losses of these th ree days certainly not less th an 50,000 m e n afte r th e losses of th e later sorties, an d th e death s from sickness, Bazaine could still h an d over 173,000 prisoners to th e Prussians? W e have en tered into these figures m erely to show th at they contradict each o th e r and all th e know n facts of th e cam paign. T h ey can be dism issed at once as totally incorrect. Besides the arm y organization, th ere w ere o th er circum stances h am p erin g the Im perial eagles flight tow ards victory. T h e re was, firstly, th e bad w e ath er; th en th e encum brance of bag g ag e; a n d finally,
the absolute ig norance in w hich we always rem ain ed con cern in g the position an d th e stre n g th of th e hostile arm ies.

T h re e very unto w ard circum stances indeed. B ut the bad w eather was th ere fo r both parties, fo r in all his devout references

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to Providence K ing William has no t once m entioned the fact that th e su n shone on the G erm an positions while rain fell on those of th e French. N or were the G erm ans u n en cu m b ered with baggage. As to th e ignorance of the w hereabouts of the enem y, th ere exists a letter of N apoleons to his b ro th e r J o s e p h , w h o com plained in S p a i n o f th e sam e h ard sh ip , an d which is anything but com plim entary to generals m aking such com plaints. It says th at if generals are ig n o ran t of the w hereabouts of th e enem y it is their own fault, an d proves th at they do no t u n d ersta n d th eir business. O ne som etim es doubts, in read in g these excuses fo r bad general ship, w h eth er this pam p h let is really w ritten fo r grow n-up people. T h e account given of the p a rt played by Louis N apoleon him self will n o t please his friends very m uch. A fter the battles of W oerth an d Spicheren he resolved im m ediately to lead back the arm y to th e cam p of C halons. B ut this plan, th o u g h first approved by the C ouncil of M inisters, two days afterw ards was considered likely to p ro d u ce a deplorable effect on the public m in d ; and, on the reception of a letter from M. E. Ollivier (!) to th at effect, the E m p ero r ab an d o n ed it. H e leads the arm y to th e left bank of the Moselle, and th e n no t foreseeing a general battle, an d only looking fo r partial engagem ents leaves it fo r Chalons. Scarcely is h e gone w hen the battles of the 16th an d 18th of A ugust take place, and sh u t u p in Metz Bazaine a n d his arm y. In the m eantim e, th e Em press an d the M inistry, exceeding th eir powers, an d beh in d th e E m p ero rs back, convoke the C ham ber; an d , with th e m eeting of th at em inendy pow erful body, the C orps Legislatif of Arcadians,'* the fate of th e E m pire was sealed. T h e O pposi tio n th ere w ere twenty-five of them , you know becam e allpow erful, an d paralyzed the patriotism of th e m ajority an d the progress of the G o v ern m en t which G overnm ent, we all recol lect, was n o t th at of m ealy-m outhed Ollivier b u t of ro u g h Palikao.
From this p e rio d M inisters a p p e a re d to be a fra id to p ro n o u n c e the n am e of th e E m p e ro r; a n d he, w ho had q u itte d th e arm y, a n d h a d only relinquished the com m and in o rd e r to resu m e th e reins of go v ern m en t, soon discovered th a t it w ould be im possible fo r him to play o u t the p a rt which belonged to h im .

he follows M acM ahons arm y, a m ere clog, powerless to do good, but not to p rev en t its being done. T h e G overnm ent in Paris insist u p o n M acM ahon m aking a move to relieve Bazaine. M acM ahon refuses, as this would be tan tam o u n t to ru n n in g his arm y into the jaws of perditio n ; Palikao insists.
As to the E m p e ro r, he m ade no opposition. It could n o t e n te r into his views to oppose the advice of th e G overnm ent a n d of th e E m press R egent, w ho h a d shown so m uch intelligence a n d energy u n d e r the greatest difficulties.

W e adm ire th e m eekness of th e m an who fo r twenty years had m aintained th at subm ission to his own individual will was th e only road to salvation fo r France, an d w ho now, w hen a plan of cam paign is im posed from Paris, contrary to th e m ost elem entary principles of th e a rt of w ar, m akes no opposition, because it could never e n te r into his views to oppose th e advice of the Em press R egent, who h ad, &c. &c.! T h e description of th e state of th e arm y with which this fatal m arch was u n d erta k en is an exact confirm ation in every particu lar of o u r estim ate of it at the tim e. T h e re is only one red eem in g featu re in it. De Faillys corps, d u rin g its re tre a t by forced m arches, had at least m anaged to lose, w ithout a fight, alm ost all its baggage; b u t th e corps does n o t ap p e a r to have appreciated this advantage. T h e arm y had gone to Reims on th e 21st of A ugust. O n the 2 3rd it advanced as far as th e river Suippe, at Betheniville, on the direct ro ad to V e rd u n an d Metz. B ut com m issariat difficulties com pelled M acM ahon to re tu rn w ithout delay to a line of railway; consequendy, on th e 24th, a m ovem ent to th e left is m ade and R ethel is reached. H ere th e whole of th e 25th is sp en t in d istributing provisions to th e troops. O n the 26th, h ead -q u arters go to T o u rte ro n , twelve miles fu rth e r eastw ard; on th e 27th, to Le C hene P opuleux, a n o th er six miles. H ere M acM ahon, finding out th a t eight G erm an arm y corps w ere closing in aro u n d him , gave o rd ers to re tre a t again tow ards the west; b u t d u rin g th e n ight positive o rd ers from Paris arrived th at he was to m arch to Metz.
U nquestionably, the E m p e ro r could have c o u n te rm a n d e d this o rd e r, b u t he was resolved not to oppose the decision of the R egency.

In fact, he was m ade to see th at he was virtually deposed, that he h ad becom e impossible. Most people with some self-respect, u n d e r th e circum stances, would have abdicated. B ut no; his irresolution, to use the m ildest possible expression, continues, and
N apoleon I s letter to Jo sep h B o n a p arte of A ugust 16, 1808, in: J. B onaparte, Memoires et correspondance politique et militaire du roi Joseph, t. IV , Paris, 1854. Ed. I' J. B o n a p arte s letter to N apoleon I of A ugust 14, 1808, ibid. Ed.

T his virtuous resignation com pelled M acM ahon to obey; and so he reached Stonne, six miles fu rth e r east, on th e 28th. B ut these o rd e rs and co u n ter-o rd ers occasioned delays in the m ovem ents.
See this
voIu itic, ])]). ( it> a n d

78. Ed.

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In the meantime
th e Prussian arm y h a d m ad e forced m arches, while we, e n cu m b ere d with baggage [again!], h a d occupied six days with fatigued troops in m arching twenty-five leagues.

T H E F IG H T IN G IN FRANCE"

T h e n cam e th e battles of th e 30th, 31st [of A ugust], an d 1st of S eptem ber, an d the catastrophe, which is n a rra te d very fully, bu t w ithout giving any new particulars. A nd th en comes the m oral to be draw n from it:
C ertainly the struggle was d isp ro p o rtio n a te; b u t it w ould have been longer sustained, a n d less disastrous fo r o u r arm s, if m ilitary operatio n s h a d n o t been unceasingly su b o rd in ated to political c onsiderations.

It is th e fate of the Second E m pire an d everything connected with it to fall w ithout being pitied. T h e com m iseration which is the least th at falls to th e lot of g reat m isfortunes does not, som ehow o r o th er, ap p e a r to be ex ten d ed to it. Even the h o n n e u r au courage m alh eu reu x which you cannot nowadays use in F rench w ithout a certain irony, seems to be den ied to it. W e do u b t w hether, u n d e r the circum stances, N apoleon will derive m uch b enefit from a d o cu m en t according to which his em inent strategical insight is in every case set at n o u g h t by absurd orders, dictated by political motives, from the G overnm ent at Paris, while his pow er to cancel these absurd o rd e rs is again set at n o u g h t by his unlim ited respect fo r the Regency of th e Em press. T h e best th at can be said of this uncom m only lam e p am p h let is, th at it does acknow ledge how necessarily things m ust go w rong in w ar if m ilitary operations be unceasingly su bordinated to political consider atio n s.

[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1793, N ovem ber 11, 1870]

D uring the first six weeks of th e war, while G erm an victories followed each o th er rapidly, while th e ex p an d in g force of the invaders was as yet b u t incom pletely spent, an d while th ere w ere still F rench arm ies in th e field to oppose them , th e contest, generally speaking, rem ain ed o ne of arm ies. T h e population of the invaded districts took b u t litde p a rt in th e fighting. T ru e , th ere w ere a dozen o r so of Alsatian peasants court-m artialed and shot fo r participatin g in batdes o r for m aim ing th e w ounded; b u t a tragedy like th at of Bazeilles was quite th e exception. T his is proved by noth in g b etter th an by the im m ense im pression it m ade, an d by the eager controversy carried on in the press as to the d eg ree in which th e trea tm e n t of th at village was justifiable or otherw ise. If it w ere advisable to reo p en th at controversy, we could prove, from th e testim ony of unim peachable eye-witnesses, th at inhabitants of Bazeilles did fall u p o n the B avarian w ounded, ill-treated them , an d threw them into th e flam es of houses fired by shells; an d th at in consequence of this, G eneral von d e r T a n n gave th e stupid and barb aro u s o rd e r to destroy the whole place stupid an d b arbaro u s chiefly because it m ean t setting fire to houses in which his own w ounded w ere lying by the h u n d re d . B ut anyhow, Bazeilles was destroyed in th e h eat of battle, an d in a contest the m ost ex a sp eratin g th at of house an d street fighting, w here rep o rts m ust be acted u p o n and decisions taken at once, an d w here people have no tim e to sift evidence a n d to h ear counsel on both sides. D uring the last six weeks th e ch aracter of th e w ar has u n d erg o n e a rem arkable change. T h e re g u la r arm ies of France
W ritten betw een N ovem ber 5 a n d 11, 1870. Ed.

H o n o u r to the courage in distress. Ed.

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have d isap p eared; the contest is carried on by levies whose very rawness re n d ers them m ore o r less irregular. W herever they attem p t to com e out in masses in the open, they are easily d efeated; w herever they fight u n d e r shelter of barricaded and loopholed villages and towns, they find they can o ffer a serious resistance. T h ey are encouraged in this kind of fighting, in night surprises, an d o th er coups of petty w arfare, by proclam ations and o rd ers of th e G overnm ent, who also com m and the people of the district in which they operate to su p p o rt them in every way. This resistance w ould be easily p u t dow n if the enem y disposed of forces sufficient fo r the occupation of the whole country. B ut this h e did n o t u p to the su rre n d e r of Metz. T h e force of the invaders was sp en t before Am iens, R ouen, Le Mans, Blois, T ours, and B ourges could be reached on the one han d , an d B esanfon and Lyons on the other. A nd th at this force becam e sp en t so soon is in no small d eg ree owing to this g re ater condensation of the resisting m edium . T h e eternal fo u r U hlans cannot now ride into a village o r a town fa r outside th eir own lines an d com m and absolute subm ission to th eir o rd ers w ithout risk of being caught o r killed. Requisition colum ns have to be accom panied by an im posing force, an d single com panies o r squadrons have to g u ard them selves well from n ight surprises w hen q u arte red in a village, a n d from am bushes w hen on the m arch. T h e re is a belt of d isputed g ro u n d all a ro u n d the G erm an positions, an d it is just th ere th at p o p u lar resistance is m ost severely felt. A nd to p u t dow n this p o p u lar resistance the G erm ans are having recourse to a code of w arfare as antiquated as it is barbarous. T h ey are acting u p o n th e ru le th at every town o r village w here one o r m ore of the inhabitants take p a rt in the defence, fire u p o n th eir troops, o r generally assist the F rench, is to be b u rn e d down; th at every m an taken in arm s who is not, according to th eir notion, a re g u lar soldier, is to be shot at once; a n d th at w here th e re is reason to believe th at any considerable portion of the population of a town have been guilty of some such offence, all able-bodied m en are to be m assacred at once. T his system has now been ruthlessly carried o u t fo r nearly six weeks, an d is still in full force. You cannot open a G erm an new spaper w ithout stum bling over half a dozen reports of such m ilitary executions, which th ere pass quite as a m atter of course, as sim ple proceedings of m ilitary justice carried ou t with wholesom e severity by honest soldiers against cowardly assas
^ See th e item
IH70.~ Ed.

sins an d b rig an d s. T h e re is no d iso rd er of any kind, no prom iscuous p lu n d er, no violation of w om en, no irregularity. N othing of the kind. It is all d o n e systematically an d by o rd e r; the d oom ed village is su rro u n d e d , the inhabitants tu rn e d out, the provisions secured, an d th e houses set fire to, while th e real o r suspected culprits are b ro u g h t before a court-m artial, w hen a short shrift a n d half a dozen bullets await them with u n e rrin g certainty. In Ablis, a village of 900 inhabitants, on the ro a d to C hartres, a squad ro n of th e 16th (Sleswig-Holstein) H ussars were su rprised at nigh t by F rench irregulars, and lost one half of th eir m en; to punish this piece of insolence, the whole brig ad e of cavalry m arched to Ablis a n d b u rn e d dow n the whole place; and two d iffe ren t rep o rts, both from actors in the d ram a, assert th at all able-bodied m en w ere taken o u t from th e inhabitants a n d shot dow n, o r hacked to pieces w ithout exception.^ T his is b u t one o u t of very m any cases. A B avarian officer in th e n eig h b o u rh o o d of O rleans writes th a t his d etach m en t h ad b u rn e d dow n five villages in twelve days'; an d it is no exaggeration to say th at w herever the G erm an flying colum ns are passing in the cen tre of France, th eir ro ad b u t too o ften rem ains traced by fire an d by blood. Now it will scarcely suffice in 1870 to say th at this is legitim ate w arfare, and th at th e in terferen ce of civilians o r of anybody not properly recognized as a soldier is tan tam o u n t to brigandage, and m ay be p u t dow n by fire an d sword. All this m ight apply in the tim e of Louis X IV an d F rederick II, w hen th ere w ere no o th er contests b u t those of arm ies. B ut from th e A m erican w ar of indep en d en ce dow n to the A m erican w ar of secession, in E u ro p e as well as in Am erica, th e participation of th e populations in w ar has becom e not th e exception b u t the rule. W herever a people allowed itself to be su b d u ed m erely because its arm ies h ad becom e incapable of resistance it has been held u p to universal co n tem p t as a nation of cowards; an d w herever a people did energetically carry o u t this irre g u la r resistance, th e invaders very soon fo u n d it im possible to carry o u t th e old-fashioned code of blood an d fire. T h e English in America, th e F rench u n d e r N apoleon in Spain, the A ustrians, 1848, in Italy an d H u n g ary , w ere very soon com pelled to trea t p o p u lar resistance as perfectly legitim ate, from fe ar of reprisals on th eir own prisoners. N ot even th e Prussians in
R e p o rt from th e Kreisblatt fiir das Westhavilland R am bouillet, Oct. 9 . Engels cites it according to The Times, No. 26897, N ovem ber 2, 1870. Ed. H. V ogets re p o rt from th e Frankfurter Zeitung entitled Aus O rleans, 23. O k t. . Engels cites it according to th e Allgemeine Zeitung, No. 308, N ovem ber 4, 1870. </.

B erlin,

Nov.

1 ,

The

Times,

No. 26899, N ovem ber 4,

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B aden, 1849, o r the P o p e afte r Mentana, h ad th e courage to shoot dow n indiscrim inately th eir prisoners of war, irregulars and rebels th o u g h they were. T h e re exist only two m o d ern exam ples of th e ruthless application of this antiquated code of stam ping o u t; th e suppression of th e Sepoy mutiny by the English in India, an d th e proceedings of B azaine a n d his F rench in Mexico. O f all arm ies in the w orld, the very last th at ou g h t to renew such practices is the Prussian. In 1806 Prussia collapsed m erely because th ere was no t anyw here in the country a trace of th at spirit of national resistance. A fter 1807, the reorganizers of the adm inistration a n d of th e arm y did everything in th eir pow er to revive it. A t th at tim e Spain showed the glorious exam ple how a n ation can resist an invading arm y. T h e whole of the m ilitary leaders of Prussia pointed ou t this exam ple to th eir countrym en as th e o ne to be followed. S charnhorst, G neisenau, Clausewitz w ere all of one m ind in this respect; G neisenau even w ent to Spain him self to fight against N apoleon. T h e whole of th e new m ilitary system th e n in au g u ra ted in Prussia was an attem p t to organize p o p u la r resistance to the enem y, at least as fa r as this was possible in an absolute m onarchy. N ot only was every able-bodied m an to pass th ro u g h the arm y a n d to serve in the landw ehr u p to his fo rtieth year; the lads betw een seventeen an d tw enty an d th e m en betw een forty an d sixty w ere to form p a rt of the lan d stu rm o r levee en masse,^ which was to rise in the re a r an d on the flanks of th e enem y, harass his m ovem ents, in tercep t his supplies and couriers, use w hatever arm s it could find, em ploy indiscrim inately w hatever m eans w ere at h an d to annoy the in v ad er the m ore effective these m eans the b e tte r and, above all,
to w ear n o u n ifo rm o f any kind, so th a t th e lan d stu rm e rs m ig h t at any tim e resu m e th e ir ch ara cte r of civilians a n d rem ain u n know n to th e enem y.

thing. W hat was patriotism in th e o ne case becom es b rigandage an d cowardly assassination in the o ther. T h e fact is, the p resen t Prussian G overnm ent are asham ed of th at old, half-revolutionary L an d stu rm O rd n u n g , an d try to m ake it fo rg o tten by th eir proceedings in France. B ut every act of w anton cruelty they get com m itted in F rance will m ore a n d m ore call it to m em ory; a n d th e justifications m ade fo r such an ignoble m ode of w arfare will b u t ten d to prove th at if th e Prussian arm y has im m ensely im proved since Jen a , th e Prussian G overnm ent are rapidly rip en in g th at sam e state of things which re n d e re d Jen a possible.

T h e whole of this L andsturm O rd n u n g , as th e law o f 1813 re g ard in g it is called, is draw n u p an d its a u th o r is no o th er than S charnhorst, the organizer of th e Prussian arm y in this spirit of uncom prom ising national resistance, to which all m eans are justifiable a n d the m ost effective are th e best. B ut th en all this was to be d o n e by the Prussians against the F rench, a n d if th e F rench act m th e sam e way tow ards th e Prussians th at is quite a d iffe ren t
Pius IX . Ed. G eneral levy. Ed. W illiam I II, V e ro rd n u n g iiber d e n L an d stu rm . Vom 21sten A pril 1813 , m : Gesetz-Sammlung filr die kdniglichen preussischen Staaten, B erlin [1813], See this volum e, p. 195. Ed.

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N O TE S ON T H E WAR. X X V IP

[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1797, N ovem ber 16, 1870]

T hose w ho believed, with M. G am betta, th at the skilful and well-com bined m ovem ents by which the A rm y of the Loire m anoeuvred von d e r T a n n s Bavarians o u t of O rleans w ould be followed u p at once by an advance on Paris have been doom ed to disappointm ent. T h e engagem ent of Coulmiers,* o r w hatever else it m ay h ereafte r be called, took place on the 9th, an d u p to the evening of th e 13th the B avarian outposts ap p e a r to have rem ain ed unm olested in fro n t of T o u ry , only twenty-five miles from O rleans. It re d o u n d s greatly to the credit of G eneral d A urelle de Paladines th at afte r his first success he no t only had th e sense, but also th e m oral stren g th , to stop in time. W ith M. G am betta behind him , proclaim ing to his m en th at they are on the ro ad to Paris, th at Paris awaits them an d m ust be freed from the barbarians,' it cannot have been an easy m atter to keep back these young and half-disciplined troops, w ho are b u t too ready to cry trah iso n unless they are at once led against the enem y, an d to ru n away when they are m ade seriously to feel th at enem ys presence. T h a t d A urelle has m ade them stop on the road to Paris shows th at his efforts to discipline them have no t been unsuccessful, and th at his first success has gained him th eir confidence. His dispositions for this first F rench victory w ere everything they should have been. Von d e r T a n n cannot have h ad m ore th an 25,000 m en in the n eig h b o u rh o o d of O rleans, which exposed position he was allowed
W ritten on N ovem ber 16, 1870. Ed. L. G am bettas proclam ation to the troops, c. N ovem ber 13, 1870, The Times, No. 26907, N ovem ber 14, 1 8 7 0 .~ d .

to continue to hold, in th e consciousness th at his seasoned troops w ould, u n d e r any circum stances, be able to fray them selves a ro ad th ro u g h no m atter w hat n u m b er of the new levies opposed to them . DA urelle could o p erate against th e B avarians with at least fourfold th eir num bers, an d he did w hat is usual in such a case: he tu rn e d th eir flanks a n d displayed, especially on th eir rig h t rear, such a stren g th th at von d e r T a n n was at once com pelled to fall back tow ards his supports. T h ese jo ined him at T o u ry on the 11th, o r at latest th e 12th; an d they consisted of W ittichs 21st division of N o rth G erm an infantry, Prince A lbrechts division of cavalry, an d the 13th C orps (17th N o rth G erm an division and W urttem berg division). T h u s a force of from 65,000 to 70,000 m en at least is con cen trated u n d e r th e com m and of th e G ran d Duke of M ecklenburg at T o u ry , an d G eneral d A urelle m ay well look at them twice befo re h e ventures u p o n an attack on them , th o u g h they are com m anded by a very com m on-place chief indeed. B ut th ere are o th e r motives besides this which m ust com pel G eneral d A urelle to pause befo re m aking any fresh m ovem ent. If his intention really be to com e to th e relief of Paris, he m ust know perfectly well th at his own forces ar^ n o t sufficient to effect this object unless at the sam e tim e a vigorous effo rt is m ade, from w ithin, to second him . W e know th at G eneral T ro c h u has picked o u t the m ost disciplined and best organized portio n of his troops an d fo rm ed of them w hat may be called th e active arm y of Paris. U n d e r th e com m and of G eneral D ucrot, they ap p e ar to be in ten d ed fo r those g ra n d sorties w ithout which th e defence of a place like Paris is like a soldier fighting with his rig h t arm tied up. It is no t perh ap s a m atter of accident th at this reorganization of th e A rm y of Paris coincides, in p o in t of time, with the advance of the A rm y of the Loire. G eneral T ro c h u an d G eneral d A urelle doubdess have attem pted, by m eans of balloons an d carrier pigeons, to a rran g e a com bined m ovem ent, to be m ade at a time ag reed u p o n b efo reh an d ; and, unless th e G erm ans previously attack the A rm y of th e Loire, we may expect a sortie on a large scale from Paris on o r ab out the sam e tim e th at d A urelle m akes his next forw ard m ovem ent. T h a t sortie would probably be m ade with at least the whole of D ucrots th ree corps, on th e south side of the town, w here com m unication with th e A rm y of the Loire m ight, in case of success, be established, while on the north-east and north-w est sides T ro c h u s T h ird A rm y w ould m ake sim ulated attacks and diversions, su p p o rted by the fire of the forts, to p revent the investing arm y from sending reinforcem ents

i,

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to th e south. W e m ay be sure, on the o th e r han d , th at all this is taken into account by G eneral Moltke, and th at h e will no t be cau g h t n apping. In spite of the g reat num erical superiority which the F rench will be able to b rin g into th e field, we are decidedly of opinion th at the difference in the quality of th e troops an d in the generalship will m ore th an m ake u p fo r this. T his attem p t to free Paris from th e grasp of the b arb arian s will have to be m ade very soon if it is to have any chance at all. Besides th e five divisions of in fan try which are opposed to the A rm y of th e Loire, th ere are now before Paris sixteen divisions of in fan try (the 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6 th, 12th corps, the G uards, the 1st B avarian C orps, the 21st division, an d the division of landw ehr of th e G uards). T his force m ust be, in M oltkes eyes, quite sufficient to keep Paris effectively blockaded; otherw ise he would have d raw n tow ards Paris m ore troops th an the 2 n d C orps, o u t of those th at becam e free by the su rre n d e r of Metz. A nd considering that its positions, facing Paris, are everyw here strongly en tren ch ed , and will shortly be u n d e r th e protection of trem en d o u s siege batteries, such will no d o u b t be the case. B ut we are now beginning to receive news from Prince F rederick C harles, w ho afte r the capitulation of Metz had becom e invisible with th ree arm y corps (the 3rd, 9th, an d 10th). T h e first glim pse we since th en have had of his troops was the short piece of news th at the 9th re g im e n t h ad h ad a b ru sh with the Mobiles just outside C haum ont, in the H aute-M arne, on the 7th of November.^ T h e 9th belongs to the seventh brigade (of th e Second) C orps which h ad already arrived befo re Paris, an d the whole story becam e th ereb y unintelligible. Since th en , it has been established th at the telegram , by mistake, gave th e n in th reg im en t instead of the n in th brigade, an d this clears u p th e m atter. T h e n in th brigade is the first of the T h ird A rm y C orps, a n d belongs th e re fo re to the arm y of Prince F rederick C harles. T h e locality of the engagem ent, com bined with th e re p o rt generally accredited in m ilitary circles in B erlin th at the Prince h ad been m arching u p o n Troyes, which city he was said to have reached on the 7th o r 8 th, left b u t little d o u b t th at he had taken the ro u te we supposed the m ain body of his troops would take, viz. to m arch from Metz by C h au m o n t an d A uxerre, an d to p ush forw ard in the direction of B o rd eau x after having cleared th e line of th e Loire from T o u rs to N evers. ' We now learn th at
^ R ep o rt of a special c o rre sp o n d e n t of The Times B erlin, Nov. 9, 1.36 P.M . The Times, No. 26904, N ovem ber 10, 1870. Ed. ^ See this volum e, p. 153. Ed.

this arm y has occupied th e line of th e Y onne at Sens, ab out fifty miles from Gien on the Loire, a n d b u t thirty from M ontargis, w hence any F rench position to th e n o rth of O rleans could be taken in flank by one good days m arch. T h e detachm ents re p o rte d at M alesherbes and N em ours may have been sent by Prince F rederick C harles to feel fo r von d e r T a n n s left, o r they may be flanking parties on the ex trem e left of th e line of m arch of th e 13th C orps. At any rate, we may now expect th at the P n n ce will very soon establish his com m unications by flying colum ns with von d e r T a n n at T o u ry , on th e o n e h an d , and W erd er at Dijon on the other. If the A rm y of th e Loire delays its attack until Prince F rederick C harles arrives w ithin reach, it will have, besides the 70,000 m en in its fro n t, a n o th er 75,000 m en on its rig h t flank and re ar, an d all idea of relieving Paris will have to be ab an d o n ed . It will have en o u g h to do to look afte r its own safety, a n d will have to recede, hopelessly, before th a t b ro ad flood-wave of invasion which will th en cover central F rance on a fro n t ex ten d in g from C h artres to Dijon.

Gien, Nov. 14 , The Times, No. 26909, N ovem ber 16, 1870.

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[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1801, N ovem ber 21, 1870]

If th ere is any m ilitary question which the experience of the p resen t w ar may be said to have finally settled, it is th at of the expediency of fortifying the capital of a g reat State. Ever since the day w hen th e fortification of Paris was resolved upon, the controversy as to the usefulness o r otherw ise, an d even as to the possibility of d efen d in g such a vast fortress, has been going on in the m ilitary literatu re of all countries. N othing could settle it but practical ex p erien ce the actual siege of Paris, the only fortified capital in existence; a n d th o u g h the real siege of Paris has no t yet begun, th e fortifications of Paris have re n d e re d such im m ense services to F rance already th at the question is as good as decided in th eir favour. T h e d an g ero u s proxim ity of Paris to the n o rth -eastern fro n tier of F ran ce a fro n tier, m oreover, entirely deprived of any defensible line eith er of river o r m o u n tain s led, first, to the conquest of th e n earest border-lands; secondly, to the construction of a trip le belt of fortresses ru n n in g from th e R hine to the N orth Sea; and, thirdly, to th at continuous h an k e rin g after the whole of th e left bank of the R hine, which has at last b ro u g h t F rance to h e r p resen t position. T h e conquests w ere cut dow n an d defined by the T reaties of 1814 and 1815, the fortresses w ere proved to be all b u t useless, and com pletely incapable of arrestin g large arm ies, by th e two invasions of the sam e years; finally, the shouts fo r the R hine were, in 1840, checked fo r a tim e by a E u ro p ean coalition against F ran c e.'" T h e n it was that France, as becam e a great
W ritten on N ovem ber 21, 1870. Ed.

nation, attem p ted to counterbalance th e d an g ero u s position of Paris by the only m eans in h er p o w er by fortifying it. In this p resen t w ar F rance was covered, on h e r m ost vulnerable side, by the neutrality of Belgium . Still, one sh o rt m o n th sufficed to drive all h e r organized forces from th e field. O n e half h ad su rre n d e re d them selves prisoners; th e o th er was hopelessly shut u p in Metz, th eir s u rre n d e r b u t a question of weeks. U n d er o rd in ary circum stances, the w ar w ould have been at an end. T h e G erm ans w ould have occupied Paris an d as m uch of th e rest of France as they desired, and afte r th e capitulation of Metz, if not before, peace w ould have been concluded. France has nearly all h e r fortresses close to th e fro ntier: this belt of fortified towns once broken th ro u g h on a fro n t sufficiendy wide fo r liberty of m ovem ent, the rem ain in g fortresses on th e b o rd e r o r th e coast m ight be neglected, an d th e whole of th e central ceu n try occupied; afte r which, the b o rd e r fortresses w ould be easily b ro u g h t to su rre n d e r one after an o th er. Even fo r guerilla w arfare fortresses in the in terior, as safe centres of retreat, are necessary in cultivated countries. In th e P eninsular W ar, the p o p u lar resistance of th e S paniards was re n d e re d possible m ainly by the fortresses. T h e French, in 1809, drove Sir Jo h n M oores English troops o u t of Spain*'; they w ere victorious everyw here in the field, an d yet never co n q u ered th e country. T h e com paratively small A nglo-P ortuguese arm y, on its reap p earan ce, could n o t have faced them h ad it n o t been fo r th e in n u m erab le Spanish arm ed bands which, easily beaten in o p en battle, infested th e flanks and re a r of every F rench colum n, an d held fast by fa r th e g re ater portion of the invading arm y. A nd these bands could n o t have held o u t fo r any length of tim e h ad it not been fo r th e great n u m b er of fortresses in the country; fortresses, mostly small and antiquated, b u t still re q u irin g a re g u la r siege to red u ce them , and th ere fo re safe retreats fo r these b ands w hen attacked in th e op en field. Such fortresses being absent in France, even a guerrilla w ar could never be very form idable there, unless th ere w ere som e o th e r circum stances to m ake u p fo r th eir absence. A nd one such circum stance is th e fortification of Paris. O n the 2nd of S eptem ber th e last F rench arm y in th e field capitulated.^ A nd to-day, on th e 21st of N ovem ber, nearly eleven weeks afterw ards, alm ost one-half of all th e G erm an troops in F rance is still held fast aro u n d Paris, while the g re ater p o rtio n of
The p. 87. referen ce is to the F rench arm y n e ar Sedan. See this volume,

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th e re m a in d er are h u rrie d forw ard from Metz to protect the investm ent of Paris against a new ly-form ed A rm y of the Loire, an arm y which, w hatever its value m ay be, could no t have even come into existence h ad it not been fo r the fortifications of Paris. T hese fortifications have been invested fo r ju st two m onths, an d the p rep aratio n s fo r the o p en in g of the re g u la r siege are no t yet com plete; th at is to say, the siege of a fortress of th e size of Paris, even if d efen d ed by none b u t new levies an d a determ in ed population, can begin only w hen th at of a com m on fortress would have been long b ro u g h t to a successful close. T h e event has proved th at a town holding two millions of inhabitants can be provisioned alm ost easier th an a sm aller fortress exercising less central attraction u p o n the pro d u ce of th e su rro u n d in g country; fo r alth o u g h the provisioning of Paris was taken seriously in h an d afte r th e 4 th of S eptem ber, o r a fo rtn ig h t only before the investm ent was com plete, Paris is no t yet starved into subm ission after n in e weeks blockading. In fact, the arm ies of F rance resisted b u t fo r one m onth; Paris has, already now, resisted for two m onths an d still holds fast the m ain body of the invaders. Surely this is m o re th a n ever a fortress did before, an d repays in full the outlay u p o n the works. A nd we m ust not forget, w hat we have m o re th an once p o in ted ou t already, th at the defence of Paris this tim e is carried on u n d e r quite abnorm al conditions, because it has to do w ithout an active field arm y. W hat w ould th at resistance be, how w ould it have delayed, if n o t altogether prevented, the investm ent, how m any m ore m en of th e invading arm ies w ould it have fettered a ro u n d Paris, if M acM ahons arm y h ad gone to the capital instead of to Sedan? B ut this is n o t all. N ot only has the defence of Paris given to France two m onths of b reath in g time, which, u n d e r less disastrous circum stances, would have been invaluable a n d may even now tu rn o u t so, b u t it has also given h e r the benefit of w hatever chances political changes m ay b rin g on d u rin g the siege. W e may say as long as we like th at Paris is a fortress like any oth er, yet the fact rem ains th at the actual siege of a place like Paris will produce far m o re excitem ent all over the w orld th an a h u n d re d sieges of m inor places. T h e laws of w arfare m ay be w hat they m ay, o u r m o d ern consciousness refuses to acquiesce in having Paris treated as S trasbourg was. T h e neutrals, u n d e r such circum stances, may p retty safely be counted on for trying m ediation; political jealousies against the co n q u e ro r are alm ost certain to crop u p before th e place is com pletely reduced; in fact, an o peration of the m ag n itu d e an d d u ra tio n of the siege of Paris is as likely to be

decided in the C abinet of som e non-com batant Power, by alliances an d counter-alliances, as in the trenches by dismounting"*^ and breaching batteries. O f this we are ab out to witness an exam ple perhaps. It is just possible th at th e su d d en irru p tio n u p o n E u ro p e of the E astern q u e s t i o n m a y do fo r Paris w hat the A rm y of the Loire cannot d o save it from s u rre n d e r an d free it from blockade. If, as is b u t too probable, Prussia should be unable to clear herself from complicityof w hatever d eg reewith Russia, and if E u ro p e be d eterm in e d n o t to tolerate th e Russian breach of faith, then it is of th e utm ost im portance th at F rance should n o t be com pletely p ro strated an d Paris n o t be held by th e Prussians. It is th ere fo re absolutely necessary th at Prussia should be com pelled at once to declare herself categorically, an d th at if she attem p t to prevaricate, steps should be taken at once to stren g th en th e hopes an d th e resistance of Paris. T h irty th o u san d B ritish soldiers lan d ed at C h erb o u rg o r B rest w ould form an in g red ien t which, ad d ed to the A rm y of th e Loire, would give it a d eg ree of steadiness unknow n to it h ereto fo re. T h e B ritish infantry, by its uncom m on solidity, even by its co rresp o n d in g fault, its clum siness in light in fan try m ovem ents, is peculiarly ad ap ted th u s to steady newlyfo rm ed levies; it p e rfo rm ed th at d uty adm irably in Spain, u n d e r W ellington; it did a sim ilar d uty in all In d ian wars as reg ard s th e less trustw orthy native troops. U n d e r such circum stances the influence of such a B ritish arm y corps w ould far exceed th at d u e to its m ere num bers, as, indeed, has always been th e case w hen a British arm y corps was th u s em ployed. A couple of Italian divisions throw n tow ards Lyons an d th e Saone Valley, as the advanced g u ard of an Italian arm y, would soon attract Prince F rederick C harles; th ere is A ustria; th ere are th e Scandinavian kingdom s to m enace Prussia on o th er fronts an d attract h er troops; Paris itself, on receiving such news, w ould certainly u n d erg o alm ost any d eg ree of starvation ra th e r th an s u rre n d e r a n d b re ad th ere seems to be p len ty an d th u s th e fortifications of the town m ight actually, even in its p resen t distress, save the country by having enabled it to hold o u t until help arrived.

8 -1 2 3 2

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[T h e Pall M all Gazette, No. 1803, N ovem ber 23, 1870]

If ever th ere was a chance of relief fo r Paris th at chance existed d u rin g th e last eight days. A resolute advance of the A rm y of the Loire, reinforced by all troops th at could be b ro u g h t u p from the East of France, against M ecklenburgs* arm y of observation, com bined with a sortie en masse m ade by the whole of T ro c h u s disciplined forces, both attacks carried o u t at the sam e tim e and befo re Prince F rederick C harles could com e u p with the Second A rm y this was the only plan which prom ised success. A nd if we look at the counter-dispositions of the G erm ans we can hardly help concluding th at it h ad m ore chances of success th an could be expected at first sight. B efore Paris th ere w ere last week seventeen G erm an infantry divisions, including the W iirttem bergers, w ho h ad no t left their post betw een the Seine an d the M arne, as h ad been erroneously re p o rte d at first. T h e arm y of observation, u n d e r M ecklenburg, counted two N o rth G erm an an d two B avarian divisions, besides cavalry. A fter th e battle of Coulm iers, DA urelle, instead of following u p th e B avarian rear, m arched n o rth an d west in the direction of C hartres, w here, fo r th e present, he becam e lost to o u r eyes. T h e G erm ans followed this m ovem ent by a change of fro n t tow ards th e west, von d e r T a n n s B avarians holding the country from E tam pes to Ablis, while the I7 th and 22nd divisions m arch ed tow ards C hartres an d D reux. T h e latter town had, in the m eantim e, been reoccupied by F rench troops; it was supposed that DA urelle, rein forced by K eratry and o th er forces, was trying to
W ritten betw een N ovem ber 21 a n d 23, 1870. Ed. F rederick Francis II. Ed.

tu rn the arm y of observation an d to arrive suddenly u p o n the arm y blockading Paris. So serious did this attem p t a p p e a r to C ount M oltke th at he despatched at once th e n earest troops, portions of th e 5th an d 12th C orps, to th e su p p o rt of M ecklen burg, an d o rd e re d th e 2n d B avarian an d 6 th N o rth G erm an C orps, the 21st, an d th e W iirttem berg divisions to hold them selves in readiness to m arch south if req u ired . T h e reinforcem ents already sent enabled M ecklenburg to retake D reu x on th e 17th, a n d to follow the enem y u p, on th e 18th, beyond C hateauneuf. W hat F rench troops they w ere who w ere h ere d efeated it is im possible to tell. T h ey m ay have been p o rtions of th e A rm y of th e Loire, but they certainly w ere n o t th e A rm y of th e Loire itself. Since th en th ere is no news w hatever of fu rth e r F rench m ovem ents; while tim e ru n s on an d Prince F rederick C harles draws n e a re r and n ea rer, and ought, by now, to be within su p p o rtin g distance of M ecklenburgs left wing. T h e re seems to be litde d o u b t th at a great o p p o rtu n ity has been m issed by the French. T h e advance of th e A rm y of th e Loire m ade such a pow erful im pression u p o n M oltke th at he did not hesitate a m om en t to give o rd e rs which im plied, if it becam e necessary to execute them , n o th in g less th an the raising of th e investm ent of Paris. T h e portions of th e 5th an d 12th Corps, which advanced tow ards D reux, we will set dow n at not m o re th an a b r i p d e each, o r a division in all; b u t besides them , two B avarian, th ree N o rth G erm an an d th e W iirttem b erg divisions w ere told off to hold them selves ready to m arch against D A urelle at the first notice. T h u s, o u t of the seventeen divisions before Paris, seven at least w ere to m arch against th e relieving arm y in case of need, an d these seven ju st those which occupied the g ro u n d to the south of Paris. T h e C row n Prince would have retain ed bu t the 2n d an d g re ater p a rt of th e 5th C orps, w herew ith to g u ard the long ex ten t of g ro u n d from th e Seine at Choisy, by Versailles, to St. G erm ain; while th e G uards, the 4th, an d g re ater p a rt of the 12th C orps w ould have h ad to hold th e whole of th e n o rth e rn line from St. G erm ain ro u n d by Gonesse an d St. Brice, across the M arne, again to th e Seine above Paris. T h u s ten divisions of in fan try w ould have held a line of investm ent of forty miles, o r fo u r miles of fro n t fo r each division. Such a scattering of forces w ould have red u ced th e investm ent to a m ere line of observation; an d T ro ch u , with eight divisions u n d e r D ucrot and seven m ore, in his T h ird A rm y, u n d e r his own im m ediate com m and, could have o u tn u m b ere d his opp o n en ts at least th ree to one on any point he m ight have chosen fo r an attack. W ith such
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odds victory o u g h t to have been certain to him . H e could have pierced th e lines of the G erm ans, seized u p o n an d destroyed th eir siege parks, am m unitions, a n d stores, an d caused them such losses in m en th at a close investm ent, m uch less a siege, of Paris would have been re n d e re d impossible fo r some tim e to come. So far, we have m erely considered T ro c h u s chances, in d ep en d e n t of those of the A rm y of the Loire. It is as good as certain th at th e latter would have been no m atch fo r the eleven G erm an divisions told off against it, in case these eleven divisions w ere all concentrated. B ut the chances w ere m uch against th at eventuality. It is likely en o u g h th at a bold an d quick attack by DAurelle, com bined with a large sortie m ade by T ro c h u at the sam e time, w ould have carried d iso rd er into M oltkes arrangem ents. N one of th e corps which T ro c h u h a p p e n ed to attack could have been sp ared to m arch off against DA urelle. T h u s it m ight rem ain a m atter of accident which of the two F rench chiefs m ight have to fight the bulk of th e G erm ans; b u t the fact rem ained th at th eir forces to g eth er w ere far su p erio r in num bers to anything the G erm ans could b rin g against them . From Paris to D reux the distance is less th a n fifty miles. A sim ultaneous attack u p o n the G erm ans from both ends, an d with all available forces, w ould, in all probability, find some of th eir divisions on the m arch betw een th e two end-points, an d th e re fo re no t im m ediately available. If the attack w ere really sim ultaneous, an alm ost crushing num erical superiority on the F rench side, eith er at the D reux e n d o r at the Paris end, was a positive certainty; an d th e re fo re it was alm ost impossible to miss at least one victory. We know very well w hat g reat draw backs an d difficulties attach to com bined m ovem ents, an d how o ften they m iscarry. B ut in this case it is to be observed th at no o th er condition of success was necessary th an that b oth attacks should be m ade at exactly the same time. A nd, f u r th er, it is clear th at with a distance of forty miles from one arm y to th e o th er, the Prussians had to com bine th eir m ovem ents too. It is im possible to explain w hy n eith er DA urelle n o r T ro c h u has d o n e anything to take advantage of th e chance th u s o ffered to them . T h e slight engagem ents n e a r D reux an d C h ateau n eu f w ere certainly n o t of a n a tu re to drive back th e A rm y of the Loire; th ere w ere n o t m ore th an th ree G erm an divisions engaged in them , while th e A rm y of th e Loire counts at least eight. W hether D A urelle is aw aiting fu rth e r reinforcem ents; w h eth er his pigeonm essages have m iscarried; w hether th e re are differences betw een him an d T ro c h u , we cannot tell. Anyhow, this delay is fatal to

th eir cause. Prince F rederick C harles keeps m arch in g on, an d may be by this tim e so n e a r to th e G ran d D uke of M ecklenburgs arm y th at he can co-operate, an d the six divisions from befo re Paris can be spared. A nd from th e day w hen th at takes place, the two F rench generals will have lost an o th er chance of victory may be, th eir last one.

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[The Pall M all Gazette, No. 1806, N ovem ber 26, 1870]

Y esterday we called attention to the fact th at since the su rre n d e r at Sedan the prospects of France had m uch im proved, an d th at even the fall of Metz, a n d the setting free thereby of som e 150,000 G erm an soldiers, does not now look the crushing disaster it ap p eared to be at first. If we re cu r to the sam e subject to-day, it is in o rd e r to prove still m ore, by a few m ilitary details, the correctness of this view. T h e positions of the G erm an arm ies on the 24th of N ovem ber, as far as they can be m ade out, w ere as follows: Investing Paris: T h e T h ird A rm y (2nd, 5th, 6 th, an d 2nd B avarian corps, the 21st, the W iirttem berg, an d L andw ehr G uard divisions) an d the F o u rth A rm y (4th, 12th, an d G uards corps); in all seventeen divisions. A rm y of O bservation, protecting this investm ent: T o the n o rth , the First A rm y (1st an d 8 th corps); to the west and south-west, D uke of M ecklenburgs arm y ( I 7t h an d 22nd divisions, and 1st B avarian Corps); to the south, the Second A rm y (3rd, 9th, and 1 0 th corps, and a division of landw ehr, a d etach m en t of which was so severely h an d led at C hatillon by Ricciotti Garibaldi) in all fifteen divisions. O n special duty, in the south-east of France, the 14th C orps (W erders, consisting o f two divisions an d a half), an d 15th Corps; in Metz a n d about Thionville, the 7th C orps; on the line of com m unication, at least a division an d a half of landw ehr; in ail eight divisions at least.
W ritten on N ovem ber 26, 1870. d. T h e Prospect fo r F rance to-day , The Pall Mall Gazette, No. 1805, N ovem ber 25, 1870. d.

O f these forty divisions of infan try , th e first seventeen are at p resen t fully engaged before Paris; th e last eig h t show by th eir im m obility th at they have as m uch w ork cut o u t fo r them as they can m anage. T h e re rem ain disposable fo r th e field th e fifteen divisions com posing th e th ree arm ies of observation, an d re p re s e n tin g with cavalry an d artillery a total force of some 2 0 0 ,0 0 0 com batants at most. Now, before th e 9th of N ovem ber, th ere a p p e are d to be no serious obstacle to p rev en t this mass of m en from o v erru n n in g the g re ater p a rt of central and even so u th ern France. B ut since th en things have changed considerably. A nd it is n o t so m uch th e fact of von d e r T a n n having been beaten and com pelled to re treat, or th at of D A urelle having shown his ability to h an d le his troops well, which has in spired us with a g re ater respect fo r th e A rm y of th e Loire th an we confess we had u p to th at day; it is chiefly the energetic m easures which M oltke took to m eet its expected m arch on Paris which have m ade th a t arm y ap p e a r in quite a d iffe ren t light. N ot only d id h e find it necessary to hold in readiness against it, even at the risk of raising de facto th e investm ent of Paris, the g re ater portio n of th e blockading forces on th e south side of th e tow n, b u t he also changed at once th e direction of m arch of th e two arm ies arriving from Metz, so as to draw th em closer to Paris, a n d to have the whole of th e G erm an forces co n cen trated aro u n d th at city; an d we now h e a r th at, m oreover, steps w ere tak en to su rro u n d th e siege p ark with defensive works. W hatever o th er people m ay think, M oltke evidently does not consider th e A rm y of the Loire an arm ed rabble, b u t a real, serious, red o ubtable arm y. T h e previous u n certain ty as to th e ch aracter of th at arm y resulted to a g reat ex ten t from th e rep o rts of th e English correspondents at Tours." T h e re ap p ears to be not one military m an am ong them capable of distinguishing the characteristics by which an arm y d iffers from a m ob o f arm ed m en. T h e rep o rts varied from day to day re g ard in g discipline, proficiency in drill, num bers, arm am en t, eq u ip m en t, artillery, tra n s p o rt in short, re g ard in g everything essential to form an opinion. W e all know th e im m ense difficulties u n d e r which the new arm y h ad to be form ed: the w ant of officers, of arm s, of horses, of all kinds of m ateriel, an d especially th e w ant of time. T h e rep o rts which came to han d , principally dwelt u p o n these difficulties; and thus, the
See T o u rs, Sept. 3 0 , The Times, No. 26873, O ctober 5, 1870; T o u rs, Oct. 5 , The Times, No. 26877, O ctober 10, 1870; T o u rs, Oct. 8 , The Times, No. 26878, O ctober 11, 1870; T o u rs, Oct. 9 , The Times, No.' 26880, O ctober 13, 1870.

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A rm y of th e Loire was generally u n d e rra te d by people whose sym pathies do not ru n away with th eir ju d g m en t. Now th e same co rresp o n d en ts are unanim ous in its praise. It is said to be b e tte r officered an d b etter disciplined th an the arm ies which succum bed at Sedan a n d in Metz. T his is no do u b t the case to a certain extent. T h e re is evidently a far b etter spirit pervading it th an ever was to be found in the B onapartist arm ies; a d eterm in atio n to do the best fo r th e country, to co-operate, to obey o rd ers on th at account. T h e n this arm y has learned again one very im p o rtan t thing which Louis N apoleons arm y h ad quite fo rg o tte n light infantry duty, the a rt of protecting flanks and re a r from surprise, of feeling fo r the enem y, surprising his detachm ents, p ro cu rin g inform ation and prisoners. T h e T im es co rresp o n d en t with the D uke of M ecklenburg gives proofs of that.** It is now the Prussians w ho cannot learn the w hereabouts of th eir enem y, an d have to g ro p e in the dark; form erly it was quite th e reverse. An arm y which has learned th at has learned a great deal. Still, we m ust no t forget th at the A rm y of the Loire as well as its sister A rm ies of the W est a n d N o rth has still to prove its m ettle in a general engagem ent an d against som ething like equal num bers. But, u p o n the whole, it prom ises well, an d th ere are circum stances which m ake it probable th at even a g reat defeat will no t affect it as seriously as such an event does m ost young arm ies. T h e fact is th at the brutalities a n d cruelties of the Prussians, instead of stam ping o u t p o p u lar resistance, have redo u b led its energies; so m uch so th at the Prussians seem to have fo u n d out th eir m istake, and these burnings of villages a n d m assacres of peasants are now scarcely ever h ea rd of. B ut this trea tm e n t has h ad its effect, an d every day the guerilla w arfare takes larger dim ensions. W hen we read in The Tim es the rep o rts about M ecklenburgs advance tow ards Le Mans, with no enem y in sight, no reg u lar force offering resistance in the field, b u t cavalry and francs-tireurs hovering about the flanks, no news as to the w hereabouts of the F rench troops, an d the Prussian troops kept close to g eth er in pretty large bodies, we cannot help being rem in d ed of th e m arches of N apoleons m arshals in Spain, o r of B azaines troops in Mexico. A nd, th at spirit of p o p u lar resistance once roused, even arm ies of 2 0 0 ,0 0 0 m en do not go very far
T o u rs, Nov. 19 , The Times, No. 26917, N ovem ber 25, 1870. d. H e ad -Q u arte rs D uke of M ecklenburgs A rm y, C hateau n eu f-en -T h im erais, Nov. 18 , The Times, No. 26917, N ovem ber 25, 1870. <i T o u rs, Nov. 2 4 , The Times, No. 26917, N ovem ber 25, 1870. Ed.

tow ards th e occupation of a hostile country. T h ey soon arrive at the p oint beyond which th eir detachm ents becom e w eaker th an w hat the defence can oppose to them ; an d it d ep en d s entirely u p o n the energy of p o p u lar resistance how soon th at line shall be reached. T h u s even a d efeated arm y soon finds a safe place from the p u rsu it of an enem y if only the people of th e country arise; a n d this may tu rn o u t to be th e case now in France. A nd if the p opulation in the districts occupied by th e enem y should rise, or m erely his lines of com m unication be repeatedly broken, the limit beyond which th e invasion becom es powerless will be still m ore contracted. W e should n o t w onder, fo r instance, if M ecklenburgs advance, unless pow erfully su p p o rted by Prince F rederick C harles, tu rn e d o u t to have been p u sh ed too far even now. F or the p resen t everything of course hinges u p o n Paris. If Paris hold o u t a n o th er m o n th an d th e rep o rts on the state of provisions inside do n o t at all exclude th at ch an ce F rance may possibly have an arm y in the field large en o u g h , with the aid of p o p u lar resistance, to raise th e investm ent by a successful attack u p o n the Prussian com m unications. T h e m achinery for organizing arm ies appears to be w orking p retty well in France by this time. T h e re are m ore m en th an are w anted; thanks to th e resources of m o d ern industry an d th e rapidity of m o d ern com m unications, arm s are forthcom ing in unexpectedly large quantities; 400,000 rifles have arrived from A m erica a l o n e a r t i l l e r y is m an u fac tu re d in France with a rapidity h ith erto quite unknow n. Even officers are foun d , o r trained, som ehow. A ltogether, th e efforts which France has m ade since Sedan to reorganize h e r national defence are unex am p led in history, an d req u ire b u t one elem ent for alm ost certain success time. If Paris holds o u t b u t one m onth m ore, th at will go m uch tow ards it. A nd if Paris should n o t be provisioned fo r th at length of time, T ro c h u m ay attem p t to break th ro u g h the investing lines with such of his troops as may be fit fo r the work; an d it w ould be bold to say, now, th at he cannot possibly succeed in it. If he should succeed, Paris would still absorb a garrison of at least th ree Prussian arm y corps to keep it quiet, so th at T ro c h u m ight have set free m ore F renchm en th an the s u rre n d e r of Paris w ould set free G erm ans. A nd, w hatever the fortress of Paris can do if d efen d ed by F renchm en, it is evident th at it could never be successfully held by a G erm an force against F rench besiegers. T h e re w ould be as m any m en req u ired to keep the people dow n within as to m an the ram p arts to keep o ff the attack from w ithout. T h u s th e fall of Paris may, b u t does n o t of necessity, im ply th e fall of France.

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It is a bad tim e just now for speculating on the probability of this o r th at event in the war. W e have an approxim ative know ledge of o ne fact only th e stren g th of th e Prussian arm ies. O f an o th er, th e strength, num erical an d intrinsic, of the F rench forces, we know b u t littie. A nd, m oreover, th ere are now m oral factors at w ork which are beyond all calculation, an d of which we can only say th at they are all of them favourable to F rance and unfavourable to G erm any. B ut this m uch ap p ears certain, th at the co n ten d in g forces are m ore equally balanced ju st now th an they ever have been since Sedan, an d th at a com paratively weak rein fo rcem en t of train e d troops to th e F rench m ight restore the balance altogether.

N O T E S ON T H E WAR. X X IX

[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1811, D ecem ber 2, 1870]

T h e long-expected storm has b roken o u t at last. A fter a p rolonged period of m arching an d m an o eu v rin g on both sides, varied by skirm ishes and guerilla fighting only, the w ar has en tered u p o n a n o th er of those critical periods in which blow follows blow. O n th e 27th of N ovem ber th e F rench A rm y of the N o rth was defeated before A m iens; on the 28th a considerable po rtio n of the A rm y of th e L oire was b eaten by Prince F rederick C harles at B eaune-la-R olande; on the 29th T ro c h u m ade an unsuccessful sortie on th e south side of Paris, an d on th e 30th he appears to have attacked with all his available forces th e Saxons an d W iirttem bergers investing Paris on the north -east side. T hese d iffe ren t actions are th e result of com bined operations, such as we repeatedly po in ted out** as o fferin g th e only chance of success to the French. If th e A rm y of th e N o rth , with inferio r num bers, could hold M anteuffels two corps in check so as to p rev en t him from rein fo rcin g th e C row n Prince of S a x o n y i n his lines ro u n d th e n o rth side of Paris, th en th at arm y w ould have been well em ployed. B u t this was n o t the case. Its advance in the op en country was soon sto pped by in ferio r n u m b ers of Prussians; fo r it appears all b u t certain, on a com parison of th e various reports, th at M anteuffel had only o ne of his corps engaged in the battle.'* T h e A rm y of th e N o rth would have been b etter em ployed
W ritten on D ecem ber 2, 1870. Ed. b See this volum e, pp. 169, 178, Ed. A lbert. (i G erm an official re p o rt M oreuil, Nov. 28 , The Times, No. 26920, N ovem ber 29, 1870; B erlin, 29. N ov. , Allgemeine Zeitung, No. 334, N ovem ber 30, 1870. Sup p lem en t. Ed.

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187

eith er by sending its field troops dow n south to Le M ans by rail, o r by constantly harassing M anteuffels outposts a n d detachm ents, b u t refu sin g battie except u n d e r the walls of one of the nu m ero u s fortresses in the N o rth which form its base of operations. B ut in th e p resen t state of France, a n d with the young soldiers th at form h e r arm ies, a G eneral cannot always e n te r u p o n a re tre a t even if th at be strategically necessary: such a course m ight dem orahze his troops even m ore th an a th o ro u g h defeat. In the p resen t case, the A rm y of th e N o rth finds a safe re tre a t in its fortresses, w here it can re-form , and w here it would scarcely suit M oltke to send M anteuffel after it just now. B ut, at the sam e time, M anteuffel is now free to move in any o th er direction, and if, as is re p o rted from Lille^ (th ough the re p o rt is denied*^), he has again evacuated Am iens an d tu rn e d in haste tow ards Paris, we cannot b u t confess th at th e A rm y of the N o rth has failed in its mission. O n the west, the 21st F rench C orps at Le M ans, an d the 22nd (late K eratry s) in the cam p of Conlie, have so far succeeded in draw ing the troops of th e G ran d D uke of M ecklenburgS a long way from Paris w ithout exposing them selves to any serious defeat. O u r supposition th at the advance of these G erm an troops had been p u sh ed alm ost too far'* seems confirm ed by the unanim ous F rench rep o rts th at they have again evacuated the positions lately taken u p east an d south-east of Le Mans, which have been reoccupied by the French.'^ T h e latter, how ever, do n o t ap p e a r to have used th eir re g u lar forces in a very energetic p u rsu it of the enem y, as we do not h e a r of any engagem ents of im portance; and thu s th e A rm y of the W est has no t succeeded any m ore th a n that of the N o rth in holding fast the troops opposed to it. W here it is, an d w hat it is doing, we are not told; it may be th at the sudden q u arrel betw een K eratry a n d G am betta h ad lam ed its m ovem ents just at the m ost decisive m om ent. At all events, if it could n eith er beat M ecklenburgs troops n o r keep them engaged, it w ould have acted m ore wisely in sending such of its troops as are equipped an d organized for a cam paign by rail tow ards the A rm y of the Loire, so as to m ake the chief attack with concentrated forces. T his chief attack could only be m ade by the A rm y of the Loire, being th e m ain body of all the F rench troops now in the field, and could only be directed against Prince F rederick C harles, his arm y
F rench re p o rt Lille, Dec. 1 , The Times, No. 26922, D ecem ber 1, 1870. Ed. b Lille, Dec. 1, 7 P.M . , The Times, No. 26923, D ecem ber 2, 1870. d. F rederick Francis IL E d "I See this volum e, p. 183. E d T o u rs, Nov. 30, 9.50 P.M . , The Times, No. 26922, D ecem ber 1, 1870. Ed.

being the m ost n u m ero u s of th e th ree which cover th e investm ent of Paris. T h e A rm y of th e Loire is re p o rte d to consist of th e 15th, 16th, 17th, and 19th F rench corps which h ad been in fro n t of O rleans fo r some time, and th e 18th (now B ourbakis) an d 20th in reserve behind th e Loire. As th e 18th an d 20th w ere both en g a g ed wholly o r in p a r t on the 28th, they m ust have passed th e Loire before th at day, an d th u s th e whole of these six corps m ust have been available for an attack u p o n the Second G erm an A rm y. A F rench corps, in this war, has always been com posed of from th ree to fo u r divisions of infantry. A ccording to an ordre de bataille^ published by a V ienna m ilitary p ap er, th e Kamerad, about a fo rtn ig h t ago, the 15th C orps n u m b ered five brigades in two divisions; the 16th, fo u r brigades in two divisions; th e 18th, ten brigades in th ree divisions. Even if we do n o t go by the re p o rt of the Journal de Bruxelles, which gives to th e A rm y of th e Loire th e full com plem ent of eighteen divisions of in fan try (or th ree p er corps), as a good m any of these m ust still be in course of form ation, th ere is no d o u b t th at th e attack on th e 28th m ight have been m ade with twelve o r fifteen divisions instead of five or six at most. It is characteristic of th e troops com posing the A rm y of the Loire th at they w ere d efeated by greatly in ferio r num bers, only th ree divisions (the two of th e 10th C orps and th e 5th) of infantry, o r less th an one-half of th e Second A rm y, having been engaged against them . Anyhow th eir defeat m ust have been very severe; not only the G erm an rep o rts ten d to show it, b u t also the fact th at the A rm y of th e Loire has n o t since attem p ted a fresh attack with m ore co ncentrated forces. From these various transactions it results th at the attem p t to relieve Paris from w ithout has fo r th e p resen t failed. It failed, firstly, because th e inestim able chances of th e week preced in g the arrival of the First an d Second G erm an A rm ies w ere allowed to pass away; and, secondly, because th e attacks, w hen they were m ade, w ere m ade w ithout th e necessary energy an d concentration of forces. T h e young troops fo rm in g the new arm ies of France cannot, at first, expect success against th e seasoned soldiers who oppose them , unless they are m atched two against one; and it is th ere fo re doubly faulty to lead them to battle w ithout having taken care th at every m an, horse, and gu n th at can be h ad is actually sent on to th e battle-field. O n the o th er h an d , we do not expect th at th e defeats of Am iens an d B eaune-la-R olande will have any o th er g reat effect th an th at
B attle a rra y . Ed.

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of fru stratin g the relief of Paris. T h e lines of re tre a t of the Arm ies of th e W est an d of the Loire are perfectly safe, unless th e grossest blu n d ers are com m itted. By fa r the g re ater portion of these two arm ies has n o t taken p a rt in the defeat. T h e extent to which the G erm an troops opposing them can follow them u p dep en d s u p o n th e energy of p o p u lar resistance an d guerilla w a rfare an elem ent which the Prussians have a peculiar knack of arousing w herever they go. T h e re is no fe ar now of Prince F rederick C harles m arch in g as u n o p p o sed from O rleans to B ordeaux as the Crown P r i n c e m a r c h e d from Metz to Reims. W ith the broad ex ten t of g ro u n d which m ust now be securely occupied before any fu rth e r advance southw ard (other th an by large flying colum ns) can be m ade, the seven divisions of Prince F rederick C harles will soon be spread o u t fa r an d wide, and th eir invading force com pletely spent. W hat F rance requires is time, and, with the spirit of p o p u lar resistance once roused, she may yet get th at time. T h e arm am ents carried on d u rin g the last th ree m onths m ust be everyw here ap p ro ach in g com pletion, an d the additional n u m b er of fighting m en which every fresh week re n d ers disposable m ust be constantly increasing for som e time. As to th e two sorties from Paris, the news* received u p to the m om ent of w riting are too contradictory and too vague for any definite opinion to be form ed. It appears, how ever, u p o n T ro c h u s own showing,'^ th at the results obtained u p to the evening of the 30th w ere n o t at all of a kind to justify the shouts of victory raised at T o u rs. T h e points, then, still held by the F rench south of the M arne are all p ro tected by the fire of the Paris forts; an d the only place which they at one tim e held outside th e ran g e of these fo rts M ont Mesly they h ad to abandon again. It is m ore than p robable th at fighting will have been renew ed yesterday before Paris, and to-day, perhaps, n e a r O rleans and Le Mans; at all events, a very few days m ust now decide this second crisis of the w ar which, in all probability, will settle the fate of Paris.

N O T E S ON T H E WAR. XXX

[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1812, D ecem ber 3, 1870]

F rederick W illiam. Ed. h T h e refe re n ce is to the F rench a n d com m on title T h e Battle before Paris , 1870. <i. ^ L. J. T ro c h u s proclam ation to the N ovem ber 28, 1870, Journal officiel de la N ovem ber 30, 1870. E vening edition. Ed.

G erm an telegrains p rin te d u n d e r the The Times, No. 26923, D ecem ber 2, p opulation of Paris and the arm y, Republique Fran[aise (Paris), No. 330,

T h e Second A rm y of Paris began its offensive m ovem ents on the 29th of N ovem ber by a sortie from the so u th ern fro n t of the town, in the direction of LHay and Choisy-le-Roi. A ccording to the Prussian accounts, it was th e First C orps of D u cro ts arm y, u n d e r Vinoy, which h e re attacked th e Sixth Prussian C orps u n d e r T iim pling.' T his attack ap p ears to have been a m ere feint to alarm the Prussians, a n d to induce th em to stren g th en this side by which the besieged could, if successful, jo in the A rm y of the Loire on the shortest road. O therw ise, Vinoy would, no doubt, have been su p p o rted by o th er corps, an d w ould have lost m ore th an a couple of h u n d re d in killed and w ounded, an d a h u n d re d m en in prisoners. T h e real attack was o p en ed on th e following m orning. D ucrot this tim e advanced on th e rig h t bank of th e Seine, n e a r its ju n ctio n with the M arne, while a second sortie on the left bank was directed against T iim pling, an d false attacks west of Saint Denis against the 4 th an d G u ard C orps. W hat troops w ere used fo r these false attacks we do n o t know; b u t an official F rench account says th at th e sortie against T iim p lin g was m ade by A dm iral De La R onciere Le N oury. T his officer com m ands o ne of the seven divisions of th e T h ird A rm y of Paris which rem ains u n d e r T ro c h u s d irect com m and; it is th ere fo re likely th at all the secondary attacks w ere en tru sted to this arm y, so as to leave the whole of D ucrots rig h t divisions available fo r the real attack on the M arne.
W ritten o n D ecem ber 3, 1870. d. b W illiam I s telegram to Q u e en A ugusta of N ovem ber 28, 1870, datelined Versailles, Nov. 2 9 , The Times, No. 26922, D ecem ber 1, 1870.

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T his attack again had to be m ade in two divergent directions. O ne p o rtio n of the troops necessarily was directed eastw ards tow ards Chelles, along the rig h t bank of the M arne, in o rd e r to keep o ff th e 12th o r Saxon C orps which invests the east side of Paris. T his was a n o th er subordinate attack; we h e a r very litde of its history except th at the Saxons profess to have m aintained th eir position, which they probably did. T h e m ain body of D ucrots troops, however, R enaults Second C orps in fro n t, passed the M arne on eight bridges, and attacked the th ree W iirttem berg brigades which held the space betw een the M arne an d Seine. As has been already pointed out, the M arne, before joining the Seine, form s by its course an im m ense S, the u p p e r o r n o rth e rn bend ap p ro ach in g Paris an d the low er receding from it. B oth these bends are com m anded by the fire of the forts; but, while the u p p e r o r advancing one favours a sortie by its configuration, the lower o r receding one is com pletely com m anded by the g ro u n d on the left bank as well as by the forts, and the river m oreover, both from th e line it takes an d from its m any branches, is unfavourable to the construction of bridges u n d e r fire. T h e g re ater p a rt of this ben d ap p ears to have rem ained, on th at account, a kind of neutral g ro u n d , on each side of which the real fighting took place. T h e troops in ten d ed for the w estern attack advanced u n d e r the protection of th e fire of F ort C h aren to n an d th e re d o u b t of La Gravelle, in the direction of Mesly an d B onneuil. Between these two places th ere is a solitary hill, com m anding the su rro u n d in g plain by fully a h u n d re d feet, called M ont Mesly, an d necessarily th e first object of the F rench advance. T h e force told off fo r this p u rp o se is p u t dow n in a telegram from G eneral O bernitz, com m anding th e W iirttem berg division, as a division'; b u t as it at first drove in the 2nd an d 3 rd W iirttem berg brigades who o pposed it a n d could not be repelled until reinforcem ents had com e to h an d , a n d as it is m oreover evident th at D ucrot, w ho had troops en o u g h in han d , w ould n o t m ake such an im p o rtan t attack with two brigades only, we m ay safely assum e th at this is an o th er of the too m any cases w here th e w ord A btheilung which m eans any subdivision of an arm y, is m istranslated by division, which m eans a particu lar subdivision consisting of two o r at m ost th ree brigades. Anyhow, the F rench carried M ont Mesly an d with it the villages at its foot, an d if they could have held an d en tren ch ed it,
G erm an re p o rt Chelles, Dec. 1 , The Times, No. 26924, D ecem ber 3, 1870. d. ^ H . O bernitz, C hateau-le-Piple, Nov. 3 0 , The Times, No. 26923, D ecem ber 2, 1870.

they would have obtained a result w orth th e d ays fighdng. B ut reinforcem ents arriv ed in the shape of Prussian troops from the Second C orps, nam ely th e seventh brigade; the lost positions were reco n q u ered a n d th e F rench driven back u n d e r th e sh elter of F ort C harenton. F u rth e r to th eir left th e F rench attem p ted th e second attack C overed by the fire of th e R ed o u te d e la Faisanderie an d o f F ort N o p n t , they passed th e M arne at th e u p p e r ben d of th e S, and took the villages of B rie an d C ham pigny, which m ark its two open position of th e 1 st W iirttem berg B rigade, which held this district, lay a littie to th e re ar, on the edge of th e high g ro u n d stretching from Villiers to Coeuilly. W hether th e F rench ever took Vilhers is d o ubtful; K ing William says yes," G eneral O bernitz says no. C ertain it is th a t they did n o t hold it, an d th at the advance beyond th e im m ediate range of th e forts was repelled. T h e result of this days fighting o f D u cro ts arm y, with its back to the M arn e, that is, south of it, is th u s sum m ed u p in the F rench official despatch:
T h e arm y th en crossed th e M arne bv e ig h t bridges, a n d m ain tain ed the positions taken, a fte r c ap tu rin g two g u n s.

T h a t IS to say, it re treated again to th e rig h t o r n o rth e rn bank of the river, w here it m ain tain ed some positions o r o th er, which were, of course, ta k e n by it, b u t n o t from the enem y. Evidently, the m en w ho m an u factu re bulletins fo r G am betta are still th e sam e who did th at kind of w ork fo r N apoleon. O n the 1st of D ecem ber th e F rench gave an o th e r sign th at they considered the sortie as defeated. A lthough the M oniteur a n nounced th at on th at day th e attack from th e south was to be m ade u n d e r th e com m and of Genera,l Vinoy,' we h e a r from Versailles, D ecem ber 1 (time of day n o t stated), th at no m ovem ent had been m ade by th e F rench on that day; on th e contrary, they h ad asked fo r an arm istice to allow them to atten d to th e killed an d w ounded on the battiefield betw een the positions of both arm ies. H ad they considered them selves in a position to recon q u e r th at batdefield, they would no d o u b t have renew ed the struggle at once. T h e re can be, th en , no reasonable d o u b t th at this
X, telegram Royal H e ad -Q u arte rs, Versailles, Nov. 3 0 , The Times. No. 26923, D ecem ber 2. 1870. Ed. * > T o u rs, Dec. 2, 12.15 A .M . , The Times, No. 26923, D ecem ber 2, 1870. H e re a n d below th e re fe re n ce is to T o u rs, le 1 " d ecem b re 1870 Le M oniteur umversel. No. 330, D ecem ber 2, 1870. E x tra o rd in a ry e d itio n .- < i is v n ''^-Q ' e rs , Versailles. Dec. 1 , The Times, No. 26924. D ecem ber 3, 1870. Ed.

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first sortie of T ro c h u s has been beaten off, and by considerably in ferio r n u m b ers too. We may assum e th at he will soon renew his efforts. We know too little of th e way in which this first attem p t was m anaged to be able to ju d g e w h eth er he may th en have a b etter chance; b u t if he be again driven back, the effect u p o n both the troops an d th e population of Paris m ust be very dem oralizing. In th e m eantim e the A rm y of the Loire, as we expected, has been stirrin g again. T h e engagem ents n e a r Loigny an d Patay, re p o rte d from T ours,' are evidently the sam e as re fe rre d to in a telegram from Munich,*^ according to which von d e r T a n n was successful west of O rleans. In this case, too, both parties claim the victory. We shall probably h e a r m ore from this q u a rte r in a day o r two; a n d as we are still in the d ark about the relative positions of th e com batants, it w ould be idle to prognosticate.'

T H E CH A N C ES O F T H E WAR"

[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1816, D ecem ber 8 , 1870]

T h e last defeat of th e F rench A rm y of th e Loire an d th e re treat of D ucrot behind th e M arn e supposing th at m ovem ent to be as decisive as was re p resen te d on Saturday* finally settle th e fate of the first com bined o p eratio n fo r th e relief of Paris. It has com pletely m iscarried, an d people begin again to ask w h eth er this new series of m isfortunes does n o t prove th e inability of the F rench fo r fu rth e r successful resistance w h eth er it would n o t be b etter to give u p th e gam e at once, s u rre n d e r Paris, an d sign the cession of Alsace a n d L orraine. T h e fact is, people have lost all rem em b ran ce of a real war. T h e C rim ean, the Italian, an d th e A ustro-Prussian w ar w ere all of them m ere conventional w ars wars of G overnm ents which m ade peace as soon as th e ir m ilitary m achinery h ad b roken dow n o r becom e w orn out. A real war, one- in which th e nation itself participates, we have n o t seen in th e h e a rt of E u ro p e for a couple of generations. W e have seen it in the Caucasus, in Algeria, w here fighting lasted m ore th an twenty years with scarcely any in te rru p tion; we should have seen it in T u rk ey if the T u rk s h ad been allowed, by th eir allies, to d efen d them selves in th eir own hom e-spun way. B ut th e fact is, o u r conventionalities allow to barbarians only the rig h t of actual self-defence; we expect th at civilized States will fight according to etiquette, an d th at the real nation will no t be guilty of such rudeness as to go on fighting after the official nation has h ad to give in.
= See this volum e, p. 188. Ed. * > T o u rs, D ecem ber 2 , The Times, No. 26924, D ecem ber 3, 1870. <i M unich, Dec. 2 , The Times, No. 26924, D ecem ber 3, 1870. <i W ritten betw een D ecem ber 4 a n d 8, 1870. Ed. > See this volum e, pp. 189-92. E d

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T h e F rench are actually com m itting this piece of rudeness. T o th e disgust of th e Prussians, who consider them selves the best ju d g es in m ilitary etiquette, they have been positively fighting for th ree m onths after the official arm y of F rance was driven from th e field; an d they have even done w hat th eir official arm y never could do in this cam paign. T hey have obtained one im p o rtan t success and n u m ero u s small ones; an d have taken guns, convoys, prisoners from th eir enem ies. It is tru e they have just suffered a series of severe reverses; b u t these are as n o th in g w hen com pared with the fate th eir late official arm y was in the habit of m eeting with at the h an ds of the sam e opponents. It is tru e th eir first attem p t to free Paris from the investing arm y, by an attack from w ithin an d from w ithout at the sam e tim e, has signally failed; but is it a necessary sequel th at th ere are no chances left fo r a second attem pt? T h e two F rench arm ies, th at of Paris as well as th at of the Loire, have bo th fo u g h t well, according to the testim ony of the G erm ans them selves. T h ey have certainly been beaten by in ferio r num bers, b u t th at is w hat was to be expected from young an d newly organized troops co n fro n tin g veterans. T h e ir tactical m ovem ents u n d e r fire, according to a co rresp o n d en t in The Daily News, who knows w hat he writes about, w ere ra p id an d steady; if they lacked precision th at was a fault which they had in com m on with m any a victorious F rench arm y. T h e re is no m istake about it: these arm ies have proved th at they are arm ies, an d will have to be treated with d u e respect by th eir opponents. T hey are no d o u b t com posed of very d iffe ren t elem ents. T h e re are battalions of th e line, contain ing old soldiers in various proportions; th ere are Mobiles of all degrees of m ilitary efficiency, from battalions well officered, drilled, an d eq u ip p ed to battalions of raw recruits, still ig n o ran t of the elem ents of the m anual an d plato o n ; th ere are francs-tireurs of all sorts, good, bad, an d in d iffe re n t probably m ost of them th e latter. B ut th ere is, at all events, a nucleus of good fighting battalions, a ro u n d which the others m ay be g ro u p ed ; an d a m onth of desultory fighting, with avoidance of crushing defeats, will m ake capital soldiers o u t of the whole of them . W ith better strategy, they m ight even now have been successful; an d all the strategy req u ired fo r the m om ent is to delay all decisive fighting, an d that, we think, can be done. B ut th e troops concentrated at Le M ans an d n ear the Loire are fa r from rep resen tin g the whole arm ed force of France. T h e re are at least 200,000 to 300,000 m ore m en u n d erg o in g the process of organization at points fa rth e r away to the rear. Every day brings

these n e a re r to the fighting stan d ard . Every day m ust send, for a tim e at least, constantly increasing num bers of fresh soldiers to the front. A nd th ere are plenty m ore m en behind them to take th eir places. A rm s an d am m unition are com ing in every day in large quantities: with m o d ern g u n factories an d cannon foundries, with telegraphs an d steam ers, an d th e com m and of th e sea, th ere is no fe ar of th eir falling short. A m o n th s tim e will also m ake an im m ense difference in the efficiency of these m en; and if two m onths w ere allowed them , they would re p resen t arm ies which m ight well trouble M oltkes repose. B ehind all these m ore o r less re g u la r forces th ere is th e great landsturm , the mass of th e people whom th e Prussians have driven to th at w ar of self-defence which, according to th e fa th e r of K ing William,^ sanctions every m eans.' W hen Fritz" m arch ed from Metz to Reims, from Reims to Sedan, and thence to Paris, th ere was n o t a w ord said ab out a rising of th e people. T h e defeats of the Im perial arm ies w ere accepted with a kind of stupor; twenty years of Im perial regim e h ad used the mass of th e people to dull an d passive dep en d en ce u p o n official leadership. T h e re w ere h ere a n d th ere peasants who participated in actual fighting, as at Bazeilles, b u t they w ere th e exception. B ut no sooner h ad the Prussians settled dow n ro u n d Paris, an d placed th e su rro u n d in g country u n d e r a cru sh in g system of requisitions, carried o u t with no consideration w h atever no sooner h ad they b eg u n to shoot francs-tireurs an d b u rn villages which h ad given aid to the la tte r a n d no so o n er had they refu sed th e F rench offers of peace an d declared th eir intention to carry on a w ar of conquest, w hen all this changed. T h e guerilla w ar broke o u t all aro u n d them , thanks to th eir own severities, an d they have now b u t to advance into a new d e p a rtm e n t in o rd e r to raise th e lan d stu rm far an d wide. W hoever reads in th e G erm an papers th e re p o rts of the advance of M ecklenburgs . a n d F rederick C harless arm ies will see at a glance w hat an ex trao rd in ary effect this im palpable, ever disappearing an d reap p earin g , b u t ever im p ed in g insurrection of the people has u p o n the m ovem ents of these arm ies. Even th eir nu m ero u s cavalry, to which the F rench have scarcely any to oppose, is neutralized to a great ex ten t by this general active and passive hostility of th e inhabitants.
F rederick W illiam 111. Ed. F rederick W illiam II I, V e ro rd n u n g iiber d e n L andsturm . Vom 21sten A pril 1813 , Gesetz-Sammlung fiir die Koniglichen Preussischen Staaten, B erlin [1813], Ed. ^ C row n Prince o f Prussia F rederick W illiam. Ed. ^ F rederick Francis II, Ed.

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Now let us exam ine the position of the Prussians. O f the seventeen divisions before Paris, they certainly cannot spare a single one while T ro c h u m ay re p eat any day his sorties en masse. M anteuffels fo u r divisions will have m ore work than they can execute in N orm andy an d Picardy fo r some tim e to com e, and they may even be called away from them . W e rd ers two divisions an d a half cannot get on beyond D ijon, except on raids, and this will last until at least B elfort shall have been reduced. T h e long thin line of com m unication m arked by the railway from N ancy to Paris cannot send a single m an ou t of those told off to g u ard it. T h e 7th C orps has plenty to do with garrisoning the L orraine fortresses an d besieging Longwy and M ontm edy. T h e re rem ain fo r field operations against the bulk of central and southern F rance th e eleven infantry divisions of F rederick C harles and M ecklenburg, certainly not m ore th an 150,000 m en, including cavalry. T h e Prussians thus em ploy about six-and-tw enty divisions in ho ld in g Alsace, L orraine, an d the two long lines of com m unication to Paris a n d Dijon, an d in investing Paris, an d still they hold directly p erh ap s no t one-eighth, an d indirectly certainly no t m ore th an o n e-fo u rth , of France. F or the rest of the country they have fifteen divisions left, fo u r of which are u n d e r M anteuffel. How far these will be able to go dep en d s entirely u p o n the energy of the p o p u lar resistance they may find. B ut with all th eir com m unica tions going by way of Versailles fo r the m arch of F rederick C harles has n o t opened to him a new line via T ro y e s an d in the m idst of an in su rg en t country, these troops will have to spread out on a bro ad fro n t, to leave detachm ents behind to secure the roads an d keep dow n the people; an d thus they will soon arrive at a point w here th eir forces becom e so red u ced as to be balanced by th e F rench forces opposing them , an d then the chances are again favourable to th e F rench; o r else these G erm an arm ies will have to act as large flying colum ns, m arching u p an d dow n the country w ithout definitely occupying it; and in that case the F rench regulars can give way before them fo r a time, an d will find plenty of op p o rtu n ities to fall on th eir flanks and rear. A few flying corps, such as B lucher sent in 1813 ro u n d the flanks of the French, would be very effective if em ployed to in te rru p t th e line of com m unication of the G erm ans. T h a t line is vulnerable alm ost the whole of its length from Paris to Nancy. A few corps, each consisting of one o r two squadrons of cavalry and some sharpshooters, falling u p o n th at line, destroying the rails, tunnels, and bridges, attacking trains, &c., w ould go fa r to recall

the G erm an cavalry from th e fro n t w here it is m ost dangerous. B ut the re g u lar H ussar d a sh does certainly n o t belong to th e French. All this is on the supposition th at Paris continues to hold out. T h e re is n o th in g to com pel Paris to give in, so far, except starvation. B ut the news we h ad in yesterdays Daily News from a c o rresp o n d en t inside th at city w ould dispel m any ap p reh en sio n s if correct. T h e re are still 25,000 horses besides those of th e arm y in Paris, which at 500 kilos each would give 6 V4 kilo, o r 14 lb. of m eat fo r every inhabitant, o r nearly a V4 lb. p er day for two m onths. W ith that, b read an d wine ad libitum, " an d a good quantity of salt m eat an d o th e r eatables, Paris m ay well hold o u t until the beginning of February. A nd th at would give to France two m onths, w orth m o re to h er, now, th an two years in tim e of peace. W ith anything like intelligent an d energetic direction, both central an d local, France, by then, o u g h t to be in a position to relieve Paris an d to rig h t herself. A nd if Paris should fall? It will be tim e en o u g h to consider this chance w hen it becom es m ore probable. Anyhow, F rance has m anaged to do w ithout Paris fo r m ore th an two m onths, an d may fight on w ithout her. O f course, the fall of Paris may dem oralize the spirit of resistance, b u t so may, even now, the unlucky news of the last seven days. N eith er th e one n o r th e o th er need do so. If the F rench e n tre n ch a few good m an o eu v rin g positions, such as Nevers, n ea r the ju n ctio n of th e Loire an d A llier if they throw u p advanced works ro u n d Lyons so as to m ake it as stro n g as Paris, the w ar may be carried on even after th e fall of Paris; b u t it is no t yet tim e to talk of that. T h u s we m ake bold to say that, if th e spirit of resistance am ong the people does n o t flag, the position of th e F rench, even after th eir recent defeats, is a very strong one. W ith th e com m and of th e sea to im p o rt arm s, with plenty of m en to m ake soldiers of, with th ree m o n th s th e first an d w orst th ree m o n th s of the w ork of organization beh in d them , an d with a fair chance of having one m onth m ore, if n o t two, of breathing-tim e allowed th e m and th at at a tim e w hen the Prussians show signs of ex h au stio n with all that, to give in now would be ra n k treason. A nd w ho knows w hat accidents m ay h ap p en , w hat fu rth e r E uro p ean com plications may occur, in th e m eantim e? Let them fight on, by al m eans.

In plenty. Ed.

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PRU SSIAN FRA NCS-TIREURS^

[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1817, D ecem ber 9, 1870]

F or some tim e past the rep o rts of village-burning by the Prussians in F rance h ad p retty nearly disap p eared from the press. W e began to hope th at the Prussian authorities h ad discovered th eir m istake and stopped such proceedings in the interest of th eir own troops. We w ere m istaken. T h e papers again teem with news ab o u t the shooting of prisoners and th e destroying of villages. T h e B erlin Borsen Courier reports, u n d e r date Versailles, Nov. 20:
Y esterday the first w ounded a n d p risoners arriv ed from th e action n e a r D reux on the 17th. S h o rt w ork was m ade with the francs-tireurs, a n d a n exam ple was m ade of them ; they w ere placed in a row, a n d one a fte r th e o th e r got a bullet th ro u g h his head. A g e n era l o rd e r fo r th e w hole arm y has been published fo rb id d in g m ost expressly to b rin g them in as prisoners, a n d o rd e rin g to shoot them dow n by d ru m h e a d co u rt-m artial w herever they show them selves. Against these disgracefully cow ardly brig an d s a n d rag am u ffin s [L um pengesindel] such a p ro c ee d in g has becom e an absolute necessity.

A gain, th e V ienna Tages-Presse says, u n d e r th e sam e date:

In the forest of V illeneuve you could have seen, fo r th e last week, fo u r francs-tireurs stru n g u p fo r shooting a t o u r U hlans from th e w oods.

An official re p o rt dated Versailles, the 26th of November,* states th at the co u n try people all a ro u n d O rleans, instigated to fight by th e priests, who have been o rd e re d by B ishop D upan lo u p to p reach a crusade, have b eg u n a guerilla w arfare against the G erm ans; patrols are fired at, officers carrying o rd e rs shot down by labourers seem ingly w orking in the field: to avenge which
W ritten betw een D ecem ber 4 a n d 9, 1870. Ed. A us d e n H a u p tq u a rtie re n in Versailles. 26. Allgemeine Zeitung, No. 282, D ecem ber 3, 1870. <i N o v em b er Norddeutsche

assassinations all non-soldiers carrying arm s are im m ediately executed. Not a few priests are now aw aiting trial seventy-seven. T hese are b u t a few instances, which m ight be m ultiplied alm ost infinitely, so th at it ap p ears a settled p u rp o se with the Prussians to carry on these brutalities u p to th e en d of th e war. U n d e r these circum stances, it m ay be as well to call th eir atten tio n once m ore to some facts in m o d ern Prussian history. T h e p resen t King of Prussia'" can perfectly recollect th e tim e of his co u n try s deep est degrad atio n , the Battle of Jena, th e long flight to the O der, th e successive capitulations of alm ost the whole of the Prussian troops, th e re tre a t of th e re m a in d er beh in d the Vistula, the com plete dow nbreak of th e whole m ilitary and political system of th e country. T h e n it was that, u n d e r th e shelter of a P om eranian coast fortress, private initiative, private p atrio t ism, com m enced a new active resistance against th e enem y. A sim ple cornet of dragoons, Schill, began at K olberg to form a free corps (Gallice,'' francs-tireurs), with which, assisted by th e in h ab it ants, h e surprised patrols, detachm ents, a n d field-posts, secured public m oneys, provisions, w ar m ateriel, took th e F rench G eneral V ictor prisoner, p re p a re d a g eneral insurrection of th e country in the re a r of the F rench and on th eir line of com m unication, an d generally did all those things which are now laid to th e charge of th e F rench francs-tireurs, an d which are visited on th e p a rt of th e Prussians by the titles of brigands an d ragam uffins, an d by a bullet th ro u g h the h e a d of d isarm ed prisoners. B ut th e fa th e r of the p resen t King of P r u s s i a s a n c t i o n e d th em expressly and p ro m o ted Schill. It is well know n th at this sam e Schill in 1809, w hen Prussia was at peace b u t A ustria at w ar with France, led his reg im en t o u t on a cam paign of his own against N apoleon, quite Garibaldi-like; th at he was killed at S tralsund an d his m en taken prisoner. O u t of these, all of w hom N apoleon, according to Prussian w ar rules, h ad a perfect rig h t to shoot, he m erely h ad eleven officers shot at Wesel. O ver th e graves of these eleven francs-tireurs the fa th e r of th e p resen t King of Prussia, m uch against his will, b u t com pelled by public feeling in th e arm y and o u t of it, h ad to erect a m em orial in th eir h o n o u r. No sooner h ad th ere been a practical b eg inning of freeshooting am ong the Prussians th an they, as becom es a nation of thinkers.
^ b ^ ^ See this volum e, p. 166. Ed W illiam I. Ed. In Gallic, i.e. in F rench. E d F rederick W illiam II I. Ed.

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pro ceed ed to b ring the th in g into a system an d w ork o u t the theory of it. T h e theorist of freeshooting, the g reat philosophical fran c-tireu r am o ng them , was no o th er th an A nton N eith ard t von G neisenau, some tim e field m arshal in the service of his Prussian Majesty. G neisenau had d efen d ed K olberg in 1807; he h ad had som e of Schills francs-tireurs u n d e r him ; he h ad been assisted vigorously in his defence by the inhabitants of the place, who could n o t even lay claim to th e title of national guards, m obile o r sedentary, an d who th erefo re, according to recen t Prussian notions, clearly deserved to be im m ediately ex ecu ted . B ut G neisenau was so im pressed by the greatness of the resources which an invaded country possessed in an energetic p o p u lar resistance th at h e m ade it his study fo r a series of years how this resistance could be best organized. T h e guerilla w ar in Spain, the rising of th e Russian peasants on the line of the F rench re treat from Moscow, gave him fresh exam ples; and in 1813 he could p roceed to p u t his theory in practice. In A ugust, 1811, already G neisenau had form ed a plan fo r the p re p ara tio n of a p o p u lar insurrection. A militia is to be organized which is to have no un ifo rm b u t a m ilitary cap (Gallice, kepi) and black an d white belt, perh ap s a m ilitary great-coat; in short, as n e a r as can be, the un ifo rm of the p resen t F rench francs-tireurs.
If th e enem y should a p p e a r in su p e rio r stre n g th , th e arm s, caps, a n d belt, are hid, a n d the m ilitiam en a p p e a r as sim ple inhabitants of th e c o u n try .

W hoever will take u p th e second volum e of Professor P ertzs Life of G neisenau will find, facing th e title-page of th e second volum e, a rep ro d u ctio n of p a rt of th e above passage as a facsimile of G neisenaus handw riting. Facing it is th e facsimile of King F rederick W illiams m arginal note to it;
As soon as one clergym an shall have been shot this will com e to an e n d .

T h e very th in g which the Prussians now consider a crim e to be pu n ish ed by a bullet o r a rope. T hese militia troops are to harass th e enem y, to in te rru p t his com m unications, to take o r destroy his convoys of supplies, to avoid re g u la r attacks, an d to re tire into woods o r bogs before masses of re g u lar soldiers.
T h e clergy of all d enom inations are lo be o rd e re d , as soon as the w ar breaks ou t, to p reach insurrection, to p a in t French oppression in the blackest colours, to re m in d th e p eople of the Jews u n d e r th e Maccabees, a n d to call u p o n them to follow th e ir exam ple.... Every clergym an is to adm inister an oath to his parishioners th at they will not su rre n d e r any provisions, arm s, &c., to the enem y until com pelled by actual fo rce

in fact, they are to preach the sam e crusade which the B ishop of O rle a n s ' has o rd e re d his priests to preach, an d fo r which no t a few F rench priests are now aw aiting th eir trial.
O rd e r of a Prussian general D en 25. S e p tem b e r , Kolnische Zeitung, No, 275, O cto ber 4, 1870. Ed. ^ H ere a n d below Engels cites fro m G. H. Pertz, Das Leben des Feldmarschalls Grafen Neithardt von Gneisenau, Vol. II, B erlin, 1865. Engels gives a free re n d e rin g of the text. Ed. c F.A.P. D u p an lo u p . (<.

Evidently the K ing had no g reat faith in the heroism of his clergy. B ut this did not p rev en t him from expressly sanctioning G neisenaus plans; n o r did it prevent, a few years later, w hen the very m en who h ad driven o u t the F rench w ere arrested and prosecuted as dem agogues, one of the intelligent dem agogueh u n ters of th e tim e, into whose h an d s th e original d o cu m en t had fallen, from instituting proceedings against the unknow n a u th o r of this attem p t to excite people to th e shooting of the clergy! U p to 1813 G neisenau never tired in p re p arin g not only the re g u la r arm y b u t also p o p u lar insurrection as a m eans to shake off th e F rench yoke. W hen at last the w ar cam e, it was at once accom panied by insurrection, peasant resistance, and francstireurs. T h e country betw een the W eser an d Elbe rose to arm s in A pril; a little later on the people ab out M agdeburg rose; G neisenau him self w rote to friends in F ran co n ia th e letter is published by P ertz calling on them to rise u p o n the enem ys line of com m unications. T h e n at last cam e th e official recognition of this p o p u lar w arfare, the L an d stu rm -O rd n u n g of th e 21st of A pril, 1813 (published in July only), in which every able-bodied m an w ho is n o t in the ranks of eith er line o r lan d w eh r is called u p o n to join his lan d stu rm battalion, to p re p a re for th e sacred struggle of self-defence which sanctions every m eans. T h e lan d stu rm is to harass both the advance and th e re tre a t of the enem y, to keep him constantly on the alert, to fall u p o n his trains of am m unition an d provisions, his couriers, recruits, an d hospitals, to surprise him at nights, to annihilate his stragglers and detachm ents, to lam e a n d to b rin g insecurity into his every m ovem ent; on the o th e r h an d , to assist th e Prussian arm y, to escort m oney, provisions, am m unition, prisoners, &c. In fact, this law m ay be called a com plete vade-m ecum fo r th e franc-tireur,
G. H . Pertz, Das Leben des Feldmarschalls Grafen Neithardt von Gneisenau, Vol. II, B erlin, 1865. * > F rederick W illiam III, V e ro rd n u n g iib er d e n L andsturm . Vom 21sten A pril I 8 I 3 , Gesetz-Sammlung fiir die Kdniglichen Preussischen Staaten. B erlin [1813]. See this volum e, pp. 166-67. Ed.

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and, draw n u p as it is by no m ean strategist, it is as applicable to-day in France as it was at th at tim e in G erm any. F ortunately fo r N apoleon, it was b u t very im perfectly carried out. T h e King was frig h ten ed by his own handiw ork. T o allow the people to fight fo r them selves, w ithout the K ings com m and, was too anti-Prussian. T h u s the landsturm was suspended until the K ing was to call u p o n it, which he never did. G neisenau chafed, b u t m anaged finally to do w ithout the landsturm . If he w ere alive now, with all his Prussian after-experiences, perhaps he would see his beau-ideal of p o p u lar resistance approached, if no t realized, in th e F rench francs-tireurs. F or G neisenau was a m a n an d a m an of genius.

N O TE S ON T H E WAR. X X X P

[ The Pall M all Gazette, No. 1824, D ecem ber 17, 1870] T h e cam paign on the Loire ap p ears to have com e to a m om entary standstill, which allows us tim e to com pare rep o rts and dates, an d to form th e very confused and contradictory m aterials into as clear a narrativ e of actual events as can be expected u n d e r the circum stances. T h e A rm y of th e Loire began to exist as a distinct body on the 15 th of N ovem ber, w hen D A urelle de Paladines, h ith erto co m m ander of th e 15th an d 16th C orps, obtained com m and of the new organization fo rm ed u n d e r this nam e. W hat o th er troops en tered into its com position at th at date we cannot tell; in fact, this arm y received constant reinforcem ents, at least u p to th e e n d of N ovem ber, w hen it consisted nom inally of th e following corps: 15th (Pallieres), 16th (Chanzy), 17th (Sonis), 18th (Bourbaki), 19th (B arral, according to Prussian accounts), an d 20th (Crouzat). O f these the 19th C orps never ap p eared eith er in the F rench o r Prussian reports, an d cannot th ere fo re be supposed to have been engaged. Besides these, th ere w ere at Le M ans an d th e n eig h b o u r in g cam p of Conlie, the 21st A rm y C orps (Jaures) an d th e Arm y of B rittany, which, on the resignation of K eratry, was attached to Jau res com m and. A 22nd C orps, we m ay add, is com m anded by G eneral F aidherbe in the N o rth , with Lille fo r its base of operations. In the above we have om itted G eneral M ichels corps of cavalry attached to th e A rm y of th e Loire; this body of horse, th o u g h said to be very nu m ero u s, cannot rank, from its recent form ation and cru d e m aterial, otherw ise th an as v o lu n teer or am ate u r cavalry.
W ritten betw een D ecem ber 13 a n d 17, 1870. Ed.

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T h e elem ents of which this arm y was com posed w ere of the m ost varied kinds, from old troopers recalled to the ranks, to raw recruits and volunteers averse to all discipline; from solid battalions such as th e Papal Zouaves to crowds which were battalions only in nam e. Some kind of discipline, however, had been established, b u t the whole still bore the stam p of th e great h u rry which h ad presided at its form ation. H ad this arm y been allowed fo u r weeks m ore fo r p rep aratio n , it would have been a form idable o p p o n e n t, said the G erm an officers who had m ade its acquaintance on the field of battle. D educting all those quite raw levies which w ere only in the way, we m ay set dow n the whole of DA urelles five fighting corps (om itting the 19th) at som ew here ab out 120,000 to 130,000 m en fit to be called com batants. T h e troops at Le M ans m ay have fu rn ish ed about 40,000 m ore. Against these we find pitted the arm y of Prince F rederick Charles, including the G rand D uke of M ecklenburgs' com m and; th eir n u m b ers we now know, th ro u g h Capt. H ozier, to have been ra th e r less th an 90,000 all told. B ut these 90,000 were, by their experience of war, th eir organization, an d the proved generalship of th eir leaders, quite com petent to engage twice th eir n u m b er of such troops as w ere opposed to them . T h u s, the chances were ab o u t even; and th at they w ere so is im m ensely to the credit of the F rench people, who created this new arm y ou t of noth in g in th ree m onths. T h e cam paign began, on the p a rt of th e French, with the attack on von d e r T a n n at C oulm iers an d the reconquest of O rleans, on N ovem ber 9; the m arch of M ecklenburg to the aid of von d er T an n ; th e m anoeuvring of DA urelle in the direction of D reux, which drew o ff M ecklenburgs whole force in th at direction, and m ade him e n ter u p o n a m arch tow ards Le Mans. T his m arch was harassed by the F rench irre g u la r troops in a d eg ree h ith erto unknow n in the p resen t war; the population showed a most d eterm in ed resistance, francs-tireurs hovered ro u n d the flanks of th e invaders; b u t the re g u la r troops confined them selves to dem onstrations, an d could not be b ro u g h t to bay. T h e letters of th e G erm an correspondents with M ecklenburgs arm y, th eir rage and indignation at those wicked F rench who insist u p o n fighting in th e way m ost convenient to them selves an d m ost inconvenient to th e enem y, are the best p ro o f th at this short cam paign about Le
^ A rtenay, 3. D ezem ber , Kolnische Zeitung, No. 341, D ecem ber 9, 1870. Second edition. Ed. Frederick Francis II. Ed.

M ans was conducted exceedingly well by th e defence. T h e F rench led M ecklenburg a p erfect wild-goose chase afte r an invisible arm y u p to ab o u t twenty-five miles from Le Mans: arriv ed th u s far, he hesitated to go any fa rth er, an d tu rn e d south. T h e original plan h ad evidently been to deal a cru sh in g blow at the A rm y of Le M ans, th en to tu rn south u p o n Blois, and tu rn th e left of th e A rm y of th e Loire; while F rederick C harles, ju st th en com ing up, attacked its fro n t an d rear. B ut this plan, an d m any o th ers since, m iscarried. DA urelle left M ecklenburg to his fate, m arched against F rederick C harles, an d attacked th e 10th Prussian C orps on the 24th N ovem ber at L adon an d M ezieres, an d a large body of Prussians on th e 28th at B eaune-la-R olande. It is evident th at h ere h e han d led his troops badly. H e had b u t a small portio n of them in readiness, th o u g h this was his first attem p t to break th ro u g h the Prussian arm y an d force his way to Paris. All h e did was to inspire th e enem y with respect fo r his troops. H e fell back into en tre n ch ed positions in fro n t of O rleans, w here he concen trate d all his forces. T hese he disposed, from rig h t to left, as follows: the 18th C orps on the extrem e right; th en th e 20th and 15th, all of them east of th e Paris-O rleans railway; west of it the 16th; an d on th e extrem e left th e 17th. H ad these masses been b ro u g h t to g eth er in time, th ere is scarcely any d o u b t th at they m ight have crush ed F rederick C harless arm y, th en u n d e r 50,000 m en. B ut by the tim e D A urelle was well established in his work, M ecklenburg h ad m arch ed south again, an d jo ined th e rig h t wing of his cousin,^' w ho now took th e suprem e com m and. T h u s M ecklenburgs 40,000 m en h ad now com e u p to join in the attack against DA urelle, while th e F rench arm y of Le M ans, satisfied with the glory of having re p u lse d its o p p o n en t, quietly rem ained in its qu arters, some sixty miles away from th e p oint w here the cam paign was decided. T h e n all of a su d d en cam e th e news of T ro c h u s sortie of the 30th of N ovem ber.'' A fresh effo rt had to be m ade to su p p o rt him. O n the 1st DA urelle com m enced a general advance against the Prussians, bu t it was too late. W hile th e G erm ans m et him with all th eir forces, his 18th C o rp s on the extrem e rig h t ap p e are d to have been sent astray, an d n ever to have been engaged. T h u s he fo u g h t with b u t fo u r corps, th at is to say, with nu m b ers (of actual com batants) probably little su p erio r to those of his o p p onents. H e was beaten; h e ap p ears to have felt him self beaten even before he
^ F rederick C harles. Ed. b Versailles, Dec. 1, 12.16 P.M . , The Times, No. 26923, D ecem ber 2, m o . Ed.

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was S O . H ence th e irresolution he displayed w hen, afte r having on the evening of the 3 rd of D ecem ber o rd e re d a re tre a t across the Loire, he co u n term an d ed it n ext m o rn in g an d resolved to defend Orleans.^ T h e usual result followed: o rd e r, co u n ter-o rd er, disor d er. T h e Prussian attack being concentrated on his left an d centre, his two rig h t corps, evidendy in consequence of th e contradictory o rd e rs they had received, lost th eir line of re tre a t u p o n O rleans, an d h ad to cross the river, the 20th at Jarg eau an d the 18th stili fu rth e r east, at Sully. A small portion of th e latter ap p ears to have been driven still m ore eastw ard, as it was fo u n d by the 3rd Prussian C orps on the 7th of D ecem ber at Nevoy, n e a r Gien, and th ence p u rsu e d in the direction of B riare, always on the rig h t bank of th e river. O rleans fell into the hands of the G erm ans on th e evening of th e 4th , a n d the p u rsu it was at once organized. W hile th e 3 rd C orps was to skirt the u p p e r course of the Loire on the rig h t bank, the 10th was sent to V ierzon, a n d the M ecklenburg com m and on the rig h t bank tow ards Blois. B efore reaching that place, this latter force was m et at B eaugency by at least a portion of th e arm y of Le Mans, which now at last h ad joined C hanzys cornm and, an d o ffered a pertinacious an d partly successful resistance. B ut this was soon broken, fo r th e 9th Prussian C orps was m arching, on the left bank of the river, tow ards Blois, w here it would have cut off C hanzys re tre a t tow ards T ours. T his tu rn in g m ovem ent had its effect. C hanzy re tire d o u t of h a rm s way, and Blois fell into th e h ands of the invaders. T h e thaw an d heavy rains ab o u t this tim e broke u p the roads, an d thus stopped fu rth e r p ursuit. Prince F rederick C harles has telegraphed to h ead q u arters that th e A rm y of th e Loire is totally dispersed in various directions, th at its cen tre is broken, and th at it has ceased to exist as an army.*^ All this sounds well, bu t it is fa r from being correct. T h e re can be no doubt, even from the G erm an accounts, th at the seventy-seven guns taken before O rleans w ere alm ost all naval guns ab an d o n ed in the entrenchm ents.'^ T h e re may be 10,000, and, including the w ounded, 14,000 prisoners, m ost of them very m uch dem oralized; bu t the state of the Bavarians who on the 5th of D ecem ber th ro n g ed th e ro ad from A rtenay to C hartres, utterly disorganized, w ithout arm s o r knapsacks, was no t so m uch better.
> T o u rs, Dec. 5, 1 P.M . , The Times. No. 26926, D ecem ber 6, 1870. > > F rederick C harles, Versailles, Dec. 6, 12.10 P.M . , The Times N o 26927 D ecem ber 7, 1870. <i. Versailles, Dec. 6 , The Times, No. 26928, D ecem ber 8, 1870. <i.

T h e re is an u tte r absence of trophies g ath ered d u rin g th e p u rsu it on a n d afte r the 5th; an d if an arm y has bro k en u p, its soldiery cannot fail to be b ro u g h t in wholesale by an active an d n u m ero u s cavalry such as we know th e Prussians to possess. T h e re is extrem e inaccuracy here, to say th e least of it. T h e thaw is no excuse; th at set in ab o u t the 9th, an d w ould leave fo u r o r five days of fine frozen roads an d fields fo r active pursuit. It is n o t so m uch the thaw which stops th e advance of th e Prussians; it is the consciousness th at th e force of these 90,000 m en, now red u ced to ab o u t 60,000 by losses an d garrisons left behind, is nearly spent. T h e point beyond which it is im p ru d e n t to follow u p even a beaten enem y has very nearly been reached. T h e re m ay be raids on a large scale fu rth e r south, b u t th ere will be scarcely any fu rth e r occupation of territo ry . T h e A rm y of th e Loire, now divided into two arm ies u n d e r B ourbaki an d Chanzy, will have plenty of tim e an d room to re-form , an d to draw tow ards it newly fo rm ed battalions. By its division it has ceased to exist as an arm y, b u t it is the first F rench arm y in this cam paign which has do n e so no t ingloriously. W e shall probably h ear of its two successors again. In the m eantim e, Prussia shows signs of exhaustion. T h e m en of the landw ehr u p to forty years an d m o re legally free from service afte r th eir thirty-second y ea r are called in. T h e drilled reserves of the co untry are exhausted. In Jan u a ry th e re cru its ab o u t 90,000 from N o rth G erm an y will be sent o u t to France. T his may give alto g eth er th e 150,000 m en of whom we h e a r so m uch, b u t they are n o t yet th ere; a n d w hen they do com e they will alter the character of th e arm y m aterially. T h e w ear an d te a r of th e cam paign has been terrible, an d is becom ing m o re so every day. T h e m elancholy tone of th e letters from th e arm y shows it, as well as the lists of losses. It is n o lo n g er th e g reat batdes which m ake u p the bulk o f these lists, it is th e small en co u n ters w here one, two, five m en are shot dow n. T his constant erosion by the waves of p o p u lar w arfare in th e long ru n m elts dow n o r washes away the largest arm y in detail, and, w hat is th e chief point, w ithout any visible equivalent. W hile Paris holds out, every day im proves the position of th e F rench, an d th e im patience at Versailles ab o u t th e s u rre n d e r of Paris shows best th at th at city may yet becom e d an g ero u s to th e besiegers.

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N O TE S O N T H E W AR. X X X IP

[ The Pall M all Gazette, No. 1829, D ecem ber 23, 1870] T h e last w eeks fighting has proved how correctly we ju d g e d the relative positions of the com batants w hen we said th at the arm ies arrived from Metz on the Loire and in N orm andy had then already ex p en d ed the g re ater p a rt of th eir capability fo r occupying fresh territory.' T h e ex ten t of g ro u n d occupied by the G erm an forces has scarcely received any addition since. T h e G ran d Duke of Mecklenburg,"^ with von d e r T a n n s B avarians (who, in spite of th eir disorganization an d w ant of shoes, cannot be spared at the fro n t), with th e 10th C orps an d I7 th an d 22nd divisions, has followed u p C hanzys slowly re treatin g an d constandy fighting troops from B eaugency to Blois, from Blois to V endom e, and Epuisay a n d beyond. C hanzy d efen d ed every position o ffered by th e rivulets falling from th e n o rth into the Loire; a n d w hen the 9th C orps (or at least its Hessian division) tu rn e d his rig h t at Blois, arriv in g fro m the left bank of the river, he re treated upon V endom e, an d took u p a position on the line of th e Loire. T his he h eld o n th e 14th an d 15th against the attacks of th e enem y, bu t ab an d o n ed it o n the evening of the latter day, an d retreated slowly, an d still showing a bold fro n t, tow ards Le M ans. O n the 17th he h ad a n o th er re a r-g u a rd affair with von d e r T a n n at Epuisay; w here the roads from V endom e an d M oree to SaintCalais unite, an d th en w ithdrew , apparently w ithout being followed u p m uch fa rth er. T h e whole of this re tre a t ap p ears to have been conducted with great discretion. A fter it was once settled th at the old A rm y of the
W ritten on D ecem ber 22 o r 23, 1870. Ed. * > See this volum e, p. 196. Ed. F rederick Francis II. Ed.

Loire was to be split u p into two bodies, o ne of which, u n d e r B ourbaki, was to act south of O rleans, a n d th e o th er, u n d e r C hanzy, to w hom also the troops n e a r Le M ans w ere given, to d efen d W estern F rance n o rth of th e L o ire afte r this a rra n g e m en t was once m ade, it could n o t be C hanzys object to provoke decisive actions. O n th e co ntrary, his plan necessarily was to dispute every inch of g ro u n d as long as h e safely could w ithout being entangled into such; to inflict th ereb y as heavy losses as he could u p o n the enem y, an d break in his own young troops to o rd e r an d steadiness u n d e r fire. H e w ould naturally lose m ore m en than the enem y in this re treat, especially in stragglers; b u t these would be th e w orst m en of his battalions, which he could well do w ithout. H e w ould keep u p th e m orale of his troops, while he m aintained on the p a rt of th e enem y th at respect which the A rm y of the Loire h ad already co n q u ered fo r th e R epublican troops. A nd h e would soon arrive at a p oint w here th e pursu ers, w eakened by losses in batde, by sickness, an d by d etachm ents left behind on th eir line of supply, m ust give u p th e p u rsu it o r risk defeat in th eir tu rn . T h a t point, in all probability, would be Le M ans; h e re w ere th e two cam ps of instruction at Yvre-lEveque an d at Conlie, with troops in various states of organization an d arm am en t, an d of unknow n num bers; b u t th ere m ust have certainly been m o re organized battalions th e re th an C hanzy would req u ire to repel any attack M ecklenburg could m ake on him . T his appears to have been felt by th e Prussian com m ander, o r ra th e r his chief of the staff. G eneral Stosch, w ho actually directs the m ovem ents of M ecklenburgs arm y. F or afte r having learn ed th at the 10th N o rth G erm an C orps, on the 18th, p u rsu e d C hanzy beyond Epuisay, we h e a r now th at G eneral Voigts-Rhetz (who com m ands this sam e 10th C orps) on the 21st has d efeated a body of F rench n ear M onnaie, an d driven them beyond N o tre D am e d Oe. Now, M onnaie is ab o u t five-and-thirty miles south of Epuisay, on the ro ad from V endom e to T o u rs, an d N otre D am e d O e is a few miles n e a re r T o u rs. So th at afte r following up C hanzys principal forces tow ards an d close to Le M ans, M ecklen b u rg s troops ap p e a r now to be d irec ted at least in p a r t tow ards T ours, which they probably will have reached ere now, b u t which it is n o t likely th at they will be able to occupy perm anently. Prussian critics blam ed th e eccentric re tre a t of th e A rm y of the Loire afte r the batdes before O rleans, an d p re te n d ed th at such a faulty step could only have been forced on th e F rench by the vigorous acdon of Prince F rederick C harles, by which he broke

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th eir ce n tre. T h a t the m ism anagem ent of D A urelle, at the very m o m en t w hen he received the shock of the enem y, h ad a good deal to do with this eccentric retreat, an d even with the subsequent division of th e arm y into two distinct com m ands, we may readily believe. B ut th ere was a n o th er m otive fo r it. France, above all things, w ants tim e to organize forces, and space th a t is to say, as m uch territo ry as possible from which to collect the m eans of organization in m en an d m ateriel. N ot being as yet in a position to c o u rt decisive batdes, she m ust attem p t to save as m uch territory as possible from the occupation of the enem y. A nd as the invasion has now reached th at line w here the forces of th e attack an d those of th e defence are nearly balanced, th ere is no necessity to concentrate th e troops of the defence as fo r a decisive action. On th e contrary, they may w ithout great risk be divided into several large masses, so as to cover as m uch territo ry as possible, an d so as to oppose to th e enem y, in w hatever direction he may advance, a force large en o u g h to p rev en t p e rm a n e n t occupation. A nd as th ere are still som e 60,000, o r perh ap s 100,000, m en n e a r Le M ans (in a very backw ard state of equipm ent, drill, an d discipline, it is tru e , b u t yet im proving daily), an d as the m eans to equip, arm , a n d supply them have been organized a n d are being b ro u g h t to g eth er in w estern F ran ce it would be a great b lu n d er to ab an d o n these m erely because strategic theory dem ands that u n d e r o rd in ary circum stances a defeated arm y should w ithdraw in o ne body; which could in this case have been do n e only by going south an d leaving the west u n protected. O n the contrary, the cam ps n ear Le M ans contain in them selves the stuff to re n d e r the new A rm y of th e West, in course of tim e, stro n g er th a n even the old A rm y of th e Loire was, while the whole south is organizing reinforcem ents fo r B ourbakis com m and. T h u s, w hat at the first glance ap p ears as a mistake, was in reality a very p ro p e r and necessary m easure, which does no t in any way preclude the possibility of having the whole of the F rench forces, at some later time, in a position to co-operate fo r decisive action. T h e im portance of T o u rs is in the fact th at it form s the m ost westerly railway junction betw een the north-w est an d the south of France. If T o u rs be perm anently held by the Prussians, C hanzy has no lo n g er any railway com m unication with eith er the G o vernm ent at B ordeaux o r B ourbaki at B ourges. B ut with their p resen t forces, the Prussians have no chance of holding it. T hey
Die L oire-A rm ee ist d u rc h ihre N ied erlag en ... Zeitung, No. 289, D ecem ber 11, 1870. Ed. Norddeutsche Allgemeine

would be w eaker th ere th an von d e r T a n n was at O rleans early in N ovem ber. A nd a tem p o rary loss of T o u rs, th o u g h inconvenient, m ay be borne. T h e re is no t m uch news from th e o th er G erm an colum ns. Prince F rederick C harles, with th e T h ird C orps, an d p erh ap s half of the N inth, has com pletely d isap p eared from sight, which does not prove m uch fo r his powers to advance. M anteuffel is red u ced to play the p a rt of a h u g e flying colum n fo r requisitions; his force of p e rm a n e n t occupation does n o t ap p e a r to go beyond R ouen. W erd er is su rro u n d e d by petty w arfare on all sides, an d while he can hold ou t at D ijon by sh eer activity only, now finds o u t th at he has to blockade L angres too if he wants his re a r secured. W here he is to find the troops fo r this work we do n o t learn; h e him self has n o n e to spare, an d th e lan d w eh r ab out B elfort an d in Alsace have fully as m uch on th eir h an d s as they can m anage. T h u s everyw here the forces ap p e a r to be nearly balanced. It is now a race of reinforcem ents, b u t a race in which th e chances are im m ensely m ore favourable to F rance th an they w ere th ree m onths ago. If we could say with safety th at Paris will hold o u t till the en d of F ebruary, we m ight alm ost believe th at France would win the race.

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T H E GERM AN P O S IT IO N IN FRANCE =

[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1830, D ecem ber 24, 1870]

T h e w ear an d te a r of this w ar is beginning to tell u p o n G erm any. T h e first arm y of invasion, com prising the whole of the line troops of both N o rth an d South, was of the stren g th of about 640,000 m en. Tw o m onths of cam paigning had red u ced th at arm y so m uch th at the first batch of m en from th e d ep o t battalions and sq u ad ro n s ab out on e-th ird of th e original stre n g th h ad to be o rd e re d forw ard. T hey arrived tow ards the en d of S eptem ber and b eg inning of O ctober, an d th o u g h they m ust have am o u n ted to some 200,000 m en, yet the field battalions w ere far from being again raised to th eir original stren g th of 1,000 m en each. T hose b efo re Paris co u nted from 700 to 800 m en, while those before Metz v/ere w eaker still. Sickness an d fighting soon m ade fu rth e r inroads, an d w hen Prince F rederick C harles reached the Loire, his th re e corps w ere red u ced to less th an half th eir norm al strength, averaging 450 m en p e r battalion. T h e fighting of this m onth and th e severe an d changeable w eather m ust have told severely upon the troops b oth before Paris an d in the arm ies covering the investm ent; so th at the battalions m ust now certainly average below 400 m en. Early in Jan u ary the recruits of the levy of 1870 will be ready to be sent into the field, afte r th ree m onths drill. T h ese would n u m b er about 110,000, a n d give ra th e r less th an 300 m en p e r battalion. W e now h e a r th at p a rt of these have already passed Nancy, a n d th at new bodies are arriving daily; thus the battalions may soon be again raised to about 650 m en. If, indeed, as is probable from several indications, the disposable rem ain d er of th e yo u n g er u n d rilled m en of the depot-reserve (Ersatz
W ritten on D ecem ber 23 o r 24, 1870. /.

Reserve) have been drilled along with th e recruits of th e re g u lar levy, this rein fo rcem en t w ould be increased by some 100 m en p er battalion m ore, m aking in all 750 m en p er battalion. T his w ould be about th ree-fo u rth s of th e original stren g th , giving an arm y of 480,000 effectives, o u t of one million of m en sent o u t from G erm any to th e fro n t. T hus, ra th e r m o re th an one-half of the m en who left G erm any with the line regim ents o r jo in ed them since, have been killed o r invalided in less th an fo u r m onths. If this should ap p e a r incredible to any one, let him com pare the w ear an d te a r of fo rm e r cam paigns, th at o f 1813 an d 1814 for instance, an d consider th at th e co n tin u ed long an d rap id m arches of the Prussians d u rin g this w ar m ust have told terribly u p o n th eir troops. So fa r we have dealt with th e line only. Besides them , nearly the whole of the land w eh r has been m arched o ff in to France. T h e landw ehr battalions h ad originally 800 m en fo r th e G uards and 500 m en fo r th e o th er battalions; b u t they w ere gradually raised to th e stren g th of 1,000 m en all ro u n d . T his would m ake a g ra n d total of 240,000 m en, including cavalry and artillery. By fa r the g re ater p a rt of these have been in F rance fo r som e time, keeping u p the com m unications, blockading fortresses, &c. A nd even for this they are n o t n u m ero u s en o u g h ; fo r th ere are at p resen t in process of organization fo u r m ore lan d w eh r divisions (probably by fo rm in g a th ird battalion to every lan d w eh r regim ent), com prising at least fifty battalions, o r 50,000 m en m ore. All these are now to be sent into France; those th at w ere still in G erm any, g u ard in g the F rench prisoners, are to be relieved in th at d u ty by newly form ed garrison battalions. W hat these m ay be com posed of we cannot positively tell befo re we receive th e full text of th e o rd e r creating them , the contents of which, so far, are know n by a telegraphic sum m ary only. B u t if, as wc know to be th e fact, the above fo u r new landw ehr divisions cannot be raised w ithout calling o u t m en of forty an d even above, then w hat rem ains fo r th e garrison battalions o f drilled soldiers b u t m en from forty to fifty years of age? T h e re is no d o u b t th e reserve of drilled m en in G erm any is by this m easure fully exhausted, and, beyond that, a whole y ears levy of recruits. T h e landw ehr force in France has h ad fa r less m arching, bivouacking, an d fighting th an th e line. It has mostly h ad decent quarters, fair feeding, an d m o d erate duty; so th at th e whole o f its losses m ay be p u t dow n at ab out 40,000 m en, dead o r invalided.
B erlin, Dec. 21. E vening, The Times, No. 26940, D ecem ber 22, 1870. <i.

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T his w ould leave, including the new battalions now form ing, 250,000 m en; b u t it is very un certain how soon, even if ever, the whole of these can be set free fo r service abroad. For the n ext two m onths we should say 200,000 w ould be a high estim ate of the effective landw ehr force in France. Line an d lan d w ehr together, we shall thus have in the second half of Jan u ary a force of some 650,000 to 680,000 G erm ans u n d e r arm s in France, of which from 150,000 to 200,000 are now on th e ro ad o r p re p a rin g fo r it. B ut this force will be of a far d iffe ren t ch aracter from th at which has h ith erto been em ployed there. Fully one-half of the line battalions will consist of young m en of twenty o r tw enty-one years u n tried m en of an age at which the h ard ships of a w inter cam paign tell m ost fearfully upon th e constitution. T hese m en will soon fill the hospitals, while the battalions will again m elt dow n in strength. O n the o th er hand, the landw ehr will consist m ore an d m ore of m en above thirty-two, m arrie d m en an d fathers of families alm ost w ithout exception, and of an age at which open-air cam ping in cold o r wet w eather is alm ost sure to p ro d u ce rheum atism rapidly an d by wholesale. A nd th e re can be no d o u b t th at the g re ater portio n of this landw ehr will have to do a deal m ore m arching an d fighting th an hitherto, in consequence of the extension of th e territo ry which is to be given into its keeping. T h e line is getting considerably younger, th e lan d w eh r considerably o lder th a n hitherto; th e recruits sent to th e line have barely had tim e to learn th eir drill an d discipline, the new rein fo rcem ents fo r the landw ehr have had plenty of tim e to fo rg et both. T h u s th e G erm an arm y is receiving elem ents which b rin g its ch aracter m uch n e a re r th a n h ereto fo re to th e new F rench levies opposed to it; with this advantage, however, on the side of th e G erm ans th at these elem ents are being incorporated into th e stro n g an d solid cadres of th e old arm y. A fter these, w hat resources in m en rem ain to Prussia? T h e recruits attaining th eir tw entieth year in 1871, an d the o ld er m en of th e Ersatz Reserve, the latter all u ndrilled, alm ost all of them m arried , an d at an age w hen people have litde inclination or ability to begin soldiering. T o call these out, m en who have been in d u ced by long p reced en t to consider th eir relation to the arm y an all b u t nom inal one, w ould be very u n p o p u lar. Still m ore u n p o p u la r would it be if those able-bodied m en w ere called out who fo r one reason o r an o th er have escaped the liability to service altogether. In a purely defensive w ar all these would m arch unhesitatingly; b u t in a w ar of conquest, and at a tim e w hen the success of th at policy of conquest is becom ing doubtful, they

cannot be expected to do so. A w ar of conquest, with anything like varying fortunes, cannot be carried out, in the long ru n , by an arm y consisting chiefly of m arried m en; o ne o r two g reat reverses m ust dem oralize such troops on such an e rran d . T h e m o re the Prussian arm y, by th e len g th en in g o u t of the war, becomes in reality a nation in arm s, th e m ore incapable does it becom e for conquest. Let the G erm an Philistine shout ever so boisterously about Alsace an d L orraine, it still rem ains certain th at G erm any cannot fo r the sake of th eir conquest u n d erg o th e sam e privations, the sam e social disorganization, the sam e suspension of national production, that F rance willingly suffers in h e r own self-defence. T h a t sam e G erm an Philistine, once p u t in un ifo rm an d m arched off, m ay com e to his cool senses again on som e F rench battlefield or in som e frozen bivouac. A nd th u s it m ay be, in th e end, fo r the best if both nations are, in reality, placed face to face with each o th er in full arm o u r.

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N O TE S ON T H E W A R X X X I i r

[ The Pall M all Gazette, No. 1841, Jan u a ry 6, 1871] C hristm as has u sh ered in the com m encem ent of th e real siege of Paris. U p to th at tim e th e re h ad only been an investm ent of the giant fortress. B atteries h ad been constructed, it is tru e, fo r heavy siege guns; a siege p ark h ad been collected, b u t no t a g u n had been placed in position, not an em brasure cut, no t a shot fired. All these p rep aratio n s h ad been m ade on the so u th ern an d south w estern fro n t. O n the o th e r fronts th ere w ere breastw orks throw n u p as well, b u t these seem to have been in ten d ed fo r defensive purposes only, to check sorties, a n d to protect the infantry and field artillery of the besiegers. T hese en trenchm ents w ere n atu ra l ly at a g re ater distance from th e Paris forts th a n re g u la r siege batteries w ould have to be; th e re was betw een them a n d th e forts a larg er belt of debatable g ro u n d on which sorties could take place. W hen T ro c h u s g reat sortie of the 30th of N ovem ber h ad been repelled, he still rem ained m aster of a certain portion of this debatable g ro u n d on the eastern side of Paris, especially of the isolated plateau of A vron, in fro n t of F ort Rosny. T his h e began to fortify; at w hat exact date we do not know, b u t we find it m en tio n ed on the I7 th of D ecem ber th at both M ont A vron an d th e heights of V arennes (in the loop of the M arne) h ad been fortified an d arm ed with heavy guns. B arrin g a few advanced redoubts on the south fro n t, n ear Vitry an d Villejuif, which do no t a p p e ar to be of m uch im portance, we have h ere th e first attem pt, on a large scale, of th e d efen d ers to ex ten d th eir positions by counter-approaches. A nd h ere we are naturally re fe rre d , fo r a com parison, to Sebastopol. M ore than
^ W ritten betw een Ja n u a ry 2 a n d 6, 1871. Ed.

P os itio n s o f P russian tro ops <

-30.X l.70 .

M a m d ire ctio n s and dates o f m ovem ents o f Prussian tro ops P os itio n s o f Prussian a rtille ry Prussian arm y h eadquarters pH S e ctio n s o f Paris ta k en b y Prussian tro o p s in I IU 1871

P o sitio ns o f F re n ch tro op s

30.X I.7 0

iwain d ire ctio n s and dates o f mo

F re n ch arm y headquarters

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fo u r m onths afte r th e o p en in g of th e trenches by the Allies, tow ards the en d of F ebruary, 1855, w hen the besiegers h ad suffered terribly by th e w inter, T o d leb en began to construct advanced works at w hat w ere th en considerable distances in fro n t of his lines. O n the 2 3 rd of F eb ru ary he h ad constructed the re d o u b t Selenginsk, 1,100 yards from th e m ain ram p art; on the sam e day an assault of th e Allies on the new w ork failed; on the 1st of M arch, an o th er re d o u b t (Volynsk) was com pleted in a still m ore forw ard position, an d 1,450 yards from th e ram p art. T hese two works w ere called by the Allies th e ouvrages blancs. O n the 12th of M arch, the K am tschatka lunette, 800 yards from th e ram parts, was com pleted, the M am elon v e rt * of th e Allies, and in fro n t of all these works rifle-pits w ere d u g out. A n assault, on the 22nd of M arch, was beaten off, an d th e whole of th e works, as well as a n o th er to th e (p ro p er) rig h t of th e M am elon, the Q u a rry , was com pleted, an d all these red o u b ts connected by a covered way. D uring the whole of A pril an d May th e Allies in vain attem p ted to recover th e g ro u n d occupied by these works. T hey h ad to advance against them by re g u la r siege approaches, an d it was only on the 7th of Ju n e, w hen considerable reinforcem ents h ad arrived, th at they w ere enabled to storm them . T h u s, th e fall of Sebastopol h ad been delayed fully th ree m onths by these advanced field works, attacked th o u g h they w ere by th e m ost pow erful naval guns of th e period. T h e defence of M ont A vron looks very paltry side by side with this story. O n the I7 th , w hen th e F rench had h ad above fo u rteen days fo r the construction of th eir works, the batteries are com pleted. T h e besiegers in the m eantim e sent fo r siege artillery, chiefly old guns already used in the previous sieges. O n the 22nd the batteries against M ont A vron are com pleted, b u t no action is taken until every d a n g e r of a sortie en masse of th e F rench has passed away, an d the encam pm ents of th e A rm y of Paris, ro u n d D rancy, are broken u p on th e 26th. T h e n on the 27th th e G erm an batteries open th eir fire, which is con tin u ed on th e 28th an d 29th. T h e fire of the F rench works is soon silenced, a n d th e works a b an d o n ed on the 29th, because, as th e official F rench re p o rt says, th ere w ere no casem ates in them to shelter th e garrison.^ T his is u ndoubtedly a p o o r defence a n d a still p o o re r excuse for it. T h e chief fault seems to rest with th e construction of th e works. From all descriptions we are led to conclude th at th ere was n o t on
^ W hite red o u b ts. Ed. * > G reen hill, M am elon. Ed. B ordeaux, Ja n u a ry 1 , The Times, No. 26949, Ja n u a ry 2, 1871. Ed.

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the hill a single closed red o u b t, b u t only batteries open to the rear, an d even w ithout efficient protection on the flanks. T hese batteries, m oreover, ap p e ar to have been facing one way only, tow ards th e south o r south-east, while close by, to the north-east, lay the heights of Rainey and M ontferm eil, the m ost eligible sites of all fo r batteries against A vron. T h e besiegers took advantage of these to su rro u n d A vron with a semicircle of batteries which soon silenced its fire an d drove away its garrison. T h e n why was th ere no shelter fo r th e garrison? T h e frost is b u t half an excuse, fo r the F rench h ad tim e enough; a n d w hat the Russians could d o in a C rim ean w inter and on rocky soil m ust have been possible too this D ecem ber before Paris. T h e artillery em ployed against A vron was certainly far m ore efficient than th at of the Allies before Sebastopol; b u t it was th e sam e as th at used against the redoubts of Diippel, also field-works, and they held ou t th ree weeks. It is surm ised th at th e in fan try garrison ra n away an d left the artillery uncovered. T h a t may be so, b u t it w ould n o t excuse the engineers who constructed the works. T h e en gineering staff inside Paris m ust be wery badly organized if we are to ju d g e it from this sam ple of its handiw ork. T h e ra p id dem olition of M ont A vron has sh arp en ed the ap p etite of th e besiegers for m ore successes of a sim ilar sort. T h eir fire has been o p en ed u p o n the eastern forts, especially Noisy, Rosny, an d N ogent. A fter two days b o m b ard m en t these forts were all b u t silenced. W hat m ore th ere is being d o n e against them we do n o t hear. N either is th ere any m ention of the fire of the en tren ch m en ts which had been constructed in the intervals betw een these forts. B ut we may be certain th at the besiegers are doing th eir best to push forw ard approaches, if only in a ro u g h way, against these forts, an d to secure a firm lodgm ent on M ont Avron. We should no t w onder if they succeeded b etter in this than th e F rench, in spite of the w eather. B ut w hat is th e effect of all this u p o n the course of the siege? No d o u b t, if these th ree forts should fall into the hands of the Prussians, th at would be an im p o rtan t success, an d enable them to b rin g th eir batteries to within 3,000 o r 4,000 yards of the enceinte. T h e re is, however, no necessity th at they should fall so soon. T hese forts all have bom b-proof casem ates fo r th eir garrisons, and th e besiegers, so far, have no t got any rifled m ortars, of which they alto g eth er possess b u t a small stock. T hese m ortars are the only sort of artillery which can destroy bom b-proof shelter in a very sh o rt time; the old m ortars are too un certain in th eir range to have a very ra p id effect, and the 24-pounders (with 64 lb. shell)

cannot be sufficiently elevated to p ro d u ce th e effect of vertical fire. If the fire of these forts ap p ears to be silenced, th at signifies m erely th at the guns have been placed u n d e r sh elter so as to keep them available fo r an assault. T h e Prussian batteries may dem olish the parapets of th e ram p arts, b u t th at will n o t constitute a breach. T o breach the very well-covered m asonry of th e escarp, even by indirect fire, they will have to construct batteries w ithin at least 1,000 yards from th e forts, an d th at can be do n e by re g u lar parallels an d approaches only. T h e ab rid g e d process of besieging, of which th e Prussians talk so m uch, consists in n o th in g b u t the silencing of th e enem ys fire from a g re ater distance, so th at the approaches can be m ade with less d a n g e r an d loss of time; this is followed u p by a violent bo m b ard m en t, an d a breaching of th e ra m p a rt by indirect fire. If all this does not com pel s u rre n d e r an d in th e case of th e Paris forts it is difficult to see how it could do so n o th in g rem ains b u t to p ush u p th e approaches in the usual way to th e glacis an d risk an assault. T h e assault of D iippel was u n d erta k en after th e approaches h ad been p u sh ed to about 250 yards from th e ru in ed works, a n d at S trasbourg the saps h ad to be driven quite in the old-fashioned way u p to the crest of th e glacis an d beyond. W ith all this, we m ust re c u r again an d again to th e point so o ften u rg e d in these colum ns, th at th e defence of Paris m ust be carried on actively, a n d n o t passively only.'' If ever th ere was a. tim e fo r sorties, th at tim e is now. It is not, at this m om ent, a question of breaking th ro u g h th e en em y s lines; it is th is to accept a localized com bat which the besieger forces u p o n the besieged. T h a t th e fire of the besieger can, u n d e r alm ost any circum stances, be m ade su p erio r, on any given point, to th at of th e besieged, is an old an d uncontested axiom ; an d unless the besieged m ake u p fo r this his in h e re n t deficiency by activity, boldness an d en erg y in sorties, he gives u p his best chance. Some say the troops inside Paris have lost heart; b u t th ere is no reason why they should. T h ey may have lost confidence in th eir leader, b u t th at is a n o th er th in g altogether; an d if T ro c h u persists in his inactivity, they m ay well do so. We m ay as well advert in a w ord o r two to th e ingenious hypothesis of some people th at T ro c h u intends to w ithdraw , with his troops, to th e fortified peninsula of M ont V alerien, as to a citadel, afte r the fall of Paris. T his p ro fo u n d surm ise has been concocted by som e of th e super-clever hangers-on of th e staff at
See this volum e, pp. 89-90, 109-10 a n d 129. Ed.

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Versailles, an d is based chiefly on the fact th at a good m any carts go backw ards a n d forw ards betw een Paris a n d th at peninsula. H e m ust certainly be an uncom m only clever general who chooses to construct fo r him self a citadel on a low alluvial peninsula, su rro u n d e d on all sides by com m anding heights, from which the cam ps of his troops can be surveyed like a panoram a, and consequendy fired into at easy ranges. B ut as long as the Prussian staff has existed, it has been troubled with the presence of som e m en of su p erh u m a n sharpness. W ith them th e enem y is always m ost likely to d o the very unlikeliest thing of all. As the G erm an saying goes, they h e a r th e grass grow ing. W hoever has occupied him self with Prussian m ilitary literatu re m ust have stum bled over this so rt o f people, an d th e only w onder is th at they should find anybody to believe them .

N O T E S O N T H E WAR. XXX IV

[ The Pall M all Gazette, No. 1842, Jan u a ry 7, 1871] A lthough th ere has been a fair am o u n t of fig h tin g since we last surveyed th e relative positions o f th e com batants in th e provinces,'^ th ere has been very littie change, th u s proving th e correctness of o u r view th at the forces o f b o th w ere nearly balanced fo r th e tim e being. C hanzys A rm y of th e W est has m aintained itself in fro n t of Le Mans; the arm y of M ecklenburg opposes it on a line stretching from Blois by V endom e to V erneuil. T h e re has been a good deal o f desultory fig h tin g ab out V endom e, b u t n o th in g has been changed in the relative position of th e arm ies. In th e m eantim e C hanzy has draw n tow ards him self all th e drilled an d arm ed m en from the cam p of Conlie, which has been broken up; h e is re p o rte d to have en tre n ch ed a stro n g position a ro u n d Le Mans, as a stronghold to fall back u p o n , a n d is now again expected to assum e the offensive.*^ As M. G am betta left B o rd eau x on th e 5th fo r Le M ans this m ay be quite correct. O f th e actual stren g th and organisation of C hanzys forces we have n o know ledge w hatever beyond the fact th at he h ad, previous to his re tre a t u p o n Le Mans, th ree arm y corps. N or are we m uch b etter in fo rm ed as to th e forces im m ediately o pposed to him ; th e troops o f M ecklenburg an d those of Prince F rederick C harless original arm y have been so m uch interm ixed th at th e original ordre de bataille'^ is no lo n g er in
W ritten on Ja n u a ry 6 o r 7, 1871. <j. See this volum e, pp. 208-11. R e p o rt o f th e B erlin C o rre sp o n d e n t o f The Times, B erlin, Dec. 2 9 , The Times, No. 26949, Ja n u a ry 2, 1871; R e p o rt of a C o rre sp o n d e n t o f The Times B o rd eau x , Dec. 2 5 , The Times, No. 26950, Ja n u a ry 3, 1S71. Ed. 'I Battle array. Ed.

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force. W e shall have to trea t both as one arm y, which they indeed are, since F rederick C harles has th e com m and of the whole; the only distinction is, th at M ecklenburg com m ands those troops which, o cheval"' of th e Loir, face west, while the Prince has u n d e r his im m ediate o rd ers those which, along the Loire from Blois to Gien, face south an d w atch B ourbaki. T h e whole of both these bodies counts ten divisions of infantry an d th ree of cavalry, but considerable detachm ents have been left on the line of m arch from C om m ercy, by Troyes, to th e Loire; these are only gradually com ing up, as they are being relieved by the new arrivals of landw ehr. O n the 11th of D ecem ber Prince F rederick C harles h ad arrived at B riare, with in ten t to advance u p o n Nevers, in o rd e r to tu rn B ourbakis rig h t and to cut off his direct com m unication with the troops opposed to W erder. B ut we have only recently learned th at on receiving th e news of th e resolute and unexpected resistance which M ecklenburg en c o u n tered on the p art of Chanzy, h e gave u p his plan at once an d tu rn e d back with the mass of his troops in th e direction of T o u rs '; which, as we know, his troops cam e in sight o f b u t never en tered . T h u s we now learn th at C hanzys clever and gallant re tre a t was th e cause not only of his own safety, bu t of B ourbakis too. T his latter general m ust still be in the n eig h b o u rh o o d of B ourges an d Nevers. If, as has been presum ed, h e h ad m arch ed off eastw ards against W erd er o r against the Prussian line of com m unications, we should have h ea rd of him ere now. Most probably he is reorganizing an d reinforcing his arm y, an d if C hanzy should advance we are sure to h e a r of him too. N o rth of th e Seine M anteuffel, with the 1st C orps, holds R ouen an d n eig h b o u rh o o d , while h e has sent the 8th C orps into Picardy. T his latter corps has h ad a h a rd tim e of it. G eneral F aidherbe does n o t allow his N o rth e rn A rm y m uch rest. T h e th ree n o rth ern m o st d ep artm en ts of France, from th e Som m e to the Belgian fro n tier, hold about tw enty fortresses of various sizes, which, th o u g h wholly useless nowadays against a large invasion from Belg'ium, yet form a m ost welcome an d alm ost unattackable basis of o p erations in this case. W hen V auban plan n ed this triple belt of fortresses, nearly two h u n d re d years ago, he surely never th o u g h t th at they would serve as a g reat en tre n ch ed cam p, a sort of m ultiplied q uadrilateral, to a F rench arm y against an enem y advancing from the h e a rt of France. B ut so it is, and, small as this
^ O n b oth banks. Ed. B erlin, Dec. 27 , The Times, No. 26947, D ecem ber 30, 1870. d.

piece of territo ry is, it is fo r th e nonce im pregnable, an d an im p o rtan t piece of g ro u n d too, on account of its m an u factu rin g resources an d its dense population. Driven back into this safe re tre a t by the battle of V illers-B retonneux (27th of N o v em b er),' F aidherbe reorganized an d stren g th en ed his arm y; tow ards the en d o f D ecem ber he again advanced u p o n Am iens, a n d delivered on the 23rd an un d ecid ed battle to M anteuffel on th e H allue. In this batde he h ad fo u r divisions (35,000 m en as h e counts them ) against the two divisions of th e 8th Prussian C orps (24,000 m en by Prussian accounts). T h a t with such a p ro p o rtio n of forces, an d against as renow ned a general as von G oeben, he should have held his own, is a sign th at his Mobiles an d Mobilises are im proving. In consequence of the frost an d of shortcom ings of his com m issariat an d train, as he says, b u t probably also because he did n o t tru st in the steadiness of his m en fo r a second days h a rd fighting, he re treated alm ost unm olested beh in d th e Scarpe."" Von G oeben followed, left the g re ater p a rt of th e 16th division to keep th e com m unications an d to invest P eronne, and advanced with only th e 15th division a n d Prince A lbert the y o u n g ers flying colum n (which at m ost was equivalent to a brigade) to B apaum e and beyond. H ere, then , was a chance fo r F aid h erb es fo u r divisions. W ithout hesitating a m om ent, he advanced from his sheltered position an d attacked th e Prussians. A fter a prelim inary engage m en t on the 2nd of Jan u ary , th e m ain bodies fo u g h t in fro n t of B apaum e on the following day. T h e clear rep o rts of Faidherbe,* the g reat num erical superiority of th e F rench (eight brig ad es o r 33.000 m en at least against th ree Prussian brigades, o r 16,000 to 18.000 m en, to calculate th e n u m b ers according to th e d ata given above fo r the two arm ies), the in d efinite language of Manteuffel,'^ leave no d o u b t th at in this battle th e F rench h ad th e best of it. Besides, M anteuffels b ragging is well know n in G erm any; everybody th ere recollects how as G o vernor of Sleswig, an d being ra th e r tall, he o ffered to cover every seven feet of th e country with his body. His rep o rts, even afte r censorship in Versailles, are certainly the least trustw orthy of all Prussian accounts. O n the o th e r h an d , F aidherbe did n o t follow u p his success, b u t retired afte r the battle to a village some miles in re a r of th e battle-field, so
L.-L. F aid h erb es desp atch to th e P refect o f N o rth Lille, Dec. 2 5 , The Times, No. 26944, D ecem ber 27, 1870. * > L.-L. F aidherbe, A rras, Jan. 4 , ITie Times, No. 26953, Ja n u a ry 6, 1871. d. = E. M anteuffel, Versailles, Jan. 5 , The Times, No. 26953, Ja n u a ry 6,

1871.Erf.

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th at P ero n n e was n o t relieved and, as has already been pointed o u t in these colum ns, the fruits of the fighting w ere all fo r the Prussians. It is im possible to take F aidherbes excuses fo r his re tre a t as being m eant seriously.'' B ut, w hatever his reasons may have been, unless he can do m ore with his troops th an beat th ree Prussian brigades an d then retire, he will no t relieve Paris. In th e m eantim e, M anteuffel has an im p o rtan t rein fo rcem en t at han d . T h e 14th division (Kam eke) of the 7th C orps, after red u cin g M ontm edy an d Mezieres, is ap p ro ach in g his fightingg ro u n d accom panied by its siege train. T h e fighting n e a r Guise seems to m ark a stage in this advance; Guise is on the direct road from M ezieres to P eronne, which naturally seems to be the next fortress set dow n fo r bom bardm ent. A fter P eronne, probably C am brai, if all be well with the Prussians. In the south-east, W erd er has been in full re tre a t since the 27th of D ecem ber, w hen he evacuated Dijon. It took some tim e before th e G erm ans m entioned a w ord ab o u t this, a n d th e n the Prussians w ere quite silent; it leaked o u t in a quiet co rn er of th e Karlsruher Zeitung} O n the 31st he evacuated Gray also, afte r an engagem ent, an d is now covering the siege of B elfort at Vesoul. T h e A rm y of Lyons, u n d e r C rem er (said to be an em igrated H anoverian officer) is following him u p , while G aribaldi seems to be acting m ore w estw ard against the Prussian chief line of com m unications. W erder, who is said to expect a rein fo rcem en t of 36,000 m en, will be p retty safe at Vesoul,'^ b u t the line of com m unications appears any th in g b u t secure. W e now learn th at G eneral Zastrow, co m m an d er of the 7th C orps, has been sent th ith er, a n d is in com m unication with W erder. Unless he is ap p o in ted to quite a new com m and, h e will have the 13th division with him , which has been relieved, in Metz, by landw ehr, an d he will also dispose of o th er forces for active operations. It m ust be one of his battalions which has been attacked, an d is said to have been ro u ted , n ear Saulieu, on th e ro ad fro m A u x erre to C halon-sur-Saone. W hat the state o f th e com m unications is on the secondary lines of railway (always excepting the m ain line from Nancy to Paris, which is well g u ard ed an d so fa r safe) is shown by a letter from C h au m o n t (H aute-M arne) to th e Cologne G azettef com plaining th at now for
L.-L. F aidherbe, A rras, Jan. 4 , The Times, No. 26953, Ja n u a ry 6, 1871. Ed. *' T h is re p o rt is m en tio n ed in the item Incidents of th e W ar , The Times, No. 26953, Ja n u a ry 6, 1ST I. Ed. T eleg ra m from a c o rre sp o n d e n t of The Times B erlin, Jan. 5, 10.30 P.M . , The Times, No. 26953, Ja n u a ry 6, 1871. Ed. T h e re fe re n ce is to th e Kolnische Zeitung. Ed.

the th ird tim e th e francs-tireurs have b roken u p the railway betw een C h au m o n t a n d T royes; th e last time, on the 24th of D ecem ber, they replaced the rails loosely, so th at a train with 500 landw ehr got off th e rails a n d was stopped, u p o n which the francs-tireurs op en ed fire from a wood, b u t w ere beaten off. T h e c o rresp o n d en t considers this n o t only u n fa ir b u t in fam o u s. Ju st like th e A ustrian cuirassier in H u n g ary in 1849: A re not these hussars infam ous scoundrels? T h ey see my cuirass, and yet they cut m e across the face. T h e state of these com m unications is a m atter of life an d d eath to th e arm y besieging Paris. A few days in terru p tio n would affect it fo r weeks. T h e Prussians know this, and are now concentrating all th eir landw ehr in n o rth-w estern F rance to hold in subjection a belt of country sufficiently bro ad to en su re safety to th eir railways. T h e fall of M ezieres opens them a second line of rails from th e fro n tier by Thionville, M ezieres, an d Reims; b u t this line dangerously offers its flank to th e A rm y of th e N o rth . If Paris is to be relieved, it m ight p erh ap s be d o n e easiest by break in g this line of com m unications.

^ C h au m o n t, 29. D ez. , Kolnische Zeitung, No. 1, Ja n u a ry 1, 1871. Ed.

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N O TE S ON T H E WAR. XXXV

[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1848, Jan u ary 14, 1871]

T h e arm ies in the field have en tered u p o n two operations which m ight easily b rin g on a crisis of the war. T h e first of these is B o u rb ak is m arch against W erder; th e second, Prince Frederick C harless m arch against Chanzy. T h e ru m o u r of B ourbakis m arch eastw ard has been c u rre n t for nearly a week, b u t th ere was n o thing in it to distinguish it from th e rest of the ru m o u rs which are now flying about so plentifully. T h a t the m ovem ent m ight be good in itself was no reason to believe in its reality. H owever, th ere can be now no do u b t that B ourbaki, with at least the 18th and 20th C orps, a n d the 24th, a new corps, has arrived in the East of France, an d has tu rn e d W e rd ers position at Vesoul by a m ovem ent via B esanfon u p o n L ure, betw een Vesoul an d B elfort. N ear L ure, W erd er attacked him at Villersexel on the 9th, an d an engagem ent ensued, in which b oth parties claim th e victory. It was evidendy a re arg u a rd engagem ent, in which W erd er ap p aren d y has m ade good his retreat. W hichever m ay have won in this first encounter, o th er a n d m ore g eneral battles are sure to follow in a day o r two, an d to b rin g m atters h ere to a crisis. If this m ovem ent of B ourbaki be u n d erta k en with sufficient forces th at is to say, with every m an, horse, an d g u n th at was not absolutely re q u ired elsew here an d if it be carried o u t with the necessary vigour, it m ay prove the tu rn in g point of the war. We have before now pointed out the weakness of the long line of the G erm an com m unications, an d the possibility of Paris being relieved by an attack in force u p o n th at line.'" T his is now u p o n
^ W ritten on Ja n u a ry 13 o r 14, 1871.- -Ed. > > See this volum e, p. 225. Ed.

the cards, an d it will d ep e n d on the playing of th em w h eth er it is really to com e off. O f the forces now invading France, nearly th e whole of th e troops of the line are engaged eith er in the siege of Paris o r in the covering of th at siege. O u t of thirty-five divisions (including the landw ehr of the G u ard, w ho have all th e tim e been used as line troops), thirty-tw o are th u s em ployed. Tw o are with W erd er (three B aden an d one Prussian brigade), an d one, u n d e r Zastrow, has gone to join him . Besides these, W erd er has at least two divisions of landw ehr to carry on the siege of B elfort an d to occupy the fortresses in S ou th ern Alsace. T h u s th e whole length a n d b read th of country north-east of th e line from M ezieres by Laon and Soissons to Paris, an d thence by A u x erre an d C hatillon to H iiningen, n ea r Basel, with all its red u ced fortresses, has to be held by the rem ain d er of th e landw ehr, as fa r as it has been m ade disposable. A nd w hen we consider th at th ere are also th e prisoners of w ar in G erm any to be w atched and th e fortresses at hom e to be g arrisoned; th at only nine Prussian arm y corps (those existing before 1866) h ad old soldiers en o u g h to fill u p th e landw ehr battalions, while th e oth ers will have to wait five years yet before they can do th is we may im agine th at th e forces rem aining disposable for th e occupation of this p a rt of F rance can n o t have been over-num erous. T ru e , eighteen d ep o t battalions are now being sent to garrison th e fortresses in Alsace an d L orraine, an d the newly fo rm in g g arrison battalions are to relieve the landw ehr in the in terio r of Prussia. B ut the fo rm ation of these garrison battalions is re p o rted in the G erm an press to proceed b u t slowly, a n d thus th e arm y of occupation will still for som e tim e be com paratively weak an d barely able to hold in check the population of the provinces it has to gu ard . It is against this p o rtio n of th e G erm an arm y th at B ourbaki is m oving. H e evidently attem p ted to in terpose his troops betw een Vesoul and B elfort, w hereby he w ould isolate W erd er, whom he m ight beat singly, driving him in a north-w esterly direction. B u t as W erd er now probably is befo re B elfort an d u n ited with Tresckow, B ourbaki has to defeat both in o rd e r to raise th e siege; to drive th e besiegers back into th e R hine valley, after which he m ight advance on the eastern side of th e Vosges tow ards Luneville, w here he w ould be on the m ain line of the G erm an com m unica tions. T h e destruction of th e railway tunnels n e a r P halsbourg w ould block u p th e S trasbourg line fo r a considerable period; th at of the F ro u ard Junction would stop th e line from Saarbriicken an d Metz; an d it m ight even be possible to send a flying colum n

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tow ards T hionville to destroy the line n e a r th at place too, so as to b reak th e last th ro u g h line the G erm ans have. T h a t colum n could always retire into L u xem bourg o r B elgium an d lay dow n its arm s; it w ould have am ply rep aid itself. T h ese are th e objects which B ourbaki m ust have in view. W ith th e n eig h b o u rh o o d of Paris exhausted, the in terru p tio n of the com m unications from Paris to G erm any even fo r a few days would be a very serious m atter for the 240,000 G erm ans before Paris, an d th e presence of 120,000 to 150,000 F rench soldiers in L o rrain e m ight be a m ore effective m eans of raising the siege than even a victory of C hanzy over F rederick C harles, by which the latter w ould afte r all be driven back u p o n the besieging forces, to be backed u p by them . T ru e , the G erm ans have a n o th er line of railway com m unication by Thionville, M ezieres, an d Reims, which B ourbaki m ight probably n o t be able to reach even with flying colum ns; b u t th en th ere is th e absolute certainty of a general rising of th e people in the occupied districts as soon as B ourbaki would have succeeded in p en e tratin g into L orraine; an d w hat the safety fo r traffic of th a t second line of railway w ould be u n d e r such circum stances we n eed not explain any fu rth e r. Besides, B ourbakis success would, as a first consequence, com pel G oeben to fall back, and thus the A rm y of th e N o rth m ight find a chance of cutting o ff this line betw een Soissons a n d M ezieres. W e consider this m ovem ent of B ourbaki as th e m ost im p o rtan t an d th e m ost prom ising one which has been m ade by any French general in this war. But, we repeat, it m ust be carried out adequately. T h e best plans are w orthless if they be executed feebly a n d irresolutely; an d we shall probably not learn anything positive ab out B ourbakis forces o r th e way he handles them until his struggles with W erd er have been decided. B ut we are in fo rm ed th at in view of som e such contingency, the C orps of W erd er is to be enlarged into a great fifth arm y , u n d e r M anteuffel, who is to h a n d over his first arm y to Goeben, an d to b rin g to W e rd ers assistance the 2nd, 7th, and 14th Corps.^ Now, of th e 7th C orps, the 13th division has already been sent tow ards Vesoul, u n d e r Zastrow; the 14th division has only just taken M ezieres a n d Rocroi, an d cannot, th erefo re, be expected at Vesoul so very soon; the 14th C orps is the very one which W erd er has h ad all along (the B aden division an d the 30th a n d 34th Prussian regim ents, u n d e r Goltz); and, as to the 2nd C orps, which
B erlin, Jan. 11 , The Times, No. 26958, Ja n u a ry 12, 1871; Versailles, Jan. 11 , The Times, No. 26959, Ja n u a ry 13, 1871. Ed.

is before Paris, we expect th at it will n o t start befo re th at city shall have su rre n d e re d , because it cannot be well sp ared th ere. B ut even if it w ere sent o ff now it w ould only arrive after W e rd ers decisive action with B ourbaki had taken place. As to o th er reinforcem ents fo r W erd er from reserves which may be supposed to exist in G erm any, we have to consider, firstly, th at w hatever landw ehr can be m ade disposable has already been, o r is being, forw arded now; and, secondly, th at th e d ep o t battalions, th e only o th er reserve force in existence, have ju st been em ptied of th eir drilled m en, an d are at this m o m en t m ere cadres. T h u s, B ourbaki will at all events have to fight his first an d m ost decisive actions before the in ten d ed reinforcem ents can have arrived; and, if victorious, he will be in the favourable position to deal with these reinforcem ents one afte r a n o th er as they arrive successively an d from very d iffe re n t directions. O n the o th er h an d . Prince F rederick C harles, in spite of his victorious m arch to Le M ans, may yet have m ade th e first mistake com m itted by th e G erm ans in this war, w hen he left B ourbaki entirely free, in o rd e r to co n cen trate all his forces against Chanzy. Now, C hanzy was no d o u b t his m o re im m ediate o p p o n en t, an d for the m om ent the m ost d an g ero u s one too. B ut C hanzys country is n o t the one w here decisive successes can be h ad over th e French. Chanzy has ju st su ffered a severe d e f e a t '; th at settles his attem pts fo r the relief of Paris for the present. B ut it so far settles n o th in g else. C hanzy m ay w ithdraw if he likes eith er tow ards B rittany o r tow ards th e Calvados. In eith er case he finds at the extrem e e n d of his re tre a t a g reat naval arsenal, B rest o r C h erb o u rg , with d etached forts to shelter him until th e F rench fleet can tran sp o rt his m en south of th e Loire o r n o rth of th e Somme. In consequence, th e W est of F rance is a country w here th e F rench can carry on a w ar to am use th e en em y a w ar of alternate advances an d re tre a ts w ithout ever being b ro u g h t to bay against th eir will. W e should n o t w o n d er if C hanzy h ad been u rg e d on to fig h t by G am betta, who was re p o rte d to have joined liim , an d who w ould be sure to su b o rd in ate m ilitary to political considerations. A fter his reverse, a n d th e loss of Le M ans, Chanzy could do n o th in g b e tte r th an draw o ff F rederick C harles as far away to th e w estward as possible, so th at this portio n of th e Prussian forces m ay be quite o u t of h a rm s way w hen B ourbakis cam paign begins to develop itself.

B ordeaux, Jan. 5 , The Times, No. 26954, Ja n u a ry 7, 1871.

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F aidherbe, in the n o rth , is evidently too weak to do anything decisive against G oeben. As it appears th at C hanzy cannot defeat F rederick C harles an d thereby relieve Paris, it w ould be b etter to send plenty of m en to the n o rth , to get rid of G oeben both at A m iens an d R ouen, an d to attem p t with concentrated forces an advance u p o n th e railway line from M ezieres to Paris; especially now, while B ourbaki is th rea ten in g the o th er G erm an line of railway. T h e com m unications are the ten d erest p a rt of an arm ys position; an d if th e n o rth e rn line, which lies so m uch exposed to an attack from th e n o rth both at Soissons an d R ethel, should once be seriously m enaced while B ourbaki is at work on the so u th ern edge of L orraine, we m ight see all o f a su d d en a very pretty com m otion in Versailles.

N O T E S O N T H E WAR. XXXVI

[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1852, Jan u a ry 19, 1871]

Ever since, afte r Sedan, Paris was first seriously m enaced by hostile attack, we have insisted u p o n the g reat stren g th of a fortified capital like Paris; b u t we have n ever om itted to ad d that, fo r the full developm ent of its defensive powers, it req u ired a large re g u la r arm y to d efen d i t a n arm y too pow erful to be shut u p in the works of th e place, o r to be prev en ted from m anoeuvring in the o p en a ro u n d the fortress, which w ould serve as its pivot an d partly as its base of operations. U n d e r norm al conditions, this arm y w ould alm ost always be at h an d , as a m atter of course. T h e F rench arm ies, d efeated n e a r the frontier, would fall back u p o n Paris as th eir last an d chief stronghold; they would u n d e r o rd in ary circum stances arrive h ere in sufficient stren g th , an d find sufficient reinforcem ents to be able to fulfil th e task assigned to them . B ut this tim e th e strategy of th e Second E m pire h ad caused th e whole of th e F rench arm ies to disap p ear from th e field. O ne of them it h ad m anaged to get shut up, to all appearan ce hopelessly, in Metz; th e o th e r h ad just s u rre n d e re d at Sedan. W hen the Prussians arriv ed before Paris, a few half-filled depots, a n u m b er of provincial Mobiles (just levied), a n d the local N ational G u ard (not half form ed), w ere all th e forces ready fo r its defence. Even u n d e r these circum stances th e intrinsic stren g th of the place proved so form idable to th e invaders, th e task of attacking lege artis^ this im m ense city an d its outw orks a p p e are d so gigantic
W ritten betw een Ja n u a ry 14 a n d 19, 1871. Ed. See this volum e, pp. 89-90, 109-10 a n d 129. Ed. ^ A ccording to th e rules. Ed.

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to them , th at they ab an d o n ed it at once, a n d chose to reduce the place by fam ine. A t th at tim e H en ri R ochefort an d others w ere fo rm ed into a Com m ission of B arricades, charged with the construction of a th ird in terio r line of defence, which should p re p a re th e g ro u n d fo r th at line of fighting so peculiarly P arisian th e defence of barricades an d th e struggle from house to house. T h e press at the tim e m ade g reat fu n of this com m ission; b u t the semi-official publications of the Prussian staff leave no d o u b t th at it was above all the certainty of having to e n c o u n te r a d eterm in ed struggle at the barricades which caused them to decide in favour of reduction by fam ine. T h e Prussians knew very well th at th e forts, a n d afte r them th e enceinte, if d efen d ed by artillery alone, m ust fall within a certain time; bu t th en w ould com e a stage of the struggle in which new levies and even civilians w ould be a m atch fo r veterans; in which house after house, street after street, w ould have to be conquered, and, considering the g reat n u m b er of th e defenders, with the certainty of an im m ense loss o f life. W hoever will re fe r to the papers on the subject in th e Prussian Staats-Anzeiger will find this reason to be stated as th e decisive one against a re g u la r siege. T h e investm ent began on S eptem ber 19, exactly fo u r m onths ago to-day. O n the following day G eneral D ucrot, who com m an d ed th e re g u la r troops in Paris, m ade a sortie with th ree divisions in th e direction of C lam art, a n d lost seven guns and 3,000 prisoners. T his was followed by sim ilar sorties on the 23rd a n d 30th of S eptem ber, 13th a n d 21st of O ctober, all of which resu lted in considerable loss to the F rench w ithout o th er advantages th an , perhaps, accustom ing the young troops to the enem ys fire. O n the 28th a n o th er sortie was m ade against Le B o u rg et with b e tte r success; th e village w a.<i taken an d held fo r two days; b u t on the 30th the second division of th e Prussian g u a rd s th irteen battalions, th en less th a n 10,000 m e n retook the village. T h e F rench h ad evidently m ade very p o o r use of the two days, d u rin g which they m ight have converted the massively built village into a fortress, a n d neglected to keep reserves at han d to su p p o rt th e d efen d ers in time, otherw ise such a m o d erate force could n o t have w rested th e place from them . A fter this effo rt th ere followed a m onth of quietness. T ro c h u evidently in ten d ed to im prove th e drill an d discipline of his m en before again risking g reat sorties, a n d very properly so. B u t,at the sam e time, he neglected to carry on th at w ar of outposts, reconnaissances an d patrols, of am bushes a n d surprises, which is now th e re g u la r occupation of the m en on the F rench fro n t ro u n d

P aris a kind of w arfare th an which no n e is m o re ad ap ted to give young troops confidence in th eir officers an d in them selves, and th e habit of m eeting th e enem y with com posure. T ro o p s which have fo u n d o u t th at in small bodies, in single sections, half com panies, o r com panies, they can surprise, defeat, o r take priso n er sim ilar small bodies of th e enem y will soon learn to m eet him battalion against battalion. Besides, they will th u s learn what outpost duty really is, which m any of them a p p e are d to be ig n o ran t of as late as D ecem ber. O n the 28th of N ovem ber, at last, was in au g u ra ted th a t series of sorties which culm inated in th e g ra n d sortie of th e 30th of N ovem ber across th e M arne, a n d th e advance of th e whole eastern fro n t of Paris. O n th e 2n d of D ecem ber th e G erm ans reto o k Briey a n d p a rt of C ham pigny, a n d on the following day th e F rench recrossed the M arne. As an attem p t to b reak th ro u g h the en tre n ch ed lines of circum vallation which th e besiegers had throw n up, the attack com pletely failed; it had been carried o u t w ithout the necessary energy. B ut it left in th e h an d s of th e F rench a considerable p o rtio n of h ith erto debatable g ro u n d in fro n t of th eir lines. A strip of g ro u n d ab o u t two miles in width, from D rancy to th e M arne, n e a r Neuilly, cam e into th eir possession; a cou n try com pletely com m anded by th e fire of th e forts, covered with massively built villages easy of defence, and possessing a fresh com m anding position in th e plateau of Avron. H ere, then, was a chance of p erm an en d y en larg in g th e circle of defence; from this g ro u n d , once well secured, a fu rth e r advance m ight have been attem p ted , a n d eith er th e line of th e besiegers so m uch bulged in th at a successful attack on th eir lines becam e possible, o r that, by co n cen tratin g a strong force h ere, they were com pelled to w eaken th eir line at o th e r points, a n d th u s facilitate a F rench attack. Well, this g ro u n d rem ain ed in the h an d s of th e F rench fo r a full m onth. T h e G erm ans w ere com pelled to erect siege batteries against A vron, an d yet two days fire from these batteries sufficed to drive th e F rench from it; and, A vron once lost, the o th er positions w ere also aban d o n ed . Fresh attacks had in d eed been m ade on th e whole n o rth-east an d east fro n t on the 21st; Le B ourget was half-carried, Maison B lanche an d VilleE vrard w ere taken; b u t all this van tag e-g ro u n d was lost again the sam e night. T h e troops w ere left on th e g ro u n d outside th e forts, w here they bivouacked at a te m p e ra tu re varying from nine to tw enty-one degrees below freezing point, an d w ere at last w ithdraw n u n d e r shelter because they naturally could n o t stand the exposure. T h e whole of this episode is m o re characteristic

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th an any o th er of the w ant of decision an d e n e rg y th e mollesse, ' we m ight alm ost say the drow siness with which this defence of Paris is conducted. T h e A vron incident at last induced the Prussians to tu rn the investm ent into a real siege, an d to m ake use of th e siege artillery which, fo r u n fo reseen cases, h ad been provided. O n the 30th of D ecem ber th e re g u la r bo m b ard m en t of the n o rth -eastern and eastern forts com m enced; on the 5th of Jan u ary th at of the so u th ern forts. B oth have been continued w ithout in terru p tio n , an d of late have been accom panied by a bo m b ard m en t of the town itself, which is a w anton piece of cruelty. N obody knows b etter th an th e staff at Versailles, a n d nobody has caused it o ften e r to be asserted in th e press, th at the bo m b ard m en t of a town as extensive as Paris cannot hasten its su rre n d e r by one m om ent. T h e cann o n ad e of th e forts is being followed u p by the op en in g of re g u la r parallels, at least against Issy; we h e a r of th e guns being m oved into batteries n e a re r to th e forts, an d unless th e defence acts on th e offensive m ore unhesitatingly than hitherto, we may soon h e a r of actual dam age being do n e to one o r m ore forts. T ro c h u , how ever, continues in his inactivity, m asterly o r otherw ise. T h e few sorties m ade d u rin g the last few days a p p e ar to have been b u t too platonic , as T ro c h u s accuser in the Siecle'^ calls th e whole of them . W e are told th e soldiers refused to follow th eir officers. If so, this proves n o th in g b u t th at they have lost all confidence in the suprem e direction. A nd, indeed, we cannot resist the conclusion th at a change in the chief com m and in Paris has becom e a necessity. T h e re is an indecision, a lethargy, a w ant of sustained energy in all th e proceedings of this defence which cannot entirely be laid to th e charge of the quality of the troops. T h a t th e positions, held fo r a m onth, d u rin g which th ere occurred only ab out ten days of severe frost, w ere not properly en trenched, cannot be blam ed u p o n any one b u t T ro c h u , whose business it was to see to its being done. A nd th at m onth, too, was the critical p erio d of th e siege; at its close th e question was to be decided which party, besiegers o r besieged, w ould gain g ro u n d . Inactivity a n d indecision, not of the troops but of the com m ander-in-chief, have tu rn e d th e scale against the besieged. A nd why is this inactivity an d indecision continued even now? T h e forts are u n d e r the enem ys fire, the besiegers batteries are being b ro u g h t n e a re r an d n ea rer; th e F rench artillery, as is ow ned
Irreso lu tio n . Ed. ^ T h e article from Le Si'ecle is set fo rth in the item B ordeaux, 7. J a n u a r , Koniglich Preussischer Staats-Anzeiger, No. 8, Ja n u a ry 9, 1871. Ed.

by T ro c h u him self, is in ferio r to th at of th e attack. D efended by artillery alone, the very day may be calculated w hen, u n d e r these circum stances, the ra m p a rts m asonry an d all of th e forts will give way. Inactivity an d indecision cannot save them . Som ething m ust be done; an d if T ro c h u cannot do it, he had b etter let some one else try. K inglake has preserved a transaction in which T ro c h u s charac te r appears in the sam e light as in this defence of Paris. W hen the advance to V arna h ad been resolved u p o n by both L o rd Raglan an d S aint-A rnaud,"^ an d th e B ritish Light Division h ad already been despatched, C olonel T ro c h u a cautious th in k in g m an, well versed in strategic science, of whom
it was surm ised th a t it was p a rt of his m ission to check anyth in g like wildness in the m ovem ents of the F rench M arshal

C olonel T ro c h u called u p o n L ord Raglan, an d en tered u p o n negotiations, the u p sh o t of which was th at S aint-A rnaud declared h e h ad resolved to send to
V a rn a b u t one division, a n d to place th e re st of his arm y in position, n o t in advance, b u t in the re a r of the B alkan ra n g e , ^

a n d invited L o rd R aglan to follow his exam ple. A nd th at at a m om ent w hen th e T u rk s w ere all b u t victorious on th e D anube w ithout foreign aid! It m ay be said th at th e tro o p s in Paris have lost h eart, a n d are no longer fit fo r g reat sorties, th at it is too late to sally fo rth against the Prussian siege works, th at T ro c h u m ay save his troops fo r one great effo rt at th e last m om ent, an d so fo rth . B ut if the 500,000 arm ed m en in Paris are to su rre n d e r to an enem y not half th e ir nu m b er, placed m oreover in a position m ost u n fav o u ra ble fo r defence, they will surely n o t do so until th e ir inferiority is b ro u g h t hom e to all th e w orld a n d to them selves. Surely they are no t to sit dow n, eat u p th e last m eal of th eir provisions, an d th en su rren d er! A nd if they have lost heart, is it because they acknow ledge them selves hopelessly beaten, o r because they have n o longer any tru st in T ro ch u ? If it is too late to m ake sorties now, in an o th er m o n th they will be still m o re im practicable. A nd as to T ro c h u s g ra n d finale, th e so oner it is m ade th e b etter; at p resen t the m en are still tolerably fed an d strong, and th ere is no telling w hat they will be in February.
A. W. Kinglake, The Invasion of the Crimea: Its Origin, and an Account of Its Progress down to the Death of Lord Raglan, Vol. II, E d in b u rg h a n d L ondon, 1863, pp. 40, 42. Ed.

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N O TE S ON T H E WAR. X X X V IP'

[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1854, Jan u ary 21, 1871]

T his has b een a m ost u n fo rtu n a te week fo r the F rench arms. A fter C hanzys defeat cam e th e repulse of B ourbaki before B elfort, and novv^ com es th e check which, according to Prussian accounts,' F aidherbe has ju st suffered in fro n t of St. Q uentin."^ T h e re can be no m istake about B ourbakis failure. Ever since th e affair at Villersexel on the 9th, he has displayed a slowness of m ovem ent which indicated eith er indecision on the p a rt of the G eneral o r insufficient stren g th on the p art of the troops. T h e attack u p o n th e en tre n ch ed positions which W erd er h ad p re p are d fo r th e protection of the siege of B elfort beyond the Lisaine (or Isel on o th er m aps) was n o t com m enced before th e 15th, a n d on th e evening of th e I7 th B ourbaki gave it u p in despair. T h e re can be no d o u b t now th at the expedition h ad been u n d erta k en with insufficient forces. T h e 15th C orps h ad been left n ear Nevers; of th e 19th we have no t h ea rd fo r a m onth; the troops b ro u g h t u p from Lyons red u ce them selves to one arm y corps, the 24th. We now h e a r of considerable reinforcem ents being h u rrie d u p to D ijon, but, in the face of the strong reinforcem ents rapidly arriving on th e o th er side, they will no t enable B ourbaki at once to resum e th e offensive. It m ay be questioned w h eth er B ourbaki ou g h t to have led his y o ung troops to the assault of en tre n ch ed positions d efen d ed by breech-loaders; b u t we know little as yet of the tactical conditions u n d e r which th e th ree days fight took place: h e m ay have been unable to act otherwise.
W ritten o n Ja n u a ry 21, 1871. Ed. Royal H ead -Q u arters, V ersaIles, Jan . 2 0 ary 21, 1871. d. The Times, No. 26966, Janu-

T h a t the Prussian h ead q u arters did n o t look u p o n B ourbakis expedition with th e sam e co n tem p tu o u s sh ru g as m ost people did h e re in L ondon is shown by th e ex trem e eagerness with which they took steps to m eet it. From these steps th ere can be no d o u b t th at B ourbakis m ove was know n in Versailles as soon as he began his eastw ard m arch, if n o t before. O n th e 2 nd of Jan u a ry th e 2nd C orps received o rd e rs to m arch from Paris in a south-easterly direction, tow ards th e basin of th e U p p e r Seine. A bout th e same tim e Zastrow left th e n eig h b o u rh o o d of Metz with th e 13th division fo r Chatillon. Im m ediately afte r th e red u ctio n of Rocroi, on the 9th, the I4 th division (the rem ain in g one of Zastrow s 7th Corps) was o rd e re d from Charleville tow ards Paris, thence to follow th e 2nd C orps; a n d on th e 15th already we find its advance (a battalion of th e 77th regim ent) engaged n e a r Langres. A t the sam e tim e landw eh r troops w ere h u rrie d on tow ards so u th ern Alsace from G erm any, an d M anteuffel evidently owes his new com m and^ to n o o th e r cause th an this first serious m ovem ent against the weakest p oint of th e whole G erm an line. H ad B ourbaki b ro u g h t sufficient forces to overthrow W erder, he m ight have cast him back into th e R hine valley, placed th e chain of th e Vosges betw een W erd er a n d his own troops, an d m arch ed with the g re ater p a rt of his forces against these reinforcem ents, which he niight have attacked in detail as they arriv ed from d iffe ren t directions. H e m ight have p en e trated as fa r as th e ParisS trasbourg Railway, in which case it is very d o u b tfu l w h eth er th e investm ent o f Paris could have been co ntinued. His d efeat proves n o th in g against th e strategy of his m ovem ent: it proves m erely th at it was carried on with insufficient forces. T h e w riter of these N otes is still of opinion th at th e shortest an d safest plan to relieve Paris is an attack u p o n th e Strasbourg-Paris R a ilw a y ,th e only th ro u g h line of rail th e G erm ans have, fo r we know now th at the o th e r line, via T hionville an d M ezieres, is still im practicable, and will rem ain so fo r som e tim e yet, on account of th e blow ing-up of a tu n n el in the A rd ennes. T his, by th e way, is th e second instance in this w ar in which th e dem olition of a tu n n el stops a railway fo r m onths, while the d estruction of bridges an d viaducts has b een in every case re p aired in an incredibly sh o rt time. As to Chanzy, he evidently m ade a very great m istake in accepting a pitched battle at all. H e m ust have been aw are of B ourbakis m ove fo r nearly a m onth; h e m ust have know n that
See this volum e, p. 228. Ed. b Ibid.

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this was the real m ove fo r the relief of Paris, and th at in the m eantim e h e m ight have the whole w eight of F rederick C harless arm y b ro u g h t to bear against him self. H e was no t com pelled to accept battle; on the contrary, he m ight have draw n on his o p p o n en t fa rth e r th an was safe fo r th e latter, by a slow re treat u n d e r continuous re a r-g u a rd engagem ents, such as those by which h e first established his re p u tatio n in D ecem ber. H e h ad plenty of tim e to get his stores sent off to places of safety, an d h e h ad the choice of retirin g eith er u p o n B rittany with its fortified naval ports, o r by N antes to th e south of the Loire. M oreover, F rederick C harles, with all his forces, could no t have followed him very far. Such a m ilitary re tre a t w ould be m ore in keeping with o u r previous experience of Chanzy; an d as he m ust have known th at th e new reinforcem ents h e h ad received w ere n o t yet fit fo r a g en eral action eith er by equipm ent, arm am en t, o r discipline, we can n o t b u t com e to the conclusion th at the battle before Le Mans was fo u g h t no t fo r m ilitary but fo r political reasons, a n d th at the m an responsible fo r it is no t C hanzy b u t G am betta. As to C hanzys re tre a t now, it is, of course, re n d e re d fa r m ore difficult by the preced in g defeat; b u t C hanzy excels in retreats, and, so far, the victors d o no t ap p e a r to have m aterially dam aged the cohesion of his arm y. O therw ise they would have substantial proofs to show fo r th eir assertion th at this arm y shows signs of dissolution. W h eth er th e re tre a t of C hanzys arm y is really an eccentric one is n o t certain. At all events, from the fact th at p a rt of his troops re treated tow ards A len jo n , an d a n o th er p a rt tow ards Laval, it does n o t necessarily follow th at the first portion will be driven into th e peninsula of the C otentin tow ards C h erbourg, an d th e o th er into th at of B rittany tow ards Brest. As the F rench fleet can steam from th e one p o rt to th e o th e r in a few hours, even this w ould be n o severe disaster. In B rittany, the country, by its n u m erous thickset h ed g es as thick as those in the Isle of W ight, only far m o re p len tifu l is em inendy ad a p te d fo r defence, especially by raw troops, whose inferiority alm ost disappears there. F rederick C harles is no t likely to entangle him self in a labyrinth w here the arm ies of th e first R epublic fo u g h t fo r years against a m ere peasant insurrection. T h e conclusion we m ust com e to u p o n the whole of the cam paign of Jan u a ry is th is th at the F rench lost it everyw here by trying to do too m any d iffe ren t things at the sam e time. T h ey can
= > Saarbriicken, 19. J a n . , Kolnische Zeitung, No. 20, Ja n u a ry 20, 1871. First edition. Ed.

hope to win only by concen tratin g th eir masses u p o n o ne point, at the risk of being tem porarily driven back on th e o th er points, w here, of course, they should avoid pitched battles. Unless they do this, a n d soon, Paris m ay be considered doom ed. B ut if they act on this old-established principle they m ay still w in how ever black things m ay look fo r th em to-day. T h e G erm ans now have received all the reinforcem ents they can expect fo r th ree m onths to com e; while the F ren ch m ust have in th eir cam ps of instruction at least from two to th re e h u n d re d th o u san d m en, who d u rin g th at tim e will be got ready to m eet th e enem y.

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N O TE S O N T H E W AR. X X X V IIF

[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1858, Jan u ary 26, 1871]

W e are again in a critical period of the war, which m ay tu rn out to be the critical period. F rom the m om ent we h ea rd th at bread h ad been ratio n ed o u t in Paris by the G overnm ent, th ere could be no lo n g er any d o u b t th at the beginning of th e en d h ad come. How soon after th at the o ffer of s u rre n d e r would follow was a m ere question of detail. W e suppose, then, th at it is m ten d ed to s u rre n d e r to some 220,000 besiegers a besieged force of some 500,000 arm ed m en on any term s th e besiegers choose to im pose. W h rth e r it will be possible to carry this o u t w ithout an o th er struggle rem ains to be seen; at all events, any such struggle could n o t m aterially alter the state of things. W h eth er Paris holds ou t an o th er fo rtn ig h t, o r w h eth er a portion of these 500,000 arm ed m en succeed in forcing a ro ad across the lines of investm ent, will n o t m uch affect the u lterio r course of the war. We cannot b u t hold G eneral T ro c h u m ainly responsible fo r this result of th e siege. H e certainly was no t the m an to form an arm y o u t of th e u n d o u b tedly excellent m aterial u n d e r his hands. H e h ad nearly five m onths tim e to m ake soldiers o u t of his m en; yet at the en d they ap p e ar to fight no b e tte r th a n at the beginning of th e siege. T h e final sortie from V a le rien "" was carried ou t with fa r less dash th an the previous one across the M arne; th ere ap p ears a good deal of theatrical display in it little of the rage of despair. It will n o t do to say th at the troops w ere not fit to be sent o u t to storm breastw orks m an n ed by the G erm an veterans. W hy w ere they not? Five m onths are a sufficient tim e to m ake very respectable soldiers ou t of the m en T ro c h u h ad at his com m and,
^ W ritten on Jan u ary 25 o r 26, 1871. Ed.

an d th ere are no circum stances b etter ad a p te d fo r th at p u rp o se th an those of th e siege of a large en tre n ch ed cam p. N o d o u b t the m en after the sorties of N ovem ber an d D ecem ber h ad lost h eart; b u t was it because they knew th eir inferiority with re g ard to th eir opponents, o r because they h ad lost all faith in the p re te n d ed determ ination of T ro c h u to fight th e m atter out? All rep o rts from Paris agree in ascribing th e w ant of success to th e absence of confidence of the soldiers in the su p rem e com m and. A nd rightly so T ro c h u , we m ust n o t forget, is an O rleanist, and, as such, lives in bodily fear of La Villette, Belleville, an d th e o th e r revolutio n a ry q u arte rs of Paris. H e feared th em m ore th an th e Prussians. T his is no t a m ere supposition o r d eduction on o u r p art. We know, from a source which adm its of no d o u b t, of a letter sent out of Paris by a m em ber of th e G o vernm ent in which it is stated th at T ro c h u was on every side u rg e d on to take th e offensive energetically, b u t th at he constandy refused, because such a course m ight h an d over Paris to th e d em agogues. T h e fall of Paris, th en , ap p ears now all b u t certain. It will be a h a rd blow to the F ren ch nation, im m ediately afte r St. Q u en tin , Le M ans, a n d H ericourt, an d its m oral effect u n d e r these cir cum stances will be very great. M oreover, th ere are events im p en d in g in the south-east which may re n d e r this blow m orally crushing. B ourbaki ap p ears to be tarry in g in th e n eig h b o u rh o o d of B elfort in a way which seems to im ply th at he does n o t at all co m p reh en d his situation. T h e 24th C orps, u n d e r Bressolles, on the 24th was still at B lam ont, ab out twelve miles south of M ontbeliard, and close to th e Swiss fro n tier; an d even supposing th at this was B ourbakis re a rg u a rd , it is n o t to be expected th at the o th er two corps he h ad with him w ould be far away. In the m eantim e, we find th at Prussian detachm ents, as early as th e 21st, h ad cut, at Dole, the railway betw een Besan^on an d Dijon; th at they have since occupied St. Vith, a n o th er station on th e sam e line n e a re r to B esanfon; a n d th a t they are th u s confining B ourbaki s retreat, tow ards Lyons, to th e n arro w strip betw een the Doubs an d the Swiss frontier, a country of parallel longitudinal m o u n tain chains an d valleys w here a com paratively small force m ay find plenty of positions in which it can stop th e re tre a t of an arm y such as B ourbakis has shown itself to be. T h ese detachm ents on the D oubs we take to be th e 13th Division of Zastrows 7th C orps, or perh ap s a portion of Franseckys 2n d C orps, which has tu rn e d u p on the 23rd at Dijon. T h e 60th regim ent, which with th e 21st
J. Favre. Ed.

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form s th e 8th B rigade (or 4th brigade of the 2nd C orps), was rep u lsed b efo re th at town by G aribaldi, a n d lost its colours. As G aribaldi has b u t 15,000 m en at the utm ost, he will no t be able to hold th e town against the su p erio r forces which are sure to have arrived befo re it in the m eantim e. H e will be driven back, a n d the Prussian advance will be continued tow ards an d beyond the Doubs. Unless B ourbaki has in the m eantim e used the legs of his m en to good advantage, he m ay be driven, with all his arm y, into th e fortress of B esanfon to play Metz over again, o r into a co rn er of th e J u ra ab u tting on Swiss territory, an d com pelled to lay down his arm s eith er on this side o r on the o th er of the frontier." A nd if h e should escape with the g re ater portio n of his troops, it is alm ost certain th at large n um bers of stragglers, m uch baggage, an d p erh ap s artillery, will have to be sacrificed. A fter th e th ree days fighting at H ericourt, B ourbaki h ad no business to rem ain a day longer in his exposed position n ea r the fro n tier, with Prussian reinforcem ents m arching tow ards his com m unications. His attem pts to relieve B elfort h ad failed; every chance of a fu rth e r offensive m ovem ent in th at direction had disap p eared ; his position becam e every day m ore dangerous, and n o th in g b u t ra p id re tre a t could save him . By all appearances he has neglected th at too, a n d if his im p ru d en ce should lead to a second Sedan, the blow to the Frencih people m ight be m orally overw helm ing. Morally, we say, fo r m aterially it need no t be. G erm any is certainly n o t so exhausted as G am betta p re te n d s, b u t G erm any is at this very m o m ent displaying a g re ater absolute an d relative stren g th th an she will again display fo r m onths to come. F or some tim e th e G erm an forces m ust decline, while noth in g prevents the F rench forces, even afte r th e s u rre n d e r of the Paris garrison and B ourbaki, should it com e to that, from again increasing. T h e Prussians them selves ap p e a r to have given u p all hopes of being able to co n q u er an d occupy the whole of France; an d as long as th e com pact block of territo ry in the S outh rem ains free, an d as long as resistance, passive an d occasionally active (like the blowing u p of th e Moselle bridge n e a r T oul), is no t given u p in the N orth, we do n o t see how F rance can be com pelled to give in unless she be tired of the war.

N O T E S ON T H E WAR. XXX IX ^

[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1860, Jan u a ry 28, 1871]

Twice only since Sedan have th e operations of a F rench arm y caused serious uneasiness to G eneral M oltke. T h e first instance occu rred ab o u t th e m iddle of N ovem ber, w hen the A rm y of the Loire, afte r the d efeat of von d e r T a n n at Coulm iers, filed o ff to th e left in o rd e r to ap p ro ach Paris from th e west, an d advanced to D reux. T h e n Moltke, with a resolution w orthy of such a crisis, p re p a re d fo r the im m ediate raising of th e siege in case M ecklen burg,* even with all th e tem p o rary reinforcem ents d etached to his aid, should n o t be stro n g en o u g h to stem th e en em y s advance. T h a t advance was stem m ed, an d th e siege could continue. T h e second tim e it was B o u rb ak is m arch tow ards th e east which troubled the repose of th e h ead q u arters at Versailles. How serious this m ove was considered to be was shown by th e steps taken at once to m eet it. W e rd ers tro o p s th e 14th C orps an d th e reserve divisions of Tresckow an d Schm eling w ere at once rein fo rced by two m ore corps, of which one, the second, m arch ed o ff from Paris as early as the 2nd of Jan u ary . T h e language of th e semi-official com m unications becam e g u ard ed ; on th e 11th the ProvinzialCorrespondenz calls atten tio n to th e fact th at in th e east of F rance im p o rtan t an d decisive battles are im p en d in g , an d th at B ourbaki intends, afte r relieving B elfort, to b reak th ro u g h th e Prussian line of com m unication at Nancy.' Non-official corresp o n d en ts, th o u g h still g u ard ed , speak m o re plainly; we will only quote one of them , W ickede, of the Cologne Gazette.'^ Im m ediately afte r th e engageW ritten on Ja n u a ry 28, 1871. F rederick Francis II. E<L T h e news is re p o rte d in the Kolnische Zeitung, No. 12, Ja n u a ry 12, 18 7 1, Second edition, with re fe re n ce to the Provinzial-Correspondenz. Ed. T h e re fe re n ce is to the Kolnische Zeitung. Ed.

* G am bettas d espatch to T ro c h u from Lyons, D ecem ber 23, 1870, Journal officiel (Paris), No. 9, Ja n u a ry 9, 1871; G am bettas d espatch to Jules Favre, D ecem ber 31, 1870, Journal officiel (Paris), No. 10, Ja n u a ry 10, 1871. Ed.

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m en t of Villersexel, by which W erd er h ad secured his com m unica tions with an d re tre a t u p o n Tresckow s troops before B elfort, he says,
C are has b een taken th a t th e F rench shall n o t relieve B elfort, a n d a fte r the late successful engagem ents we m ay with probability hope th a t they will n o t succeed in advancing by C h a u m o n t to N ancy o r som e o th e r p o in t o f o u r railway line, w hich a sh o rt tim e ago th ere was som e reason to fe a r they m ight d o . = >

A nd on the 16th of January, from Nancy, he writes that, after th e arrival of M anteuffel with th ree divisions beyond Chatillon,
th e a p p reh e n sio n th a t a hostile corps ... m ight take possession of N ancy an a p p reh e n sio n which we jusdy (m it Recht) m ight have felt a few days a g o has now quite d isa p p e a re d . b (Im m ediately a fte r this letter th ere is one from B aden begin n in g with the w ords: T h e re can be n o d o u b t th a t the situation b efore B elfort looks very serious.)'^

B ut H e rr W ickede was doom ed to fu rth e r apprehensions, for on the following day he h a d to com m unicate th at news h ad arrived of th e occupation of Flavigny'* (eleven miles from Nancy) by F rench troops. Im m ediately the gu ard s w ere reinforced, strong patrols w ere sent out, the whole of the tw enty engines at the station got th eir steam up, officers, G overnm ent em ployes and o th e r G erm ans packed th eir trunks, an d got ready fo r im m ediate d e p a rtu re . T h e m en at Flavigny w ere expected to be G aribaldis advanced g u ard ; they tu rn e d o u t to be som e tw enty francs-tireurs fro m th e Vosges, a n d soon disappeared again. B ut the Prussian garrison of N ancy was n o t com pletely tranquillized until th e 19th, w hen th e news of B ourbakis final repulse on the Lisaine cam e to h an d , an d th en at last W ickede could again resum e his fo rm er strain. O u g h t n o t th e F rench, afte r all these defeats, to arrive at the conviction th at fu rth e r resistance is hopeless? Such was the opinion of those m ost directly concerned about an operation which, after its failure. The Tim es classifies as simply ab su rd .' T h e re m ight have been a difference of opinion as to w hether the
J. W ickede, Die letzten K riegsereignisse in F ra n k reic h , Kolnische Zeitung, No. 16, Ja n u a ry 16, 1871. First edition. Ed. I" Aus L othringen. 16. J a n . , Kolnische Zeitung, No. 18, Ja n u a ry 18, 1871. First edition. Ed. < = A us B aden, 17. J a n . , Kolnische Zeitung, No. 18, Ja n u a ry 18, 1871. First edition. Ed. A us L o thringen. 17. J a n . , Kolnische Zeitung, No. 19, Ja n u a ry 19, 1871. Second edition. Ed. ' M. G am betta has p u t fo rth ... . The Times, No. 26967, January 23 1871. <i.

operation was likely to have been u n d erta k en with sufficient forces; o r w hether, in case of success, its consequences could be developed in tim e to save Paris before starvation com pelled su rre n d e r; o r w h eth er o r n o t this was th e best direction fo r a m ove against the G erm an com m unications. B ut to p u t dow n such a move, the m ost effective o ne know n to strategy, as simply ab surd was left to the M oltkes of The Times. In the m eantim e C o u n t M oltke has o p erated with his usual m astery. H e was too late to rein fo rce W erd er befo re th e arrival of B ourbaki; h e chose th e n ex t best thing, an d co n cen trated his reinforcem ents at C hatillon, w here M anteuffel h ad th ree divisions (3rd, 4th, an d 13th) on o r before the 15th, an d w here they were joined by the 60th reg im en t (of th e 3 rd C orps), left in the n eig h b o u rh o o d by Prince F rederick C harles. W e m ay expect that, by this time, he will have been jo ined by th e 14th division too. At all events, on his advance south, he h ad at least forty-one if not fifty-three, battalions with him . W ith these troops h e m arched u p o n the river Doubs, leaving to th e south th e town of D ijon, w here he m erely occupied G aribaldi by the attack on the 23rd, b u t evidendy w ithout any in tention to delay his advance by seriously engaging him o r carrying the town. O n the contrary, h e steadily p u rsu e d the m ain ob ject th e cu ttin g o ff of B o u rb ak is retreat. A ccording to the latest telegram s th at object was nearly attained."* His troops w ere across th e Doubs, at Q uingey an d M ouchard, at which latter place th e railway from D ijon to P on tarlier and Switzerland crosses th at from B esanfon to Lyons. T h e re still rem ains one good ro ad by which B ourbaki m ight escape, b u t th at ro ad is, at C ham pagnole, n o t m ore th an twenty-five miles from M ouchard, an d m ay be occupied by this time. In th at case th ere w ould only rem ain to B ourbaki the country ro ad passing by the source of the Doubs, w here he could scarcely get on with his artillery; an d even that ro ad m ay be cut o ff befo re he is o u t of h a rm s way. A nd if he does n o t succeed in b reaking th ro u g h the opposing troops in a country very favourable to th e defence, he has b u t the choice of w ithdraw ing u n d e r th e shelter of th e forts of Besangon o r of su rre n d e rin g in th e o p e n th e choice betw een Metz an d Sedan, unless he su rre n d ers to th e Swiss. It is inconceivable th at he should have tarrie d so long n ear B elfort, fo r the latest Prussian telegram s re p resen t him still to be north-east of B esanfon. If h e could n o t defeat W erd er before
= > Im p erial H ead -Q u arters, Versailles, Ja n u a ry 26 , The Times, No. 26972, Ja n u a ry 28, 1871. Ed.

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M anteuffels arrival, how m uch less could he expect to do so afterw ards? B ourbakis duty evidently was to w ithdraw at once to a position of safety after his final repulse before B elfort. W hy he has n o t do n e so is totally inexplicable. B ut if the worst should befall him , afte r his m ysterious jo u rn ey from Metz to C hiselh u rst,"'' afte r his refusal to salute th e R epublic at Lille, the late co m m an d er of th e Im perial G uard is sure to have doubts raised as to his loyalty.

N O T E S O N T H E W AR. XL

[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1864, F ebruary 2, 1871]

If we are to believe th e latest telegram from B e rn e an d th ere is now no room to discredit it o u r anticipations re g ard in g the fate of B ourbakis arm y" have been realized. T h e Swiss Federal C ouncil is re p o rte d to have received th e official news th at this arm y, about 80,000 strong, h ad passed u p o n Swiss territo ry , w here, of course, it w ould have to lay dow n its arm s. T h e exact points at which this took place have n o t been stated, b u t it m ust have been som ew here south of B lam ont an d n o t m o re south than P ontarlier. T h e various d etachm ents w ould pass th e fro n tier at d iffe ren t points, th e g reatest mass of th e troops probably at Les B renets, w here th e ro ad from Besangon to N euchatel en ters Swiss territory. T h u s a n o th er F rench arm y has passed away, th ro u g h to use the m ildest p h ra se th e irresolution of its chief. B ourbaki may be a dashing officer at th e h ead of a division; b u t th e nerve re q u ired to brace oneself u p to a bold resolution in a decisive m o m en t is q u ite a d iffe ren t th in g from th e nerve which enables a m an to com m and a division with eclat u n d e r fire; an d like m any m en of u n d o u b te d an d brilliant personal courage, B ourbaki seems defi cient in the m oral courage necessary to com e to a decisive resolution. O n th e evening of th e I7 th at latest, w hen his inability to pierce W e rd ers lines becam e fully evident to him self, his m ind o u g h t to have been m ade u p at once as to his line of conduct. H e m ust have know n th at Prussian reinforcem ents w ere ap p ro ach in g
W ritten on F eb ru ary 2, 1871. Ed. b B erne, Feb. 1 , The Times, No. 26976, F eb ru ary 2, 1871. See this volum e, p. 242. Ed.

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his line of re tre a t from the north-w est; th at his position with a victorious enem y in his fro n t, an d a long line of retreat, close to a n eu tra l fro n tier, in his re ar, was extrem ely dangerous; th at the object of his expedition h ad irretrievably failed; an d th at his m ost pressing, nay, his only duty, u n d e r th e circum stances, was to save his arm y. In o th er words, th at he m ust re tire as hastily as th e state of his arm y w ould allow. B ut this resolution to retire, to confess by deeds th at he h ad failed in his expedition, ap p ears to have been too m uch fo r him . H e dallied about the scene of his last batdes, unable to advance, unw illing to retire, an d thus gave M anteuffel th e tim e to cut off his retreat. H ad he m arched off at once, and only d o n e fifteen miles a day, he could have reached B esanfon on th e 20th, an d the n eig h b o u rh o o d of Dole on the 21st, ju st about th e tim e w hen the first Prussians m ade th eir appearance there. T h ese Prussians could no t be very strong; an d even B ourbakis advanced g u ard m ust have been sufficient if no t to drive them off entirely, still to confine them to the rig h t o r w estern bank of the Doubs, which would have been quite sufficient to secure B o u r bakis line of retreat, especially with an adversary of the force of M anteuffel, who will act correctly en o u g h so long as the execution of M oltkes o rd ers m eets with no resistance, b u t who sinks below th e level of m ediocrity as soon as th at resistance calls into play his own m ental powers. It is one of the m ost curious points in the do cu m en t agreed to betw een B ism arck a n d Jules Favre," th at the fo u r d ep artm en ts w here B ourbaki an d G aribaldi are acting are no t included in the general arm istice, bu t th at the Prussians virtually reserve to them selves th e pow er of continuing to fight th ere as long as they please.^ It is an u n p re ced e n te d stipulation, which shows m ore than any o th e r th at the conqueror, in the tru e Prussian fashion, exacted to th e full every concession his m om entary superiority enabled him to im pose. T h e arm istice is to ex ten d to the West, w here Frederick C harles finds th at he h ad b etter no t advance beyond Le Mans; to th e N orth, w here G oeben is arrested by the fortresses; b u t n o t to th e south-east, w here M anteuffels advance prom ised a second Sedan. Jules Favre, in consenting to this clause, virtually consented to th e su rre n d e r of B ourbaki, eith er to th e Prussians or to th e Swiss; th e only difference in his favour being th at he shifted th e responsibility of the act from his shoulders to those of B ourbaki.
= > T h e m ain term s of th e arm istice a n d capitulation of Paris are set fo rth in the re p o rt Im p erial H e ad -Q u arte rs, Versailles, Jan . 3 0 , The Times, No. 26974, Ja n u a ry 31, 1871. <i.

A ltogether, the capitulation of Paris is an u n p reced en ted d ocum ent. W hen N apoleon s u rre n d e re d at Sedan he declined en terin g on negotiations beyond those fo r th e s u rre n d e r of him self an d arm y; he, as a p risoner, being disabled from b in d in g the G overnm ent an d France. W hen M. Jules Favre su rre n d ers Paris an d its arm y he en ters u p o n stipulations b in d in g the rest of France, th o u g h exactly in the sam e position as N apoleon at Sedan. Nay, worse. N apoleon, alm ost u p to th e day of his capitulation, h ad been in free com m unication with the rest of France; M. Jules Favre, fo r five o r six weeks, has enjoyed b u t ra re an d frag m en tary oppo rtu n ities of learn in g w hat was going on outside Paris. His inform ation as to th e m ilitary situation outside th e forts could be supplied to him by B ism arck only; an d u p o n this one-sided statem ent, fu rn ish ed by th e enem y, he v en tu red to act. M. Jules Favre h ad a choice betw een two evils. H e could do as he has done, secure a th re e weeks arm istice on the enem ys term s, an d bind th e real G o v ern m en t of France, th at of Bordeaux,^ to it. O r h e could refu se to act fo r th e rest of France, o ffer to trea t for Paris alone, an d in case of difficulties raised by th e besiegers, do as th e com m andant of P halsbourg d id throw op en th e gates and invite the conquero rs to en ter. T h e latter course w ould have been m ore in the interest of his dignity a n d of his political fu tu re. As to th e B o rd eau x G overnm ent, it will have to a d h e re to the arm istice an d to th e election of a N ational Assembly. It has no m eans to com pel th e generals to re p u d iate th e arm istice, it will hesitate to create divisions am o n g the people. T h e s u rre n d e r of B ourbaki to the Swiss adds an o th e r cru sh in g blow to th e m any the F rench have lately received; an d , as we stated in anticipation of th e event, we believe th at this blow, following im m ediately u p o n the su rre n d e r of Paris, will so m uch depress the spirits of the nation th at peace will be m ade. As to th e m aterial resources of France, they are so far from being ex h austed th at th e struggle m ight be co ntinu ed fo r m onths. T h e re is one striking fact which shows how im m ense are th e difficulties in th e way of a com plete conquest of France. Prince F rederick C harles, afte r seven days fighting, had driven back C hanzys arm y, in a state of u tte r dissolution. W ith the exception of a few brigades, th ere w ere positively no troops left to oppose him . T h e co untry in his fro n t was rich an d com paratively unex h au sted . Yet he stops his m arch at Le M ans, p u rsu in g beyond with his advanced g u ard only, and n o t beyond short distances. O u r read ers will recollect th at we were
See this volum e, p. 242. Ed.

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p re p a re d fo r no o th er result fo r it m ay be said, with a certain am o u n t of tru th th at in conquering a large country, while the ex ten t to be occupied increases arithm etically, the difficulties of occupation increase geom etrically. Still we th in k th at the rep eated disasters of the Jan u ary cam paign m ust have shaken the m orale of the nation to such an ex ten t th at th e proposed N ational Assembly will no t only m eet, b u t also probably m ake peace; an d thus, along with the war, these N otes u p o n it will com e to a close.

T H E M ILIT A R Y ASPECT O F AFFAIRS IN F R A N C E S

[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1869, F ebruary 8, 1871]

If the series of disasters to th e F rench arm s which m ark the Jan u ary cam paign th e defeats of F aid h erb e an d C hanzy, th e fall of Paris, the defeat an d s u rre n d e r to th e Swiss of B o u rb ak i if all these crushing events, con cen trated in th e sh o rt perio d of th ree weeks, may well be considered to have b ro k en the spirit of resistance in France, it now seems n o t im probable th at the G erm ans, by th eir ex trav ag an t dem ands," m ay rouse th at spirit again. If th e country is to be th o ro u g h ly ru in ed by peace as well as by war, why m ake peace at all? T h e p ro p e rtie d classes, the m iddle class of the towns a n d th e larg er lan d ed p ro p rieto rs, with p a rt of the sm aller peasantry, h ith erto fo rm ed th e peace party; they m ight have been reckoned u p o n to elect peace d eputies fo r th e N ational Assembly; b u t if such u n h ea rd -o f d em an d s are persisted in, the cry of w ar to the knife may rise from th eir ranks as well as from those of the w orkm en of th e large towns. At any rate, it is well not to neglect w hatever chance th ere may be th at th e w ar may be resum ed after th e 19th of F e b ru a ry ^ ; especially since the G erm ans them selves, if we m ay tru st The Daily News of to-day, are n o t so satisfied with th e p rospect of affairs as to abstain from serious p rep aratio n s fo r th e resu m p tio n of hostilities. Let us, th erefo re, cast a n o th e r glance at th e m ilitary aspect of affairs. T h e twenty-seven d ep artm en ts of F rance now occupied by the Prussians contain an area of 15,800,000 hectares, with a p o p u la tion (allowing fo r th e fortresses still u n su rre n d e re d ) of ra th e r less th an 12,500,000. T h e ex ten t of all France com prises 54,240,000 hectares, an d its p o p ulation is 37,382,000. It thus ap p ears th at, in
See this volum e, p. 238. Ed. W ritten on F eb ru ary 7 o r 8, 1871. Ed.

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ro u n d num bers, thirty-eight and a half millions of hectares, with a po pulation of 25,000,000, rem ain still u n co n q u ered , fully twoth ird s of th e people, considerably m ore th an tw o-thirds of the soil. Paris an d Metz, the resistance of which so long re ta rd e d fu rth e r hostile advance, have certainly fallen. T h e in terio r of the u n co n q u ered country contains no o th er en tren ch ed c a m p Lyons ex cep ted capable of playing the sam e p a rt which these two fortresses have played. R ather less th an 700,000 F renchm en (not counting the N ational G uard of Paris) are prisoners of w ar or in tern e d in Switzerland. B ut th ere are o th er circum stances which may m ake u p fo r this deficiency, even if the th ree weeks armistice should n o t be used for th e creation of new cam ps, su rro u n d e d by field works; fo r which th ere is am ple time. T h e g reat bulk of u n co n q u ered F rance lies south of the line N antes-B esanfon; it form s a com pact block, covered on th ree sides by the sea o r by n eu tral frontiers, with only its n o rth e rn boundary line op en to th e enem ys attack. H ere is the stren g th of the national resistance; h e re are to be fo u n d th e m en an d the m aterial to carry on the w ar if it is resum ed. T o conquer an d occupy this im m ense rectangle of 450 miles by 250 against a desperate resistance reg u lar an d irre g u la r of the inhabitants, the p resen t forces of th e Prussians w ould no t suffice. T h e su rre n d e r of Paris, leaving fo u r corps fo r the garrison of th at capital, will set free nine divisions; B ourbakis su rre n d e r sets free M anteuffels six line divisions; in all, fifteen divisions, o r 150,000 to 170,000 additional soldiers for operations in the field, ad d ed to G oebens fo u r and F rederick C harless eight divisions. B ut G oeben has plenty on his h an d s in the n o rth , an d F rederick C harles has shown by his halt at T o u rs an d Le M ans th at his offensive powers are exhausted to the full, so th at fo r the conquest of the S outh th ere rem ain bu t the above fifteen divisions; an d fo r som e m onths to com e n o fu rth e r reinforcem ents can arrive. T o these fifteen divisions the F rench will have to oppose in the b eg inning mostly new form ations. T h e re w ere about N evers and B ourges th e 15th a n d 25th Corps; th ere m ust have been in the sam e n eig h b o u rh o o d th e 19th C orps, of which we have heard n o th in g since th e beginning of D ecem ber. T h e n th ere is the 24th C orps, escaped from B ourbakis shipwreck, an d G aribaldis troops, recently rein fo rced to 50,000 m en, b u t by w hat bodies an d from w hat q u arters we do not know. T h e whole com prises some th irteen o r fo u rteen divisions, perh ap s even sixteen, b u t quite insufficient as to quantity an d quality to arrest the progress of the new arm ies which are sure to be sent against them if the armistice

should expire w ithout peace having been m ade. B ut the th ree weeks arm istice will n o t only give these F rench divisions tim e to consolidate them selves; it will also p erm it th e m o re o r less raw levies now in the cam ps of instruction, and estim ated by G am betta at 250,000 m en, to tran sfo rm at least the best of th eir battalions into useful corps fit to m eet th e enem y; an d thus, if th e w ar should be renew ed, th e F rench m ay be in a position to w ard off any serious invasion of th e South, not p erh ap s at the b o u n d ary line o f the Loire o r m uch n o rth of Lyons, b u t yet at points w here the presence of the enem y will n o t efficiently im p air th eir force of resistance. As a m atter of course, the arm istice gives am ple tim e to restore the equipm ent, the discipline, an d th e m orale of F aid h erb es and C hanzys arm ies, as well as of all th e o th e r troops in C herb o u rg , H avre, &. T h e question is w h eth er th e tim e will be so em ployed. W hile thus the stren g th of th e F rench will be considerably increased, both as to n u m b ers a n d quality, that of th e G erm ans will scarcely receive any increm en t at all. So far, the arm istice will be a boon to the F rench side. B ut beside the com pact block of so u th ern France, th ere rem ain u n co n q u e red th e two peninsulas of th e B retagne with Brest, and of th e C otentin with C herb o u rg , and, m oreover, the two n o rth e rn d ep artm en ts with th eir fortresses. H avre, too, form s an u n co n q u ered , w ell-fortified spot on th e coast. Every one of these fo u r districts is provided with at least one w ell-fortified place of safety on the coast fo r a re treatin g arm y; so th at the fleet, which at this m om ent has nothin g , absolutely n othing, else to do, can keep u p the com m unications betw een th e South an d all of them , tran sp o rt troops from one place to an o th er, as th e case may require, and thereby all of a su d d en enable a beaten arm y to resum e the offensive with su p erio r forces. T h u s while these fo u r w estern an d n o rth e rn districts are in a m easure unassailable, they form so m any weak points on th e flanks of th e Prussians. T h e line of actual d a n g e r fo r th e F rench extends from A ngers to B esanfon; fo r the G erm ans it extends, in addition to this, from A ngers by Le Mans, R ouen, an d Am iens to th e Belgian fro n tier. A dvantages on this latter line gained over th e F rench can never becom e decisive if m o d erate com m on sense be used by them ; b u t those gained over the G erm ans may, u n d e r certain conditions, becom e so. Such is the strategical situation. By using the fleet to advantage the F rench m ight m ove th eir m en in th e W est an d N o rth , so as to com pel the G erm ans to keep largely su p erio r forces in th at neighbourhood, an d to weaken the forces sent o u t for the

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conquest of th e South, which it would be th eir chief object to prevent. By concentrating th eir arm ies m ore th an they have h ith erto done, and, on the o th e r han d , by sending o u t m ore n u m ero u s small partisan bands, they m ight increase the effect to be obtained by the forces on hand. T h e re ap p e a r to have been m any m o re troops at C h erb o u rg a n d H avre th an w ere necessary fo r th e defence; an d the well executed destruction o f th e bridge of Fontenoy, n ea r T oul, in the centre of the country occupied by the conquerors, shows w hat m ay be do n e by bold partisans. F or if the w ar is to be resum ed at all afte r the 19th o f F ebruary, it m ust be m reality a w ar to the knife, a w ar like th at of Spain against N apoleon; a w ar in which no am o u n t o f shootings a n d burnings will prove sufficient to break the spirit of resistance
[T he Pall M all Gazette, No. 1878, F ebruary 18, 1871]

By th e co rresp o n d en t of The Standard we are at last fu rn ish ed with an eyewitnesss re p o rt of w hat took place in B ourbakis arm y d u rin g its disastrous Jan u ary cam paign. T h e co rresp o n d en t was with G eneral C rem ers division, which fo rm ed th e ex trem e left d u rin g the advance, an d th e re a rg u a rd d u rin g th e retreat. His account, th o u g h naturally one-sided a n d full of inaccuracies in m atters which did n o t occur u n d e r his eyes, is very valuable because it furnishes facts an d dates h ith erto unknow n, an d th u s throw s m uch light u p o n this phase of th e war. B ourbakis arm y, 133,000 m en with 330 guns, was, it ap pears, scarcely deserving th e nam e of an arm y. T h e linesm en, with passable officers, w ere in ferio r in physique to th e Mobiles, b u t the latter h ad scarcely any officers acquainted even with the rud im en ts o f th eir duties. T h e accounts received from Sw itzerland confirm this*; if they give a worse account of th e physique of th e m en, we m ust not fo rg et th e effect of a m o n th s cam paigning u n d e r h u n g e r an d cold. T h e eq u ip m en t as to clothing a n d shoes ap p ears to have been by all accounts m iserable. A com m issariat o r even a m ere organization fo r carrying o u t with som e o rd e r an d regularity the levying of requisitions a n d th e distribution of th e food thus p ro cu red , appears to have been as good as totally absent. Now of the four-an d -a-h alf corps em ployed, th ree (the 15th, 18th, an d 20th) h ad been h an d e d over to B ourbaki as early as the 5th o f D ecem ber; an d very soon afte r th at date th e plan to m arch
W ritten ab o u t F eb ru ary 18, 1871. Ed. [L etter to the E d ito r o f The Times fro m L ausanne, d a te d Feb. 9], The Times, No. 26989, F eb ru ary 17, 1871.

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eastw ards m ust have been resolved upon. All his m ovem ents, up nnH f I January, w ere m ere m arches fo r concentration u n d istu rb ed by the enem y; they th ere fo re w ere no obstacle in the way of im provm g the organization of this a r m y - q u i t e the contrary. N apoleon, in 1813, fo rm ed his raw levies into sS d ie rs on he m arch to G erm any. T h u s B ourbaki h ad a full m o n th to work in, an d w hen afte r the tim e thus given him his troops arrived in b rc o n Jd e described, he cannot possibly

T h e original plan is said to have been to m arch u p o n B elfort in o u r c o lu m n s - o n e on the eastern side of th e D oubs t h r o u X t h e Ju ra , to take o r tu rn M ontbeliard a n d th e Prussian left; a second CO um n along th e valley of the river, fo r th e fro n t attack- a th ird co u m n by a m ore westerly route, th ro u g h R ougem ont an d Villersexel, against the enem ys right; and C rem ers division to ^he Prussian right. B ut this was the first th ree colum ns advanced on the one ro ad th ro u g h the valley, by which it is asserted th at five days were lost, d u rin g which W erd er was reinforced, an d th at the w S e arm y ^em g throw n u p o n one line of retreat, again lost tim e and Now frontier. m e n .n I T ^hat throw ing some 120,000 m e n and m en so loosely organized as t h e s e - i n one colum n on one single hne of m arch, would cause confusion a n d delay; b u t it is n o t so iW h e d F ro m ' com m itted to the extent h ere b e fo rfR e ^ T B o^^bakis troops arrived befo re B elfort in a broad fro n t, ex ten d in g from ViHersexel to the Swiss boundary hne,^ which implies the L e o f the v a r i o l roadS c S e T e del have been the th rL tt the loss of on the Qth T h e engagem ent of Villersexel took place on the 9th. Villersexel is about twenty miles from th e Prussian position at H ericourt, an d it took B ourbaki five d a y s - u p to the evening of th e 1 4 t h _ t o b rin g his troops u p in k n t ^ o i that position so as to be able to attack it next m orning! T his we pointed g - - mistake " i r t h e waT feh to^'he the correspondents report that it altered T h e r ^ l

H/ricoun V m r
See this volum e, p. 236. __ Ed.

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In that th ree days battle 130,000 F renchm en fo u g h t against 35,000 to 40,000 G erm ans, an d could n o t force th eir en tren ch ed position. W ith such a num erical superiority, th e boldest flank m ovem ents w ere possible. Forty o r fifty th o u san d m en throw n resolutely u p o n the re a r of th e G erm ans while the rest occupied them in fro n t could scarcely have failed to force them from th eir position. B ut instead of th at m erely the fro n t, the en tren ch ed fro n t, of the position was attacked, an d th u s an im m ense and b a rre n loss was caused. T h e flank attacks w ere carried o u t so weakly th at a single G erm an brigade (Kellers) n o t only sufficed to repel th at on the G erm an right, b u t was enabled to hold F rah ier an d C henebier so as in tu rn to o u tflan k th e French. B ourbakis young troops w ere th u s p u t to th e severest task which can be fo u n d fo r a soldier in battle, while th eir own su p erio r n u m b ers would have re n d e re d it easier to carry the position by m an o eu v r ing. B ut probably th e last five days experience had proved to B ourbaki th at it was useless to expect mobility from his arm y. A fter the final repulse on the I7 th of Jan u ary followed the re tre a t to Besangon. T h a t this re tre a t m ay have taken place mainly by the one ro ad in the D oubs valley is probable; b u t we know th at large bodies retreated by o th er roads n e a re r th e Swiss fro n tier. Anyhow, on the aftern o o n of th e 22nd th e re arg u a rd , u n d e r C rem er, arrived in B esanfon. T h u s th e advanced g u ard m ust have arrived th ere as early as the 20th, an d have been ready to m arch on the 21st against the Prussians, w ho on th at day reached Dole. B ut no. No notice is taken of th em until afte r C rem ers arrival, w ho all at once, changing his place from the re a r to th e vanguard, is sent o u t to m eet them on the 23rd tow ards Saint Vit. O n the following day C rem er is o rd e re d back to B esanfon; two days are wasted in indecision an d inactivity, until, on th e 26th, B ourbaki, afte r passing in review th e 18th C orps, attem pts suicide. T h e n a disorderly re tre a t com m ences in th e direction of Pontarlier. B ut on th at day the G erm ans at M ouchard an d Salins w ere n e a re r the Swiss fro n tier th an th e fugitives, an d th eir re tre a t was virtually cut off. It was no longer a race; th e G erm ans could occupy leisurely the outlets of all the longitudinal valleys by which escape was still possible; while o th er troops pressed on th e F rench rear. T h en followed the engagem ents aro u n d P ontarlier, which b ro u g h t this fact hom e to the d efeated arm y; th e result of which was the C onvention of Les V errieres an d th e s u rre n d e r of th e whole body to the Swiss. T h e whole behaviour of B ourbaki, from th e 15th to th e 26th, seems to prove th at he h ad lost all confidence in his m en, an d th at

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consequently he also lost all confidence in himself. W hy he su sp en d ed th e m arch of his colum ns at B esanfon until C rem ers arrival, thus throw ing away every chance of escape; why he recalled C rem ers division, the best in the arm y, im m ediately after sending it o u t of B esanfon to m eet the Prussians, who blocked the d irect ro ad to Lyons; why after th at he dallied a n o th er two days, w hich brings the tim e lost in B esanfon to fully six days it is impossible to explain unless by supposing th at B ourbaki was em inently deficient in th at resolution which is the very first quality of an in d ep en d e n t com m ander. It is th e old tale of the A ugust cam paign over again an d it is curious th at this singular hesitation should again show itself in a general in h erited from the E m pire, while no n e of the generals of th e R epublic w hatever else may have been th eir faults have shown such indecision, or su ffered such p u n ish m en t fo r it.

Karl Marx
TO THE C O M M IT T E E O F T H E SO CIA L-D EM O C RA TIC W O RKERS PARTY

L on d o n , A ugust 2, 1870 Friends, First my thanks for th e detailed re p o rt on th e W orkers Party in G erm any. I im m ediately com m unicated it to th e G eneral Council. T h e work which I was asked to w rite on th e relations of land ow nership in G erm any h ad to be p u t to one side for th e tim e being owing to sheer lack of time.'^^ As you will have seen from th e A ddress of th e G eneral C ouncil which I sent to you last week, I have in co rp o rated into this address p arts of th e appeal issued at th e B runsw ick m e e t i n g (of 16th July, 1870) A ccording to article 3 of th e R u les th e G eneral C ouncil cannot d efer the date of th e Congress. In th e p resen t, exceptional, circum stances, how ever, it w ould accept responsibility for such a step, if the necessary su p p o rt from th e sections was forthcom ing. It w ould th ere fo re be desirable fo r a reaso n ed application to this effect to be sent to us officially from G erm any.
First published in an abbreviated form in the book: C. Koch, Der Process gegen den Amschiiss der social-demokralischen Arbeiterpartei..., B raunschw eig, 1871 Prin ted according to W. B rackes book Der Braunschweiger Ausschuss der socialdemokralischen ArbeiterPartei in Lolzen und vor dem Gericht, B raunschw eig, 1872 Published in E nglish for th e first tim e

^ See this volum e, p. 6. T h e appeal was published in the colum n Politische U ebersicht in Der Volksstaal, No. 58, July 20, 1870. Ed. See p re sen t edition. Vol. 20, p. 15. Ed.

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T o th e C om m ittee of Social-D em ocratic W orkers Party

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Karl Marx and Frederick Engels

[L E TT ER T O T H E C O M M IT T E E O F T H E SOCIALD EM O C R A TIC W ORKERS PARTY]

...T he m ilitary cam arilla, professors, middle-class people and public-house polidcians are p re te n d in g this'' is th e way to protect G erm any from w ar with France forever. O n the contrary, it is the m ost tried and tested way of tu rn in g w ar into a European institution. It is, in fact, the surest m eans of p erp etu atin g m ilitary despotism in the reju v en ated G erm any, as a necessity for m aintaining a western Poland Alsace and L orraine. It is the m ost infallible way of tu rn in g the im m inent peace into a m ere armistice, until F rance is sufficiently recovered to d em an d the lost territory back. It is th e m ost infallible way of ru in in g G erm any an d France th ro u g h in ternecine strife. T h e villains an d fools, who have discovered these guarantees for etern al peace, should surely know from Prussian history, from N apo leo n s drastic rem edy in the Peace of T ilsit, how such coercive m easures to silence a viable people have precisely the opposite effect to th at intended. A nd w hat is France, even after losing Alsace an d L orraine, com pared with Prussia afte r the Peace of Tilsit! If F rench chauvinism h ad som e m aterial justification, as long as th e old state relations persisted, in the fact th at since 1815 the capital, Paris, an d thus France itself, w ere exposed afte r a few lost battles will it n o t derive new vigour once the eastern b o rd e r runs along the Vosges an d n o rth e rn at Metz? Not even the m ost rabid*' T eu to n dares to claim th at the people of Alsace an d L orraine desire the blessings of German governT h e referen ce is to th e a nnexation of Alsace a n d L o rrain e. Most ra b id was w ritten dow n in E ngels h an d in his copy instead of the dots in the p rin te d text. Ed.

m ent. It is the principle of pan-G erm anism an d secu re b o rd ers which is being proclaim ed h ere, an d which would lead to fine results for G erm any and E u ro p e from th e eastern s id e ! A nyone who is n o t d eafen ed by the clam our of th e h o u r, and has no interest in d eafen in g th e G erm an people, m ust realise th at the w ar of 1870 ju st as necessarily carries w ithin it th e seed of a war between Germany and Russia, as th e w ar of 1866 does th e w ar of 1870. I say necessarily, inevitably, except in th e unlikely event of revolution in Russia b reaking o u t first. S hould this unlikely event n o t occur, the w ar betw een G erm any an d Russia m ust already be trea ted as a fa it accompli (an accom plished fact). It dep en d s entirely on the p resen t conduct of th e G erm an victors w h eth er th e w ar will prove useful o r h arm ful. If they take Alsace an d L orraine, France will join with Russia to wage w ar on G erm any. T h e re is no need to p o in t o u t the disastrous consequences. If they conclude an ho n o u rab le peace with France, th at w ar will em ancipate E u ro p e from th e M uscovite dictatorship, m ake Prussia m erge into G erm any, allow th e w estern co n tinent peaceful d evelopm ent and, finally, help a social revolution to b reak o u t in Russia, whose elem ents only need such an im pulse from w ithout fo r th eir dev elo p m en t thus b en efittin g th e Russian people, too.

But I fear that the villains and fools w ill pla y their m ad game unhindered unless the German working class en masse raises its voice.
T h e p resen t w ar is o p en in g u p a new epoch in th e history of the w orld in th at G erm any has p roved th at, even w ithout G erm an A ustria, it is capable of going its own way, independently of foreign countries. T h at, to begin with, it is finding its unity in the Prussian barracks is a p u n ish m en t which it am ply deserves. B ut one result has been achieved im m ediately. Petty trifles, such as, fo r exam ple, the conflict betw een N o rth G erm an N ational Liberals an d S outh G erm an su p p o rters of th e P eoples P arty,"' will no longer pointlessly get in th e way. T h e state of affairs will develop a n d becom e sim pler on a g ra n d scale. If th e G erm an w orking class th en fails to play the historic role allotted to it, it will only have itself to blam e. T his war has shifted the centre of gravity of the
See the A ppeal of a g ro u p of G erm an political figures to the K ing a n d the G erm an people of A ugust 30, 1870, B erlin, 31. A u g . , Kolnische Zeitung, No. 242; S eptem ber, 1, 1870. Second edition. Ed.

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continental labour movement from France to Germany. This m eans th at g re ater responsibility now rests with the G erm an w orking class...
W ritten betw een A ugust 22 a n d 30, 1870 In c lu d e d in the text o f th e M anifesto of th e C om m ittee of th e Social-Dem ocratic W o rk ers Party published as a leaflet on S eptem ber 5 a n d in the n ew spaper Der Volksstaal, No. 73, S eptem ber 11, 1870 P rin ted according to E ngels copy o f th e leaflet

Karl Marx
SECOND ADDRESS O F T H E GENERAL C O U N C IL O F T H E IN T E R N A T IO N A L W O R K IN G M EN S A SSO C IA T IO N O N T H E FRA N CO -PRU SSIA N WAR'^*"
T O T H E M EM BERS O F T H E IN T E R N A T IO N A L W O R K IN G ME.NS A S SO C IA T IO N IN E U R O PE AN D T H E U N IT E D ST A T E S

In o u r first M anifesto of th e 23rd of July we said: T h e d eath knell of th e Second E m pire has already sou n d ed at Pans. It will e n d as it began, by a parody. B ut let us n o t fo rg et th at it is th e G overnm ents an d th e ru lin g classes of E u ro p e w ho enabled Louis N apoleon to play d u rin g eighteen years th e ferocious farce of the
Restored Em pire.

T h u s, even befo re w ar operations h ad actually set in, we treated the B onapartist bubble as a th in g of th e past. If we w ere n o t m istaken as to th e vitality of th e Second E m pire, we w ere n o t w rong in o u r ap p reh en sio n lest th e G erm an w ar should lose its stricdy defensive ch aracter an d d eg en erate into a w ar against the F rench p eo p le .* T h e w ar of defence en d ed , in p oint of fact, with th e s u rre n d e r of Louis B o n ap arte, th e Sedan capitulation, an d th e proclam ation of th e R epublic at Paris. B ut long before these events, th e very m o m en t th at th e u tte r rottenness of th e Im perialist arm s becam e evident, th e Prussian m ilitary camarilla h ad resolved u p o n conquest. T h e re lay an ugly obstacle in th eir w a y K in g W illia m s own proclamations at the commencement of the war. In his speech from th e th ro n e to the N o rth G erm an Diet, he h ad solemnly declared to m ake w ar u p o n the em p e ro r of th e F rench, an d n o t u p o n th e F rench people.*^ O n the 11th of A ugust he h ad issued a m anifesto to th e F ren ch nation, w here he said:'^
See this volum e, p. 5. Ed. W illiam I s speech from th e th ro n e to th e N o rth -G e rm a n D iet on July 19, 1870, The Times, No. 26807, July 20, 1870. d. . 1 T h is sentence a n d th e follow ing q u otation from the M anifesto a re om itted m M arxs G erm an translation published as a separate edition m 1870. T h e fu rth e r text u p to the w ords T h ey at once gave th e cu e... is abbreviated. Ed.

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T h e E m p e ro r N apoleon having m ade, by lan d a n d sea, an attack on the G erm an nation, w hich desired a n d still desires to live in peace with th e F rench people, I have assum ed the com m and of th e G erm an arm ies to repel his aggression, an d I have been led by military events to cross the frontiers of France. ^

N ot co n ten t to assert the defensive character of the w ar by the statem ent th at he only assum ed the com m and of the G erm an arm ies to repel aggression, he ad d ed th at he was only led by m ilitary events to cross the frontiers of France. A defensive war does, of course, no t exclude offensive operations dictated by m ilitary events . T h u s this pious king stood pledged before F rance an d the world to a stricdy defensive war. How to release him from his solem n pledge? T h e stage-m anagers h ad to exhibit him as giving, reluctandy, way to the irresistible behest of the G erm an n a tio n T hey at once gave the cue to the liberal G erm an m iddle class, with its professors, its capitalists, its alderm en, an d its penm en. T h at m iddle class which in its struggle fo r civil liberty had, from 1846 to 1870, been exhibidng an unexam pled spectacle of irresolution, incapacity, an d cowardice, felt, of course, highly delighted to bestride th e E uro p ean scene as the ro a rin g hon of G erm an patriotism . It revindicated its civic ind ep en d en ce by affecting to force u p o n the Prussian G overnm ent the secret designs of th at sam e governm ent. It does penance fo r its long-continued and alm ost religious faith in Louis B o n ap artes infallibility, by shouting fo r th e d ism em berm ent of the F rench Republic. Let us fo r a m o m en t listen to th e special pJeadings of those stout-hearted patriots! T h ey d a re n o t p re te n d th at the people of Alsace an d L orraine p a n t fo r th e G erm an em brace; quite the contrary. T o punish their F rench patriotism , Strasbourg, a town with an in d ep en d e n t citadel com m anding it, has fo r six days been w antonly an d fiendishly bom b ard ed by G e rm an explosive shells, setting it on fire, and killing great n u m bers of its defenceless inhabitants! Yet, the soil of those provinces once u p o n a tim e belonged to the whilom G erm an E m pire. H ence, it seems, the soil a n d the h u m an beings grow n on it m ust be confiscated as im prescriptible G erm an property. If the m ap of E u ro p e is to be rem ad e in the antiquarys vein, let us by no m eans fo rget th at the Elector of B ran d e n b u rg , fo r his Prussian dom inions, was the vassal of the Polish Republic.'^ T h e m ore know ing patriots, however, req u ire Alsace an d the G erm an-speaking p a rt of L orraine as a m aterial g u a ra n te e
W illiam I s proclam ation to the F ren ch nation of A ugust 11, 1870, Kolnische Zeitung, No. 222, A ugust 12, 1870. (/.

against F rench aggression. As this contem ptible plea has bewil d ered m any w eak-m inded people, we are b o u n d to e n ter m ore fully u p o n it. T h e re is no do u b t th at th e general configuration of Alsace, as co m pared with the opposite ban k of th e R hine, an d th e presence of a large fortified town like S trasbourg, ab out halfway betw een Basle an d G erm ersheim , very m uch favour a F rench invasion of S outh G erm any, while they o ffer peculiar difficulties to an invasion of F rance from South G erm any. T h e re is, fu rth e r, no d o u b t th at the ad d ition of Alsace an d G erm an-speaking L orraine w ould give S outh G erm any a m uch stro n g er fro n tier, inasm uch as she would th e n be m aster of th e crest of th e Vosges m ountains in its whole length, a n d of th e fortresses which cover its n o rth e rn passes. If Metz w ere an n ex ed as well, F rance w ould certainly for the m om ent be dep riv ed of h e r two principal bases of o p eratio n against G erm any, b u t th at would n o t p rev en t h e r from construct ing a fresh one at Nancy o r V erd u n . W hile G erm any owns Coblenz, Mainz, G erm ersheim , R astatt, an d Ulm , all bases of op eratio n against France, an d plentifully m ade use of in this war, with w hat show of fair play can she b eg ru d g e France S trasbourg a n d Metz, the only two fortresses of any im portance she has on th at side? M oreover, S trasbourg en d an g ers South G erm any only while South G erm any is a sep arate pow er from N o rth G erm any. From 1792-95 South G erm any was never invaded from th at direction, because Prussia was a p arty to th e w ar against the F rench R evolution; b u t as soon as Prussia m ade a peace of h er own in 1795,' an d left th e South to shift fo r itself, th e invasions of S outh G erm any, with S trasbourg for a base, began, an d continued till 1809. T h e fact is, a united G erm any can always re n d e r S trasbourg an d any F rench arm y in Alsace innocuous by concentrating all h e r troops, as was d o n e in th e p re sen t war, betw een Saarlouis an d L andau, an d advancing, o r accepting battle, on the line of ro ad betw een M ainz an d Metz. W hile th e mass of the G erm an troops is stationed there, any F rench arm y advancing from S trasbourg into South G erm any would be o u tflanked, and have its com m unications th rea ten ed . If th e p re sen t cam paign has p roved anything, it is th e facility of invading France from G erm any. But, in good faith, is it not alto g eth er an absurdity an d an anachronism to m ake m ilitary considerations th e principle b j w hich the b ound aries of nations are to be fixed? If this ru le were to prevail, A ustria w ould still be en tid ed to V enetia an d th e line of the Mincio, an d France to th e line of th e R hine, in o rd e r to

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pro tect Paris, which lies certainly m o re o p en to an attack from the N o rth East th an B erlin does from th e S outh West. If limits are to be fixed by m ilitary interests, th ere will be no en d to claims, because every m ilitary line is necessarily faulty, a n d m ay be im proved by annexing some m ore oudying territory; and, m oreover, they can never be fixed finally an d fairly, because they always m ust be im posed by the co n q u e ro r u p o n the conquered, an d consequendy carry within them the seed of fresh wars. Such is th e lesson of all history. T h u s with nations as with individuals. T o deprive them of the pow er o f offence, you m ust deprive them of the m eans of defence. You m ust not only g arro tte b u t m u rd er. If ever co n q u ero r took m aterial g u aran tees for break in g th e sinews of a nation, the first N apoleon did so by the Tilsit treaty ,^ an d the way he executed it against Prussia an d the rest of G erm any. Yet, a few years later, his gigantic pow er split like a ro tten re ed u p o n the G erm an people. W hat are the m aterial g u aran tees Prussia, in h e r wildest dream s, can, o r d are im pose u p o n France, com pared to the m aterial g u aran tees the first N apoleon h ad w renched from herself? T h e result will not prove th e less disastrous. H istory will m easure its retrib u tio n , not by th e ex ten t of th e square miles co n q u ered from France, b u t by th e intensity of the crim e of reviving, in the second half of the 19th century, the policy o f conquest! But, say th e m outhpieces of T eu to n ic patriotism , you m ust not co n fo u n d G erm ans with F renchm en. W hat we w ant is not glory, b u t safety. T h e G erm ans are an essentially peaceful people. In th eir sober guardianship, conquest itself changes from a condition of fu tu re w ar into a pledge of p erp etu al peace. O f course, it is not G erm ans th at invaded F rance in 1792, fo r the sublim e p u rpose of bayonetting the revolution of the 18th century. It is no t G erm ans th at befouled th eir h an d s by the subjugation of Italy, the oppression of H un g ary , an d the dism em berm ent of Poland. T h e ir p resen t m ilitary system, which divides th e whole ad u lt male population into two p a rts one standing arm y on service, and a n o th er standing arm y on furlough, both equally b o u n d in passive obedience to ru lers by divine rig h t such a m ilitary system is, of course, a m aterial g u a ra n te e fo r keeping the peace, an d the ultim ate goal of civilising tendencies! In G erm any, as everyw here else, th e sycophants of the pow ers th at be poison the p o p u lar m ind by th e incense of m endacious self-praise. In d ig n an t as they p re te n d to be at the sight of F rench fortresses in Metz an d S trasbourg, those G erm an patriots see no h arm in the vast system of Moscovite fortifications at W arsaw, M odlin, and

Ivangorod. W hile gloating at th e terro rs of im perialist invasion, they blink at the infam y of autocratic tutelage. As in 1865 prom ises W ere exchanged betw een Louis B o n ap arte an d Bism arck, so in 1870 prom ises have been exchanged betw een G orchakov a n d Bismarck.*' As Louis B o n ap arte flattered him self th at the w ar of 1866, resulting in th e com m on exhaustion of A ustria an d Prussia, w ould m ake him th e su p rem e arb iter of G erm any, so A lex an d er flattered him self th at the w ar of 1870, resulting in the com m on exhaustion of G erm any a n d France, w ould m ake him th e su p rem e arb iter of th e W estern C ontinent. As th e Second E m pire th o u g h t th e N o rth G erm an C o n fed eratio n incom patible with its existence, so autocratic Russia m ust think herself en d a n g ere d by a G erm an em pire u n d e r Prussian lead er ship. Such is th e law of th e old political system. W ithin its pale the gain of one state is th e loss of th e o th er. T h e C zar s p aram o u n t influence over E u ro p e roots in his traditional h old on G erm any. At a m om ent w hen in Russia herself volcanic social agencies th rea ten to shake th e very base of autocracy, could th e C zar affo rd to b e a r with such a loss of foreign prestige? A lready th e Moscovite jo u rn als re p eat th e language of th e B onapartist jo u rn als afte r the w ar of 1866. Do th e T e u to n patriots really believe th at liberty an d peace will be g u aran teed to G erm any by forcing F rance in to th e arm s of Russia? If th e fo rtu n e of h e r arm s, th e arro g an ce of success, an d dynastic in trig u e lead G erm any to a d ism em b erm en t of France, th ere will th en only rem ain two courses o p en to her. She m ust at all risks becom e th e avowed tool of Russian a g g r a n d is e m e n t,o r , afte r some sh o rt respite, m ake again ready fo r a n o th e r defensive war, n o t one of those new -fangled localised wars, b u t a war of races a w ar with th e com bined Slavonian an d R om an races.' T h e G erm an w orking class has resolutely su p p o rted th e war, which it was n o t in th eir pow er to prevent, as a war fo r G erm an indep en d en ce an d th e liberation of F rance an d E u ro p e from th at pestilential incubus, th e Second E m pire. It was th e G erm an w orkm en who, to g eth er with th e ru ral labourers, fu rn ish ed th e sinews an d m uscles of heroic hosts, leaving b eh in d th eir half T h e 1870 G erm an edition has in d ep e n d en c e be fo re th e w ords h berty and peace . Ed. u u b T h e 1870 G erm an edition has h e re: a course w hich is m accord w ith the trad itio n of th e H o h e n zo llern s . Ed. c T h e G erm an edition of 1870 contains th e follow ing sentence: T h is is the p ro sp e ct of peace w hich is g u a ra n te e d by the brain-sick patriots of the G erm an m iddle class. Ed.

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Starved families. D ecim ated by the batdes abroad, they will be once m ore decim ated by m isery at h o m e / In th eir tu rn they are now com ing fo rw ard to ask fo r g u aran tees , guarantees th at their im m ense sacrifices have not been b ro u g h t in vain, th at they have co n q u ered liberty, that the victory over the Im perialist arm ies will not, as in 1815, be tu rn e d into th e defeat of the G erm an people and,, as the first of these guarantees, they claim an honourable peace fo r France, a n d the recognition of the French Republic. T h e C entral C om m ittee' of th e G erm an Socialist-Democratic W o rkm ens Party issued, on the 5th of S eptem ber, a m anifesto, energetically insisting u p o n these guarantees.
W e, they say, we p ro test against the an n ex atio n of Alsace a n d L orraine. A nd we a re conscious of speaking in the n am e of th e G erm an w orking class. In the com m on interest of F rance a n d G erm any, in the in terest of peace a n d liberty, in the in te rest o f W estern civilisation against E astern barbarism , th e G erm an w orkm en will n o t patiently to lerate th e an n ex atio n of Alsace a n d L orraine.... W e shall faithfully stand by o u r fellow -w orkm en in all c ountries fo r th e com m on in tern atio n al cause of the P ro letariat! '^

U n fo rtunately, we cannot feel sanguine of th eir im m ediate success. If th e F rench w orkm en am idst peace failed to stop the aggressor, are the G erm an w orkm en m ore likely to stop the victor am idst th e clangour of arm s? T h e G erm an w orkm ens m anifesto dem an d s th e ex tradition of Louis B o n ap arte as a com m on felon to th e F rench Republic. T h e ir rulers are, on the contrary, already trying h a rd to restore him to th e T uileries as th e best m an to ru in France. H ow ever th at m ay be, history will prove th at the G erm an w orking class are no t m ade of the sam e m alleable stuff as the G erm an m iddle class. T h ey will do th eir duty. Like them , we hail the advent of the R epublic in France, b u t at the sam e tim e we labour u n d e r misgivings which we ho p e will prove groundless. T h a t R epublic has no t subverted the th ro n e, but only taken its place becom e vacant.'* It has been proclaim ed, not as a social conquest, b u t as a national m easure of defence. It is in the
^ T h e 1870 G erm an edition has: A nd th e patriotic clam ourers will say, to com fort them , th at capital has no native c o untry a n d th a t wages a re re g u la te d by the non-patriotic international law of d e m a n d a n d supply. Is it, th ere fo re, not the h igh tim e fo r the G erm an w orking class to raise its voice a n d n o lo n g er allow th e g entlem en of th e m iddle class to speak in its name. Ed. ^ In the 1870 G erm an edition the w ord c en tra l is o m itted. Ed. M anifest des A usschusses d e r sozial-dem okratischen A rb eiterp artei. A n alle deu tsch en A rbeiter! B raunschw eig-W olfenbiittel, 5. Sept. 1870, Der Volksstaat, No. 73, S eptem ber 11, 1870. rf. T h e 1870 G erm an edition has: its place m ade vacant by G erm an bayonets , Ed.

h an d s of a Provisional G o vernm ent com posed partly of notorious O rleanists, partly of middle-class Republicans, u p o n some of w hom the insurrectio n of Ju n e, 1848,'^ has left its indelible stigma. T h e division of labour am ongst th e m em bers of th at G overnm ent looks aw kward. T h e O rleanists have seized th e strongholds of th e arm y an d th e police, while to th e professed R epublicans have fallen th e talking departm ents. Some of th eir first acts go fa r to show th at they have in h erited from th e Em pire, no t only ruins, b u t also its d re ad of the w orking class. If eventual im possibilities are in wild phraseology d em an d ed from th e Republic, is it no t with a view to prep are the cry fo r a possible governm ent? Is th e Republic, by some of its m iddle-class m anagers, not in ten d ed to serve as a m ere stopgap an d bridge over an O rleanist R estoration? T h e F rench w orking class moves, th erefo re, u n d e r cir cum stances of ex trem e difficulty. Any attem p t at u p settin g the new G overnm ent in th e p resen t crisis, w hen th e enem y is alm ost knocking at th e doors of Paris, would be a desp erate folly. T h e F rench w orkm en m ust p erfo rm th eir duties as citizens ^ but, at the sam e tim e, they m ust n o t allow themselves to be d elu d ed by the national souvenirs'^ of 1792, as the F rench peasants allov^ed them selves to be d elu d ed by th e national souvenirs of th e First E m pire. T h ey have n o t to recapitulate th e past, b u t to build u p the fu tu re. Let them calmly an d resolutely im prove th e o p p o r tunities of R epublican liberty, fo r the work of th eir ow n class organisation. It will gift them with fresh H erculean powers for the re g en eratio n of France, an d o u r com m on task th e em ancipation of labour. U pon th eir energies and wisdom hinges th e fate of the Republic. T h e English w orkm en have already taken m easures to o v er com e, by a wholesom e p ressu re from without, the reluctance of th eir G overnm en t to recognise the F rench R e p u b l i c . T h e p resen t dilatoriness of th e British G overnm ent is probably in ten d ed to atone fo r th e Anti-Jacobin w ar an d its fo rn ier indecent haste in sanctioning the coup d etat.'^' T h e English w orkm en call also u p o n th eir G overnm ent to oppose by all its pow er the dism em b erm en t of France, which p a rt of th e English press is sham eless en o u g h to howl for.^ It is th e sam e press th at fo r tw enty years deified Louis B onaparte as th e providence of
T h e 1870 G erm an edition has: a n d they do it. Ed. R em em brances. Ed. I h e 1870 G erm an edition has: which p a rt of the English press of course su p p o rts ju st as noisily as do th e G erm an patriots . Ed.

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E u ro p e, that frantically cheered on the slaveholders rebellion.'* Now, as th en , it d rudges fo r the slaveholder. Let th e sections of the International W orking M e n s Association in every country stir th e w orking classes to action. If they forsake th eir duty, if they rem ain passive, the p re sen t trem en d o u s w ar will be b u t th e h arb in g e r of still deadlier international feuds, an d lead in every nation to a renew ed triu m p h over th e w orkm an by the lords of th e sword, of the soil, an d of capital.
V ive la Republique!

Karl Marx
[C O N C ER N IN G T H E ARREST O F T H E MEMBERS O F T H E C E N T R A L C O M M IT T E E O F T H E SO C IA L-D EM O C R A TIC W ORKERS PARTY]*

T h e G eneral Council:
Robert Applegarth; M artin J. Boon; Fred. Bradnick; Caihil; John Hales; W illiam Hales; George H arris; Fred. Lessner; Lopatin; B . Lucraft; George M ilner; Thomas Mottershead; Charles M urray; George Odger; James Parnell; Pfdnder; RUhl; Joseph Shepherd; Cowell Stepney; Stoll; Schm uti

C o rresp o n d in g Secretaries:
Eugene D u p o n t ...........for France K arl M a rx .............. fo r G erm any G iovanni B o r a ...............fo r Italy Zevy M a u r ic e .........for H ungary A n to n Z a b ic k i ...........fo r Poland James C ohen ..........fo r D enm ark J. G. Eccarim .... for the U nited

an d Russia
A . Serra illier ....... fo r Belgium ,

H olland an d Spain
H erm ann J u n g .. fo r Switzerland

States

W illiam Townshend, C hairm an John Weston, T re a su re r J. George Eccarius, G eneral Secretary

T h e C entral C om m ittee of th e G erm an section of th e In te rn a tional W orkm ens A ssociation resid en t at B runsw ick issued on the 5 th inst. a m anifesto to th e G erm an w orking class, calling u p o n them to p rev en t th e ann ex atio n of Alsace an d L orraine, a n d to b rin g about an ho n o u rab le peace with th e F rench R e p u b lic .N o t only has th eir m anifesto b een confiscated by th e o rd e r of th e com m anding-general, Vogel von Falckenstein, b u t all th e m em bers of th e com m ittee, even the u n fo rtu n a te p rin te r of th e docum ent, w ere arrested an d chained like com m on felons, a n d sent to Lotzen, in E astern Prussia.
W ritten a bout S eptem ber 14, 1870 R ep ro d u ced from Gazette The Pall Mall

Office: 256, H igh H olborn, L ondon, W.C., Septem ber 9th, 1870
W ritten betw een S eptem ber 6 an d 9, 1870 , . , r 1 ^ 1 A pp ro v ed at the m eetm g of th e G eneral C ouncil on Septem ber 9, 1870 Published as a leaflet in English on S eptem ber 11-13, 1870, as a leaflet in G erm an , a n d in periodicals in G erm an a n d F ren ch in S eptem ber-D ecem ber 1870 R ep ro d u ced fro m th e text o f the 1870 English leaflet (second edition), verified with th e text o f the ig 7 0 G erm an edition

Pubhshed in The Pall Mall Gazette, No. 1744, S eptem ber 15, 1870 a n d The Echo, S ep tem b er 15, 1870

M anifest des A usschusses d e r sozial-dem okratischen A rb eiterp artei. A n alle d e u tsch e n A rbeiter! B raunschw eig-W olfenbiittel, 5. Sept. 1870 , Der Volksstaat, No. 73, S eptem ber 11, 1870. Ed.
11-1232

l u m ro 1 0 3 .

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riSlTERSIATIOKAlE
ORGANE DES SECTIONS BEI.GES

DE LASSOCIATION INTERWATIOMLE DES TRAVAILLEURS.

P A R Aiss^vrvx I.E SAMtlOI.

Frederick Engels
T O T H E S IX T H CONGRESS O F T H E B ELG IA N SEC T IO N S OF T H E IN T E R N A T IO N A L W O R K IN G M ENS A SSO C IA T IO N L ondon, D ecem ber 23, 1870 Citizens! T h e G eneral C ouncil of the In tern atio n al W orking M ens Association extends its congratulations on your Sixth Congress. T h e very fact th at this C ongress is m eeting proves once again that th e Belgian p ro letariat is co ntinuing w ithout respite in its efforts to em ancipate the w orking class, even while a m u rderous, fratricidal w ar is filling the whole of E u ro p e with h o rro r, displacing fo r the tim e being all o th er topics in the m inds of the public. W ith particu lar satisfaction we have seen the Belgian sections follow, with re g ard to this war, the line of action a n d proclaim the ideas prescribed by the interests of the p ro letariat of all countries: to re p u d ia te any idea of conquest an d to preserve the F rench Republic. M oreover, in this respect o u r Belgian friends are in perfect h arm o n y with the w orkers of o th e r countries. Since th e occupation of R ouen by the Prussians, o u r last rem ain in g links with France have been tem porarily severed. B ut in E ngland, A m erica an d G erm any the m ovem ent am ong the w orkers against the w ar of conquest and fo r the preservation of th e F rench R epublic has developed very rapidly. In G erm any, particularly, this m ovem ent has grow n to such an extent th at the Prussian g o v ernm ent has seen itself obliged, fo r the sake of its policy of conquest an d reaction, to deal harshly with the workers. T h e C entral C om m ittee of G erm an Socialist-Democracy, m eeting in Brunswick, have been arrested, and m any m em bers of this p arty have su ffered th e sam e fate; finally two deputies of the N o rth G erm an Parliam ent, citizens Bebel and Liebknecht, who

re p resen te d th ere th e views an d interests of th e w orking class, have been p u t beh in d bars. T h e In tern atio n al is accused of having given all these citizens the passw ord for a vast revolutionary conspiracy; h ere we have, w ithout a shadow of doubt, the second edition of the fam ous plot by the In tern atio n al in Paris, a plot which the B onapartist police claim ed to have discovered an d which later w ent u p in sm oke in such a pitiful fashion. ^ D espite these persecutions the intern atio n al w orkers m ovem ent is advancm g and gaining in stren g th all th e time. T h e c u rre n t congress will provide you with the o p p o rtu n ity to ascertain the n u m b e r of sections a n d o th er affiliated societies, as well as the membei^ship of each of them , an d so to get a precise idea of the progress being m ade by o u r m ovem ent in Belgium. We w ould !ke you to com m unicate to th e G eneral C ouncil th e result of these statistics on the state of o u r association in Belgm m, statistics th at we in ten d to com plete fo r o th er countries as well. It goes w ithout saying th at we consider this com m unication to be confidendal, and th e facts th at it will m ake know n to us will not be m ade public. F u rth er, the G eneral C ouncil allows itself to h o p e th at m the course of the year 1871 th e Belgian sections will likewise feel able to recall the resoludons of th e various intern atio n al congresses re g ard in g the rem ittances in ten d ed fo r it. T h e p resen t war m akes rem ittances from m ost of th e condnental countries o u t of the question, an d we are well aw are th at th e w orkers of B elgium are also affected by the general depression which is en suing from this war; the G eneral C ouncil is also raising this question to re m in d the Belgian sections th at w ithout m aterial su p p o rt it is impossible fo r it to dissem inate p ro p a g an d a on th e scale it w ould wish. O w ing to the absence of th e secretary fo r B elgium , citizen Serraillier, the G eneral C ouncil has ch a rg ed th e u n d ersig n ed with sending this com m unication to th e congress. G reetings an d Fraternity,^
Frederick Engels
W ritten on D ecem ber 23, 1870 on the instruction of the G eneral C ouncil given at the m eeting of D ecem ber 20, 1870 First published, w ithout th e last th ree p a rag ra p h s, in L Internationale, No. 103, Ja n u a ry 1, 1871 Prin ted according to the news p a p er, verified w ith the m an u s cript; the p a rag ra p h s om itted in the new spaper are p rin te d according to th e m anuscript T ran sla te d from the F rench

' T h e n ew spaper has fu rth e r: For the G eneral Council.

Ed.

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O n the Freedom of th e Press a n d M eetings in G erm any

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Karl Marx
O N T H E FREEDOM O F T H E PRESS AND M EETIN G S IN GERM ANY

T O T H E E D IT O R O F T H E D A I L Y N E W S

Sir, In accusing the F rench G overnm ent of

having re n d e re d im possible th e free expression of o p inion in F rance th ro u g h the m ed iu m o f th e press a n d of national re p re se n tativ es ,^

Bism arck did evidendy b u t in ten d to crack a B erlin Witz}= If you w ant to becom e acquainted with tru e F rench opinion please apply to H e rr Stieber, the ed ito r o f the Versailles M oniteur, and th e notorious Prussian police spy! A t B ism arcks express com m and Messrs. Bebel an d Liebknecht have been arrested, on the charge o f high treason, simply because they d a re d to fulfil th eir duties as G erm an national re p resen ta tives, viz., to p rotest in the R eichstag against the annexation of Alsace a n d L orraine, vote against new w ar subsidies, express th eir sym pathy with the F rench Republic, an d denounce the attem p t at the conversion of G erm any into one Prussian barrack.'^ F or the u tteran ce of th e sam e opinions the m em bers of the Brunsw ick Socialist D em ocratic C om m ittee have, since th e beginning of last S eptem ber, been treated like galley-slaves, a n d are still u n d erg o in g a m ock prosecution fo r high treason. T h e sam e lot has befallen
O . Bism arcks d espatch h eadlined Versailles, d e n 9. J a n u a r 1871 , Koniglich Preussischer Staats-Anzeiger, No. 15, Ja n u a ry 14, 1871. * > ]o ke. Ed. ^ A. B ebels speech in th e Reichstag o n N ovem ber 26, 1870. Slenographische Berichte iiber die Verhandlungen des Reichstages des Norddeutschen Bundes. I. Legislatur-Periode. II. Ausserordentliche Session 1870. B erlin, 1870; W. L iebknechts speech in the R eichstag on N ovem ber 26, 1870, ibid. Ed.

n u m ero u s w orkm en who p ro p ag ated th e B runsw ick m anifesto.'' O n sim ilar pretexts, M r. H ep n er, the sub-editor of th e Leipzig Volksstaat, is prosecuted for h igh treason. T h e few in d ep en d e n t G erm an jo u rn als existing outside Prussia are fo rb id d en adm ission into the H ohenzollern estates. G erm an w orkm ens m eetings in favour of a peace h o n o u rab le fo r F rance are daily dispersed by the police. A ccording to th e official Prussian doctrine, as naively laid dow n by G eneral Vogel von Falckenstein, every G erm an trying to counteract th e prospective aims of th e Prussian w arfare in F rance , is guilty of high treason. If M. G am betta an d Co. were, like th e H ohenzollern, forced to violently p u t dow n p o p u lar opinion, they would only have to apply th e Prussian m eth o d , and, on the plea of war, proclaim th ro u g h o u t F rance th e state of siege. T h e only F rench soldiers on G erm an soil m o u ld er in Prussian gaols. Still the Prussian G o v ern m en t feels itself b o u n d to rigorously m aintain th e state of siege, th at is to say, th e cru d est a n d m ost revolting form of m ilitary despotism , th e suspension of all law. T h e F rench soil is infested by ab out a m illion of G erm an invaders. Yet the F ren ch G o vernm ent can safely dispense with th at Prussian m ethod of re n d e rin g possible th e free expression of o p in io n . Look at this p icture a n d at that! G erm any, however, has proved too petty a field fo r B ism arcks all-absorbing love of in d e p e n d e n t opinion. W hen the L ux em b u rg ers gave vent to th eir sym pathies with France, B ism arck m ade this expression of sentim ent one of his pretexts fo r ren o u n cin g th e L ondon neutrality treaty.'^ W hen th e Belgian press com m itted a sim ilar sin, the Prussian am bassador at Brussels, H e rr von Balan, invited the Belgian m inistry to p u t dow n not only all anti-Prussian new spaper articles, b u t even th e p rin d n g of m ere news calculated to cheer on the F ren ch in th eir w ar of in d ep en d en ce. A very m odest request this, indeed, to suspend th e Belgian C onstitution, p o u r le roi de P russe! * No sooner h ad some Stockholm p apers ind u lg ed in some m ild jukes at the notorious piety of W ilhelm A nnexander,^ than Bism arck cam e dow n on the Swedish cabinet with grim missives. Even u n d e r th e m eridian of St. P etersburg he contrived to spy too licentious a press. At his hum ble supplication, the editors of th e principal P etersb u rg pap ers w ere sum m oned
M anifest des A usschusses d e r sozial-dem okratischen A rb eiterp artei. A n alle d eu tsch en A rbeiter! B raunschw eig-W olfenbiittel, 5. S eptem ber, 1870 , Der Volksgtaat. No. 73, S eptem ber 11, 1870. Ed. Literally: fo r th e sake o f Prussian King, a n d figuratively: fo r nothing. A blen d of the w ords a n n ex io n a n d A le x an d e r , an ironical com parison with A lex an d er of M acedon. Ed.

iL

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befo re th e C ensor-in-C hief, w ho bid them bew are of all strictures u p o n th e feal B orussian vassal of the Czar. O ne of those editors, M. Saguljajew, was im p ru d e n t en o u g h to em it the secret of this avertissement th ro u g h the colum ns of th e Golos. H e was at once po unced u p o n by the Russian police, an d bundled off to some rem ote province.' It would be a m istake to believe th at those g en d arm e proceedings are only d u e to the paroxysm of w ar fever. T h ey are, on the contrary, the tru e m ethodical application of Prussian law principles. T h e re exists in point of fact an odd proviso in th e Prussian crim inal code, by d in t of which every foreigner, on account of his doings o r w ritings in his own o r any o th e r foreign country, m ay be prosecuted fo r insult against the Prussian K ing an d high treason against Prussia !' F ran ce an d h e r cause is fo rtu n ately fa r from d e sp e ra te fights at this m om ent no t only fo r h e r own national independence, b u t fo r the liberty of G erm any an d E urope. I am . Sir, yours respectfully,
K arl M arx

Frederick Engels
T O T H E SPA N ISH FEDERAL C O U N C IL O F T H E IN T E R N A T IO N A L W O R K IN G M EN S A SSO C IA T IO N

L ondon, 13 F ebruary Citizens,

1871

L ondon, Jan u ary 16, 1871

First p ublished in Ja n u a ry 19, 1871 The Daily News, R ep ro d u ced fro m th e n ew spaper

T h e G eneral C ouncil was very pleased to receive y o u r letter of D ecem ber 14. Y our previous letter d ated 30 July also reached us; it was passed to Citizen Serraillier,' th e Secretary fo r Spain, with the instruction to forw ard o u r answ er to you. B ut soon Citizen Serraillier w ent to F rance to fight fo r th e Republic, a n d th en he was confined in Paris. If, th erefo re, you have not received any answ er to y o u r letter of 30 July, which is still in his h ands, it is d u e to these circum stances. Now, th e G eneral Council, at its m eeting of th e 7th inst. has ch arg ed th e u n d ersig n e d F. E. to h andle correspond en ce with Spain in the interim a n d has passed on your last letter to him."' In the m eantim e, we have been regularly receiving th e Spanish w orkers new spapers L a Federacion from B arcelona, L a Solidaridad from M adrid (until D ecem ber 1870), E l Obrero from Palm a (until its suspension) an d recently L a Revolucion social from Palm a (first issue only). T h ese new spapers have k ep t us u p -to-date with w hat is h a p p e n in g in Spain with re g ard to th e lab o u r m ovem ent; we have seen with m uch satisfaction th at the ideas of social revolution are increasingly becom ing th e com m on p ro p e rty of th e w orking class of your country. W ithout d o u b t the em pty rantings of th e old political parties have, as you say, attracted too m uch p o p u lar attention, thus
T h e title is in Spanish. Ed. Serraillier in fo rm e d the G eneral C ouncil of this at its m eeting of A ugust 9, 1870. T h e G eneral C ouncil took this decision at its m eeting o f Ja n u a ry 31 and ap p ro v ed it at its m eeting of F ebruary 7, 1871. Ed.

= > M arx learn ed of this from a letter by the R ussian revolutionary L opatin, d ated D ecem ber 15, 1870. Ed. * > E ntwurf des Strafgesetzbuchs fiir die Preussischen Staaten, nach den Beschliissen des Kbniglichen Staatsraths, B erlin, 1843. E d

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F rederick Engels T o th e Spanish F ederal C ouncil

279

constituting a m ajo r obstacle to o u r p ro p ag an d a. T his h ap p e n ed everyw here in the first years of the p ro letarian m ovem ent. In France, in E ngland, in G erm any the socialists h ad to, an d still have to, com bat the influence a n d the action of th e old political parties, w h eth er aristocratic o r bourgeois, m onarchist o r even republican. Everyw here experience has shown th at the best m eans o f freein g th e w orkers from this dom ination by the old parties is to fo u n d in each country a pro letarian party with a political p ro g ram m e of its own, a political p ro g ram m e th at is very clearly distinguished from those of the o th er parties since it m ust express th e conditions fo r th e em ancipation of th e w orking class. T h e details of this political p ro g ram m e m ight vary according to the special circum stances in each country; b u t the fundam ental relations betw een labour a n d capital being everyw here the same, an d th e fact of political dom ination by the p ro p e rtie d classes over th e exploited classes existing everyw here, the principles an d the goal of th e proletarian political p ro g ram m e will be identical, at least in all th e w estern countries. T h e p ro p e rtie d classes, landed aristocracy an d bourgeoisie, hold the w orking people in thraldom , no t only by virtue of th eir wealth, by the sim ple exploitation of lab o u r by capital, but also th ro u g h the coercive pow er of th e state, th e arm y, the bureaucracy, the courts. T o re frain from fighting o u r enem ies in the political a ren a would be to aban d o n one of the m ost pow erful m eans of action, an d particularly of organisation a n d p ro p ag an d a. Universal suffrage gives us an excellent m eans of action. In G erm any the w orkers, strongly organised as a political party, have succeeded in sending six deputies to th e self-styled national assembly; an d th e opposition which o u r friends Rebel and L iebknecht have been also able to p u t u p against the w ar of conquest has h ad a m o re pow erful effect on behalf of o u r intern atio n al p ro p a g an d a th an years of p ro p a g an d a by the press a n d by m eetings w ould have had. In France, too, at this m om ent w orkers representatives have just been elected an d will proclaim o u t loud o u r principles to the national assembly. At the next elections th e sam e th in g will h ap p e n in E ngland. W e are pleased to h e a r th at you wish to send us the contributions from the branches in your country; we shall receive them with thanks. Please send them in the form of a b a n k e rs d ra ft d raw n on a bank h ere in L ondon, payable to Jo h n W eston, o u r trea su rer, by registered letter to the u n d ersig n ed eith er at 256 H igh H olborn, L ondon (seat of o u r Council) o r to his hom e address 122 R.P.R.""
^ R eg en ts P ark R oad. Ed.

We wait with great in terest th e statistics of your fed eratio n which you prom ise to send us. As fo r the C ongress of th e In tern atio n al, it is poindess to think about it as long as th e p resen t w ar continues. B ut if, as seems likely, peace is soon resto red , the C ouncil will take u p this im p o rtan t m atter straightaw ay an d will consider your kind invitation to hold it in Barcelona. We have no sections yet in P ortugal; p erh ap s it would be easier fo r you th an fo r us to o p en relations with th e w orkers of th at country. If this is so, w ould you please write to us again on this m atter. Likewise, we believe th at it w ould be best, to begin with at any rate, if you yourselves will m ake contact with th e typesetters of B uenos Aires, pro vided you let us know later on w hat results have been achieved. M eanwhile, you w ould re n d e r us a kind service an d fu rth e r the cause by sending us a copy of Armies de la Sociedad tipografica de Buenos A ires fo r o u r inform ation. F or the rest, the intern atio n al m ovem ent continues to m ake progress despite all obstacles. In E ngland th e central T ra d e s Councils'* of B irm ingham an d M anchester, an d th ro u g h them th e w orkers of th e two m ost im p o rtan t m an u factu rin g cities in the country, have just affiliated d irect to o u r Association. In G erm any we are currently su fferin g th e sam e persecution at th e h an d s of th e governm ents th ere as Louis B o n ap arte subjected us to in France a year ago. O u r G erm an friends, m o re th an fifty of whom are in prison, are literally su fferin g fo r th e in tern atio n al cause; they have been arrested an d p ersecuted because they opposed the policy of conquest with all th e ir stren g th an d because they dem an d e d th at th e G erm an people should fratern ise with the F rench people. In A ustria m any of o u r friends have been im prisoned b u t the m ovem ent is m aking progress nevertheless. Everyw here in France o u r sections have been the life a n d soul of th e resistance against th e invasion. T hey have seized local pow er in the big cities of th e S outh, an d if Lyons, Marseilles, B o rd eau x and T oulouse have evinced an en erg y unknow n elsew here, it was thanks to the efforts of th e Internationals. In Belgium we are well organised; o u r Belgian sections have ju st celebrated th eir sixth regional Congress. In Sw itzerland th e differences which h ad arisen betw een o u r sections som e tim e ago seem to be sorting them selves out. From A m erica we have received th e m em bership of new French, G erm an an d Czech (B ohem ian) sections, and, as regards
^ E ngels gives th e E nglish nam e T ra d e s C ouncils in parentheses, a fte r the F rench one. Ed.

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th e others, we continue to m aintain fratern al relations with the g reat organisation of A m erican w orkers, the L abor League.'"'^' H o p in g to receive m ore news from you soon, we send you o u r fratern a l greetings. F or the G eneral C ouncil of the In tern atio n al W orking M ens Association
F.E.
W ritten on F eb ru ary 13, 1871 by the G eneral C ouncils decision of Ja n u a ry 31, 1871 First published in: M arx a n d Engels, Works, First R ussian E dition, Vol. X X V I, 1935 P rin ted according to th e m anuscript T ran sla te d from th e F rench

Frederick Engels
T H E ASPECT O F AFFAIRS IN RUSSIA

T O T H E E D IT O R O F T H E P A L L M A L L G A Z E T T E ^

Sir, T h e English G o vernm ent declare th at they know n o th in g of an alliance betw een Russia an d Prussia.* In G erm any nobody disputes th e existence of such an alliance; on the contrary, the pro-Prussian press exults in the fact, the anti-Prussian papers are in d ig n an t at it. O ne of the latter, th e Volksstaat, thinks th at Mr. G ladstone m erely in ten d ed lo insinuate by his denegations th at this was n o t a treaty of alliance, b u t ra th e r of vassalage," an d th at in this case he w ould be in the right. In d eed , the telegram s exchanged betw een Versailles an d St. P etersburg, betw een Y ours till d eath, W illiam , a n d his m ore reserved nephew A lexander, leave n o lo n g er any room fo r d o u b t as to th e relations existing betw een w hat are now the two g reat m ilitary m onarchies of th e C ontinent. T hese telegram s, by the way, w ere first published in the Journal de St. Petersbourg'^-, and w hat is quite as significant is th e fact th at they have no t been re p rin te d in th eir full ten o r in the G erm an press, the E m p ero r W illiam s assurance of devotion till d eath being especially suppressed. At all events, the full context of the correspondence cannot leave a d o u b t th at the E m p ero r William m eans to express th e d eep sense of th e obligation u n d e r which he
^ F. G reenw ood. Ed. T h e refe re n ce is to th e speech of W. E. G ladstone in the H ouse of C om m ons on M arch 7, 1871 published in The Times, N o. 27005, M arch 8, 1871. E d ^ Politische U ebersicht , Der Volksstaat, No. 21, M arch 11, 1871. W illiam I s telegram to the E m p e ro r A lexander I I datelined Versailles, 26 fevrier, 2 h eu res 7 m . , Journal de St.-Petersbourg, No. 37, F eb ru ary 17 (M arch 1), 1871; A lex an d er I I s telegram to W illiam I d atelined P a e rs b o u rg , 15 (27) fevrier 1871 , Journal de St.-Petersbourg (same issue).

Engels gives th e E nglish nam e T h e L ab o r L eague in p arentheses, a fte r the F ren ch one. Ed.

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T h e A spect of A ffairs in Russia

283

considers him self to be tow ards Russia, an d his readiness to place his services in re tu rn at Russias disposal. T h e E m p ero r being past seventy, an d his presum ptive h e irs sentim ents being doubtful, th ere is certainly a strong incentive fo r Russia to strike the iron while it is hot. M oreover, th e internal situation in Russia is fa r from satisfac tory. T h e finances are alm ost helplessly d eran g ed ; the peculiar form in which the em ancipation of the serfs an d the o th er social a n d political changes connected with it have been carried o u t has d istu rb ed agricultural pro d u ctio n to an alm ost incredible degree. T h e half-m easures of a liberal character which in tu rn have been accorded, retracted , a n d again accorded, have given to the ed u cated classes ju st elbow-room en o u g h to develop a distinct public opinion; an d th at public opinion is u p o n all points opposed to th e foreign policy the p resen t G overnm ent have h ith erto ap p e are d to follow. Public opinion in Russia is essentially and violendy Panslavist th at is to say, antagonistic to the th re e great o p p resso rs of the Slavonic race: the G erm ans, the H ungarians, an d th e T u rk s. A Prussian alliance is as distasteful to it as would be an A ustrian o r a T u rk ish alliance. It dem ands, besides, im m ediate warlike action, in a Panslavist sense. T h e quiet, slow, b u t em inendy safe u n d e rg ro u n d action of Russian traditional diplom acy sorely tries its patience. Such successes as w ere obtained at th e Conference,'^ im p o rtan t th o u g h they be in them selves, are as n o u g h t to th e R ussian Panslavists. T h ey h e a r n o th in g bu t the cry of an g u ish of th eir oppressed b re th re n in race; they feel n o th in g m o re intensely th an the necessity of resto rin g the lost suprem acy of holy Russia by a g ra n d coup, a w ar of conquest. T h ey know, m oreover, th at the H e ir P resum ptive' is one of them . All this considered, an d th e g ra n d strategic railway lines tow ards th e south an d south-w est having now been com pleted fa r enough to serve efficiendy fo r purposes of attack against A ustria or T u rk ey , o r both, is th e re no t a strong inducem ent fo r the Russian G overnm ent an d fo r the E m p ero r A lexander personally to apply th e old B onapartist m eans, an d to stave off in tern al difficulties by a foreign w ar while the Prussian alliance ap p ears still safe? U n d e r such circum stances the new Russian loan of twelve m illions sterling obtains a very peculiar significance. It is true, a patriotic p ro test has been circulated at the Stock E xchange it is stated to have been w ithout signatures, an d appears to have
^ F rederick W illiam. Ed. A lexander, the fu tu re E m p e ro r A lexander III . Ed.

rem ained so an d we are told th at th e am o u n t of th e loan has been m ore th an covered. W hat purposes, am ong others, these twelve millions are to be used fo r we are in fo rm ed by th e Ostsee Zeitung, of Stettin, a p a p e r which fo r m any years n o t only has h ad the very best inform ation ab out Russian affairs, b u t w hich also has h ad the in d epend en ce to publish it. T h e F ranco-G erm an war, says the P etersburg co rresp o n d en t of this p ap e r (u n d e r d ate of M arch 4, new style), has convinced th e R ussian m ilitary authorities of the total inefficiency of th e system of fortification h ith erto followed in the construction of th e Russian fortresses, an d th e M inistry o f W ar has already settled th e plan fo r th e necessary alterations.
It is re p o rte d th a t the new system, based u p o n the in tro d u c tio n of d etached forts, is to be applied, in the first instance, to th e m o re im p o rta n t fro n tie r fortresses, the reconstruction of w hich is to be com m enced forthw ith. T h e first fortresses which a re to be provided with d etached forts a re Brest-Litowski, D em blin, a n d M odlin.

Now, Brest-Litowski, D em blin (or Iw angorod), an d M odlin (or Nowo-Georgiewsk, by its official Russian nam e), are exactly the th ree fortresses which, with W arsaw as a central point, com m and the g re ater portio n of th e kingdom of Poland; an d W arsaw does not receive any d etached forts now, fo r th e very good reason that it has h ad them fo r m any a year past. Russia, then, loses no tim e in fastening h e r hold u p o n Poland, an d in stren g th en in g h e r base of operations against A ustria, an d th e h u rry with which this is done is of no good au g u ry fo r th e peace of E urope. All this m ay still be called purely defensive arm am en t. B ut the co rresp o n d en t in question has n o t d o n e yet:
T h e w arlike p re p ara tio n s in Russia, w hich w ere com m enced at th e o u tb rea k of th e F ranco-G erm an war, a re c o n tin u ed w ith u n ab ated zeal. Lately the M inistry of W ar has o rd e re d th e fo rm atio n of th e fo u rth battalions. T h e execution of this o rd e r has already b e g u n w ith all regim ents, those in the kingdom of Poland included. T h e d etachm ents set a p a rt fo r the railway a n d teleg rap h service in the field, as well as th e sanitary com panies, have already been organized. T h e m en are actively instru cted a n d d rilled in th e ir various duties, a n d th e sanitary com panies are even ta u g h t how to apply the first bandages to w ounded, how to stop bleeding, a n d how to b rin g ro u n d m en w ho have fa in te d .

Now in alm ost every great continental arm y th e regim ents of in fan try consist, on the peace footing, of th ree battalions, an d th e first unm istakable step from th e peace-footing to th e w ar-footing is the form ation of th e fo u rth battalions. O n th e day Louis N apoleon declared war, he also o rd e re d th e form ation of the fo u rth battalions.'' In Prussia, th eir form ation is th e very first thing
^ T h e re fe re n ce is to th e o r d e r on the form ation of th e fo u rth battalions of July 14, 1870, re p o rte d in Le Temps, No. 3427, July 17, 1870. Ed.

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d o n e after th e receipt of tfie o rd e r fo r mobilization.^ In A ustria it is tfie sam e, an d so it is in Russia. W iiatever may be th o u g h t of the suddenly revealed necessity of detached forts fo r the Polish fortresses, o r of the equally su d d en empressement^ to in tro d u ce into th e Russian service the Prussian Krankentrdger' and railway and teleg rap h detachm ents (in a country w here bo th railways and telegraphs are ra th e r scarce) here, in the form ation of the fo u rth battalions, we have an unm istakable sign th at Russia has actually passed the line which divides the peace footing from the w ar footing. Nobody can im agine th at Russia has taken this step w ithout a pu rp o se; an d if this step m eans anything, it m eans attack against som ebody. P erhaps th at explains w hat the twelve millions sterling are w anted for. Yours, &c.,
E.
W ritten ab o u t M arch 15, 1871 First published in The Pall Mall Gazette, No, 1900, M arch 16, 1871 R ep ro d u ced from the new spaper

Karl Marx and Frederick Engels

T O T H E E D IT O R O F T H E T I M E S ^ '^

Sir, In your im pression of th e 16th M arch y o u r Paris co rresp o n d en t states:

Karl M arx...has w ritten a letter to one of his principal affilies in Paris, stating th a t h e is n o t satisfied with the a ttitu d e w hich the m em bers of th a t society (the In te rn a tio n a l ) have taken u p in th a t city e tc. > >

T his statem ent y o u r co rresp o n d en t has evidendy taken from the

Paris-Journal of th e 14th M arch w here also th e publication, in full, of th e p re te n d ed letter'' is prom ised. T h e Paris-Journal of th e 19th

M arch does in d eed contain a letter d ated L ondon, 28th F ebruary 1 8 7 1 and p u rp o rtin g to be signed by m e, the contents of which agree with the statem ent of y o u r co rresp o n d en t. I now beg to declare th at this letter is, from beg in n in g to end, an im p u d en t forgery.
D rafted by F. Engels on M arch 21, 1871 First published in The Times, No, 27017, M arch 22, 1871 as an item on M arxs letter R ep ro d u ced from E ngels d ra ft

The h

T h e re fe re n ce is to the o rd e r on m obilisation of July 16, 1870, re p o rte d in Times, No, 26805, July 18, 1870. Ed. Zeal. d. S tretch er-b earer, Ed.

J, T . D elane. d. b T h e State of Paris , The Times, No. 27012, M arch 16, 1871. Le G ra n d C hef de Iln te rn a tio n a le , Paris-Journal, No. 71, M arch 14, 1871. d. L ettre d u G ra n d C hef d e Iln te rn a tio n a le , Paris-Journal, No, 76, M arch 19, 1871. i

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S tatem en t by the G eneral C ouncil to th e E ditor of The Times

287

Karl Marx
[S T A T E M E N T BY T H E GENERAL C O U N C IL T O T H E E D IT O R O F T H E T I M E S AND O T H E R PAPERS]

having been held at G eneva an d B erne, the Prussian A m bassador in the chair, in which m eetings a plan was concocted to h a n d over Lyons to the u n ited Prussians a n d In tern atio n als fo r th e sake of com m on plunder."* Y ours respectfully,
J. George Eccarius,

G eneral Secretary of the In tern atio n al W orking M ens Association 256, H igh H olborn, M arch 22
W ritten o n M arch 21, 1871 A p p ro v ed at the m eeting of th e G eneral C ouncil on M arch 21, 1871' R e p ro d u ce d from The Times, ver ified w ith the G eneral C ouncils M inute Book

T O T H E E D IT O R O F T H E T IM E S

Sir, I am d irected by the G eneral C ouncil of the In tern atio n al W orking M ens Association to solicit your favour to publish the following in the colum ns of your jo u rn al: A statem ent has gone th e ro u n d of the English press th at the P ans m em bers of the In tern atio n al W orking M ens Association h ad m so fa r joined th e so-called A nti-G erm an L eague as to declare all G erm ans to be h en cefo rth excluded from o u r association. T his statem ent is the very reverse of fact. N eith er the F ederal C ouncil of o u r association in Paris, n o r any o f th e Paris sections re p resen te d by th at council, have ever passed any such resolution. T h e so-called A nti-G erm an League, as fa r as it exists at all is the exclusive w ork of the u p p e r an d m iddle classes: it was started by th e Jockey C lub/^ an d k ept u p by the adhesions o f th e Academ y, of th e Stock E xchange, of som e bankers a n d m an u factu rers, etc. T h e working-classes have n o th in g w hatever to do with it. T h e object of these calum nies is evident. A sh o rt tim e before th e o u tb reak of the late w ar th e In tern atio n al was m ade the gen eral scapegoat fo r all u ntow ard events. T his is now rep eated over again. W hile th e Swiss an d th e Prussian press accuses it of having created th e late outrages u p o n G erm ans in Zurich,*^ F rench p apers, such as the Courrier de Lyon, Courrier de la Gironde, L a Liberte, etc., tell of certain secret m eetings of Internationals
T h is statem en t entitled Les scrupules d e Iln te rn a tio n a le jvas first published in Parts-Joumal, No. 67, M arch 10, \ S 1 \ . Ed.

Published in The Times, No. 27018, M arch 23, 1871, in The Eastern Post, No. 130, M arch 25, 1871 a n d in o th e r press o rg an s o f th e In tern a tio n a l

^ O n lit dans le C o u rrie r d e L yon... , Courrier de la Gironde, M arch 14, 1871; O n lit dans le C o u rrie r de Lyon..., , Courrier de la Gironde, M arch 16, 1871; C h ro n iq u e des D e p arte m e n ts , La Liberte, M arch 18, 1871. Ed. I B efore its d espatch to th e E ditor of The Times, the statem en t was datelined M arch 22. Ed.

T o th e E ditorial B oards of Volksstaat a n d Zukunft

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288

Karl Marx
T O T H E E D IT O R IA L BOARDS O F T H E V O L K S S T A A T AND T H E Z U K U N F T '^ ^

additional correction suffers, how ever, from th e nuisance th at my frien d Serraillier, w ho is in L o ndon, an d myself h ad to co rresp o n d with each o th er in a ro u n d a b o u t way via Paris. T h e letter, as I have already explained in The Times?- is a brazen fake from beginning to end. T h a t sam e Paris-Journal an d o th er organs of Pariss good Press are sp read in g th e ru m o u r th at the F ederal C ouncil of the International in Paris has taken th e decision, which is n o t w ithin its com petence, to expel the G erm ans from th e In tern atio n al W orking M ens Association.' T h e L o ndon dailies hastily grabbed the welcome news and published it in malicious instigating leaders about the suicide of th e International at long last. U nfortunately, today The Tim es contains th e following an n o u n cem en t by the
General Council of the International W orking M en s Association:'^ A com m unication according to which the Paris m em bers of the

T O T H E E D IT O R IA L BOA RD O F T H E V O L K S S T A A T

T h e Paris-Joumal, one of th e m ost successful organs of the Paris police press, published an article in its M arch 14 issue, u n d e r the sensational h ead in g Le G ran d C hef de Iln te rn a tio n a le (G rand C h ef is probably the F rench translation of Stiebers H auptC h ef
H e , begins th e article, is, as everyone knows, a G erm an , w hat is even worse, a Prussian. H e calls him self K arl M arx, lives in B erlin," etc. Well now. I'h is Karl M arx is displeased w ith the beh av io u r o f th e F rench m em bers of the International. T h is in itself shows w hat h e is like. H e finds th a t they continually sp en d too m uch tim e dealing with politics a n d n o t e n o u g h with social questions. T h is is his opinion, he has fo rm u la ted it q uite categorically in a letter to his b ro th e r a n d frien d , Citizen Serraillier, one o f the Paris h igh priests o f th e International. M arx begs th e F rench m em bers, especially those affiliated to the Paris association, n o t to lose sight o f the fact th a t th e ir association has a single goal: to organise th e w ork a n d th e fu tu re of the w orkers societies. B ut p eople a re d isorganising the w ork ra th e r th a n organising it, a n d h e believes th a t th e o ffen d e rs m ust be re m in d ed again of th e associations rules. W e declare th a t we a re in a position to publish this rem arkable letter from M r. K arl M arx as soon as it is passed o n to th e m em bers of th e International."

In its issue of M arch 19, the Paris-Journal does indeed have a letter allegedly signed by m e ' which was im m ediately re p rin te d by th e whole of the reactionary press in Paris an d th en fo u n d its way into th e L ondon papers. In the m eantim e, how ever, the Paris-Journal has got wind of the fact th at I live in London an d not in Berlin. T h erefo re, it has m arked the letter as com ing from L o ndon this tim e, in contradiction to its first announcem ent. T his
Le G ran d C hef d e Iln te rn a tio n a le , Paris-Journal, No. 71, M arch 14, 1871. Ed. L ettre d u G ra n d C hef de Iln te rn a tio n a le , Paris-Joumal, No. 76, M arch 19, 1871. d.

In tern atio n al W orking M ens Association declared th at all G er m ans w ere to be expelled from th e International, th ereb y behaving in the m an n er of th e A nti-G erm an League, is doing th e ro u n d s in the English press. T h e com m unication stands in absolutely glaring contradiction to th e facts. N eith er th e F ederal C ouncil of o u r association in Paris n o r any of th e Paris sections th at it rep resen ts have ever d re am ed of taking such a decision. T h e so-called A nti-G erm an League, in so fa r as it exists at all, is exclusively the w ork of the aristocracy and th e bourgeoisie. It was b ro u g h t to life by the Jockey Club an d k ep t going with th e consent of the A cadem y, the Stock Exchange, some of th e bankers an d factory owners, an d so fo rth . T h e w orking class has never h ad anything to do with it. T h e pu rp o se of this calum ny is im m ediately obvious. Shortly before the recen t w ar broke out, the International h ad to be the scapegoat fo r all th e u n p o p u la r events. T h e sam e tactics are now being rep eated . W hile Swiss an d Prussian papers, e.g., are den o u n cin g it as th e o rig in ato r of th e injustices against th e G erm ans in Zurich, th e F rench papers, like th e Courrier de Lyon, th e Courrier de la Gironde, the Paris Liberte a n d so fo rth , are sim ultaneously re p o rtin g on certain secret m eetings of the Internationals in Geneva and Berne, under the chairmanship of the Prussian ambassador, at which th e plan is to be devised of h an d in g

3 See this volum e, p. 285. Ed. ^ Les scrupules de Iln te rn a tio n a le , Paris-Joumal, No. 67, M arch 10, 1871.-- -Ed. See this volum e, pp. 286-87. Ed.

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291

over Lyon to th e united Prussians an d the Internationals fo r the p u rp o se of jointly p lu n d erin g it. So m uch fo r the statem ent of the G eneral Council. It is quite n atu ra l th at th e im p o rtan t dignitaries and the ru lin g classes of the old society who can only m aintain th eir own pow er an d the exploitation of the productive masses of the people by national conflicts and- antagonism s, recognise th eir com m on adversary in the International W orking M e n s Association. A ll and any m eans are good to destroy it. L ondon, M arch 23, 1871
K arl M arx Secretary of the G eneral Council of the

Karl Marx
[T O T H E E D IT O R O F D E W E R K E R ]

In tern atio n al W orking M ens Association

fo r Germany

L o ndon, M arch 31, 1871 Citizen,

P ublished in the new spapers Der Volksslaat, No. 26, M arch 29, 1871, Die Zukunft, No. 73, M arch 26, 1871, L Egalite (in an abbreviated form ). No. 6, M arch 31, 1871, a n d in the m agazine Der Vorbote, No. 4, A pril 23, 1871

P rin ted according to Der Volksstaat

My so-called letter ad dressed to th e Paris m em bers of the In tern atio n al is quite simply, as I have already stated in The Tim es of th e 22nd M arch, a fabrication by th e Paris-Journal,' one of these d isreputab le pap ers spaw ned in th e im perialist g utter. M oreover, all th e organs of th e good p ress th ro u g h o u t E u ro p e have, so it seems, received th e o rd e r to em ploy falsification as th eir m ajor w eapon of w ar against the International. In th e eyes of these honest advocates of religion, o rd e r, th e family a n d p ro p e rty the crim e of falsification is n o t even a peccadillo. G reetings an d Fraternity,
K arl M arx
First published in the n ew spaper De Werker, No. 23, A pril 8, 1871 P rin ted according to th e m a n u script, verified with the new spaper T ran sla te d fro m the F rench Published in E nglish fo r th e first tim e

See this volum e, p. 285. Ed. * L ettre d u G ran d C hef de Iln te rn a tio n a le , Paris-Journal, No. 76, M arch 19, 1871.

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T o the E ditor of The Times

293

Karl Marx
T O T H E E D IT O R O F T H E T IM E S '^^

dignity of suprem e chief of th e Internationale, first bestowed u p o n m e by the Paris-Journal!' T h ese two w orthies n o tw ithstand ing, the G eneral C ouncil of th e In tern atio n al W orking M ens Association will, I am afraid, continue to transact its business w ithout the incum brance of eith er chief o r p re sid e n t. I have the h o n o u r to be. Sir, y o u r obediendy,
K arl M arx

L ondon, A pril 3
First published in The Times, No. 27028, A pril 4, 1871 a n d The Daily News, No. 7780, A pril 6, 1871 R ep ro d u ced fro m The Times

Sir, Will you allow m e to again in tru d e u p o n your colum ns in o rd e r to contradict w idely-spread falsehoods? A L om bard telegram , d ated Paris, M arch 30, contains an extract from th e G aulois ' which, u n d e r th e sensational heading, Alleged O rganization of the Paris R evolution in L o n d o n , has ad o rn ed the L o ndon p apers of S aturday last.' H aving d u rin g the late w ar successfully rivalled the Figaro an d the Paris-Journal in the concoction of M unchausiades th at m ade the Paris petite presse^ a byw ord all over the world, the Gaulois seems m o re th an ever convinced th at the new s-reading public will always cling to the ten et, Credo quia absurdum est.'^ B aron M unchausen him self, would he have u n d erta k en to organize at L ondon in the early p a rt of F eb ru ary , w hen M. T h iers did no t yet hold any official post, the in su rrection of th e 18th of M arch, called into life by th e attem p t of the sam e M. T h iers to disarm the Paris N ational G uard? N ot co ntent to send MM. Assi an d B lanqui on an im aginary voyage to L ondon, th ere to conspire with myself in secret conclave, the Gaulois adds to th at conclave two im aginary p erso n s one B entini, general agent fo r Italy, an d one Derm ott, general ag ent fo r E n g lan d . It also graciously confirm s the
T h e In tern a tio n a le a n d th e C o m m u n e , The Times, No. 27027, A pril 3, 1871; Cest parait-il, a L o n d res... , Le Gaulois, No. 997, M arch 31, 1871. Ed. See e. g. Alleged O rganization of th e Paris Revolution in L o n d o n , The Daily News, No. 7776, A pril 1, 1871. Yellow press. Ed. I believe because it is im possible (T ertullian, De came Christi 5, 4). Ed.

^ See Le G ra n d C hef de Iln te rn a tio n a le , Paris-Journal, No. 71, M arch 14, 1871. d.

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Frederick Engels
[ON T H E CIGAR-W ORKERS ST R IK E IN ANTW ERP]

Frederick Engels
[O U T L IN E O F AN APPEAL O F T H E GEN ERA L C O U N C IL T O T H E W EAVERS AND SPIN N ER S TR A D E U N IO N S O F M A N C H E ST ER FO R ASSISTANCE T O T H E SPA N ISH T E X T IL E W ORKERS STRIKE]

In A ntw erp 5 0 0 cigar-workers are o u t of work. T h e m a n u fa ctu r ers gave th em the choice: eith er to dissolve th e ir trad e union (which belongs to th e In tern atio n al W orking M ens Association) o r to be dism issed. Every one o f them w ithout exception decisively rejected this u n reasonable d em and, an d so th e m an u factu rers closed th eir w orkshops. T h e w orkers have fu n d s o f 6,000 Fr. (1,600 Talers); they have already established contact with the cigar-w orkers of H olland and E ngland an d any influx of w orkers fro m these countries is being p revented. From E ngland they are to receive fairly considerable financial aid. 1 7 6 (1,200 Talers) has already been sent, and fu rth e r assistance will be provided. Anyway, the A ntw erpers are only asking fo r an advance, since they say they are in a position to pay back any aid which they are given. If th e G erm an cigar-w orkers o r any o th e r tra d e unions are in a position to o ffer assistance to th eir b ro th ers in A ntw erp, it is to be h o p ed th a t they will n o t hold back. Rem ittances should be m ade to Ph. Coenen, B oom gaardsstraat 3, A ntw erp. B ut, at any rate, it is th eir du ty to stop G erm an cigar-w orkers m oving to A ntw erp as long as the m an u factu rers th ere insist on th eir dem ands.
W ritten on A pril 5, 1871 First published in Der Volksstaat, No. 30, A pril 12, 1871 P rin ted paper according to th e news

P ublished in English fo r th e first tim e

Messrs Batllo B ro th ers, B arcelona, own a large C otton spinning an d weaving concern an d em ploy ab out 900 w orkpeople. N o t only do they pay, by far, worse wages th a n any o th e r firm in th e trad e, b u t they have also condnually attem p ted to red u ce wages still m ore by supersed in g m en by w om en an d grow n u p people by children. Lately, they have w ithout exception discharged all such hands as w ere suspected of belonging to th e T ra d e s U nion of th e U nited C arders, Spinners an d W eavers. O n th e 26th F ebruary a large m eeting was held by th e m em bers of this U nion to consider the state of things in Messrs Batllos works. A new list of wages was unanim ously ad o p ted which, alth o u g h establishing a slight rise u p o n the prices h ith erto paid, was still very m uch below th e very lowest rates paid by others; an d a d ep u tatio n was ap p o in ted to d em an d the adoptio n of this list an d in case of this b eing refused, the people em ployed at th e mill w ere to strike work. T h e d ep u tatio n was n o t even received, Messrs B. refu sin g to receive any b u t a d ep u tatio n from th eir own w orkm en. T his fresh 'd e p u ta tio n subm itted th e new list of prices b u t m et with a flat refusal. T h e whole of th e w orkpeople at once struck, with the exception of about 25, m ost of w hom have since jo in ed th e strike. T his took place on the 27th February, a n d consequently, the h an d s have now been on strike fo r nearly nine weeks, a n d the fu n d s at the disposal of th e U nion are beg in n in g to ru n slow. T h e rem aining branches of th e In tern atio n al in Spain are do in g th eir best to collect m oney for them , b u t they have ju st now a good m any strikes to su p p o rt. N ot to m ention m in o r affairs, the coopers of S an tan d er an d th e T a n n e rs of Valencia are on strike because

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th eir m asters insist u p o n th eir giving u p th e ir T ra d e s U nions as well as th e In ternational; an d thus, th ere are altogether som e 1500 m en o u t at p resen t in Spain w hom the various branches of the In tern atio n al th e re have to support. B arcelona an d n eig h b o u rh o o d are the S outh L ancashire of Spain, th ere are large a n d n u m ero u s C otton S pinning and W eaving establishm ents th e re a n d th e g re ater p a rt o f the p o p ulation of this district lives u p o n the C otton T ra d e. T h ey have lately su ffered m uch from th e com petition of English yarns an d it w ould m ake a particularly good im pression in Spain if the L ancashire C otton T ra d e could do som ething in favour of the C otton S pinners an d Powerloom W eavers of Spain. T h e active and intim ate com m ercial relation betw een the d iffe ren t countries of th e w orld have led to this th at every event affecting society in one country necessarily produces its effects u p o n all o th er countries; an d it would n ot at all be astonishing if a general reduction of wages in the Spanish C otton T ra d e (such as ap p ears inevitable if this strike be unsuccessful) should in the long ru n contribute to keep wages low in South L ancashire also.
First published in: M arx a n d Engels, Works, First Russian E dition, Vol. XXVI, 1935 R ep ro d u ced from the m anuscript

Karl Marx and Frederick Engels

[R E SO L U T IO N O F T H E GENERAL C O U N C IL EX PELLIN G H E N R I LO U IS T O L A IN FROM T H E IN T E R N A T IO N A L W O R K IN G M EN S A SSO C IA T IO N ]

T h e G eneral C ouncil of th e I.W .M .A. C onsidering the resolution of th e F ederal C ouncil of th e Paris Sections expelling Citizen T olain from th e Association* because, after having been elected to th e N ational Assembly as a representative of th e W orking Classes, he has d eserted th eir cause in the m ost disgraceful m an n er; which resolution th e G eneral C ouncil is called u p o n to confirm ; C onsidering th at th e place of every F rench m em b er of the I.W .M .A. is u ndou b ted ly on th e side of th e C om m une of Paris a n d n o t in the u su rp a to ry a n d co u n ter-revolutionary Assembly of Versailles; C onfirm s the resolution of th e Paris F ederal C ouncil and declares th at Citizen T olain is expelled from th e I.W .M .A. T h e G eneral C ouncil was p rev en ted from taking action in this m atter sooner by th e fact th at th e above resolution of th e Paris F ederal C ouncil was laid b efo re them , in an au th en tic shape, on th e 25th A pril only.
W ritte n betw een A pril 22 a n d 25, 1871 A p p ro v ed at the m eeting of th e G eneral C ouncil o n A pril 25, 1871 Published in th e new spapers The Eastern Post, No. 135, A pril 29, 1871; L lnternationale. No. 122, May 14, 1871; Der Volksslaat, No. 42, May 24, 1871 and Vorbote, No. 7, July 1871 2 [Resolution o f th e F ederal C ouncil of the Paris Sections of th e I.W .M .A. expelling T olain] L a Revolution politique et sociale. No. 3, A pril 16, 1871. Ed. R e p ro d u ce d from th e m anuscript, verified w ith th e new spapers

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O nce A gain H e rr V ogt

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Frederick Engels
O N C E A G A IN HER R V O G T

Ever since th e A ugsburg C am paign of 1859 h ad b ro u g h t him such a so und drubbing,* H e rr V ogt ap p eared to have had his fill of politics. H e p u t all his energy into th e natu ral sciences w here he already h ad, in his own words, such asto u n d in g discoveries to his credit. T h u s, at the same tim e as K iichenm eister and L euckart h ad described the im m ensely com plex evolution of the intestinal w orm an d thereby m ade a really great advance in science, he h ad m ade the astounding discovery th at intestinal worm s fall into two classes: round-w orm s, which are ro u n d , and flat-worm s, which are flat. Now he has m ade an even g reater discovery beside the first one. T h e discovery of large n um bers of fossilised h u m an bones from pre-historic times h ad started a fashion fo r th e com parative study of th e skulls of d iffe ren t hu m an races. Skulls w ere m easured from every conceivable angle, the m easurem ents w ere com pared, they w ere discussed, b u t no conclusion was reached until Vogt, confident of victory as ever, an n o u n ced th e solution to th e riddle: all h u m an skulls fall into two classes, nam ely those which are long (dolichocephalic) an d those which are ro u n d e d (brachycephalic). W hat the m ost scrupulous an d diligent observers h ad no t achieved in the course of laborious studies over a period of years, was solved by V ogt by d in t o f the sim ple application of his w orm principle. If, in addition to these astou n d in g discoveries, we also m ention the discovery of a new species in the realm of political zoology, the discovery nam ely of th e B rim stone Gang,' even the least m odest person w ould have to allow th at Vogt had done as m uch as could be d o n e in a lifetime.

B ut th e g reat spirit of o u r V ogt was still restless. Politics retain ed its irresistible charm fo r th e m an who h ad already achieved so m uch in th e ale-houses. T h e w ounds from th e d ru b b in g of A n n o sixty h ad by now happily healed; M arxs Herr Vogt^ was n o long er obtainable in th e book shops, an d all th e ro tten scandals w ere long since d ead an d b u ried . O u r V ogt had u n d e rta k e n lecture to u rs an d received th e plaudits of th e G erm an Philistines, had sw aggered a ro u n d at every scientific conference, at all eth n o g rap h ic a n d an tiq u arian congresses, forcing his com pany on the tru e giants of science. C onsequently, he could again th in k him self respectable after a fashion, and believe him self called u p o n to coach the G erm an philistines, w hom h e h ad coached in scientific m atters, in political affairs as well. G reat events w ere underw ay: N apoleon le Petit' h ad capitulated at Sedan, the Prussians w ere at th e gates of Paris, B ism arck was d em an d in g Alsace a n d L orraine. It was h igh tim e fo r V ogt to m ake his weighty contribution. T his contribution was called: Carl Vogt s Political Letters to Friedrich Kolb, Biel, 1870. It consisted of twelve letters th at first a p p e are d in the V ienna Tages-Presse an d w ere re p rin te d in V ogts M oniteur, the Biel Handels-Courier}^ V ogt came o u t against the annexation an d against th e Prussianization of G erm any, an d he was furious th at in these views he was simply following in the footsteps of the hated Social-Democrats, i.e. the B rim stone Gang. T h e re is n o n eed to go into th e g eneral co n ten t of th e pam phlet, since V ogts opinion on such m atters is quite im m aterial. M oreover, the argu m en ts h e adduces are ju st those of th e m ost banal beer-swilling philistines with th eir political claptrap, except th at on this occasion V ogt reflects th e views of th e Swiss ra th e r th an the G erm an philistines. W hat interests us is solely the agreeable personality of H e rr V ogt him self as it winds its way th ro u g h its various phases an d transform ations. So, we take V ogts little p am p h let an d com pare it with th at o th er u n fo rtu n a te p ro d u c t of his p en, th e Studies on the Present Situation in Europe of 1859,'' th e after-effects of which h ad caused him so m uch distress fo r so long. H ere we find th at fo r all th e intellectual affinity betw een the two, for quite th e sam e slovenliness of his style on page 10 V ogt reaches his views with his own ea rs , and ears like th at m ust in deed be quite remarkable*^ we find th at H e rr V ogt today m aintains th e exact opposite of w hat he preach ed
In the year. Ed. See p re sen t edition, Vol. 17, pp. 21-329. Ed. A p u n : eig en e m eans o n e s ow n a n d also re m a rk ab le . Ed.

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eleven years ago. T h e Studies w ere in ten d ed to p ersu ad e the G erm an philistine th at G erm any h ad no interest in intervening in th e w ar th at Louis B o n ap arte p lan n ed against A ustria at th at time. T o this end, Louis B o naparte h ad to be re p resen te d as a Man A p p o in ted by D estiny , who was to liberate peoples, an d h ad to be d efen d ed against the c u rre n t attacks from R epublican q u arters and even from various bourgeois liberals. A nd the w ould-be R epubli can Vogt allows him self to descend to th is adm ittedly with an extrem ely bitter-sw eet expression a n d not w ithout people seeing how m uch it pained him , b u t he did so, nevertheless. Malicious tongues a n d m em bers of th e B rim stone G ang w anted to m aintain th at th e good Vogt only subm itted to all these belly-aches an d grim aces in re tu rn fo r w hat the English call a c o n s i d e r a t i o n , i.e. h a rd cash, from the B onapartist cam p. A nd in d eed all m an n er of suspicious things h ad occurred. V ogt had m ade offers of m oney to various people on condition th at they w ould su p p o rt his views in the press, i.e. th at they w ould praise Louis B o n ap artes liberationist intentions.^ H e rr Brass whose virtue is well know n to be above suspicion ever since h e took over the Norddeutsche AUgemeine Zeitung, publicly sp u rn e d the F rench feeding-trough V ogt wished to p u t before h im .' B ut we p re fe r to say no m ore about these disagreeable m atters an d instead surm ise th at V ogts belly-aches an d grim aces w ere his by n atu re. Now, in the m eantim e, the disaster of Sedan h ad taken place a n d with it everything has chan g ed fo r H e rr Vogt. T h e F rench liberator em p ero r him self is now treated with a certain reserve, an d all th at we learn about him is th at
the revolution was at his heels. Even w ithout the w ar th e E m pire w ould not have seen the New Y ear o f 1871 at the T uileries (p. 1).

have been u n ed u cated E ugenie with h e r d ra g o n s tail who was victorious. T h e progress can be seen. A n even worse fate is in store fo r th e d ra g o n s tail of Louis B onaparte, fo r it tu rn s o u t now th at he has one, too. A lready on p. 4 we find a referen ce to his terrible sq u an d erin g of th e resources of the E m p ire , an d on p. 16, to th e rabble th at stood at the h ead of th e Im perial arm y a n d ad m in istratio n . T his sq u an d erin g a n d this rabble w ere already fully a p p a re n t in 1859 an d long before. Vogt, who overlooked them at th e tim e, now sees them quite clearly. F u rth e r progress. B ut even this is not sufficient. Even th o u g h Vogt does n o t exactly abuse his erstw hile liberator, he still can n o t re frain from q u o tin g from a letter by a F rench scholar who writes:
If you have any influence at all, try to save us from th e w orst disgrace of all celle de ra m e n e r Iin fam e (that of b rin g in g the infamous one. Louis B onaparte, back). R a th e r H e n ri V, th e O rleans, a H ohen zo llern , anyone ra th e r th an this crowned Traupmann^^'^ who contaminates everything he touches" (p. 13),

B ut his wife! Ju st listen:

O f course, if E ugenie h a d been victorious (for this u n e d u ca te d Spanish w om an who can n o t even spell correctly, stands, o r ra th e r stood in the field with a n en tire d ra g o n s tail of fanatical priests a n d peasants beh in d her), if E ugenie h a d been victorious, the situation w ould fo r a m o m en t have becom e even m ore te rrib le th an a fte r th e Prussian victories, etc.

So, w hat it am ounts to is this: w hen the F rench defeated the A ustrians in 1859,' it was B o n ap arte the liberator w ho conquered; if they h ad been victorious over the Prussians in 1870, it would
C. Vogt, M ein Prozess gegen die AUgemeine Zeitung. Stenographischer Bericht, Dokumente und Erlduterungen, G eneva, 1859. Ed. N eues aus K a n to n e n , Neue Schweizer Zeitung, No. 11, N ovem ber 12 1859. <i

F or all that, how ever b ad th e E x-E m peror an d his u n ed u cated spouse with th eir respective d ra g o n s tails m ight be, V ogt consoles us th at at least one m em b er of th e family is an exception: Prince N apoleon, b etter know n by th e n am e of Plon-Plon. O f him V ogt says on p. 33 th at Plon-Plon him self told V ogt th at he would have no respect fo r th e South G erm ans if they w ere to act otherw ise (i.e. if they did n o t join in the w ar against the French); th at he was also convinced th at th e w ar would en d in failure and h ad m ade no secret of it. So, who w ould v en tu re to accuse V ogt of ingratitude? Is it n o t touching to see how th e rep u b lican extends a fratern al h an d to th e P rince even in m isfortune, and writes him a referen ce to which th e latter may appeal w hen the g reat com petition opens to find a rep lacem en t fo r th e infam ous one? In the Studies Russia a n d Russian politics are com m ended th ro u g h o u t. Since th e abolition of serfdom th e Russian Em pire has been an ally of th e liberation m ovem ent ra th e r th a n its o p p o n e n t ; Poland is well on th e way to m erg in g with Russia (as was dem o n strated by th e u p risin g of 1863!), an d V ogt thinks it perfectly n atu ral th at Russia should
form the stro n g po in t a ro u n d w hich the Slav nations strive increasingly to u n ite .

A nd the fact th at at th at time, in 1859, Russian policies and those of Louis N apoleon w ent h an d in h an d , was, of course, a g reat virtue in V ogts eyes. Now, however, all is c h a n g e d we now

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hear:
I d o n o t d o u b t fo r a m o m e n t th a t a conflict betw een the Slav a n d th e G erm anic w orld is im m in en t ... a n d th a t Russia will assum e th e lead ersh ip o f one side in it (pp. 30, 31).

the necessary and inexorable consequence of th e w ar of 1866 ! (P. 3.) H e com plains ab o u t th e policy of insatiable conquest p u rsu e d by Prussia which always bites at a p ro ffere d conquest like a shark at a piece of b aco n (p. 20).
N ow here have I ever seen a state a n d a p eople w ho so deserved this nam e (ro b b er state) as Prussia (p. 35).

A nd he goes on to arg u e that, afte r th e annexation of Alsace, F rance will im m ediately take the side of the Slavs in this conflict, a n d will even do everything possible to hasten the b reaking o u t of th e conflict in o rd e r to regain Alsace. T h u s, the sam e FrancoR ussian alliance th at h ad been deem ed a piece of good fo rtu n e fo r G erm any in 1859 is now held o u t as a b u g b ear a n d nightm are. B ut V ogt knows his G erm an philistine. H e knows h e can say any th in g to him an d even contradict him self a dozen times over. B ut we can t help asking ourselves how V ogt could have h ad the effro n tery eleven years previously to praise to th e skies an alliance betw een Russia a n d B onapartist F rance as th e best g u aran tee of th e free d ev elopm ent of G erm any a n d Europe? A nd as fo r Prussia! In the Studies Prussia is clearly given to u n d e rsta n d th at she should lend in direct su p p o rt to Louis N apo leo n s plans against A ustria an d confine herself to the d efence o f th e territo ry of th e G erm an C onfederation, a n d then she w ould receive h e r rew ard at the subsequent peace negotia tions in th e form of concessions in the N o rth G erm an plains . T h e fro n tiers of th e later N o rth G erm an C onfederation th e Erz gebirge, th e M ain an d the sea w ere already being held o u t to Prussia as bait even at this tim e. A nd in the Postscript to the second edition which ap p e are d d u rin g the Italian W ar, at a tim e w hen th e flam es w ere already licking at the B onapartists fingernails an d th ere was n o tim e to be wasted on circum locutions a n d figures of speech, V ogt suddenly bursts o u t with the candid d em ands th at Prussia launch a civil w ar in G erm any in o rd e r to set u p a u n ified central gov ern m en t an d in co rp o rate G erm any into P russia such a unification of G erm any w ould n o t cost as m any weeks as th e w ar in Italy w ould cost m onths. Well an d good. Exactly seven years later, an d likewise in ag reem en t with Louis N apoleon, Prussia acts precisely in accordance with the B o n ap art ist insinuations m echanically echoed by Vogt; she plunges into a civil war, seizes h e r rew ard in the N o rth G erm an plains in the m eantim e, establishes a unified central gov ern m en t at least fo r the N o rth an d w hat does H e rr V ogt do? H e rr V ogt suddenly comes u p to us, w hining an d bew ailing the fact th at the w ar of 1870 was
C. V ogt, Studien zur gegenwdrtigen Lage Europas, G eneva a n d B erne, 1859. Ed.

H e deplores th e inco rp o ratio n of G erm any into Prussia as the greatest m isfortune th at could h a p p e n to G erm any a n d E u ro p e (Letters 8 and 9). So, th a ts w hat B ism arck gets for following V ogts advice, a n d th a ts w hat V ogt gets for offerin g advice to Bism arck. T h u s far, all seem ed to be going fine for o u r V ogt fo r the present. T h e old scandals really had been fo rg o tten by the Philistines, the Studies w ere long since d ead a n d buried . Vogt could again p resen t him self as a respectable citizen an d a passable dem ocrat, an d h e could even flatter him self th a t his Political Letters w ere help in g to stem th e tide of ord in ary philistinism in G erm any. Even the fatal coincidence of his views with those of th e Social-Democrats on th e annexation issue could only re d o u n d to his credit: since V ogt h ad n o t gone over to th e B rim stone Gang, the B rim stone G ang m ust have gone over to Vogt! B ut all at once a narrow , thin line catches th e eye in the recently published ap p ro p riatio n s lists of th e secret fu n d s of Louis N apoleon:
V ogt il lui a ete rem is en A out 1859 ... frs 4 0,000. V ogt in A ugust 1859 has been sent a rem ittance of 40,000 francs. =

Vogt? W ho is Vogt? W hat a m isfo rtu n e fo r V ogt th at the description was no t m ore specific! H ad it said, Professor Karl V ogt in Geneva, giving th e n am e of th e street an d th e n u m b er of his house, V ogt could have said: I ts n o t m e, its my b ro th er, my wife, my eldest so n anyone b u t m e b u t as things stand! Ju st plain V ogt w ithout title, first nam e, ad d ress well, th at can only be the one Vogt, the w orld-fam ous scholar, th e g reat discoverer of the round-w orm s a n d th e flat-worm s, of th e long skulls a n d th e short skulls, an d of the B rim stone G ang, th e m an whose re p u tatio n is so well know n, even to th e police adm inistering th e secret fu n d , th at any m ore detailed description would be superfluous! A nd th e n is th e re any o th er Vogt who could have re n d e re d such services to the B onapartist govern m en t in 1859 th at it should have paid him 40,000 francs in the A ugust of th at year {and Vogt just happened to be in Paris at the time)? T h a t you re n d e re d th e services, H e rr Vogt, is public
Papiers el correspondance de la famille imperiale. Edition collationnee su r le texte de rim p rim erie Rationale. T . 2. Paris, 1871. Ed.

12-1232

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knowledge. Y our Studies are th e p ro o f o f it. T h e first edition of those Studies cam e o u t in the spring, the second a p p e are d in the sum m er. You yourself have adm itted th at you o ffered m any people m oney to act in the B o n apartist interests from A pril 1, 1859 until well into the su m m er of th at year.=* I n A u g u st 1859, after the war had come to an end, you were in Paris an d are we now supposed to believe th at the Vogt to whom B o n ap arte paid o u t 40,000 francs in A ugust 1859 was an o th er, wholly unknow n Vogt? Im possible. W e swear by all round-w orm s an d flat-worm s: until you can prove the opposite to us, we m ust assum e th at you are the V ogt in question. B ut you will p erh ap s say, th at is an assertion based on noth in g b u t th e w ord of the p resen t F rench governm ent, th at is to say, of th e m em bers of the C om m une, o r w hat am ounts to th e same thing, th e com m unists, also know n as th e B rim stone Gang. W ho can believe such people? B ut the answ er to this is th at the publication o f th e Correspondence and papers o f the Im perial fam ily was arran g e d by the Government o f N ational Defence, whose official act it is fo r which it takes responsibility. A nd w hat was your opinion of this governm ent, of Jules Favre, T ro ch u , etc.?
T h e m en w ho have been exp ed ited to th e top, a re second to no one in their intelligence, en erg y a n d tested prin cip les b u t they can n o t achieve th e im possible.

So, we have arrived back to o u r beloved worm s, th e w ood worm s in this case. T o which class do they belong, to th e round-w orm s o r th e flat-worms? W ho could resolve this riddle? O nly you, H e rr Vogt, an d you resolve it in reality. A ccording to the Correspondence etc., you are yourself one of th e w ood-w orm s an d have help ed to consum e th e outgoings of th e secret b u d g e t to th e tu n e of 40,000 francs. A nd th at you are a ro u nd-v/orm is evident to everyone w ho knows you.
W ritten not later th an May 4, 1871 First published in Der Volksstaat, No. 38, May 10, 1871 P rin ted paper according to th e new s

P ublished in E nglish fo r th e first tim e

T h a t is w hat you say on p. 52. No, H e rr Vogt, they cannot achieve th e im possible, bu t they could at least have suppressed y o u r n am e in g ratitu d e fo r your w arm recognition, som ething which it has rarely been th eir lot to receive! But, as you yourself p oint out, H e rr Vogt, M oney is still the equivalent of the dam age which the individual suffers to his p e rso n (p. 24), an d if your w orthy person has suffered any d am ag e , hopefully only m o ral dam age, in consequence of y o u r political som ersaults of 1859, you can at least console yourself with th e equivalent . W hen the alarm s of w ar broke loose last sum m er you w ere
convinced th a t th e e n tire p e rfo rm a n ce o f th e F ren ch G overnm ent was designed to conceal th e trem en d o u s sq u a n d e rin g o f the resources o f th e E m pire by p re te n d in g w ar prep aratio n s. U n d e r Louis P hilipp it was th e wood-worm th a t was called u p o n to p e rfo rm th e sam e function: all th e outgoings of th e secret b u d g e t w ere a ttrib u te d to th e tim b er account of th e navy. U n d e r the E m pire the w ood-w orm s of the e n tire globe w ould n o t have sufficed to conceal th e d eficit (P- 4).

V o g ts letter o f A pril 21, 1871 entitled A n die R edaktion des schweiz. H an d els-C o u riers , Schweizer Handels-Courier, No. 113, A pril 23, 1871.

Karl Marx
T H E C IV IL WAR IN FRANCE
ADDRESS O F T H E G EN ERA L C O U N C IL O F T H E IN T E R N A T IO N A L W O R K IN G M EN S A S S O C IA T IO N >63

THE

CIVIL WAR IN FRANC

ADDRESS
OF

THE GENERAL COUNCIL

OP THE

INTERNATIONAL WGRKING-IENS ASSOCIATION.

THI RD EDI TI ON, R E V I S E D .

Printed and Published for the Council by EDWARD TRUELOVE, 256, HIGH HOLBORN. 1871.
W ritten betw een th e m iddle of A pril a n d th e e n d of May 1871 Published as a p am p h le t in L o n d o n in the m iddle of Ju n e 1871 a n d in various E u ro p ea n countries a n d the USA in 1871 a n d 1872 R e p ro d u ce d from the th ird E n g lish edition of 1871, verified with th e text of the G erm an editions of 1871 a n d 1891

Price Twopence.
T h e title-page of the th ird English edition of The C ivil War in France

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T O ALL T H E M EM BERS O F T H E A S S O C IA T IO N IN E U R O PE A N D T H E U N IT E D ST A T E S

O n the 4th of S eptem ber, 1870, w hen th e w orking m en of Paris proclaim ed th e Republic, w hich was alm ost instantaneously ac claim ed th ro u g h o u t France, w ithout a single voice of dissent, a cabal o f place-hunting barristers, with T h iers fo r th eir statesm an a n d T ro c h u fo r th e ir general, took hold of th e H otel d e Ville. At th at tim e they w ere im bued with so fanatical a faith in th e mission of Paris to re p resen t France in all epochs of historical crisis, that, to legitim ate th eir u su rp e d tides as G overnors of France, they th o u g h t it quite sufficient to p ro d u ce th eir lapsed m andates as representatives of Paris. In o u r second address on the late W ar, five days afte r the rise of these m en, we told you who they were.'* Yet, in the turm oil of surprise, with th e real leaders of the w orking class still sh u t u p in B onapartist prisons a n d th e Prussians already m arching u p o n Paris, Paris bo re with th eir assum ption of pow er, on the express condition th at it was to be w ielded fo r th e single p u rp o se of national defence. Paris, how ever, was n o t to be d efen d ed w ithout arm in g its w orking class, organizing th em into an effective force, a n d train in g th eir ranks by th e w ar itself. B ut Paris arm ed was th e R evolution arm ed. A victory of Paris over the Prussian aggressor w ould have been a victory of th e F rench w orkm an over the F rench capitalist a n d his State parasites. In this/ conflict betw een national d uty an d class interest, th e G overnm ent of N ational D efence did n o t hesitate one m o m en t to tu rn into a G overnm ent of N ational Defection. T h e first step they took was to send T h iers on a roving to u r to all the courts of E urope, th ere to beg m ediation by offerin g the
See this volum e, p. 268. Ed.

The C ivil War in France. I

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b a rte r of th e R epublic fo r a king. F our m onths afte r tHe com m encem ent of the siege, w hen they th o u g h t the o p p o rtu n e m om ent com e fo r breaking the first w ord of capitulation, T ro ch u , in th e presence of Jules Favre an d others of his colleagues, ad dressed th e assem bled m ayors of Paris in these term s:
T h e first question p u t to m e by m y colleagues on the very evening of th e 4th of S eptem ber was this: Paris, can it, with any chance of success stand a siege by the Prussian arm y? I d id n o t hesitate to answ er in the negative. Som e o f m y colleagues h e re p re sen t will w a rra n t the tru th of m y w ords a n d th e persistence of m y opinion. I told them , in these very term s, that, u n d e r th e existing state of things, the a ttem p t of Paris to hold o u t a siege by the Prussian arm y, w ould be a folly. W ithout d o u b t, I ad d ed , it w ould be a n heroic folly; b u t th a t w ould be all.... T h e events (m anaged by him self) have n o t given the lie to my prevision.

Susane, general of division of artillery, a corresp o n d en ce pubhshed by the Journal officiel of th e C om m une ). T h e m ask of im posture was at last d ro p p e d on th e 28th of Jan u ary , 1871.'^ W ith the tru e hei-oism of u tte r self-debasem ent, th e G overnm ent of N ational Defence, in th eir capitulation, cam e o u t as the G overnm ent of F rance by B ism arcks p riso n ers a p a rt so base th at Louis B on ap arte him self h ad, at Sedan, sh ru n k from accepting it. A fter th e events of th e 18th of M arch, on th eir wild flight to Versailles, the capitulards'^^^ left in th e h an d s of Paris the docum entary evidence of th eir treason, to destroy which, as the C om m une says in its m anifesto to th e provinces,
those m en w ould n o t recoil from b a tte rin g Paris in to a h e ap of ru in s w ashed by a sea of b lo o d . '

T his nice little speech of T ro c h u was afterw ards published by M. C orbon, one of the m ayors present. T h u s, on th e very evening of the proclam ation of the Republic, T ro c h u s p la n was know n to his colleagues to be th e capitulation of Paris. If national defence h ad been m ore th an a p re te x t fo r the personal go v ernm ent of T hiers, Favre, & Co., the upstarts of the 4 th of S eptem ber w ould have abdicated on the 5 th w ould have initiated th e Paris people into T ro c h u s p lan , an d called u p o n them to s u rre n d e r at once, o r to take th eir own fate into th eir own hands. In stead of this, the infam ous im postors resolved u p o n cu rin g th e heroic folly of Paris by a regim en of fam ine an d broken heads, an d to d u p e h e r in the m eanw hile by ra n tin g m anifestoes, holding fo rth th at T ro ch u , the G overnor of Paris, will never cap itu late, * and Jules Favre, the F oreign M inister, will not cede an inch of o u r territory, n o r a stone of o u r fortresses. ' In a letter to G am betta, th at very sam e Jules Favre avows th at w hat they were d efen d in g against w ere no t the Prussian soldiers, b u t the w orking m en of Paris. D uring the whole continuance of the siege th e B onapartist cut-throats, whom T ro c h u had wisely intrusted with th e com m and of the Paris arm y, exchanged, in th eir intim ate correspondence, ribald jokes at the w ell-understood m ockery of defence (see, for instance, the correspondence of A lphonse Simon G uiod, su p rem e co m m ander of th e artillery of the A rm y of Defence of Paris an d G ran d Cross of the Legion of H o n o u r, to
Paris au jo u r le jo u r , Le Figaro, No. 74, M arch 19, 1871. Ed. L. J. T ro ch u , [Proclam ation aux h abitants d e Paris. Paris, 6 jan v ier 1871], Journal officiel (Paris), No. 7, Ja n u a ry 7, 1871. Ed. J. Favre, C irculaire adressee aux agents diplom atiques de France... Le 6 septem bre 1870 , Journal officiel (Paris), No. 246, S eptem ber 7, 1870. Ed.

T o be eagerly b en t u p o n such a consum m ation, some of the leading m em bers of th e G o vernm ent of D efence h ad, besides, m ost peculiar reasons of th eir own. S hordy after th e conclusion of th e arm istice, M. M illiere, o ne of the representatives of Paris to th e N ational Assembly, now shot by express o rd e r of Jules Favre, published a series of au th en tic legal d o c u m e n t s i n p ro o f th at Jules Favre, living in concubinage with the wife of a d ru n k a rd resid en t at Algiers,'' h ad, by a m ost d arin g concoction of forgeries, spread over m any years, contrived to grasp, in the nam e of th e ch ildren of his adultery, a large succession, which m ade him a rich m an, an d th at, in a lawsuit u n d erta k en by th e legitim ate heirs, he only escaped expo su re by the connivance of th e B o n apartist tribunals. As these d ry legal docum ents w ere n o t to be got rid of by any am o u n t of rhetorical horse-pow er, Jules Favre, fo r th e first tim e in his life, held his tongue, quietly aw aiting the outb reak of th e civil war, in o rd e r, then, frantically to den o u n ce the people of Paris as a b an d of escaped convicts in u tte r revolt against family, religion, o rd e r, and pro p erty . T his sam e fo rg er h ad hardly got into pow er, afte r the ,4 th of S eptem ber, w hen he sym pathetically let loose u p o n society Pic a n d T aillefer, convicted, even u n d e r th e E m pire, of forgery, in the scandalous affair of th e Etendard}^^ O ne of these m en, T aillefer, having d ared to re tu rn to Paris u n d e r th e C om m une,
See Le G ou v ern em en t de la D efense n a tio n a le . La Situation, No. 189, A pril 29, 1 8 7 1 .^ (i. M anifeste , Le Vengeur, No. 30, A pril 28, 1871. Ed. See J.-B. E, Milliere, Le F aussaire , Le Vengeur, No. 6, F eb ru ary 8, 1871. <i. Jea n n e C h a rm o n t, w ho lived sep arate from h e r h u sb a n d V ern ier. Ed.

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was at once rein stated in prison; an d th en Jules Favre exclaim ed, from th e trib u n e of th e N ational Assembly, th at Paris was setting free all h e r jailbirds! E rn est Picard, the Joe Miller of the G overnm ent of N ational D efence, who ap pointed him self Finance M inister of the R epublic afte r having in vain striven to becom e th e H om e M inister of the E m pire, is th e b ro th e r of one A rth u r Picard, an individual expelled from the Paris B ourse as a blackleg (see re p o rt of the P refectu re of Police, dated 31st July, 1867), a n d convicted, on his own confession, of a th eft of 300,000 francs, while m anager of one of th e branches of the Societe Generale,^^' ru e Palestro, No. 5 (see re p o rt of th e P refectu re of Police, 11th D ecem ber, 1868).'= This A rth u r Picard was m ade by E rnest Picard the editor of his paper, L Electeur libre. W hile the com m on ru n of stockjobbers w ere led astray by the official lies of this Finance-O ffice p ap er, A rth u r was ru n n in g backw ards an d forw ards betw een the Finance Office and th e B ourse, th ere to discount the disasters o f the F rench arm y. T h e whole financial correspondence of th at w orthy pair of b ro th ers fell into th e h ands of th e C om m une. Jules Ferry, a penniless b arriste r before the 4th of S eptem ber, contrived, as M ayor of Paris d u rin g the siege, to job a fo rtu n e ou t of fam ine. T h e day on which he w ould have to give an account of his m aladm inistration would be th e day of his conviction. T h ese m en, then, could find, in the ruins of Paris only, their tickets-of-leave*: they w ere the very m en Bism arck w anted. W ith th e h elp of some shuffling of cards, T hiers, h ith erto th e secret p ro m p te r of th e G overnm ent, now a p p e are d at its head, with the ticket-of-leave m en fo r his M inisters. T h iers, th at m onstrous gnom e, has charm ed the F rench bourgeoisie fo r alm ost half a century, because h e is the m ost consum m ate intellectual expression o f th eir own class-corruption. B efore h e becam e a statesm an he h ad already proved his lying powers as an historian. T h e chronicle of his public life is the reco rd of th e m isfortunes of France. B anded, before 1830, with the Republicans, he slipped into office u n d e r Louis Philippe by betraying his p ro tecto r Laffitte, ingratiating him self with the king by exciting m ob-riots against the clergy, d u rin g which the church
* In E ngland com m on crim inals, a fte r serving the g re a te r p a rt of th e ir term s, are often given t i c k e t s -o f -LEA v e a u th o risin g them to live u n d e r th e surveillance o f the police. T h ey are called t i c k e 'I^ o f -l e a v e m e n . (Engels'Note to the 1871 German edition.) T h e 1871 a n d 1891 G erm an editions have K arl V ogt instead of Joe M iller a n d th e 1871 F rench edition has F alstaff . Ed. I See Le Sieur P ic ard , La Situation, No. 168, A pril 4, 1871.

of Saint G erm ain IA uxerrois a n d th e A rchbishops palace were p lu n d ere d , an d by acting th e m inister-spy u p o n , an d th e jail-accoucheur of, the Duchess de B e r r y . T h e m assacre of th e R epublicans in th e Rue T ran sn o n ain , an d th e subsequent infa m ous laws of S eptem ber against th e press an d th e rig h t of association, w ere his w o rk . R eap p earin g as th e chief of the C abinet in M arch, 1840, he astonished F rance with his plan of fortifying Paris.' T o th e R epublicans, who d en o u n ced this plan as a sinister plot against th e liberty of Paris, he replied from the trib u n e of the C h am b er of D eputies:
W hat! to fancy th a t any w orks of fortification could ever e n d a n g e r liberty! A nd first of all you calum niate any possible G o v ern m en t in supposing th a t it could som e day a tte m p t to m ain tain itself by b o m b ard in g the capital;... b u t th at g o v e rn m e n t w ould be a h u n d re d tim es m o re im possible a fte r its victory th an b e fo re .

In d eed , no G ov ern m en t would ever have d ared to bo m b ard Paris from th e forts, b u t th at G o vernm ent which h ad previously su rre n d e re d these forts to th e Prussians. W hen King Bom ba tried his h a n d at Palerm o,'^' in Jan uary, 1848, T hiers, then long since o u t of office, again rose in the C ham ber of D eputies:
You know, g e n d em en , w hat is h a p p e n in g at Palerm o. You, all o f you, shake with h o r r o r (in the parliam en tary sense) on h e arin g th a t d u rin g forty-eight ho u rs a large tow n has been b o m b a rd e d by whom ? W as it by a fo reig n enem y exercising the rights of war? N o, gentlem en, it was by its own G overnm ent. A n d why? Because th a t u n fo rtu n a te town d e m a n d ed its rights. Well, th en , for th e d e m a n d of its rights it has got forty-eight h o u rs of bo m b ard m en t.... Allow m e to appeal to the opinion o f E urope. It is d o in g a service to m ankind to arise, a n d to m ake Reverberate, from w hat is p e rh ap s th e greatest trib u n e in E u ro p e, som e w o rd s (indeed w ords) of indig n atio n against such acts.... W hen the R egent E spartero, who had re n d e re d services to his c o u n try , (which M. T h ie rs n ev er did) in te n d e d b o m b ard in g B arcelona, in o rd e r to su p p ress its in su rre c tio n ,'th e re arose from all p arts of the w orld a general outcry o f in d ig n a tio n . * *

E ighteen m onths afterw ards, M. T h iers was am ongst th e fiercest d'efenders of th e b o m b ard m en t of Rom e by a F rench a rm y .' ^^ In fact, the fault of K ing Bom ba seems to have consisted in this only, th at he lim ited his b o m b ard m en t to forty-eight hours. A few days before th e Revolution of F ebruary, frettin g at the long exile from place an d pelf to which Guizot had co n d em n ed him , an d sniffing in th e air the scent of an ap p ro ach in g p o p u lar
L. A. T h ie rs speech at the sitting of the C h am b er of D eputies, on Ja n u a ry 13, 1841, Le Vengeur, No. 14, A pril 12, 1871. Ed. L. A. T h ie rs speech at the sitting of th e C h am b er of D eputies o n Ja n u a ry 31, 1848, Le Rappel, No. 673, A ptil 17, 1871; Le Vengeur, No. 21, A pril 19, 1871.

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com m otion, T h iers, in th at pseudo-heroic style which won him the nicknam e of Mirabeau-mouche, declared to th e C ham ber of D eputies:
I am of th e p a rty of R evolution, n o t only in France, b u t in E u ro p e. I G ov ern m en t of th e R evolution to re m a in in the h a n d s of m o d era te m en th a t G o v ern m en t should fall in to th e h an d s of a rd e n t m inds, even in to Radicals, I shall, fo r all that, n o t d e se rt m y cause. I shall always be of th e the R evolution. wish the ... b u t if those of p arty of

T h e R evolution of F ebruary came. Instead of displacing the G uizot C abinet by the T h iers C abinet, as th e litde m an had d ream t, it su p ersed ed Louis Philippe by the Republic. O n the first day of th e p o p u lar victory h e carefully hid him self, forgetting that the co n tem p t of th e w orking m en screened him from th eir hatred. Still, with his legendary courage, h e co ntinued to shy the public stage, until th e Ju n e massacres'* h ad cleared it fo r his sort of action. T h e n he becam e th e leading m ind of the Party of O rd e r a n d its Parliam entary Republic, th at anonym ous in te r reg n u m , in which all the rival facdons of the ru lin g class conspired to g eth er to cru sh the people, an d conspired against each o th er to resto re each of them its own m onarchy. T h e n , as now, T hiers d en o u n ced th e R epublicans as the only obstacle to th e consolida tion of th e Republic; th en , as now, he spoke to the R epublic as the h an g m an spoke to D on C arlos I shall assassinate thee, b u t fo r thy own go o d . Now, as then, he will have to exclaim on the day afte r his victory: L Em pire est fa it th e E m pire is consum m ated. D espite his hypocritical hom ilies about necessary liberties and his personal g ru d g e against Louis B onaparte, who h ad m ade a d u p e of him , an d kicked o u t p arliam entarism a n d outside of its factitious atm o sp here the little m an is conscious of w ithering into no th in g n ess he h ad a h a n d in all th e infam ies of the Second E m pire, from th e occupation of R om e by F rench troops to the war with Prussia, which he incited by his fierce invective against G erm an u n ity no t as a cloak of Prussian despotism , b u t as an en cro ach m en t u p o n the vested rig h t of F rance in G erm an disunion. F ond of brandishing, with his dw arfish arm s, in the face of E u ro p e th e sw ord of th e first N apoleon, whose historical shoe-black he h ad becom e,' his foreign policy always culm inated in the u tte r hum iliation of France, from th e L ondon convention of 1840' to the Paris capitulation of 1871, a n d th e p resen t civil war,
L. A. T h ie rs speech a t the sitting of th e C h am b er o f D eputies on F ebruary 2, 1848, Le Moniteur universel. No. 34, F ebruary 3, 1848. Ed. * > T h e refe re n ce is to T h ie rs books Histoire de la Revolution franiaise a n d Histoire du Consulat et de I Empire. Ed.

w here he h o u n d s on th e prisoners of Sedan a n d Metz against Paris by special perm ission of B ism arck.'D espite his versatility of talen t an d shiftiness of pu rp o se, this m an has his whole lifetim e been w edded to th e m ost fossil ro u tin e. It is self-evident th at to him the d e e p e r u n d er-cu rren ts of m o d ern society rem ain ed for ever h idden; b u t even th e m ost palpable changes on its surface w ere ab h o rre n t to a b rain all th e vitality of which h ad fled to the tongue. T h u s h e n ever tired of d en o u n cin g as a sacrilege any deviation from th e old F rench protective system. W hen a m inister of Louis Philippe, he railed at railways as a wild chim era; an d w hen in opposition u n d e r Louis B o naparte, he b ra n d ed as a pro fan atio n every attem p t to refo rm th e ro tten F rench arm y system. N ever in his long political career has h e been guilty of a single even the sm allest m easure of any practical use. T h iers was consistent only in his g reed fo r w ealth a n d his h a tre d o f th e m en th at pro d u ce it. H aving en tered his first m inistry u n d e r Louis Philippe p o o r as Job, he left it a m illionaire. His last m inistry u n d e r the sam e king (of th e 1st of M arch, 1840) exposed him to public taunts of peculation in the C h am b er of D eputies, to which h e was content to reply by tears a com m odity he deals in as freely as Jules Favre, o r any o th e r crocodile. A t B ordeaux^ his first m easure fo r saving France from im p en d in g financial ru in was to endow him self with th ree millions a year,** th e first an d th e last w ord of the Econom ical R epublic, th e vista of which he h ad op en ed to his Paris electors in 1869. O ne of his fo rm e r colleagues of the C ham ber of D eputies of 1830, him self a capitalist and, nevertheless, a devoted m em b er of th e Paris C om m une, M. Beslay, lately addressed T h iers th u s in a public placard:
T h e enslavem ent o f lab o u r by capital has always been the co rn er-sto n e of your policy, a n d fro m th e very day you saw th e R epublic of L ab o u r installed at the H otel d e Ville, you have nev er ceased to cry o u t to France: T h ese a re crim inalsl

A m aster in small state ro g uery, a virtuoso in p erju ry and treason, a craftsm an in all th e petty stratagem s, cu n n in g devices, a n d base perfidies of P arliam entary party-w arfare; n ever scrupl ing, w hen o u t of office, to fan a revolution, an d to stifle it in blood w hen at tlie helm of th e State; with class prejudices standing him in the place of ideas, an d vanity in th e place of a h eart; his private life as infam ous as his public life is o d io u s even now, w hen
T h e 1891 G erm an edition has in 1871 . Ed. b All the G o v ern m en t officials... , The Daily News, No. 7763, M arch 18, 1871. Ed. Ch. Beslay, A u citoyen T h ie rs... , Le Mot d Ordre, No. 64, A pril 28, 1871. <i.

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playing the p art, of a F rench Sulla, he canno t help setting off the abom ination of his deeds by the ridicule of his ostentation. T h e capitulation of Paris, by su rre n d e rin g to Prussia n o t only Paris, b u t all France, closed th e long-continued intrigues of treaso n with th e enem y, which the u su rp e rs of th e 4th S eptem ber h ad beg u n , as T ro c h u him self said, on th at very sam e day. O n th e o th e r h an d , it initiated th e civil w ar they w ere now to wage, with th e assistance of Prussia, against the R epublic a n d Paris. T h e tra p was laid in the very term s of th e capitulation. At th at tim e above o n e-th ird of th e territo ry was in the hands of th e enem y, th e capital was cut off from the provinces, all com m unications w ere disorganized. T o elect u n d e r such circum stances a real re p resen tatio n of F rance was im possible, unless am ple tim e w ere given fo r p rep aratio n . In view of this, the capitulation stipulated th at a N ational Assembly m ust be elected w ithin eight days; so th at in m any p arts of F rance th e news of th e im p en d in g election arrived on its eve only. T his Assembly, m oreover, was, by an express clause of the capitulation, to be elected fo r the sole p u rp o se of deciding on peace o r war, and, eventually, to conclude a treaty of peace.' T h e population could no t bu t feel th at the term s of th e arm istice re n d e re d th e continuation of the war im possible, a n d th at fo r sanctioning the peace im posed by Bism arck, th e w orst m en in F rance w ere the best. B ut not content w ith these precautions, T hiers, even before th e secret of the arm istice h ad been broached to Paris, set o u t fo r an electioneering to u r th ro u g h th e provinces, th e re to galvanize back into life the Legitim ist p a rty ,' which now, along with the O rleanists, h ad to take th e place of th e th en im possible B onapartists. H e was no t afraid of them . Im possible as a g o v ernm ent of m o d ern France, and, th erefo re, contem ptible as rivals, w hat p arty w ere m ore eligible as tools of counter-revolution than the party whose action, in th e w ords of T h iers him self (C ham ber of D eputies, 5th Jan u ary , 1833),
had always b een confined to th e th re e resources o f foreign invasion, civil w ar, and a n arc h y ?'*

T h ey verily believed in the advent of th eir long-expected retrospective m illennium . T h e re w ere th e heels of foreign invasion
See Paris au jo u r le jo u r , Le Figaro, No. 74, M arch 19, 1871. Ed. See Convention entre VAllemagne et la France pour la suspension des hostilites ei la capitulation de Paris; signee a Versailles, le 28 janvier 1871, art. 2. Ed. T h e 1871 a n d 1891 G erm an editions have re ac tio n . Ed. C ited in La Tribune de Bordeaux, A pril 25, 1871. Ed.

tram pling u p o n France; th e re was th e dow nfall of an E m pire, and the captivity of a B on ap arte; an d th e re they w ere them selves. T h e wheel of history had evidendy rolled back to stop at th e cham bre introuvable of 1816.' In th e Assemblies of th e Republic, 1848 to 51, they h ad been re p resen te d by th eir ed u cated an d train ed Parliam entary cham pions; it was th e rank-and-file of th e p arty which now ru sh ed in all th e P ourceaugnacs of France. As soon as this assembly of R urals had m et at Bordeaux,* T h iers m ade it clear to th em th at th e peace prelim inaries m ust be assented to at once, w ithout even th e h o n o u rs of a Parliam entary debate, as the only condition on which Prussia would p erm it them to op en the w ar against the R epublic an d Paris, its stronghold.* T h e counter-revolution h ad, in fact, no tim e to lose. T h e Second E m pire h ad m ore th an d oubled th e national debt, a n d p lu n g ed all the large towns into heavy m unicipal debts. T h e w ar h ad fearfully swelled the liabilities, a n d mercilessly ravaged th e resources of th e nation. T o com plete th e ru in , th e Prussian Shylock was th e re with his b o n d fo r the keep of half a million of his soldiers on F rench soil, his indem nity of five m illiards, an d in terest at 5 p er cent on the u n p aid instalm ents thereof.* W ho was to pay th e bill? It was only by the violent overthrow of th e R epublic th at the ap p ro p riators of w ealth could h o p e to shift on to th e shoulders of its p ro d u cers th e cost of a w ar which they, th e ap p ro p riato rs, had them selves originated. T h u s, th e im m ense ru in of France sp u rre d on these patriotic representatives of land a n d capital, u n d e r the very eyes an d p atro n ag e of th e invader, to g ra ft u p o n th e foreign w ar a civil w a r a slaveholders rebellion. T h e re stood in th e way of this conspiracy one g reat obstacle Paris. T o disarm Paris was th e first condition of success. Paris was th ere fo re sum m oned by T h iers to s u rre n d e r its arm s. T h e n Paris was exasperated by th e frantic anti-republican d em o n strations of th e R u ral Assembly an d by T h ie rss own equivocations ab out the legal status of th e Republic; by th e th re a t to decapitate and decapitalize Paris; th e ap p o in tm en t of O rleanist am bassadors; D u fa u res laws on over-due com m ercial bills a n d house-rents,* inflicting ru in on th e com m erce an d in d u stry of Paris; PouyerQ u e rtie rs tax of two centim es u p o n every copy of every im aginable publication; th e sentences of d eath against B lanqui and
^ T h e 1871 a n d 1891 L an d ra th s a n d J u n k e rs . ^ L. A. T h ie rs speech Moniteur universel, No. 60, G erm an editions have fu rth e r; the C h am b er of Ed. in the N ational Assembly on F eb ru ary 28, 1871, Le M arch 1, 1871. Ed.

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Flourens; th e suppression of the R epublican journals; the tran sfer o f th e N ational Assembly to Versailles; the renew al of th e state of siege declared by Palikao, an d expired on the 4th of S eptem ber; th e ap p o in tm en t of Vinoy, the Decembriseur,^^^ as g overnor of P aris of V alentin, the Im perialist gendarme, as its p refect of police an d of D A urelle de Paladines, the Jesuit general, as the com m ander-in-chief of its N ational G u a r d / A nd now we have to address a question to M. T h iers a n d the m en o f national defence, his u n d erstrap p ers. It is know n that, th ro u g h the agency of M. P ouyer-Q uertier, his finance m inister, T h iers h ad contracted a loan of two m illiards. Now, is it true, o r not, 1. T h a t th e business was so m anaged th at a consideration of several h u n d re d millions was secured fo r the private benefit of T hiers, Jules Favre, E rnest Picard, P ouyer-Q uertier, an d Jules Simon? a n d 2. T h a t no m oney was to be paid dow n until afte r the pacification of Paris? A t all events, th ere m ust have been som ething very pressing in th e m atter, fo r T h iers a n d Jules Favre, in the nam e of the m ajority of th e B ordeaux Assembly, unblushingly solicited the im m ediate occupation of Paris by Prussian troops. Such, however, was n o t the gam e of Bism arck, as he sneeringly, an d in public, told th e ad m irin g F ran k fo rt Philistines on his re tu rn to G erm any.

II

A rm ed Paris was th e only serious obstacle in the way of the counter-revolutionary conspiracy. Paris was, th erefo re, to be disarm ed. O n this p oint the B ordeaux Assembly was sincerity itself. If th e ro arin g ra n t of its R urals h ad not been audible en o u g h , the s u rre n d e r of Paris by T h iers to th e te n d e r m ercies of th e trium virate of Vinoy the Decembriseur, V alentin the B onapartist gendarme, an d A urelle d e Paladines th e Jesuit general, would have cut off even the last subterfuge of doubt. B ut while insultingly exhibiting the tru e p u rp o se of the disarm am ent of Paris, the conspirators asked h e r to lay dow n h e r arm s on a p re te x t which was th e m ost glaring, the m ost barefaced of lies. T h e artillery of
See T h e scanty news from the capital of R evolution... , The Daily News, No. 7774, M arch 30, 1871. Ed. I" See re p o rt from G erm any in the colum n R evelations , La Situation, No. 156, M arch 21, 187 Ed.

th e Paris N ational G u ard , said T h iers, belonged to th e State, and to th e State it m ust be retu rn ed ." T h e fact was th is: From the very day of the capitulation, by which B ism arcks p risoners h ad signed the su rre n d e r of France, b u t reserved to them selves a nu m ero u s body-g u ard fo r th e express p u rp o se of cowing Paris, Paris stood on th e watch. T h e N ational G u ard reo rganized them selves an d in tru sted th eir su p rem e control to a C entral C om m ittee elected by th eir whole body, save some fragm ents of th e old B onapartist form ations. O n the eve of th e en tran ce of th e Prussians into Paris, th e C entral C om m ittee took m easures fo r the rem oval to M ontm artre, Belleville, an d La Villette of th e cannon a n d m itrailleuses treacherously ab an d o n ed by th e capitulards in a n d about the very q u arte rs th e Prussians w ere to occupy. T h a t artillery h ad been fu rn ish ed by th e subscriptions of th e N ational G uard. As th eir private p ro p erty , it was officially recognized in the capitulation of th e 28th of Jan uary, an d on th at very tide exem pted fro m th e general su rre n d e r, into th e h an d s of the conqueror, of arm s belonging to th e G overnm ent.' A nd T h iers was so utterly destitute of even th e flimsiest p re te x t fo r initiating the w ar against Paris, th at he h ad to re so rt to th e flag ran t lie of the artillery of th e N ational G u ard being State property! T h e seizure of h e r artillery was evidently b u t to serve as the prelim inary to th e g eneral d isarm am en t of Paris, and, th erefo re, of th e R evolution of th e 4 th of S eptem ber. B ut th at Revolution h ad becom e the legal status of France. T h e republic, its w ork, was recognized by the co n q u ero r in th e term s of th e capitulation. A fter the capitulation, it was acknow ledged by all th e foreign Powers, a n d in its n am e th e N ational Assembly h ad been sum m oned. T h e Paris w orking m en s revolution of th e 4 th of S eptem ber was th e only legal title of th e N ational Assembly seated at B ordeaux, an d of its executive. W ithout it, the N ational Assembly w ould at once have to give way to th e C orps Legislatif, elected in 1869 by universal su ffrag e u n d e r F rench, not u n d e r Prussian, rule, a n d forcibly dispersed by th e arm of the R evolution. T h iers an d his ticket-of-leave men"^ w ould have h ad to capitulate fo r safe-conducts signed by Louis B o naparte, to save them from a voyage to Cayenne.*" T h e N ational Assembly, with its pow er of attorney to setde th e term s of peace with Prussia, was
a L. A. T h ie rs proclam ation of M arch 17, 1871 to th e inhabitants of Paris, The Daily News, No. 7765, M arch 20, 1871. Ed. b Convention entre I'Allernagne el la France pour la suspension des hosttliles et la capitulation de Paris; signee a Versailles, le 28 janvier 1871, art, 7. Ed. See this volum e, p. 314. Ed.

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b u t an incident of th at R evolution, the tru e em bodim ent of which was still arm ed Paris, which h ad initiated it, u n d erg o n e fo r it a five m o n th s siege, with its h o rro rs of fam ine, an d m ade h e r prolonged resistance, despite T ro c h u s plan, the basis of an obstinate w ar of defence in th e provinces. A nd Paris was now eith er to lay down h e r arm s at the insulting behest of the rebellious slaveholders of B ordeaux, an d acknow ledge th at h e r R evolution of the 4th of Septem ber m ean t noth in g bu t a sim ple tra n sfe r of pow er from Louis B o n ap arte to his Royal rivals; o r she h ad to stand forw ard as th e self-sacrificing cham pion of France, whose salvation from ru in , an d whose regeneration w ere im possible, w ithout the revolutionary overthrow of the political an d social conditions th at h ad en g en d ered the second E m pire, and, u n d e r its fostering care, m atu re d into u tte r rottenness. Paris, em aciated by a five m onths fam ine, did not hesitate one m om ent. She heroically resolved to ru n all th e hazards of a resistance against the F rench conspirators, even with Prussian cannon frow ning u p o n h e r from h e r own forts. Still, in its ab h o rrence of the civil w ar into which Paris was to be goaded, th e C entral C om m ittee continued to persist in a m erely defensive attitu d e, despite the provocations of the Assembly, the usu rp atio n s of th e Executive, a n d the m enacing concentration of troops in an d a ro u n d Paris. T h iers open ed the civil w ar by sending Vinoy, at the h ead o f a m u ltitu d e of sergents-de-ville an d some regim ents of th e line, upon a n octu rn al expedition"* against M ontm artre, th ere to seize, by surprise, th e artillery of the N ational G uard. It is well know n how this attem p t broke dow n before th e resistance of the N ational G u ard an d th e fraternization of the line with the people. A urelle de Paladines h ad p rin ted b efo reh a n d his bulletin of victory, and T h iers held ready the placards ann o u n cin g his m easures of coup d etat. Now these had to be replaced by T h ie rs appeals, im parting his m agnanim ous resolve to leave the N ational G u ard in the possession of th eir arm s, with which, he said, he felt sure they would rally ro u n d the G overnm ent against the rebels.*' O u t of 300,000 N ational G uards only 300 responded to this sum m ons to rally ro u n d little T h iers against themselves. T h e glorious w orking m e n s R evolution of the 18th M arch took u n d isp u ted sway of Paris. T h e C entral C om m ittee was its provisional G overnm ent. E u ro p e seem ed, fo r a m om ent, to d o u b t w hether its recent
T h e 1871 and 1891 G erm an editions have nig h t ra id s . Ed. See L. A. T h ie rs proclam ation of M arch 17, 1871 to the inhabitants of Paris, 'Ihe Daily News, No. 7765, M arch 20, 1871. Ed.

sensational perform an ces of state an d w ar had any reality in them , o r w hether they w ere th e dream s of a long bygone past. From the 18th of M arch to th e en tran ce of th e Versailles troops into Paris, the pro letarian revolution rem ain ed so free from the acts of violence in which th e revolutions, an d still m o re the counter-revolutions, of th e b etter classes ab o und, th at no facts w ere left to its o p p o n en ts to cry o u t about, b u t th e execution of G enerals Lecom te an d C lem ent T hom as, an d th e affair of the Place V endom e. O ne of the B o n apartist officers engaged in the n o ctu rn al attem p t against M o n tm artre, G eneral Lecom te, h ad fo u r times o rd e re d the 81st line reg im en t to fire at an u n arm e d g ath erin g in the Place Pigalle, an d on th eir refusal fiercely insulted them . Instead of shooting w om en an d children, his own m en shot him. T h e inveterate habits acquired by th e soldiery u n d e r th e train in g of the enem ies of th e w orking class are, of course, n o t likely to change the very m o m en t these soldiers change sides. T h e same m en executed C lem ent T hom as. G eneral C lem ent T h om as, a m alcontent ex -quarterm astersergeant, had, in th e latter times of Louis P hilippes reign, enlisted at th e office of th e R epublican new spaper L e National, th ere to serve in the double capacity of responsible m an-of-straw (gerant responsable"') an d of duelling bully to th at very com bative jo u rnal. A fter the revolution of F ebruary, th e m en of th e N ational having got into pow er, they m etam o rp h o sed this old q u arterm astersergeant into a general on the eve of th e b utchery of Ju n e, of which he, like Jules Favre, was one of th e sinister plotters, and becam e one of th e m ost dastardly executioners. T h e n he an d his generalship d isap p eared fo r a long time, to again rise to the surface on the 1st N ovem ber, 1870. T h e day before the G overnm ent of D efence, caught at th e H otel de Ville, had solem nly pledged th eir parole to B lanqui, Flourens, an d o th er representatives of th e w orking class, to abdicate th e ir u su rp e d pow er into th e h an d s of a com m une to be freely elected by P a r i s . I n s t e a d of keeping th eir w ord they let loose on Paris th e B retons of T ro c h u , w ho now replaced th e C orsicans of Bonaparte.' G eneral T am isier alone, refu sin g to sully his nam e by such a breach of faith, resigned th e com m andership-in-chief of th e N ational G uard , and in his place C lem ent T hom as for once becam e again a general. D u rin g th e whole of his te n u re of
^ R esponsible editor. T h e 1871 a n d 1891 G erm an editions have fu rth e r: who takes u p o n him self the responsibility including im p riso n m e n t . Ed.

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com m and, he m ade war, not u p o n the Prussians, bu t u p o n the Paris N ational G uard. H e p revented th eir general arm am ent, p itted th e bourgeois battalions against the w orking m en s battal ions, w eeded o u t the officers hostile to T ro c h u s p lan , an d disbanded, u n d e r the stigm a of cowardice, the very sam e p ro letarian battalions whose heroism has now astonished th eir m ost inveterate enem ies. C lem ent T hom as felt quite p ro u d of having reco n q u ered his J u n e pre-em inence as th e personal enem y of the w orking class of Paris. Only a few days before the 18th of M arch, h e laid befo re the W ar M inister, Le Flo, a plan of his own for finishing o ff la fin e fle u r (the cream ) of the Paris canaille. A fter V inoys ro u t, he m ust needs ap p e a r u p o n the scene of action in th e quality of an am ateu r spy. T h e C entral C om m ittee an d the Paris w orking m en w ere as m uch responsible fo r th e killing of C lem ent T hom as an d Lecom te as the Princess of W a l e s w a s for th e fate of th e people crushed to d eath on the day of h e r entrance into L ondon. T h e m assacre of u n arm e d citizens in the Place V endom e is a m yth which M. T h iers a n d the R urals persistently ignored in the Assembly, in tru stin g its propagation exclusively to the servants hall of E u ro p ean journalism . T h e m en of o rd e r, the reactionists of Paris, trem bled at the victory of the 18th of M arch. T o them it was th e signal of p o p u lar retrib u tio n at last arriving. T h e ghosts of th e victims assassinated at th eir hands from the days of June, 1848, dow n to th e 22nd of January, 1871,' arose before their faces. T h e ir panic was th eir only punishm ent. Even the sergentsde-ville, instead of being disarm ed a n d locked u p , as o u g h t to have been done, h ad the gates of Paris flung wide open fo r their safe re tre a t to Versailles. T h e m en of o rd e r w ere left not only u n h arm e d , b u t allowed to rally an d quietly to seize m ore than one stronghold in the very centre of Paris. T his indulgence of the C entral C om m ittee this m agnanim ity o f the arm ed w orking m e n so strangely at variance with the habits of th e party of o rd e r, th e latter m isinterpreted as m ere sym ptom s of conscious weakness. H ence th eir silly plan to try, u n d e r th e cloak of an u n arm e d d em onstration, w hat Vinoy had failed to p erfo rm with his cannon an d m itrailleuses. Q n the 22nd of M arch a riotous m ob of swells started from the q u arters of luxury, all the petits creves'^ in
1848. d. "L a Socials public u n e curieuse le ttre ..., Le Vmgeur, No. 21, A pril 19, 1871. Canaille rabble. Ed. A lexandra. Ed. I D andy, swell. Ed.

th eir ranks, an d at th eir head th e n otorious fam iliars of the E m p ire th e H eeckeren, C oetlogon, H e n ri de Pene, etc. U n d er th e cowardly p reten ce of a pacific d em onstration, this rabble, secretly arm ed with the w eapons of th e bravo, fell into m arching o rd e r, ill-treated an d disarm ed th e d etached patrols a n d sentries of the N ational G uards they m et with on th eir progress, and, on debouching from th e R ue d e la Paix, with the cry of Down with the C entral Com m ittee! Down with the assassins! T h e N ational Assembly fo r ever! attem p ted to break th ro u g h the line draw n u p th ere, an d th u s to carry by a surprise the h ead -q u arters of the N ational G uard in the Place V endom e. In reply to th eir pistol-shots, th e re g u la r sommations (the F rench equivalent of the English Riot A c t)' w ere m ade, and, proving ineffective, fire was com m anded by the g eneral of th e N ational G u a rd . O ne volley dispersed into wild flight the silly coxcombs, who expected th at the m ere exhibition of th eir respectability w ould have th e same effect u p o n the R evolution of Paris as Jo sh u as tru m p ets u p o n the walls of Jericho.' T h e runaw ays left beh in d th em two N ational G uards killed, nine severely w ounded (am ong them a m em b er of the C entral C o m m ittee'), an d th e whole scene of th eir exploit strew n with revolvers, daggers, a n d sword-canes, in evidence of the u n a rm e d ch aracter of th e ir pacific dem onstration.'* W hen, on the 13th of Ju n e 1849, th e N ational G u ard m ade a really pacific dem on stratio n in p ro test against th e felonious assault of F rench troops u p o n Rom e, C han g am ier, th en general of th e Party of O rd e r, was acclaim ed by th e N ational Assembly, an d especially by M. T hiers, as th e saviour of society, fo r having launched his troops from all sides u p o n these u n arm e d m en, to shoot a n d sabre them dow n, and to tram p le them u n d e r th eir horses feet. Paris, th en , was placed u n d e r a state of siege. D u fau re h u rrie d th ro u g h the Assembly new laws of repression.' New arrests, new p roscriptions a new reign of te rro r set in .' B ut the lower o rd ers m anage these things otherw ise. T h e C entral C om m ittee of 1871 simply ignored th e heroes of th e pacific d em o n stratio n ; so m uch so, th at only two days later they w ere enabled to m uster.
Jules B erg eret. Ed. Jo sh u a 6:20. Ed. Louis C harles M aljournal. Ed. See Le Journal officiel d e Paris ra co n te... , Le Rappel, No. 650, M arch 25, 1871. Ed. M arx gives a detailed analysis of th e events of Ju n e 13, 1849 in The Class Struggles in France, 1848 to 1850, Ch. II (see p re se n t edition, Vol. 10, pp. 71-100). d.

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u n d e r A dm iral Saisset, fo r th at armed dem on stration, crow ned by the fam ous stam pede to Versailles. In th eir reluctance to continue the civil war op en ed by T h iers burglarious attem p t on M ontm artre, the C entral C om m ittee m ade them selves, this time, guilty of a decisive m istake in no t at once m arching u p o n Versailles, th en com pletely helpless, an d thus p u ttin g an e n d to the conspiracies o f T h iers an d his Rurals. Instead of this, the Party of O rd e r was again allowed to try its stren g th at the ballot-box, on th e 26th of M arch, the day of the election of the C om m une. T h e n , in the m airies of Paris, they exchanged bland w ords of conciliation with th eir too generous conquerors, m u tte r ing in th eir h earts solem n vows to exterm inate them in d u e time. Now, look at th e reverse of the m edal. T h iers op en ed his second cam paign against Paris in the beginning of April. T h e first batch of Parisian prisoners b ro u g h t into Versailles was subjected to revolting atrocities, while E rnest Picard, with his h ands in his tro u sers pockets, strolled ab o u t jeerin g them , an d while Mesdam es T h iers an d Favre, in the m idst of th eir ladies of h o n o u r (?) ap p lau d ed , from the balcony, the outrages of th e Versailles m ob. T h e ca p tu red soldiers of the line w ere m assacred in cold blood; o u r brave frien d , G eneral Duval, the iro n fo u n d e r, was shot w ithout any form of trial. Galliffet, the kept m an of his wife, so n otorious for h e r sham eless exhibitions at the orgies of th e Second E m pire, boasted in a proclam ation of having com m anded the m u rd e r of a small tro o p of N ational G uards, with th eir captain a n d lieutenant, su rprised an d disarm ed by his Chasseurs.* Vinoy, the runaw ay, was ap p o in ted by T h iers G ran d Cross of th e Legion of H o n o u r, fo r his general o rd e r to shoot dow n every soldier of th e hne taken in the ranks of the Federals. Desm arets, the gen darm e, was decorated fo r th e treacherous butcher-like chop p ing in pieces of the high-souled an d chivalrous F lourens, who h ad saved th e heads of th e G overnm ent of D efence on the 31st of O ctober 1870.' T h e encouraging p articu lars of his assassina tion w ere triu m p h an d y expatiated u p o n by T h iers in the N ational Assembly.'^ W ith the elated vanity of a parliam entary T om T h u m b , p erm itted to play the p a rt of a T am erlane, he den ied the rebels against his littleness every rig h t of civilized w arfare, u p to the right
See T h e A dvance of th e In su rg e n ts No. 7781, A pril 7, m i . Ed. See notice o n proclam ation of G eneral de News, No. 7783, A pril 10, 1871. Ed. ^ M arx gives a re n d e rin g of T h ie rs speech 3, 1871 according to The Daily Telegraph, No. on V ersailles , The Daily News,

of neutrality fo r ambulances.'" N o thing m o re h o rrid th an th at m onkey allowed fo r a tim e to give full fling to his tigerish instincts, as foreseen by Voltaire."" (See note, p. 35.*) A fter the decree of th e C om m une of th e 7th April,'' o rd e rin g reprisals an d declaring it to be its d u ty to pro tect Paris against th e cannibal exploits of th e Versailles banditti, an d to d em an d an eye fo r an eye, a tooth fo r a to o th , T h iers d id n o t stop th e b arbarous trea tm e n t of prisoners, m oreover insulting them in his bulletins as follows: N ever have m ore d eg rad ed countenances of a d eg rad ed dem ocracy m et the afflicted gazes of honest m e n , ^ honest like T h iers him self and his m inisterial ticket-ofleave m en. Still th e shooting of prisoners was su spended fo r a time. H ardly, how ever, h ad T h iers an d his D ecem brist generals becom e aw are th at th e C om m unal decree of reprisals was b u t an em pty th reat, th at even th eir g en d arm e spies cau g h t in Paris u n d e r the disguise of N ational G uards, th at even sergents-de-ville taken with incendiary shells u p o n them , w ere sp ared , w hen the wholesale shooting of prisoners was resu m ed an d carried on u n in terru p te d ly to th e end. H ouses to which N ational G uards had fled w ere su rro u n d e d by gendarm es, in u n d ated with p etro leu m (which h ere occurs fo r th e first tim e in this war), an d th en set fire to, the ch a rre d corpses being afterw ards b ro u g h t o u t by the am bulance of the Press at the T ern es.'' F o u r N ational G uards having su rre n d e re d to a tro o p of m o u n ted C hasseurs at Belle Epine, on the 25th of April, w ere afterw ards shot dow n, one after an o th er, by the captain, a w orthy m an of G alliffets. O n e of his fo u r victims, left fo r dead, Scheffer, crawled back to th e Parisian outposts, a n d deposed to this fact before a com m ission of th e C o m m u n e.' W hen T olain in terp ellated th e W ar M inister u p o n the re p o rt of this com m ission, the R urals d row ned his voice an d forbade Le Flo to answer. It w ould be an insult to th eir glorious arm y to speak of its deeds. T h e flip p an t tone in which T h ie rs bulletins an n o u n ced th e bayoneting of th e Federals surprised asleep at M oulin Saquet, an d th e wholesale fusillades at C lam art shocked the nerves even of th e not oversensitive L ondon Times!
^ V oitaire, Candide ou roptimisme, Ch. 22. Ed. ^ See this volum e, pp. 356-57. Ed. ^ L. A. T h ie rs proclam ation of A pril 4, 1871, The Daily News, No. 7779, A pril 5, 1871. ^ See Les g en d arm es u se n t... , Le Mot d'Ordre, No. 56, A pril 20, 1871. Ed. e See [R apport de la C om m ission d en q u ete d e la C om m une], Le Mot d Ordre, No. 65, A pril 29, 1871; see also Journal officiel (Paris), No. 118, A pril 28, 1871. Ed. f See Voici, su r le m em e fait, le bulletin... , Le Rappel, No. 692, May 6, 1871; T h e M assacre at C lam a rt , The Times, No. 27056, May 6, 1871. Ed.

G alliffet, A pril 3, 1871, The Daily in the N ational Assembly on A pril 4932, A pril 5, 1871. Ed.

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B ut it would be ludicrous to-day to attem p t recounting the m e rely prelim inary atrocities com m itted by the b o m barders of Paris an d th e fo m en ters of a slaveholders rebellion protected by fo r eign invasion. A m idst all these h o rro rs, T hiers, forgetful of his parliam en tary lam ents on the terrible responsibility w eighing down his dw arfish shoulders, boasts in his bulletins th at I A ssem b lk siege paisiblement (the Assembly continues m eeting in p e a c e ) , a n d proves by his constant carousals, now with D ecem brist generals, now with G erm an princes, th at his digestion is n o t troubled in the least, n o t even by the ghosts of Lecom te a n d C lem ent Thom as.

Ill

O n th e daw n of th e 18th of M arch, Paris arose to the th u n d e rb u rst of Vive la C om m une! W hat is the C om m une, that sphinx so tantalizing to the bourgeois m ind?
T h e pro letarian s o f P aris, said the C entral C om m ittee in its m anifesto of the 18th M arch, am idst the failures a n d treasons of th e ru lin g classes, have u n d e rsto o d th a t the h o u r has struck fo r th em to save th e situation by taking into th e ir ovv^n h an d s th e d irection o f public affairs. ...T hey have u n d e rsto o d th a t it is th e ir im perious d u ty a n d th e ir absolute rig h t to re n d e r them selves m asters o f th e ir own destinies, by seizing u p o n the g overnm ental pow er. * >

B ut th e w orking class cannot simply lay hold of the ready-m ade State m achinery, and wield it fo r its own p u rp o ses.' T h e centralized State pow er, with its ubiquitous organs of stan d in g arm y, police, bureaucracy, clergy, an d ju d ic a tu re organs w ro u g h t afte r th e plan of a systematic an d hierarchic division of lab o u r originates from the days of absolute m o n ar chy, serving nascent m iddle-class society as a m ighty w eapon in its struggles against feudalism . Still, its dev elopm ent rem ained clogged by all m an n er of m ediaeval rubbish, seignorial rights, local privileges, m unicipal an d guild m onopolies an d provincial con stitutions. T h e gigandc broom of the F rench R evolution of the eig h teen th century swept away all these relics of bygone times, thus clearing sim ultaneously the social soil of its last hindrances to th e su p erstru ctu re of the m o d ern State edifice raised u n d e r the
C ited in: T h . Astrie, Lhom m e ro u g e , La Situation, No. 176, A pril 14, 1871. Ed. * > M arx quotes from La Revolution d u 18 m a rs , Le Petit Journal, No. 3002, M arch 22, 1871; see also Journal officiel (Paris), No. 80, M arch 21, 1871. Ed. See M arxs letter to L udw ig K ugelm ann of A pril 12, 1871 (present edition. Vol. 44). Ed.

First E m pire, itself th e offsp rin g of th e coalition wars of old sem i-feudal E u ro p e against m o d ern France. D u rin g the subse q u e n t vegitnes th e G overnm ent, placed u n d e r parliam entary co n tro l th at is, u n d e r th e d irect control of th e p ro p e rtie d classes becam e n o t only a ho tb ed of h u g e national debts an d crushing taxes; with its irresistible allurem ents of place, pelf, and patronage, it becam e n o t only the bo n e of contention betw een the rival factions a n d ad v en tu rers of th e ru lin g classes; b u t its political ch aracter changed sim ultaneously with the econom ic changes of society. At the sam e pace at which th e p rogress of m o d ern industry developed, w idened, intensified th e class antagonism betw een capital an d labour, th e State pow er assum ed m ore and m ore th e character of th e national pow er of capital over labour, of a public force organized fo r social enslavem ent, of an engine of class despotism.^ A fter every revolution m ark in g a progressive phase in the class struggle, th e purely repressive ch aracter of the State pow er stands o u t in b o ld er an d b o ld er relief. T h e Revolution of 1830, resulting in th e tra n sfe r of G o v ern m en t from th e landlords to the capitalists, tran sferre d it fro m th e m ore rem o te to th e m ore direct antagonists of th e w orking m en. T h e bourgeois R epublicans, who, in th e nam e of th e R evolution of February, took the State pow er, used it for th e Ju n e massacres, in o rd e r to convince the w orking class th at social republic m ean t th e republic en su rin g th eir social subjection, an d in o rd e r to convince the royalist bulk of th e bourgeois an d lan d lo rd class th at they m ight safely leave th e cares an d em olum ents of go v ern m en t to th e bourgeois R epublicans. H ow ever, after th eir one heroic exploit of Ju n e, the bourgeois R epublicans h ad, from th e fro n t, to fall back to th e re a r of th e Party of O rd e r a com bination form ed by all th e rival fractions an d factions of th e ap p ro p riatin g class in th eir now openly declared antagonism to th e p ro d u cin g classes, j T h e p ro p e r form of th eir joint-stock G o vernm ent was th e ' Parliamentary Republic, with Louis B o n ap arte fo r its President. T h eirs was a regime of avowed class terro rism an d deliberate insult tow ards th e vile m u ltitu d e. If th e Parliam entary Republic, as M. T h iers said, divided th em (the d iffe ren t fractions of th e ru lin g class) least, it o p en ed an abyss betw een th at class an d the w hole body of society outside th eir spare ranks. T h e restraints by which th eir own divisions h ad u n d e r fo rm e r regimes still checked
= > In the 1871 G erm an edition th e e n d of this sentence reads as follows: the state pow er m ore a n d m ore assum ed th e ch ara cte r of public pow er for the oppression of labo ur, th e ch ara cte r o f a m achine of class d o m in a tio n . Ed.

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th e State pow er, w ere rem oved by th eir union; an d in view of the th rea ten in g upheaval of th e proletariate, they now used th at State pow er mercilessly an d ostentatiously as the national w ar-engine of capital against labour. In th eir u n in te rru p te d crusade against the p ro d u cin g masses they were, however, b o u n d not only to invest th e executive with continually increased pow ers of repression, bu t at th e sam e tim e to divest th eir own parliam entary stronghold th e N ational Assem bly one by one, of all its own m eans of defence against the Executive. T h e Executive, in the person of Louis B o naparte, tu rn e d them out. T h e n atu ra l offspring of the T a rty -o f-O rfe r\ R epublic was th e S e c ^ d l B ^ T h e ^Tmpire, with the coup d etat for its certificate of birth, universal su ffrage fo r its sanction, an d the sword fo r its sceptre, professed to rest u p o n the peasantry, the large mass of pro d u cers n o t directly involved in the struggle of capital a n d labour. It professed to save the w orking class by breaking dow n P arliam en tarism , and, with it, the undisguised subserviency of G overnm ent to th e p ro p e rtie d classes. It professed to save th e p ro p ertied classes by u p h o ld in g th eir econom ic suprem acy over the w orking class; and, finally, it professed to ^ n ite all classes by reviving fo r all th e chim era^o T n atiS n aT g lo rv . In reality, it was fh F only foTm of g o v ern m en t possible at a tim e w hen the bourgeoisig h ad already lo s j^ a n d th e w orking class h ad no t yet acquired, the faculty of ru lin g th e nation. It was acclaim ed th ro u g h o u t the w orld as the saviour of society. U n d e r its sway, bourgeois society, freed from political cares, attained a developm ent unexpected even by itself. Its in d ustry an d com m erce ex p an d ed to colossal dim ensions; financial sw indling celebrated cosm opolitan orgies; the m isery of th e masses was set off by a sham eless display of gorgeous, m eretricious, an d debased luxury. T h e State pow er, ap p aren d y soaring high above society, was at the sam e tim e itself the greatest scandal of th at society an d th e very hotbed of all its corruptions. Its own rottenness, an d the rottenness of th e society it h ad saved, w ere laid b are by the bayonet of Prussia, herself eagerly b ent upon tran sferrin g the suprem e seat of th at regime from Paris to B erlin. Im perialism is, at the sam e tim e, the m ost p rostitute and th e ultim ate form of the State pow er which nascent middle-class society h ad com m enced to elaborate as a m eans of its own em ancipation from feudalism , a n d which full-grow n bourgeois society h ad finally tran sfo rm ed into a m eans for the enslavem ent of lab o u r by capital. T h e direct antithesis to th e E m pire was th e C om m une. T h e cry of Social R epublic, with which the revolution of F ebruary was

u sh ered in by the Paris p ro letariate, did b u t express a vague aspiration after a R epublic th at was n o t only to su persede the m onarchical form of class-rule, b u t class-rule itself. T h e C om m une was the positive form of th at Republic. Paris, the central seat of th e old governm ental pow er, and, at the sam e tim e, th e social stronghold of th e F rench w orking class, h ad risen in arm s against the attem p t of T h iers an d th e R urals to resto re an d p erp etu ate th at old governm ental pow er beq u eath ed to them by th e E m pire. Paris could resist only because, in consequence of th e siege, it h ad got rid of th e arm y, an d replaced it by a N ational G u ard , th e bulk of which consisted of w orking m en. T his fact was now to be tran sfo rm ed into an institution. T h e first decree of th e C om m une, th erefo re, was th e suppression of the standing arm y, an d th e substitution fo r it of th e arm ed people.^ T h e C om m une was fo rm ed of th e m unicipal councillors, chosen by universal suffrage in the various w ards of th e town, responsible a n d revocable at sh o rt term s. T h e m ajority of its m em bers w ere naturally w orking m en, of acknow ledged representatives of th e w orking class. T h e C om m une was to be a w orking, not a parliam entary, body, executive an d legislative at th e sam e time. Instead of con tin u in g to be th e ag en t of th e C en tral G overnm ent, the police was at once strip p ed of its political attributes, an d tu rn e d into the responsible a n d at all tim es revocable ag en t of th e C om m une. So w ere th e officials of all o th e r branches of th e A dm inistration. From th e m em bers of th e C om m une dow nw ards, the public service h ad to be do n e at workmen s wages. T h e vested interests an d th e re p resen tatio n allowances of th e h igh dignitaries of State disap p eared along with the h igh dignitaries themselves.*' Public functions ceased to be th e private p ro p erty of th e tools of the C entral G overnm ent. N ot only m unicipal adm inistration, b u t th e whole initiative h ith erto exercised by the State was laid into the h ands of the C om m une. H aving once got rid of th e standing arm y an d the police, the physical force elem ents of th e old G overnm ent, th e C om m une was anxious to b reak th e spiritual force of repression, th e parsonpow er, by th e disestablishm ent^ an d disendow m ent of all
D ecree abolishing conscription of M arch 29, 1871, The Daily News, No. 7776, A pril 1, 1871; see also Journal officiel (Paris), No. 1 (89), M arch 30, 1871. Ed. b T h e source from w hich M arx cites this has not been established. See [D ecret sur les traitem en ts publics. Paris, 2 avril 1871], Journal officiel (Paris), No. 92, A pril 2, 1811. Ed. ^ c D ecree of A pril 2, 1871 sep aratin g the ch u rch from th e state. The Uaily Telegraph, No. 4931, A pril 4, 1871; see also Journal officiel (Paris), No. 93, A pril 3, 1871. (/.

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churches as p ro p rietary bodies. T h e priests w ere sent back to the recesses of private life, th ere to feed u p o n the alms of the faithful in im itation of th eir predecessors, the Apostles. T h e whole of the educational institutions w ere op en ed to the people gratuitously, a n d at th e sam e tim e cleared of all in terferen ce of C h u rch an d I State. T h u s, n o t only was education m ade accessible to all, but i science itself freed from th e fetters which class prejudice and i governm ental force h ad im posed u p o n it. T h e judicial functionaries w ere to be divested of th at sham in d ep en d en ce which had b u t served to m ask th eir abject subserviency to all succeeding governm ents to which, in tu rn , they h ad taken, an d broken, the oaths of allegiance. Like the rest of public servants, m agistrates a n d judges w ere to be elective, responsible, an d revocable. T h e Paris C om m une was, of course, to serve as a m odel to all th e g reat industrial centres of France. T h e com m unal regime once established in Paris a n d the secondary centres, the old centralized G o vernm ent w ould in the provinces, too, have to give way to the self-governm ent of th e producers. In a ro u g h sketch of national organization which the C om m une h ad no tim e to develop, it states clearly th at the C om m une was to be th e political form of even th e smallest country ham let, an d th at in the ru ra l districts the stan d in g arm y was to be replaced by a national militia, with an extrem ely sh o rt term of service. T h e ru ral com m unes of every district w ere to adm inister th eir com m on affairs by an assembly of delegates in the central tow n, an d these district assemblies w ere again to send deputies to th e N ational D elegation in Paris, each delegate to be at any tim e revocable an d b o u n d by the mandat im peratif (form al instructions) of his constituents. T h e few bu t im p o rtan t functions which still would rem ain fo r a central g o v ern m en t w ere not to be suppressed, as has been intentionally m is-stated, b u t w ere to be discharged by C om m unal, an d th ere fo re stricdy responsible agents. T h e unity of the nation was no t to be bro k en , but, on the contrary, to be organized by the C om m unal constitution, an d to becom e a reality by the destruction of the State pow er which claim ed to be the em bodim ent of th at unity I in d e p e n d e n tjjf, a;nd su p erio r to, the nation itself, from w H ch it was b u t a parasftic excfescenre. W th e m erely repressive organs o f tIi^l5I3gov ^n rn T n tal pow er w ere to be am p u tated , its legitim ate functions w ere to be w rested from an authority
= D eclaration au p eu p le fra n fa is , a d o p te d at the sitting of th e C o m m u n e on A pril 19, is quoted according to the re p o rt in The Daily News, No. 7793, A pril 21, 1871; see also Journal officiel (Paris), No. 110, A pril 20, 1871. Ed.

u su rp in g pre-em inence over society itself, an d resto red to th e responsible agents of society. Instead of deciding once in th ree o r t six years which m em b er of th e ru lin g class was to m isrep resen t the people in Parliam ent, universal suffrage was to serve th e people, constituted in C om m unes, as individual su ffrag e serves every o th e r em ployer in the search fo r th e w orkm en an d m anagers in his business. A nd it is well know n th at com panies, like individuals, in m atters of real business generally know how to p u t the rig h t m an in the rig h t place, and, if they fo r once m ake a m istake, to redress it prom ptly. O n th e o th er h an d , n o th in g could be m ore foreign to the spirit of th e C om m une th an to su persede universal suffrage by hierarchic investiture. It is generally th e fate of com pletely new historical creations to be m istaken for th e c o u n te rp a rt of o ld er an d even d efu n ct form s of social life, to which they m ay b ear a certain likeness. T h u s, this new C om m une, which breaks th e m o d ern State pow er, has been m istaken fo r a rep ro d u ctio n of th e m ediaeval C om m unes, which first preceded, an d afterw ards becam e th e su bstratum of, th at very State pow er. T h e com m unal constitution has been m istaken for an attem p t to break u p into a fed eratio n of small States, as d re am t of by M ontesquieu a n d th e G iro n d in s, ^ th at unity of great nations which, if originally b ro u g h t ab out by political force, has now becom e a pow erful coefficient of social p ro d u ctio n . T h e antagonism of the C om m une against the State pow er has been m istaken fo r an ex aggerated form of th e ancient struggle against over-centralization. Peculiar historical circum stances m ay have p rev en ted the classical developm ent, as in France, of th e bourgeois form of governm ent, an d m ay have allowed, as in E ngland, to com plete th e g reat central State organs by c o rru p t vestries, jobbing councillors, a n d ferocious poor-law g u ard ian s in the towns, an d virtually h ered itary m agistrates in th e counties. T h e C om m unal C onstitution would have resto red to th e social body all th e forces h ith e rto absorbed by the State parasite feed in g u p o n , a n d clogging the free m ovem ent of, society. By this one act it w ould have initiated th e reg en eratio n of France. T h e provincial F rench middle-class saw in the C om m une an attem p t to restore the sway th eir o rd e r h ad held over th e co u n try u n d e r Louis P hilippe, a n d which, u n d e r Louis N apoleon, was su p p lan ted by the p re te n d e d rule of th e co u n try over th e towns. In reality, the C om m unal C onstitution b ro u g h t th e ru ral p ro d u cers u n d e r the intellectual lead of th e central towns of th eir districts, an d th ere
^ Ch. L. de M ontesquieu, De VEsprit des Loix, L ondon, 1769, Book 9, Ch. 1. Ed.

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secured to them , in the w orking m en, the n atu ral trustees of th eir interests. T h e very existence of th e C om m une involved, as a m atter of course, local m unicipal liberty, b u t no longer as a check u p o n the, now superseded, State power. It could only e n te r into th e h ead of a Bism arck, who, w hen not engaged on his intrigues of blood an d iron, always likes to resum e his old trad e, so befitting his m ental calibre, of co n trib u to r to Kladderadatsch (the B erlin Punch), it could only e n te r into such a head, to ascribe to the Paris C om m une aspirations after th at caricature of th e old F rench m unicipal organization of 1791, the Prussian m unicipal constitu tion which d egrades the tow n governm ents to m ere secondary wheels in th e police-m achinery of the Prussian S t a t e . T h e C om m une m ade th at catch-w ord of bourgeois revolutions, cheap g overnm ent, a reality, by destroying the two greatest sources of e x p e n d itu re th e s ta n d in g arm y a n d State functionarism . Its very existence presu p p o sed the non-existence of m onarchy, which, in E u ro p e at least, is the norm al incum brance a n d indispensable cloak of class-rule. It supplied the R epublic with the basis of really dem ocratic institutions. B ut n eith er cheap governm ent n o r the tru e R epublic was its ultim ate aim; they w ere its m ere concom itants. T h e m ultiplicity of in terp retatio n s to which the C om m une has b een subjected, an d the m ultiplicity of interests which construed it in th eir favour, show th at it was a thoroughly expansive political form , while all previous form s of governm ent h ad been em phati cally repressive. Its tru e secret was this. It was essentially a working-class government,'^ the pro d u ce of the struggle of the p ro d u cin g against the ap p ro p riatin g class, the political form at last discovered u n d e r which to w ork ou t the econom ical em ancipation of Labour. Except on this last condition, the C om m unal C onstitution would have been an impossibility an d a delusion. T h e political rule of the p ro d u c e r cannot coexist with the p erp etu atio n of his social slavery. T h e C om m une was th e re fo re to serve as a lever fo r u p ro o tin g the econom ical fou ndations u p o n which rests the existence of classes, an d th ere fo re of class rule. W ith labour em ancipated, every m an

O. von B ism arcks speech in the Diet on May 2, 1871, Stenographische Berichte iiber die Verhandlungen des Deutschen Reichstages. 1. L egislatur-P eriode. 1. Session 1871, Bd. 1, B erlin, 1871. ^ T h is w ord is om itted in the 1871 a n d 1891 G erm an editions. Ed. = T h e p h rase working-class g o v e rn m e n t is italicised in the 1871 a n d 1891 G erm an editions. Ed.

becom es a w orking m an, an d productive lab o u r ceases to be a class attribute. It is a strange fact. In spite of all th e tall talk an d all th e im m ense literature, for th e last sixty years, ab out E m ancipation of Labour, no sooner do th e w orking m en anyw here take th e subject into th eir own h an d s with a will, th an uprises at once all the apologetic phraseology of th e m outhpieces of p resen t society with its two poles of C apital a n d W age-slavery (the lan d lo rd now is b u t the sleeping p a rtn e r of th e capitalist), as if capitalist society was still in its p u re st state of virgin innocence, with its antagonism s still undeveloped, with its delusions still u n ex p lo d ed , with its p rostitute realities not yet laid bare. T h e C om m une, they exclaim, inten d s to abolish pro p erty , th e basis of all civilization! Yes, gentlem en, the C om m une in ten d ed to abolish th at class-property which m akes th e labour of th e m any th e w ealth of th e few. It aim ed at the e x p ro p riatio n of th e ex p ro p riato rs. It w anted to m ake individual p ro p e rty a tru th by tran sfo rm in g the m eans of p ro d u ctio n , land a n d capital, now chiefly th e m eans of enslaving a n d exploiting labour, into m ere in stru m en ts of free a n d associated labour. B ut this is C om m unism , im possible C om m unism ! W hy, those m em bers of th e ru lin g classes who are intelligent en o u g h to perceive the impossibility of co ntinuing the p resen t system and they are m an y have becom e th e obtrusive and full-m outhed apostles of co-operative p ro d u ctio n . If co-operative p ro d u ctio n is not to rem ain a sham a n d a snare; if it is to su persede the C apitalist system; if u n ited co-operative societies are to regulate national pro d u ctio n u p o n a com m on plan, th u s taking it u n d e r th eir own control, an d p u ttin g an en d to th e constant anarchy and periodical convulsions which are th e fatality of Capitalist p ro d u c tio n w hat else, gentlem en, would it be b u t C om m unism , possible C om m unism ? T h e w orking class did n o t expect m iracles from th e C om m une. T hey have no ready-m ade utopias to in tro d u ce par decret du peupleJ' T hey know th at in o rd e r to w ork o u t th eir own em ancipation, an d along with it th at h ig h er form to which p resen t society is irresistibly ten d in g by its own econom ical agencies, they will have to pass th ro u g h long struggles, th ro u g h a series of historic processes, tran sfo rm in g circum stances an d m en. T h ey have no ideals to realize, b u t to set free elem ents of th e new society with which old collapsing bourgeois society itself is p reg n an t. In the full consciousness of th eir historic m ission, and
By the p eoples decree. Ed.

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with th e heroic resolve to act u p to it, the w orking class can afford to smile at th e coarse invective of the gentlem ens gentlem en with the p en an d in k h o rn , an d at the didactic p atro n ag e of well-wishing bourgeois-doctrinaires, p o u rin g fo rth th eir ig n o ran t platitudes and sectarian crotchets in the o racular tone of scientific infallibility. W hen the Paris C om m une took the m anagem ent of the revolution in its own hands; w hen plain w orking m en fo r the first tim e d a re d to in frin g e u p o n the G overnm ental privilege of th eir n atu ra l su p erio rs,"* and, u n d e r circum stances of unexam pled difficulty, p e rfo rm ed th eir work m odestly, conscientiously, an d efficiently, p e rfo rm ed it at salaries th e highest of which barely am o u n ted to one-fifth of w hat, according to high scientific authority,'" is th e m inim um re q u ired fo r a secretary to a certain m etro p o litan school-board,* th e old w orld w rithed in convul sions of rage at the sight o f th e R ed Flag, the symbol of the R epublic of L abour, floating over th e H otel de Ville. A nd yet, this was th e first revolution in which the w orking class was openly acknow ledged as the only class capable of social initiative, even by the g reat bulk of th e Paris m iddle class shopkeepers, tradesm en, m erc h an ts th e w ealthy capitalists alone excepted. T h e C om m une h ad saved them by a sagacious setd em en t of th at ev er-recu rrin g cause o f dispute am ong the m iddle classes them selves th e d eb to r a n d cred ito r accounts.'^ T h e sam e p o rtio n of th e m iddle class, afte r they had assisted in p u ttin g dow n the w orking m en s insurrection of Ju n e, 1848, had been at once uncerem oniously sacrificed to th e ir creditors by the th en C onstituent Assembly.' B ut this was n o t th eir m otive for now rallying ro u n d th e w orking class. T hey felt th at th ere was bu t o n e altern ativ e th e C om m une, o r th e E m p ire u n d e r w hatever n am e it m ight reap p ear. T h e E m pire h ad ru in e d them econom i cally by th e havoc it m ade o f public wealth, by the wholesale financial sw indling it fostered, by the p rops it len t to th e artificially accelerated centralization of capital, an d the concom itant ex p ro p ri ation of th eir own ranks. It h ad suppressed them politically, it had shocked th em m orally by its orgies, it h ad insulted th eir V oltairianism by h an d in g over th e education of th eir children to th e fr h e s Ig n o ra n tin s,'^ it h ad revolted th eir national feeling as F ren ch m en by precipitating them head lo n g into a w ar which left only o ne equivalent fo r the ru in s it m a d e the disappearance of
In the 1871 a n d 1891 G erm an editions this p h rase is follow ed by the phrase of th e p ro p e rtie d . Ed. T h e G erm an editions have fu rth e r P rofessor H u x le y . Ed.

the E m pire. In fact, afte r th e exodus from Paris of th e high B onapartist a n d capitalist Boheme, th e tru e m iddle-class Party of O rd e r cam e o u t in th e shape of th e U nion R epublicaine, enrolling them selves u n d e r th e colours of th e C o m m u n e an d d efen d in g it against th e wilful m isconstruction of T hiers. W h eth er the g ra titu d e of this g reat body of th e m iddle class will stand the p resen t severe trial, tim e m ust show. T h e C om m une was perfecdy rig h t in telling th e peasants th at its victory was th eir only h o p e . O f all th e lies h atched at Versailles an d re-echoed by th e glorious E u ro p ean penny-a-liner, one of the m ost trem en d o u s was th at th e R urals re p resen te d th e F rench peasantry. T h in k only of th e love o f th e F rench peasant fo r the m en to whom , after 1815, he h ad to pay th e m illiard of i n d e m n i t y ! I n th e eyes of th e F rench peasant, th e very existence of a g reat lan d ed p ro p rie to r is in itself an en cro ach m en t on his conquests o f 1789. T h e bourgeois, in 1848, h ad b u rth e n e d his plot of land with the additional tax of forty-five cents in th e fran c bu t th en h e did so in th e nam e of th e revolution; while now he had fom ented a civil w ar against th e revolution, to shift on to th e p easants shoulders th e chief load of th e five m illiards of indem nity to be paid to th e Prussians. T h e C om m une, on the o th er han d , in one of its first proclam ations, d eclared th at th e tru e originators of th e w ar w ould be m ade to pay its cost."" T h e C om m une w ould have delivered th e p easan t of th e blood tax, w ould have given him a cheap g overnm ent, tran sfo rm ed his p resen t blood-suckers, the notary, advocate, executor, an d o th e r judicial vam pires, into salaried com m unal agents, elected by, and responsible to, him self. It would have freed him o f th e tyranny of th e garde champetre^ th e g en d arm e, a n d th e prefect, w ould have p u t en lig h ten m en t by th e schoolm aster in th e place of stuntification by the priest. A nd th e F rench peasan t is, above all, a m an of reckoning. H e w ould fin d it extrem ely reasonable th at th e pay of the priest, instead of being ex to rted by the tax -gatherer, should only d e p e n d u p o n th e spontaneous action of th e p arish io n ers religious instincts. Such w ere th e great im m ediate boons which the rule of the C o m m u n e a n d th at ru le alo n e held o u t to th e F rench peasantry. It is, th erefo re, quite su p erflu o u s h e re to expatiate u p o n th e m ore com plicated b u t vital problem s which the

[V.] G relier, Le com ite central d e la g a rd e nationale est decid e... , Journal officiel (Paris), No. 80, M arch 21, 1871. * = Village police. <i

13*

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C om m une alone was able, an d at the sam e tim e com pelled, to solve in fav o u r of th e peasant, viz., the hypothecary debt, lying like an incubus u p o n his parcel of soil, the proletariat fo n d e r (the ru ra l proletariate), daily grow ing u p o n it, and his ex propriation from it en forced, at a m ore an d m ore ra p id rate, by the very dev elopm ent of m o d ern agriculture a n d th e com petition of capitalist farm ing. T h e F rench peasant had elected Louis B o n ap arte p resid en t of th e Republic; b u t the Party of O rd e r created the E m pire. W hat the F ren ch peasant really wants h e com m enced to show in 1849 an d 1850, by o pposing his m aire to the G overnm ents prefect, his schoolm aster to the G o v ern m en ts priest, a n d him self to the G o v ern m en ts gendarm e. All the laws m ade by the Party of O rd e r in Jan u a ry an d F ebruary, I850,^ w ere avowed m easures of repression against the peasant. T h e peasant was a B onapartist, because th e great Revolution, with all its benefits to him , was, in his eyes, personified in N apoleon. T his delusion, rapidly breaking dow n u n d e r th e Second E m pire (and in its very n a tu re hostile to th e Rurals), this preju d ice of the past, how could it have withstood th e appeal of the C om m une to th e living interests a n d u rg e n t wants of th e peasantry? T h e R u rals this was, in fact, th eir chief a p p re h e n sio n knew th at th ree m o n ths free com m unication of C om m unal Paris with th e provinces would brin g about a general rising of the peasants, an d hence th eir anxiety to establish a police blockade aro u n d Paris, so as to stop the spread of the rinderpest. If th e C om m une was thus the tru e representative of all the healthy elem ents of F rench society, a n d th e re fo re th e truly national G overnm ent, it was, at the sam e tim e, as a w orking m e n s G overnm ent, as the bold cham pion of the em ancipation of labour, em phatically international. W ithin sight of the Prussian arm y, that h ad an n ex ed to G erm any two F rench provinces, the C om m une an n ex ed to F rance the w orking people all over th e world. T h e Second E m pire h ad been the jubilee of cosm opolitan blackleggism , the rakes of all countries ru sh in g in at its call fo r a share in its orgies a n d in the p lu n d e r of the F rench people. Even at this m om ent the rig h t h a n d of T h iers is Ganesco, the foul W allachian, and his left h an d is M arkowski, the Russian spy. T h e C om m une ad m itted all foreigners to the h o n o u r of dying fo r an im m ortal cause. Between the foreign w ar lost by th eir treason, and th e civil w ar fom ented by th eir conspiracy with the foreign invader, the bourgeoisie h ad fo u n d the tim e to display their patriotism by organizing police-hunts u p o n the G erm ans in

France. T h e C om m une m ade a G erm an w orking-m an its M inister of Labour. T h iers, th e bourgeoisie, the Second E m pire, h ad continually d elu d ed Poland by loud professions of sym pathy, while in reality betraying h er to, a n d do in g the dirty w ork of, Russia. T h e C om m une h o n o u re d th e heroic sons of Poland * by placing them at the h ead of th e d efen d ers of Paris. A nd, to broadly m ark the new era of history it was conscious of initiating, u n d e r th e eyes of the con q u erin g Prussians on the one side, an d of the B onapartist arm y, led by B onapartist generals, on the o th er, the C om m une pulled dow n th at colossal symbol of m artial glory, the V endom e colum n. T h e g reat social m easure of th e C om m une was its own w orking existence. Its special m easures could b u t betoken th e tendency of a governm ent of th e people by th e people. Such w ere th e abolition of the nightw ork of jo u rn ey m en bakers'*; th e prohibition, u n d e r penalty, of the em ployers practice to red u ce wages by levying u p o n th eir w orkpeople fines u n d e r m anifold p retex ts,' a process in which the em ployer com bines in his own p erson th e p arts of legislator, ju d g e, a n d executor, an d filches th e m oney to boot. A n o th er m easure of this class was th e s u rre n d e r, to associations of w orkm en, u n d e r reserve of com pensation, of all closed w orkshops a n d factories, no m atter w h eth er th e respective capitalists h ad absconded o r p re fe rre d to strike work.^ T h e financial m easures of th e C om m une, rem arkable fo r th eir sagacity and m o d eration, could only be such as w ere com patible with the state of a besieged town. C onsidering th e colossal robberies com m itted u p o n the city of Paris by th e great financial com panies an d contractors, u n d e r th e protection * of Haussmann,^^ the C om m une w ould have h ad an incom parably b etter title to confiscate th eir p ro p e rty th an Louis N apoleon h ad against the

Leo F rankel. Erf. J. D om brow ski a n d W. W roblewski. Ed. [D ecret s u r la dem olition d e la colonne V endom e. Paris, 12 avril 1871], Le Rappel, No. 670, A pril 14, 1871; see also Journal officiel (Paris), No. 103, A pril 13, 1871. Ed. [A rrete su r la suppression d u travail de n u it d ans les boulangeries. Paris, 20 avril 1871], L Avant-Garde, No. 451, A pril 22, 1871; see also Journal officiel (Paris), No. 111, A pril 21, 1871. <i. ' [A rrete su r abolition des am en d es ou re te n u es su r les salaires. Paris, 27 avril 1871], Journal officiel (Paris), No. 119, A pril 29, 1871. f D ecree of A pril 16, 1871 on h a n d in g over the w orkshops a n d m anufacturies to cooperative w orkm en societies, The Daily News, No. 7790, A pril 18, 1871; see also Journal officiel (Paris), No. 107, A pril 17, 1871. Ed. 8 T h e 1871 and 1891 G erm an editions have ru le . Ed.

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O rleans family. T h e H ohenzollern a n d th e English oligarchs who b oth have derived a good deal of th eir estates from C hurch p lu n d er, were, of course, greatly shocked at the C om m une clearing b u t 8 ,0 0 0 f. o u t of secularisation. W hile th e Versailles G overnm ent, as soon as it h ad recovered som e spirit an d strength, used the m ost violent m eans against the C om m une; while it p u t dow n th e free expression of opinion all over France, even to th e fo rb id d in g of m eetings of delegates from th e large towns; while it subjected Versailles an d the rest of France t 9 an espionage fa r surpassing th at of the Second Em pire; while it b u rn e d by its g en d arm e inquisitors all papers p rin te d at Paris, a n d sifted all co rrespondence from an d to Paris; while in the N ational Assembly the m ost tim id attem pts to p u t in a w ord for Paris w ere how led dow n in a m an n er unknow n even to the Chambre introuvable^ ^ of 1816; with the savage w arfare of Versailles outside, a n d its attem pts at co rru p tio n a n d conspiracy inside P aris w ould the C om m une no t have sham efully betrayed its tru st by affecting to keep u p all the decencies an d appearances of liberalism as in a tim e o f p ro fo u n d peace? H ad th e G overnm ent of th e C om m une been akin to th at of M. T h iers, th ere w ould have been no m ore occasion to suppress P arty-of-O rder pap ers at Paris th a n th ere was to suppress C om m unal pap ers at Versailles. It was irritatin g in d eed to th e R urals th at at the very sam e tim e they declared th e re tu rn to th e C h u rch to be th e only m eans of salvation fo r France, the infidel C om m une u n e a rth e d th e peculiar m ysteries of th e Picpus n u n n ery , a n d of th e C h u rch of Saint L a u r e n t . I t was a satire u p o n M. T h iers that, while he show ered g ra n d crosses u p o n the B onapartist generals in acknow ledgm ent of th eir m astery in losing batdes, signing capitulations, and tu rn in g cigarettes at Wilhelmshohe,^ the C om m une dism issed a n d arrested its generals w henever they w ere suspected of neglecting th eir duties. T h e expulsion from , a n d a rrest by, the C om m une of one of its members^ who h ad slipped in u n d e r a false nam e, an d had u n d e rg o n e at Lyons six days im prisonm ent fo r sim ple b ankruptcy, was it no t a deliberate insult h u rled at the fo rg er, Jules Favre, th en still the foreign m inister of France, still selling France to Bism arck, a n d still dictating his o rd e rs to th at p arag o n G o vernm ent of Belgium? B ut in d eed th e C om m une did n o t p re te n d to infallibility, the invariable attrib u te of all govern m ents of th e old stam p. It published its doings an d sayings, it initiated th e public into all its shortcom ings.
T h e 1871 a n d 1891 G erm an editions have C h am b er o f J u n k e rs . Ed.

In every revolution th ere in tru d e, at th e side of its tru e agents, m en of a d iffe ren t stam p; som e o f th em survivors of an d devotees to past revolutions, w ithout insight into th e p re sen t m ovem ent, b u t preserving p o p u lar influence by th eir know n honesty an d courage, o r by the sheer force of tradition; oth ers m ere bawlers, who, by d in t of re p eatin g year afte r year th e sam e set of stereotyped declam ations against th e G o v ern m en t of th e day, have sneaked into the re p u ta tio n of revolutionists of th e first water. A fter th e 18th of M arch, som e such m en did also tu rn up, an d in some cases contrived to play p re-em in en t parts. As fa r as th eir pow er w ent, they h am p ered th e real action of th e w orking class, exactly as m en of th at so rt have h am p ered th e full developm ent of every previous revolution. T h ey are an unavoidable evil; with tim e they are shaken off; b u t tim e was n o t allowed to th e C om m une. W onderful, in d eed , was th e change th e C om m une h ad w ro u g h t in Paris! No lo n g er any trace of th e m eretricious Paris of the Second E m pire. No lo n g er was Paris th e rendezvous of B ritish landlords, Irish absentees,^ A m erican ex-slaveholders a n d shoddy m en, Russian ex-serfow ners, a n d W allachian boyards. No m o re corpses at the M orgue, no n o ctu rn al burglaries, scarcely any robberies; in fact, fo r th e first tim e since th e days of February, 1848, the streets of Paris w ere safe, an d th at w ithout any police of any kind.
W e, said a m em b e r o f th e C om m une, h e a r n o lo n g er o f assassination, theft, and personal assault; it seem s in d ee d as if the police h a d d ra g g ed along w ith it to Versailles all its C onservative friends.

T h e cocottes h ad re fo u n d th e scent of th eir p ro tec to rs th e absconding m en of family, religion, and, above all, of p ro p erty . In th eir stead, th e real w om en of Paris showed again at th e su rface heroic, noble, an d devoted, like th e w om en of antiquity. W orking, thinking, fighting, bleeding P aris alm ost forgetful, in its incubation o f a new society, o f th e cannibals at its g ates rad ia n t in the enthusiasm of its historic initiative! O pposed to this new w orld at Paris, behold th e old w orld at Versailles th at assembly of th e ghouls of all d efu n ct regimes, Legitimists an d O rleanists, eag er to feed u p o n th e carcass of the nation, with a tail of antediluvian Republicans, sanctioning, by their presence in the Assembly, th e slaveholders rebellion, relying fo r the m aintenance of th eir P arliam entary R epublic u p o n the

^ P. L afargue, U ne visite a Paris. Du 7 au 18 avril , La Tribune de Bordeaux, A pril 24, 1871. d.

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vanity of th e senile m ountebank at its head, an d caricaturing 1789 by holding th eir ghastly m eetings in the Jeu de Paum e* T h e re it was, this Assembly, the representative of everything d ead in France, p ro p p e d u p to th e sem blance of life by n o th in g b u t the swords of th e generals of Louis B onaparte. Paris all tru th , Versailles all lie; an d th at lie vented th ro u g h the m o u th of T hiers. T h iers tells a d ep u tatio n of the m ayors of the Seine-et-Oise,
You m ay rely u p o n m y w ord, which I have never b ro k e n !*^

H e tells th e Assembly itself th at it was th e m ost freely elected an d m ost Liberal Assembly F rance ever possessed '; h e tells his m otley soldiery th at it was the adm iration of the w orld, a n d the finest arm y F rance ever possessed h e tells th e provinces th at the b o m b ard m en t of Paris by him was a myth:
If som e cannon-shots have been fired , it is not the d e ed of th e arm y of Versailles, b u t of som e in su rg en ts try in g to m ake believe th a t they a re fighting, while they d a re n o t show th e ir faces.

capitalist, the gilded, th e idle Paris, now th ro n g in g with its lackeys, its blacklegs, its literary boheme, an d its cocottes at Versailles, Saint-Denis, Rueil, an d Saint-G erm ain; considering th e civil w ar b u t an agreeable diversion, eyeing th e battle going on th ro u g h telescopes, coun tin g th e ro u n d s of cannon, an d sw earing by th eir own h o n o u r an d th at of th eir prostitutes, th at th e p erfo rm an ce was fa r b etter got u p th an it used to be at the P orte St. Martin.^ T h e m en who fell w ere really dead; th e cries of th e w ounded w ere cries in good earnest; an d , besides, the whole th in g was so intensely historical. T his is the Paris of M. T h iers, as th e E m igration of Coblenz was the F rance o f M. de Calonne.^
IV

H e again tells the provinces that

the artillery of Versailles does n o t b o m bard Paris, b u t only can n o n ad es it. '^

H e tells th e A rchbishop of P aris' th at the p re te n d ed executions an d reprisals (!) attrib u ted to the Versailles troops w ere all m oonshine.* H e tells Paris th at he was only anxious to free it from the hideous tyrants who oppress it, an d that, in fact, the Paris of th e C om m une was b u t a h an d fu l of crim inals. ' T h e Paris of M. T h iers was not the real Paris of th e vile m u ltitu d e, b u t a p h antom Paris, the Paris of th e francs-fileurs,^^^^ th e Paris of th e B oulevards, m ale a n d fem ale the rich, the
* T h e tennis c o u rt w here th e N ational Assembly o f 1789 ad o p te d its fam ous decisions. (Engels Note to the 1871 German edition.) 2 M editation des m unicipalites d e la S eine , Le Rappel, No. 684, A pril 28, 1871. M . L. A. T h ie rs speech in th e N ational Assembly o n A pril 27, 1871, Le Rappel, No. 685, A pril 29, 1871. <i. Q u o ted in: T h . A slrie, Lhom m e ro u g e . L a Situation, No. 176, A pril 14, m i . Ed. La circulaire de M. T h ie rs , Le Vengeur, No. 21, A pril 19, 1871. Ed. ' Le M oniteur des com m unes c o n tien t... , Le Rappel, No. 692, May 6, 1871. Ed. ^ G. D arboy. Ed. 8 La com m ission des Q u in z e..., Le Rappel, No. 673, A pril 17, 1871; L. A. T h ie rs letter to G. D arboy of A pril 14, 1871, Le Rappel, No. 676, A pril 20, \ 8 7 \. Ed. I Voici, su r le m em e fait, le bulletin ... , Le Rappel, No. 692, May 6, 1871. Ed. ' L. A. T h ie rs speech in the N ational As.sembly on A pril 27, 1871, Le Rappel, No. 685, A pril 29, 1871 isd.

T h e first attem p t of th e slaveholders conspiracy to p u t dow n Paris by getting th e Prussians to occupy it, was fru strated by B ism arcks refusal. T h e second attem p t, th at of th e 18th of M arch, en d e d in the ro u t of th e arm y an d th e flight to Versailles of th e G overnm ent, which o rd e re d th e whole adm inistration to b reak u p an d follow in its track. By th e sem blance of peace-negotiations w ith Paris, T h iers fo u n d th e tim e to p re p a re fo r w ar against it. B ut w here to find an arm y? T h e rem n an ts of th e line regim ents w ere weak in n u m b er a n d unsafe in character. His u rg e n t appeal to th e provinces to succour Versailles, by th eir N ational G uards an d volunteers, m et with a flat refusal.'* B rittany alone fu rn ish ed a h an d fu l of Chouans^^^ fighting u n d e r a white flag, every one of them w earing on his b reast the h e a rt of Jesus in white cloth, and shouting Vive le Roi! (Long live th e K ing!') T h iers was, th erefo re, com pelled to collect, in h o t haste, a m otley crew, com posed of sailors, m arines, Pontifical Zouaves,' V alentins gendarm es, an d P ietris sergents-de-ville an d mouchards!" T h is arm y, how ever, w ould have been ridiculously ineffective w ithout the instalm ents of im perialist w ar-prisoners, which Bism arck g ran ted in n um bers just sufficient to keep th e civil w ar a-going, an d keep th e Versailles G o v ern m en t in abject d ep en d en ce on Prussia. D uring the w ar itself, the Versailles police h ad to look afte r the Versailles arm y, while th e g en d arm es h ad to d ra g it on by
^ R e p o rt from La Defense republicaine, Le Mot d'Ordre, No. 65, A pril 29, 1871. rf. * > T h e C om m unal D elegation... , The Daily News, No. 7779, A pril 5, 1871. Ed. A gents provocateurs. Ed.

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K arl M arx I have fo u n d th e R epublic a n accom plished fact, a n d I am firm ly resolved to m aintain it.

exposing them selves at all posts of danger. T h e forts which fell w ere n o t taken, b u t bought. T h e heroism of th e Federals convinced T h iers th at the resistance of Paris was n o t to be broken by his own strategic genius a n d th e bayonets at his disposal. M eanwhile, his relations with the provinces becam e m ore and m o re difficult. N ot one single address of approval cam e in to glad d en T h iers an d his Rurals. Q uite the contrary. D eputations a n d addresses dem anding, in a tone anything bu t respectful, conciliation with Paris on the basis of th e unequivocal recognition of th e Republic, the acknow ledgm ent of th e C om m unal liberties, a n d th e dissolution of the N ational Assembly, whose m an d ate was extinct, p o u re d in from all sides, an d in such num bers th at D u fau re, T h ie rss M inister of Justice, in his circular of A pril 23rd to th e public prosecutors, com m anded them to tre a t the cry of conciliation as a crim e! ^ In reg ard , how ever, of the hopeless prospect held o u t by his cam paign, T h iers resolved to shift his tactics by o rd erin g , all over the country, m unicipal elections to take place on th e 30th o f A pril, on the basis of the new m unicipal law dictated by him self to th e N ational Assembly. W hat with the intrigues of his prefects, w hat with police intim idation, he felt quite sanguine of im parting, by the verdict of the provinces, to the N ational Assembly th at m oral pow er it had never possessed, an d o f g etting at last from th e provinces the physical force req u ired fo r th e conquest of Paris. His banditti-w arfare against Paris, exalted in his own bulletins, an d th e attem pts of his m inisters at the establishm ent, th ro u g h o u t France, of a reign of te rro r, T h iers was from the beginning anxious to accom pany with a little byplay of conciliation, which h ad to serve m o re th a n one purpose. It was to d u p e th e provinces, to inveigle th e m iddle-class elem ent in Paris, and, above all, to affo rd th e professed R epublicans in the N ational Assembly the o p p o rtu n ity of h id in g th eir treason against Paris behind th eir faith in T h iers. O n th e 21st of M arch, w hen still w ithout an arm y, he h ad declared to th e Assembly;
C om e w hat m ay, I will n o t send an arm y to Paris.

In reality, he p u t dow n th e revolution at Lyons an d Marseilles in the nam e of th e Republic, while th e ro ars of his R urals drow ned th e very m ention of its n am e at Versailles. A fter this exploit, he ton ed dow n th e accom plished fact into an h y p o th eti cal fact. T h e O rleans princes, w hom h e h ad cautiously w arned off B ordeaux, w ere now, in flag ran t breach of th e law, p erm itted to intrigue at D reux. T h e concessions held o u t by T h iers in his interm inable interviews with th e delegates from Paris a n d th e provinces, alth o u g h constantly varied in tone an d colour, accord ing to tim e a n d circum stances, d id in fact n ever com e to m ore th an the prospective restriction of revenge to th e
h a n d fu l of crim inals im plicated in the m u rd e r of L ecom te a n d C lem ent T h o m a s, ^

O n th e 27th M arch he rose again:

J. D u fa u re s speech in th e N ational Assembly, A pril 26, 1871, Le Mot d Ordre, No. 65, A pril 29, 1871. Ed. J. D u fau re, [C irculaire aux p ro c u re u rs g e n erau x . Versailles, 23 avril 1871], Le Mot d Ordre, No. 62, A pril 26, 1871. </. L. A. T h ie rs speech in the N ational Assembly, M arch 21, 1871, The Daily News, No. 7768, M arch 23, 1871. d.

on the w ell-understood prem iss th at Paris an d F rance w ere unreservedly to accept M. T h iers him self as th e best of possible Republics, as he, in 1830, h ad d o n e with Louis Philippe. Even these concessions h e n o t only took care to re n d e r d o u b tfu l by th e official com m ents p u t u p o n th em in th e Assembly th ro u g h his M inisters. H e h ad his D u fau re to act. D u fau re, this old O rleanist lawyer, h ad always been th e justiciary of th e state of siege, as now in 1871, u n d e r T h iers, so in 1839 u n d e r Louis Philippe, an d in 1849 u n d e r Louis B o n ap artes presidency.^^ W hile o u t of office h e m ade a fo rtu n e by plead in g fo r th e Paris capitalists, a n d m ade political capital by pleading against th e laws h e h ad him self originated. H e now h u rrie d th ro u g h th e N ational Assembly not only a set of repressive laws which were, afte r th e fall of Paris, to ex tirp ate th e last rem n an ts of R epublican liberty in F rance he foreshadow ed th e fate of Paris by ab ridging the, fo r him , too slow p ro c ed u re of courts-martial,^''^ an d by a new -fangled, Draconic code of dep o rtatio n . T h e R evolution of 1848, abolishing the penalty of d eath fo r political crim es, h ad replaced it by d e p o rta tion. Louis B o n ap arte did n o t d are, at least n o t in theory, to re-establish the regime of th e guillotine. T h e R ural Assembly, not yet bold en o u g h even to h in t th at the Parisians w ere n o t rebels, b u t assassins, h ad th ere fo re to confine its prospective vengeance against Paris to D u fa u res new code of d ep o rtatio n . U n d e r all these circum stances T h iers him self could n o t have gone on with his com edy of conciliation, h ad it not, as h e in ten d ed it to do.
L. A. T h ie rs speech in the N ational Assembly, A pril 27, 1871, Le Rappel, No. 685, A pril 29, 1871. <i.

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d raw n fo rth shrieks of rage from the R urals, whose ru m in atin g m ind d id n eith er u n d ersta n d the play, n o r its necessities of hypocrisy, tergiversation, an d procrastination. In sight of th e im p en d in g m unicipal elections of the 30th April, T h iers enacted one of his g reat conciliation scenes of the 27th A pril. A m idst a flood of sentim ental rhetoric, he exclaim ed from th e trib u n e of th e Assembly:
T h e re exists n o conspiracy against the R epublic b u t th a t of Paris, which com pels us to shed F rench blood. I re p e a t it again a n d again. L et those im pious a rm s fall fro m th e h an d s which hold them , a n d chastisem ent will be a rre ste d at once by an act of peace ex cluding only the small n u m b e r of crim inals.

T o th e violent in terru p tio n of the R urals h e replied:

G entlem en, tell m e, 1 im plore you, am I w rong? D o you really re g re t th a t I could have stated th e tr u th th a t th e crim inals a re only a h a n d fu l? Is it not fo rtu n a te in the m idst of o u r m isfortunes th a t those w ho have been capable to shed th e blood of C lem ent T h o m a s a n d G eneral L ecom te are b u t ra re exceptions?

France, however, tu rn e d a deal ea r to w hat T h iers flattered him self to be a parliam entary sirens song. O u t of 700,000 m unicipal councillors re tu rn e d by the 35,000 com m unes still left to France, th e u n ited Legitimists, O rleanists, an d B onapartists did n o t carry 8,000. T h e supplem entary elections which followed were still m o re decidedly hostile. T hus, instead of getting from the provinces th e badly-needed physical force, the N ational Assembly lost even its last claim to m oral force, that of being the expression o f th e universal suffrage of the country. T o com plete the discom fiture, th e newly-chosen m unicipal councils of all th e cities of F rance openly th rea ten ed th e u su rp in g Assembly at Versailles with a co u n ter Assembly at B ordeaux. T h e n the long-expected m om ent of decisive action h ad at last com e fo r Bism arck. H e perem ptorily sum m oned T h iers to send to F ran k fo rt plenipotentiaries fo r th e definidve setdem ent o f peace. In hum ble obedience to the call of his m aster, T h iers hastened to despatch his trusty Jules Favre, backed by P ouyer-Q uertier. P ouyer-Q uertier, an e m in en t R ouen cotton-spinner, a fervent an d even servile p artisan of the .Second E m pire, had never found any fault with it save its com m ercial treaty with England,^' prejudicial to his own shop-interest. H ardly installed at B ordeaux as T h ie rss M inister of Finance, h e d en o u n ced th at u n h o ly treaty, h in ted at its n e a r abrogation, an d h ad even the effro n tery to try, alth o u g h in vain (having counted w ithout Bismarck), the im m ediate en fo rcem ent of the old protective duties against Alsace,
L. A. T h ie rs speech in the N ational Assembly on A pril 27, 1871, Le Rappel, No. 685, A pril 29, 1ST I. Ed.

w here, he said, no previous in tern atio n al treaties stood in th e way. T his m an, who considered counter-revolution as a m eans to p u t dow n wages at R ouen, a n d th e s u rre n d e r of F rench provinces as a m eans to brin g u p th e price of his wares in France, was he n o t the one pred estin ed to be picked o u t by T h iers as th e h elpm ate of Jules Favre in his last a n d crow ning treason? O n the arrival at F ran k fo rt of this exquisite p air of p len ip o ten tiaries, bully Bism arck at once m et them with the im perious alternative: E ither th e resto ratio n of th e E m pire, o r th e u n co n d i tional acceptance of my own peace term s! T hese term s included a sh o rten in g of the intervals in which th e w ar indem nity was to be paid, an d the con tin u ed occupation of th e Paris forts by Prussian troops until Bism arck should feel satisfied with th e state of t h i n p in France; Prussia th u s being recognized as th e su p rem e arb iter in internal F rench politics! In re tu rn fo r this h e o ffered to let loose, fo r the exterm inatio n of Paris, th e captive B onapartist arm y, and to lend them th e direct assistance of E m p ero r W illiam s troops. H e pledged his good faith by m aking paym ent of th e first instalm ent of the indem nity d e p e n d e n t on the pacification of Paris. Such a bait was, of course, eagerly swallowed by T h iers an d his plenipotentiaries. T hey signed th e treaty of peace on th e 10th of May, an d h ad it en d o rsed by th e Versailles Assembly on th e 18th. In the interval betw een th e conclusion of peace an d th e arrival of the B onapartist prisoners, T h iers felt th e m ore b o u n d to resum e his com edy of conciliation, as his R epublican tools stood in sore n eed of a p re te x t fo r blinking th eir eyes at th e p rep aratio n s for the carnage of Paris. As late as th e 8 th May he replied to a d ep u tatio n of m iddle-class conciliators
W henever th e in su rg en ts will m ake u p th e ir m inds fo r capitulation, th e gates of Paris shall be flu n g wide o p e n d u rin g a w eek fo r all except the m u rd e re rs of G enerals C lem ent T h o m as a n d L ecom te.

A few days afterw ards, w hen violently in terp ellated on these prom ises by the R urals, he refu sed to e n te r into any explanations; not, how ever, w ithout giving them this significant hint:
I tell you th ere a re im p atien t m en am ongst you, m en w ho a re in too g re at a h u rry . T h ey m ust have a n o th e r eight days; a t the e n d of these e ig h t days th e re will be no m o re d a n g er, a n d the task will be p ro p o rtio n a te to th eir courage a n d to th eir capacities. * Traite de paix entre I Empire Allemand el la France, signe a Francfort s. m., le 10 mai 1871... Ed. ^ T h e source from w hich M arx quotes this tex t has n o t been established. See I.. A. T h ie rs speech in the N ational Assembly on May I I , 1871, Journal officiel (Versailles), No. 132, May 12, 1871.

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As soon as M acM ahon was able to assure him th at he could shortly e n te r Paris, T h iers declared to the Assembly th at
he w ould e n te r Paris w ith the laws in his hands, a n d d e m a n d a full expiation fro m the w retches w ho h a d sacrificed th e lives o f soldiers a n d destroyed public m o n u m e n ts. ^

As th e m om ent of decision drew n e a r he said to the Assembly, I shall be pitiless! ' to Paris, th at it was doom ed; an d to his B onapartist banditti, th at they had State license to w reak vengeance u p o n Paris to th e ir h earts c o n te n t/ At last, w hen treachery h ad o p en ed the gates of Paris to G eneral Douay, on the 21st May, T hiers, on the 22nd, revealed to th e R urals th e goal of his conciliation com edy, which they h ad so obstinately persisted in not u n d erstan ding.
I told you a few days ago th a t we w ere a p p ro ac h in g our goal; to-day I com e to tell you the goal is reached. T h e victory o f o rd e r, justice, a n d civilization is at last w on! < *

b loodhounds we m ust go back to th e tim es of Sulla an d th e two T rium virates of Rome.^* T h e sam e wholesale slaughter in cold blood; th e sam e disreg ard , in m assacre, of age a n d sex; th e sam e system of to rtu rin g prisoners; th e sam e proscriptions, b u t this tim e of a whole class; th e sam e savage h u n t afte r concealed leaders, lest one m ight escape; th e sam e denunciations of political an d private enem ies; th e sam e indifferen ce fo r th e b utchery of entire strangers to th e feud. T h e re is b u t this d ifference, th at the R om ans h ad no m itrailleuses fo r th e despatch, in the lum p, of the proscribed, a n d th a t they h ad n o t th e law in th eir h a n d s, n o r on th eir lips th e cry of civilization. A nd afte r those h o rro rs, look u p o n th e o th er, still m ore hideous, face of th at bourgeois civilization as described by its own press!
W ith stray shots, w rites the Paris c o rre sp o n d e n t of a L o n d o n T o ry p ap er, still rin g in g in the distance, a n d u n te n d e d w o u n d e d w retches dying am id the tom bstones o f P ere la C haise w ith 6,000 terro r-strick en in su rg en ts w an d erin g in an agony of d e sp a ir in th e labyrinth of the catacom bs, a n d w retches h u rrie d th ro u g h the streets to be shot dow n in scores by th e m itrailleuse it is revolting to see th e cafes filled w ith the votaries o f absinthe, billiards, a n d dom inoes; fem ale profligacy p e ram b u la tin g the boulevards, a n d th e sou n d of revelry d istu rb in g the n ig h t fro m th e cabinets particuliers^ of fashionable restau ran ts. l>

So it was. T h e civilization a n d justice of bourgeois o rd e r comes o u t in its lu rid light w henever the slaves an d d ru d g es of th a t o rd e r rise against th eir m asters. T h e n this civilization a n d justice stand fo rth as undisguised savagery a n d lawless revenge. Each new crisis in th e class struggle betw een the a p p ro p ria to r an d th e p ro d u c er b rings o u t this fact m ore glaringly. Even the atrocities of the bourgeois in Ju n e, 1848, vanish before the ineffable infam y of 1871. T h e self-sacrificing heroism with which the population of P aris m en, w om en, a n d c h ild re n fo u g h t fo r eight days after th e en tra n ce-o f the Versaillese, reflects as m uch the g ra n d e u r of th eir cause, as th e in fern al deeds of the soldiery reflect the innate spirit of th at civilization o f which they are th e m ercenary vindicators. A glorious civilization, indeed, the g reat problem of w hich is how to get rid of the heaps of corpses it m ade afte r the battle was over! T o find a parallel for the conduct of T h iers a n d . his
^ T h e source from which M arx quotes h e re has n o t been established. See L. A. T h ie rs speech in the N ational Assembly on May 22, 1871, Journal officiel (Versailles), No. 143, May 23, 1871. L. A. T h ie rs speech in the N ational Assembly on May 24, 1871, Journal officiel (Versailles), No. 145, May 25, 1871. d. L. A. T h ie rs, [C irculaire a u x p refets et a u x autorites civiles, judiciaires et m ilitaires. Versailles, 25 m ai 1871], Journal officiel (Versailles), No. 146, May 26, 1871. d. T h e source from w hich M arx quotes h e re has n o t been established. See L. A. T h ie rs speech in the N ational Assembly on May 22, 1871, Journal officiel (Versailles), No. 143, May 23, 1871.

M. E d o u ard H erve writes in th e Journal de Paris, a Versaillist jo u rn a l suppressed by the C om m une;

T h e way in w hich th e po p u latio n o f Paris (!) m anifested its satisfaction yesterday was ra th e r m o re th a n frivolous, a n d we fe a r it will grow w orse as tim e progresses. Paris has now a fete day a p p earan ce, w hich is sadly o u t of place; and, unless we a re to be called th e Parisiens de la decadence,"^ this so rt o f th in g m ust com e to an e n d .

A nd th en he quotes th e passage from T acitus:

Yet, o n the m o rrow of th a t ho rrib le struggle, even b efo re it was com pletely over, R om e d e g ra d e d a n d corrupt-began once m ore to wallow in the v oluptuous slough w hich was destroying its body a n d p olluting its so u l alibi proelia et vulnera, alibi balneae popinaeque (here fights a n d w o u n d s,'th e re baths a n d re stau ra n ts). ''

M. H erve only forgets to say th at the p o pulation of P aris he speaks of is b u t th e p o pulation of th e Paris of M. T h ie rs the
Private room s. Ed. T h e E n d of th e In su rre c tio n , The Standard, No. 14613, J u n e 2, 1871. It also quotes fro m H erv es article published in the Journal de Paris, No. 138, May 31, 1871. <i Parisians of the p eriod of decadence. Ed. T acitus, Histories, III, 83. Ed.

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francs-fileurs^^ re tu rn in g in thro n g s from Versailles, Saint-Denis, Rueil, a n d S aint-G erm ain the Paris of th e D ecline.

In all its bloody triu m p h s over the self-sacrificing cham pions of a new an d b etter society, th at nefarious civilization, based u p o n the enslavem ent of labour, drow ns the m oans of its victims in a hue-and-cry of calum ny, re v erb erated by a world-w ide echo. T h e serene w orking m en s Paris of the C om m une is suddenly changed into a p an d em o n iu m by the b loodhounds of o rd e r. A nd w hat does this trem en d o u s change prove to the bourgeois m ind of all countries? W hy, th at the C om m une has conspired against civiliza tion! T h e Paris people die enthusiastically fo r the C om m une in nu m b ers u n equalled in any batde know n to history. W hat does th at prove? W hy, th at the C om m une was no t th e p eoples own g overnm ent, b u t the u su rp atio n of a h an d fu l of criminals! T h e w om en of Paris joyfully give u p th eir lives at the barricades and on the place of execution. W hat does this prove? W hy, that the d em o n of th e C om m une has changed them into M egaeras and Hecates! T h e m oderation of the C om m une d u rin g two m onths of u n d isp u ted sway is equalled only by the heroism of its defence. W hat does th at prove? Why, th at fo r m onths the C om m une carefully hid, u n d e r a m ask of m o deration an d hum anity, the blood-thirstiness of its fiendish instincts, to be let loose in the h o u r of its agony! T h e w orking m e n s Paris, in the act of its heroic self-holocaust, involved in its flam es buildings a n d m onum ents. W hile tearin g to pieces th e living body of the proletariate, its ru lers m ust no longer expect to re tu rn triu m p h an d y into the intact architecture of th eir abodes. T h e G o vernm ent of Versailles cries, Incendiarism ! and whispers this cue to all its agents, dow n to the rem otest ham let, to h u n t u p its enem ies everyw here as suspect of professional incendiarism . T h e bourgeoisie of th e whole world, which looks com placendy u p on the wholesale m assacre afte r th e batde, is convulsed by h o rro r at the desecration of brick an d m ortar! W hen governm ents give state-licenses to th eir navies to kill, burn, and destro y, is th at a license fo r incendiarism ? W hen the B ritish troops w antonly set fire to the C apitol at W ashington and to th e sum m er palace of the C hinese E m p e r o r , w a s that incendiarism ? W hen the Prussians, not fo r m ilitary reasons, but ou t of th e m ere spite of revenge, b u rn t dow n, by the help of petroleum , towns like C h atea u d u n an d innum erable villages, was th at incendiarism ? W hen T hiers, d u rin g six weeks, bom barded
T h is p h rase is om itted in the 1871 a n d 1891 G erm an editions. Ed.

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Paris, u n d e r th e p re te x t th at h e w anted to set fire to those houses only in which th ere w ere people, was th at incendiarism ? In war, fire is an arm as legitim ate as any. B uildings h eld by th e enem y are shelled to set th em on fire. If th eir d efen d ers have to retire, they them selves light th e flam es to p rev en t th e attack fro m m aking use of th e buildings. T o be b u rn t dow n has always been the inevitable fate of all buildings situated in th e fro n t of battle of all th e re g u la r arm ies of th e w orld. B ut in th e w ar of th e enslaved against th eir enslavers, th e only justifiable w ar in history, this is by no m eans to hold good! T h e C om m une used fire stricdy as a m eans of defence. T h ey used it to stop u p to th e Versailles troops those long straig h t avenues which H au ssm an n h ad expressly o p en ed to artillery-fire* ; they used it to cover th eir re treat, in the sam e way as the Versaillese, in th eir advance, used th eir shells which destroyed at least as m any buildings as th e fire of th e C om m une. It is a m atter of dispute, even now, which buildings w ere set fire to by th e defence, an d which by th e attack. A nd th e defence reso rted to fire only th en , w hen th e Versaillese troops h ad already com m enced th e ir wholesale m u rd e rin g of prisoners. Besides, the C om m une h ad , lo n g before, given full public notice th at, if driven to extrem ities, they w ould b u ry them selves u n d e r th e ruins of Paris, an d m ake Paris a second Moscow, as th e G overnm ent of D efence, b u t only as a cloak fo r its treason, had prom ised to do. F or this p u rp o se T ro c h u h ad fo u n d th em th e petroleum . T h e C o m m u n e knew th a t its o p p o n en ts cared n o th in g fo r the lives of th e Paris people, b u t cared m uch fo r th e ir own Paris buildings. A nd T h iers, on th e o th er h an d , h ad given them notice th a t he would be im placable in his vengeance. No sooner h ad h e got his arm y ready on one side, an d th e Prussians sh u ttin g u p the tra p on th e o th er, th an h e proclaim ed: I shall be ptiless! T h e expiation will be com plete, and justice will be stern ! It the acts of th e Paris w orking m en w ere vandalism , it was the vandalism of defence in despair, n o t th e vandalism of triu m p h , like th at which the C hristians p e rp e tra te d u p o n th e really priceless a rt treasures of h ea th e n antiquity; an d even th at vandalism has been justified by th e h istorian as an unavoidable an d com parative ly trifling concom itant to th e T itanic struggle betw een a new society arising an d an old one break in g dow n. It w as still less th e vandalism of H aussm ann, razing historic P an s to m ake place to r the Paris of the sightseer!
. a -A u x g randes villes , Journal officiel (Paris), No. 136 May 16, F rom L. A. T h ie rs speeches in the N ational Assembly o n May 22 a n d 24, 1871. See this volum e, p. 348. Ed.

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B ut th e execution by the C om m une of th e sixty-four hostages, with the A rchbishop of Paris' at th eir head! T h e bourgeoisie and its arm y in Ju n e, 1848, re-established a custom which h ad long d isap p eared from th e practice of w a r th e shooting o f th eir defenceless prisoners. T his b ru tal custom has since been m ore o r less strictly ad h e red to by the suppressors of all p o p u lar com m otions in E urope an d India; th u s proving th at it constitutes a real progress of civilization ! O n the o th er h an d , the Prussians, in France, had re-established th e practice of taking hostages in n o cen t m en, who, with th eir lives, w ere to answ er to them for th e acts of others. W hen T hiers, as we have seen, from the very beginning o f th e conflict, enforced the h u m an e practice of shooting dow n the C om m unal prisoners, the C om m une, to protect th eir lives, was obliged to re so rt to th e Prussian practice of securing hostages. T h e lives of the hostages h ad been forfeited over an d over again by the continued shooting of prisoners on the p art of th e Versaillese. How could they be spared any longer after th e carnage with which M acM ahons praetorians^^ celebrated their en tran ce into Paris? Was even the last check u p o n the u n scru p u l ous ferocity of bourgeois go v ern m en ts th e taking of hostages to be m ade a m ere sham of? T h e real m u rd e re r of A rchbishop Darboy is T h iers. T h e C om m une again an d again had o ffered to exchange th e archbishop, a n d ever so m any priests into the bargain, against the single B lanqui, th en in the h ands of T hiers. T h iers obstinately refused. H e knew th at with B lanqui h e would give to th e C om m une a head; while the archbishop w ould serve his p u rp o se best in the shape of a corpse. T h iers acted u p o n the p re ced e n t of Cavaignac. How, in June, 1848, did no t Cavaignac an d his m en of o rd e r raise shouts of h o rro r by stigm atizing the insu rg en ts as th e assassins of A rchbishop A ffre! T hey knew perfectly well th at the archbishop h ad been shot by the soldiers of o rd e r. M. Jacquem et, the archbishops vicar-general, p resen t on the spot, had im m ediately afterw ards h an d e d them in his evidence to th at effect.* All this chorus of calum ny which the P arty of O rd e r never fail, in th eir orgies of blood, to raise against th eir victims, only proves th at th e bourgeois of o u r days considers him self the legitim ate successor to th e b aro n of old, who th o u g h t every w eapon in his own h an d fair against the plebeian, while in the h ands of the plebeian a w eapon of an y kind constituted in itself a crim e.
G. D arboy. Ed. T h e re fe re n ce is to Jacq u em ets statem ent of Ju n e 26, 1848, published in La Situation, No. 185, A pril 25, 1871. A

T h e conspiracy of th e ru lin g class to b reak dow n th e Revolution by a civil w ar carried on u n d e r th e p atro n ag e of th e foreign in v ad er a conspiracy which we have traced fro m th e very 4 th of S eptem ber dow n to th e en tran ce of M acM ahons praeto rian s th ro u g h the gate of St. C lo u d culm inated in th e carn ag e of Paris. B ism arck gloats over th e ru in s of Paris, in which he saw perh ap s the first instalm ent of th a t general destructions of great cities he h ad pray ed fo r w hen still a sim ple R ural in th e Prussian Chambre introuvable of 1849.^^' H e gloats over th e cadavres of the Paris proletariate. F or him this is n o t only th e ex term in atio n of revolution, b u t the extinction of France, now decapitated in reality, a n d by th e F rench G o vernm ent itself. W ith th e shallowness characteristic of all successful statesm en, he sees b u t th e surface of this trem en d o u s historic event. W henever befo re has history exhibited th e spectacle of a co n q u ero r crow ning his victory by tu rn in g into, n o t only th e g en d arm e, b u t th e h ired bravo of the co n q u ered G overnm ent? T h e re existed no w ar betw een Prussia an d th e C om m une of Paris. O n the co ntrary, the C om m une h ad accepted the peace prelim inaries, an d Prussia h ad an n o u n ced h e r neutrality. Prussia was, th erefo re, no belligerent. She acted th e p a rt of bravo, a cow ardly bravo, because in cu rrin g no d an g er; a h ired bravo, because stipulating b efo reh an d th e p ay m en t of h er blood-m oney of 500 millions on th e fall of Paris. A nd thus, at last, cam e o u t th e tru e ch aracter of th e war, o rd a in e d by Providence as a chastisem ent of godless an d d eb au ch ed F rance by pious an d m oral G erm any! A nd this un p aralleled b reach of th e law of nations, even as u n d ersto o d by th e old w orld lawyers, instead of arousing the civilized G overnm ents of E u ro p e to declare th e felonious Prussian G overnm ent, th e m ere tool of th e St. P eters b u rg C abinet, an outlaw am ongst nations, only incites them to consider w h eth er th e few victims w ho escape th e double cordon a ro u n d Paris are n o t to be given u p to th e h an g m an at Versailles! T h a t afte r th e m ost trem en d o u s w ar of m o d ern times, the conquering an d th e co n q u ered hosts should fratern ize fo r th e com m on m assacre of th e p ro leta riate this un p aralleled event does indicate, not, as B ism arck thinks, th e final repression of a new society upheaving, b u t th e crum bling into d u st of bourgeois society. T h e highest heroic effo rt of which old society is still capable is national war; a n d this is now p roved to be a m ere governm ental hu m b u g , in ten d ed to d e fe r th e struggle of classes, an d to be throw n aside as soon as th at class struggle bursts o u t into civil war. Class ru le is no longer able to disguise itself in a

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national u n ifo rm ; the national G overnm ents are one as against the proletariate! A fter W hit-Sunday, 1871, th ere can be n eith er peace n o r truce possible betw een the w orking m en of France an d the ap p ro p riators of th eir produce. T h e iron h an d of a m ercenary soldiery m ay keep fo r a tim e bo th classes tied dow n in com m on oppression. B ut the battle m ust break o u t again an d again in evergrow ing dim ensions, an d th ere can be no d o u b t as to who will be th e victor in the end, th e ap p ro p riatin g few, o r the im m ense w orking m ajority. A nd the F rench w orking class is only the advanced g u ard of the m o d ern proletariate. W hile th e E u ro p ean G overnm ents thus testify, before Paris, to th e intern atio n al ch aracter of class rule, they cry dow n the In tern atio n al W orking M ens A ssociation the international counter-organization of lab o u r against the cosm opolitan conspiracy of capital as the h ead fo u n tain of all these disasters. T hiers d en o u n ced it as th e despot o f labour, p re te n d in g to be its liberator. Picard o rd e re d th at all com m unications betw een the F rench Intern ationals an d those abroad should be cut off"; C ount Jau b ert, T h ie rss m um m ified accom plice of 1835, declares it the g reat problem of all civilized governm ents to weed it out.*^ T h e R urals ro a r against it, an d the whole E u ro p ean press joins the chorus. A n h o n ourable F rench w riter, com pletely foreign to o u r Association, speaks as follows;
T h e m em bers of th e C entral C om m ittee of th e N ational G u ard , as well as the g re a te r p a rt o f the m em bers o f th e C om m une, a re th e m ost active, intelligent, a n d energetic m inds of the In tern a tio n a l W orking M ens A ssociation; ....m en w ho are tho ro u g h ly honest, sincere, intelligent, devoted, p u re , a n d fanatical in th e good sense o f the w o rd . '*

W herever, in w hatever shape, an d u n d e r w hatever conditions the class struggle obtains any consistency, it is b u t n atu ra l th at m em bers of o u r association should stand in the fo reg ro u n d . T h e soil o u t of which it grows is m o d ern society itself. It cannot be stam ped o u t by any am o u n t of carnage. T o stam p it out, the G overnm ents would have to stam p o u t th e despotism of capital over lab o u r the condition of th eir own parasitical existence. W orking m en s Paris, with its C om m une, will be for ever celebrated as th e glorious h arb in g e r of a new society. Its m artyrs are en sh rin ed in th e g reat h ea rt of th e w orking class. Its exterm inators history has already nailed to th at etern al pillory from which all the prayers of th eir priests will n o t avail to redeem them . T h e G eneral Council M. J. Boon, Fred. Bradnick, G. H . Buttery, Caihil, Delahaye, W illiam
Hales, A . H erm ann, Kolb, Fred. Lessner, Lochner, J. P. MacDonnell, George M ilner, Thomas Mottershead, Ch. Mills, Charles Murray, Pfdnder, Roach, Rochat, Riihl, Sadler, A . Serraillier, Cowell Stepney, A lf. Taylor, W illiam Townshend.

C o rresp o n d in g Secretaries
Eugene Dupont, fo r France. K arl Marx, fo r G erm any and P. Giovacchini, fo r Italy. Zevy Maurice, fo r H ungary. A n to n Zabicki, fo r Poland. James Cohen, fo r D enm ark. J. G. Eccarius, fo r th e U nited

H olland.
Fred. Engels, fo r Belgium and

T h e police-tinged bourgeois m ind naturally figures to itself the In tern atio n al W orking M ens Association as acting in the m an n er of a secret conspiracy, its central body o rd erin g , from tim e to time, explosions in d iffe ren t countries. O u r Association is, in fact, n o th in g b u t th e in ternational bond betw een the m ost advanced w orking m en in the various countries of the civilized world.
^ L. A. T h iers, [C irculaire a p refets et sous-prefets. Versailles, 28 m ars 1871], Le Rappel, No. 655, M arch 30, I8 7 I. T h e F ren ch A ssem bly , The Daily News, No. 7774, M arch 30, I 8 7 I . Ed. T h e source from w hich M arx cites this has n o t been established. See H . F. J a u b e rts speech in the N ational Assembly on May 12, 1871, Journal officiel (Versailles), No. 133, May 13, 1871. d. [J. F. E. R obinet,] Political Notes on the Present Situation of France and Paris. By a F ren ch Positivist, L ondon [1871], Ed.

Spain.
H erm ann Jung, fo r Switzerland. H erm ann Jung, C hairm an. John Weston, T re asu re r.

States.
George Harris, Financial Sec. John Hales, G eneral Sec.

O ffice 256, H igh H olborn, L ondon, W.C., May 30th, 1871.

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h a n d was seen p ro tru d in g th ro u g h the soil. In consequence o f this, exhum ations w ere o rd e re d to take place.... T h a t m any w o u n d ed have been b u ried alive I have n o t th e shghtest doubt. O n e case I can vouch for. W hen B ru n ei was shot w ith his m istress o n th e 24th uk. in the c o u rty a rd of a house in th e Place V endom e, the bodies lay th ere until th e a fte rn o o n o f th e 27th. W hen th e burial p a rty cam e to rem ove th e corpses, they fo u n d th e w om an hving still, a n d took h e r to an am bulance. T h o u g h she h a d received fo u r bullets she is now o u t o f d a n g e r. Paris Correspondent Evening Standard, ' J u n e 8th.

II.

T h e following letter a p p e are d in The Tim es of Ju n e 13th^^^;

NOTES I. T h e colum n of p riso n ers halted in the A venue U hrich, a n d was draw n up, fo u r o r five d eep , on th e footway facing to th e ro ad . G eneral M arquis de G alliffet a n d his staff d ism o u n te d a n d com m enced an inspection fro m th e left of th e line. W aling dow n slowly a n d eyeing th e ranks, th e G eneral sto p p ed h e re a n d th ere, tap p in g a m an o n the sh o u ld e r o r beckoning him o u t of th e re a r ranks. In m ost cases, w ithout fu rth e r parley, th e individual th u s selected was m arc h ed o u t into the cen tre o f th e ro ad , w here a small su p p lem en tary colum n was, thus, soon form ed.... It was evident th a t th e re was considerable ro o m fo r e rro r. A m o u n te d officer p o in te d o u t to G eneral G alliffet a m an a n d w om an fo r som e p a rticu la r offence. T h e w om an, ru sh in g o u t of th e ranks, threw h e rself on h e r knees, a n d , with o u tstretc h ed arm s, p ro teste d h e r innocence in passionate term s. T h e general waited fo r a pause, a n d th e n w ith m ost im passible face a n d u n m oved d e m e an o u r, said, M adam e, I have visited every th e a tre in Paris, y our acting will have n o effect on m e (ce n est pas la pein e d e jo u e r la com edie).... It was n o t a good th in g o n th at day to be noticeably taller, d irtie r, cleaner, older, o r u g lie r th an o n e s neighbours. O n e individual in p a rticu la r struck m e as probably ow ing his speedy release from th e ills of this w orld to his having a bro k en nose.... O ver a h u n d re d being thus chosen, a firin g p a rty told off, a n d th e colum n re su m ed its m arch, leaving them b e hind. A few m inutes afte n v ard s a d ro p p in g fire, in o u r re a r com m enced, and c o n tin u ed fo r over a q u a rte r of a n ho u r. It was th e execution of these sum m arily-convicted w retches . Paris Correspondent Daily News, J u n e Sth.^"

T o the Editor of The T im es.

T h is Galliffet, the kept m an of his wife, so notorious fo r h er sham eless exhibitions at the orgies of the Second E m p ire, went, d u rin g th e war, by the nam e of the F rench Ensign Pistol.
The Temps, w hich is a carefu l jo u rn al, a n d n o t given to sensation, tells a d re a d fu l story o f people im perfecdy shot a n d b u ried be fo re life was extinct. A g re at n u m b e r w ere b u ried in the sq u are ro u n d St. Jacques-la-B oucherie; som e of th em very superficially. In the daytim e th e ro a r o f th e busy streets p re v en ted any notice being taken; b u t in th e stillness of th e n ig h t th e inhabitants of th e houses in the n e ig h b o u rh o o d w ere ro u sed by distan t m oans, a n d in th e m o rn in g a clenched ^ A n A d v e n tu re in P aris, The Daily News, No. 7834, Ju n e 8, 1871. E d

Sir, O n Ju n e 6 , 1871, M. Jules Favre issued a circular to all th e E u ro p ean Powers, calling u p o n them to h u n t dow n th e In te rn a tional W orking-M ens Association. A few rem ark s will suffice to characterize th at docum ent. In the very pream ble of o u r statutes it is stated th at the In tern atio n al was fo u n d e d S eptem ber 28, 1864, at a public m eeting held at St. M artins Hall, L ong Acre, L o n d o n .'^ For purposes of his own Jules Favre p u ts back the d ate of its origin b eh in d 1862. In o rd e r to explain o u r principles, he professes to q u ote th eir (the In tern atio n als) sheet of th e 25th of M arch, 1869. A nd th en w hat does h e quote? T h e sheet of a society which is n o t the International.'' T his so rt of m an oeuvre he already re c u rre d to w hen, still a com paratively y oung lawyer, he h ad to d efen d the N ational new spaper, p rosecuted fo r libel by Cabet.^^* T h e n he p re te n d e d to read extracts from C abets p am phlets while read in g interpolations of his ow n a trick exposed while th e C o u rt was sitting, an d which, b u t fo r th e indulgence o f Cabet, w ould have
= > M. Jules Favres Reply to Prince N apoleon. T h e In tern a tio n a l Society , The Evening Standard, No. 14619, Ju n e 9, 1871; see also Le Temps, No. 3718, Ju n e 7, 1871. d. J. Favre, [C irculaire adressee aux agents diplom atiques d e la R epublique frangaise], Versailles, le 6 ju in 1871 , Journal officiel (Versailles), No. 159, J u n e 8, 1871. d. ^ Karl M arx, Provisional Rules of the Association (see p re sen t edition. Vol. 20, p. 15). Ed. Programme de I Alliance intemationale de la Democratie Socialiste, Geneva, 1868. Ed.

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been p u n ish ed by Jules F avres expulsion from th e Paris bar. O f all th e docum ents quoted by him as docum ents of th e In te rn a tio n al, n o t one belongs to the International. H e says, fo r instance,
T h e Alliance declares itself A theist, says th e G eneral Council, constituted in L o n d o n in July, 1869.

T h e G eneral C ouncil never issued such a docum ent. O n the contrary, it issued a do cu m en t which quashed the original statutes of th e A lliance LAlliance de la D em ocratic Socialiste at G eneva qu o ted by Jules Favre. T h ro u g h o u t his circular, which p re te n d s in p a rt also to be directed against the E m pire, Jules Favre repeats against the In tern atio n al b u t the police inventions of the public prosecutors of th e E m pire, an d which broke dow n m iserably even before th e law courts of th at Em pire. It is know n th at in its two addresses (of July a n d S eptem ber last) on th e late war,' the G eneral C ouncil of the In tern atio n al d en o u n ced th e Prussian plans of conquest against France. L ater on, M r. R eitlinger, Jules F avres private secretary, applied, th o u g h of course in vain, to some m em bers of th e G eneral C ouncil for g etting u p by the C ouncil a dem onstration against Bism arck, in favour of th e G overnm ent of N ational D efence; they were particularly req uested not to m ention the Republic. T h e p re p a ra tions fo r a dem onstration with re g ard to th e expected arrival of Jules Favre in L ondon w ere m a d e certainly with th e best of in ten tio n s in spite of the G eneral Council, which, in its address of th e 9th of S eptem ber, h ad distinctly forew arned th e Paris w orkm en against Jules Favre a n d his colleagues. W hat would Jules Favre say if, in its tu rn , the In tern atio n al w ere to send a circular" on Jules Favre to all the C abinets of E urope, draw ing th eir particular attention to the docum ents published at Paris by th e late M. Milliere? I am , Sir, your obedient servant,
John Hales,

In an article on T h e In tern atio n al Society a n d its aim s, th at pious inform er, the L o ndon Spectator (June 24th), am ongst o th er sim ilar tricks, quotes, even m ore fully th an Jules Favre h as done, the above d o cu m en t of th e Alliance as the w ork of th e In te rn a tio n al, a n d th at eleven days after th e refu tatio n h ad b een published in The Times. W e do n o t w o n d er at this. F rederick th e G reat used to say th at of all Jesuits th e w orst are th e P ro testan t ones.

Secretary to the G eneral C ouncil of th e In tern atio n al W orking M ens Association. 256, H igh H olborn, W.C., Ju n e 12th.
T h e re fe re n ce is to M arxs T h e In tern a tio n a l W orking M ens A ssociation and the In tern a tio n a l Alliance of Socialist D em ocracy (see p re sen t edition, Vol. 21, p. 34). Ed. I See this volum e, pp. 3-8 a n d 263-70. Ed. J.-B. E. M illiere, Le F aussaire , Le Vengeur, No. 6, F eb ru ary 8, 1871. Ed.

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T
Karl M arx
[T O T H E E D IT O R O F T H E P A L L M A L L G A Z E T T E ] [S T A T E M E N T BY T H E GENERAL C O U N C IL O N JU LES FAVRES CIRCU LAR] ^^4
F. G R E E N W O O D , ESQ.

361

Karl M arx and F rederick Engels

8 Ju n e

1871

My d e a r Sir, W ould you oblige m e by inserting the following few lines in your n ex t publication? Yours faithfully,
T O T H E E D IT O R O F T H E T IM E S

K. M arx
T O T H E E D IT O R O F T H E P A L L M A L L G A Z E T T E

Sir, From th e Paris co rrespondence of your yesterdays publication I see th at while fancying to live at L ondon, I was, in reality, arrested in H olland on th e request of Bism arck-Favre. B ut, maybe, this is b u t one of th e innum erable sensational stories ab o u t the International which fo r the last two m onths th e Franco-Prussian police has n ever tired of fabricating, the Versailles press of publishing, an d th e rest of the E u ro p ean press of reproducing. I have the h o n o u r. Sir, to be Y ours obediently,
K arl M arx

1, M odena Villas, M aitland Park. Ju n e 8 , 1871

First published in The Pall Mall Gazette, No. 1972, Ju n e 9, 1871 R ep ro d u ced from th e new spaper, verified with the m anuscript; the covering letter is re p ro d u c e d from th e m anuscript

Sir, O n Ju n e 6 , 1871, M. Jules Favre issued a circular to all th e E u ro p ean Powers, calling u p o n th em to h u n t dow n th e In te rn a tional W orking M ens Association.' A few rem ark s will suffice to characterize th at docum ent. In the very pream ble of o u r statutes it is stated th at the In tern atio n al was fo u n d ed S eptem ber 28, 1864, at a public m eeting held at St. M artin s Hall, L o n d o n . ' F or p u rposes of his ow n Jules Favre puts back th e date of its origin behind 1862. In o rd e r to explain o u r principles, he professes to q u ote th eir (the In tern atio n als) sheet of th e 25th of M arch, 1869. A nd th en w hat does h e quote? T h e sheet of a society which is n o t th e International.*^ T his sort of m anoeuvre he already re c u rre d to w hen, still a com paratively young lawyer, he h ad to d efen d the N ational new spaper, prosecuted fo r libel by Cabet. T h e n he p re te n d e d to read extracts from C abets p am phlets while read in g interpolations of his ow n a trick exposed while th e co u rt was
3 J. Favre, [C irculaire adressee a u x agents diplom atiques d e la R epublique franfaise], Versailles, le 6 ju in 1871 , Journal officiel (Versailles), No. 159, J u n e 8, 1871. * > See p re sen t edition. Vol. 20, p. 15. Ed. c Programme de VAlliance intemationale de la Democratie Socialiste, G eneva, IS 6 8 . Ed.

T h e In te rre g n u m , The Pall Mall Gazette, No. 1970, J u n e 7, 1871. <i

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S tatem ent by the G eneral C ouncil o n F av re s C ircular

363

Sitting, and which b u t fo r the indulgence of Cabet, w ould hav te e n pun ish ed by Jules F avres expulsion from the Paris bar O f all th e docum ents qu o ted by him as docum ents of the In te rn a ' tional n o t one belongs to the International. H e says fo r in ' stance,

I am, Sir, your ob ed ien t servant,

John Hales,

S ecretary to th e G eneral Council of th e In tern atio n al W o rk in g M ens Association 256, H igh H olborn, W.C., Ju n e 12, 1871

'X l

" I

T h e G eneral C ouncil never issued such a docum ent. O n the contrary, it issued a d o cu m en t which quashed the original statutes of th e A lliance L Alliance de la D em ocratic Socialiste at (jen e v a qu o ted by Jules Favre. T h ro u g h o u t his circular, which p reten d s in p a rt also to be d irected against the E m pire, Jules Favre repeats against the In tern atio n al b u t the police inventions of the public prosecutors of th e E m pire, an d which broke dow n m iserably even before th e law courts of th at Em pire. It is know n that in its two addresses (of July and S eptem ber last) o n the late w ar th e G eneral C ouncil of the International d en o u n ced th e P russian plans o f conquest against France. L ater on Mr. R eidinger, Jules F avres private secretary, applied, though of course in vain, to som e m em bers of the G eneral Council for gettin g u p by the C ouncil a dem onstration against Bism arck, in favour of th e G o v ern m en t of N ational D efence; they were p articularly req uested n o t to m ention the Republic. T h e p re p a ra tions fo r a d em o n stratio n with re g ard to the expected arrival of Jules Favre in L o n d o n w ere m a d e certainly with the best of in ten tio n s in spite of th e G eneral Council, which in its address of th e 9th of S eptem ber h a d distinctly forew arned the Paris w orkm en against Jules Favre a n d his colleagues. W hat would Jules F avre say if in its tu rn the In tern atio n al were to send a circular on Jules Favre to all the C abinets o f Europe, draw ing th eir p articu lar attention to th e docum ents published at P an s by the late M. M illiere?"

Published in The Times, No. 27088, Ju n e 1871 a n d also in The Eastern Post, No- 142. L Internationale, Iso. 127, Ju n e 18, 1871; Der Volksstaat, No' 50, Ju n e 21, 1871 a n d o th e r press organs of the In tern a tio n a l

R e p ro d u c e d fro m The Times

UT is to th e c ircu lar letter w ritten b y M arx, T h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l w o rk m g M en s Association a n d th e In tern a tio n a l Alliance of Socialist D e m o c r a c y (see p re sen t edition, Vol. 21, p. 34). Ed. * > See this volum e, pp. 3-8, 263-70. J.-B. E. Milliere, Le F a u ssaire , Le Vengeur, No. 6, F eb ru ary 8, 1871.

G eneral C ouncils S tatem ent to th e E ditor of The Times

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364

Karl Marx and Frederick Engels

[S T A T E M E N T BY T H E GENERAL C O U N C IL T O T H E E D IT O R O F T H E T I M E S y ^ ^

M. T olain has never been a m em b er of th at Council, n o r was he p resen t at L ondon, w hen the p ro g ram m e was d raw n up. You say th at M illiere was o ne of th e m ost ferocious m em bers of th e C o m m u n e . M illiere has n ever been a m em b er of the C om m une.
W e, you proceed, should also p o in t o u t th a t Assi, lately P resid en t of the A ssociation etc.

Assi has never been a m em b er of th e In tern atio n al , an d as to th e dignity of P resident of th e Association , it has been abolished as long ago as 1867.^^
W ritten on Ju n e 19 o r 20, 1871 R ep ro d u ced fro m the ro u g h m a n u script

T O T H E T IM E S

T h e G eneral C ouncil o f this Association has instructed m e to state, in reply to your lead er of Ju n e 19, 1871, on the In tern atio n al the following facts. T h e p re te n d e d Paris m anifestoes, published by the ParisJournal' an d sim ilar journals, m anifestoes which you place on the sam e line as o u r A ddress on the Civil w ar in France, are m ere fabrications of th e Versailles police. You say:
T h e political notes published by P rofessor Beesly,<: a n d q u o ted th e o th e r day in these colum ns, a re q u o ted also, w ith e n tire approval, in the ad d ress o f the C ouncil, a n d we can now u n d e rsta n d how jusdy th e E x-E m p ero r was entitled to be called th e saviour of society.

First published in: M arx a n d Engels, Works, First R ussian E dition, Vol. X III, P art II, 1940

Now, th e Council, in its address, quotes n o th in g fro m the political n o tes except the testim ony of th e w riter, who is a know n an d h o n o u rab le F rench savant, as to th e personal character of th e Internationals im plicated in the last Paris revolution.^' W hat has this to do with the E x-E m p ero r a n d the society saved by him! T h e p ro g ra m m e o f the Association was not, as you say, p re p a re d by Messrs. T olain an d O d g e r seven years ag o . It was issued by the Provisional Council, chosen at the public m eeting held at St. M artins Hall, Long Acre, on 28 S eptem ber 1864.'
T h e In tern a tio n a l W orking M ens Association has n o t... . The Times, No. 27093, Ju n e 19, 1871. Le C om ite central d e Iln te rn a tio n a le , Paris-Joumal, No. 157, Ju n e 17, 1871. ' [J. F. E. Robinet,] Political Notes on the Present Situation of France and Paris. By a F ren ch Positivist (ed. by E dw ard S pencer Beesly), L ondon [1871]. Ed. See this volum e, p. 354. Ed. ' T h e re fe re n ce is to M arxs Inaugural Address of the Working M en s International Association (present edition, Vol. 20, pp. 5-13). Ed.

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367

Karl Marx and Frederick Engels

[ST A T E M E N T BY T H E G ENERAL C O U N C IL T O T H E E D IT O R O F T H E S T A N D A R D ]

Frederick Engels
[S T A T E M E N T BY T H E GENERAL C O U N C IL O N GEORGE JACOB H O LY O A K ES LETT ER ]

T O T H E E D IT O R O F T H E S T A N D A R D

T O T H E E D IT O R O F T H E D A I L Y N E W S

In your lead er on the International (of the 19 June)^ you say;

O f th e two p ro g ram m es (that of L o n d o n a n d th a t of Paris) recentiy issued in fav o u r of th e C om m une th a t of th e Paris b ra n ch has th e m erit o f being th e m ore h o n est a n d th e m ore o u tsp o k e n .

U n fo rtunately, the P aris m anifesto has been issued no t by o u r Paris B ranch, b u t by the Versailles Police . You say:
T h e L ondon In ternationalists insist n o less earnestly th an th e ir Paris b re th re n th a t th e old society m ust perish a n d o u g h t to p e rish . T h ey speak of th e b u rn in g of the public buildings a n d th e shooting of th e hostages as a gigantic e ffo rt to bring society dow n w hich, a lth o u g h unsuccessful once, will be persevered in until it succeeds.

Sir, I am instructed by th e G eneral C ouncil of th e In tern atio n al W orking M ens Association to state, in reply to Mr. Geo. Jacob H olyoakes L etter in T u esd ay s Daily News.^ 1. As to the insinuation th at th e address issued by the C ouncil' may becom e a cause of d eath o r d ep o rtatio n at Versailles , the C ouncil thinks th at its Paris frien d s are b e tte r ju d g es th an Mr. Holyoake. 2. It is a rule with th e C ouncil th at the nam es of all its m em bers w hether absent o r p resen t are a p p e n d e d to its public documents.'" 3. As to th e statem ent th at this address
cannot be a n E nglish p ro d u c tio n , th o u g h m anifestly revised by som e Saxon or Celtic p e n ,

Now th e G eneral C ouncil of this Association sum m ons you to quote th e exact pages an d lines of o u r A ddress w here the words attrib u ted by you to us do occur!
W ritten on J u n e 19 o r 20, 1871 First published in: M arx a n d Engels, Works, First R ussian E dition, Vol. X III, Part II, 1940 R ep ro d u ced from th e ro u g h m a n u script

the C ouncil begs to observe that, as a m atter of course, the productions of an intern atio n al Society cannot have any national character. H ow ever, th e C ouncil need n o t have any secrets in this m atter. T h e address, like m any previous publications of th e Council, was draw n u p by the C o rresp o n d in g Secretary for G erm any, Dr. Karl M arx, was ad o p ted unanim ously an d revised by nobody.
^ G. J. H olyoake, T o th e E d ito r of The Daily News, The Daily News, No. 7844, J u n e 20, 1871. d b T h e refe re n ce is to the G eneral C ouncils A ddress The C ivil War in France, w ritten by M arx (pp. 307-59). Ed. c In E ngels m an u scrip t this is follow ed by the sentence O n this occasion, how ever, a n exception was m ade, a n d th e consent of absent m em bers was form ally re q u e ste d . E d
14-1 2 3 2

If th e re are any in E n g la n d ... , The Standard, No. 14627, J u n e 19, 1871. <i T h e re fe re n ce is to th e G eneral C ouncils A ddress The C ivil W ar in France, w ritten by M arx (pp. 307-59), a n d th e M anifesto, supposedly issued by the In tern a tio n a l, published in the Paris-Joumal, No. 157, Ju n e 17, 1871 u n d e r the h ead in g Le C om ite central de Iln te rn a tio n a le . Ed.

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F red erick Engels

369

4. In th e course of last year Mr. G eorge Jacob Holyoake presen ted him self as a C an didate fo r m em bership o f the Council b u t was not adm itted. I am , Sir, your obedient serv'ant,
John Hales,

Frederick Engels
[LETT ER FROM T H E GENERAL C O U N C IL T O T H E E D IT O R O F T H E S P E C T A T O R (RESP. E X A M IN E R )]'^^^

Secretary to the G eneral Council of the In tern atio n al W orking M ens Association 256, H igh H olborn, W.C., L ondon, Ju n e 21, 1871
W ritten o n J u n e 20, 1871 A pproved at the G eneral C ouncil m eeting of Ju n e 20, 1871 Published in The Daily News, No. 7847, J u n e 23, 1871, in The Eastern Post, No. 143, J u n e 24, 1871 (a slighdy d iffe r e n t version) a n d in The Pall M all Gazette No. 1984, J u n e 23, 1871 (as a sum m ary of th e statem ent) R e p ro d u ce d fro m The Daily News, verified with the m anuscript

T O T H E E D IT O R O F T H E S P E C T A T O R (RESP. E X A M IN E R )

Sir, You will m uch oblige th e G eneral C ouncil of th e In tern atio n al W orking M ens Association by giving publicity to th e fact th at all the p re te n d e d M anifestoes an d o th er publications of th e In te rn a tionals of Paris, with which th e English Press is now teem ing (and which all of them w ere first published by th e notorious ParisJournal) are w ithout one exception p u re fabrications of th e Versailles Police. I am etc.
W ritten on J u n e 20 o r 21, 1871 First published in: M arx a n d Engels, Works, First R ussian Edition, Vol. X l l l, P art 11, 1940 R ep ro d u ced from th e ro u g h m a n u script

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T o th e E d ito r o f The Daily News

371

Karl Marx
[T O T H E E D IT O R O F T H E D A I L Y N E W S ] ^ ^

was worse, the F rench petite presse, fabricating in the service of th e police th e m ost infam ous slanders against the C om m unals, dead, captive, o r h id d en , o r th e English press re p ro d u cin g them to this day, despite its professed co n tem p t fo r th e petite presse. I do not consider it a F rench inferiority th at such serious charges fo r instance as those b ro u g h t forw ard against th e late L o rd P alm er ston, d u rin g a q u a rte r of a century, by a m an like Mr. David U rquhart,^^' could have been b u rk e d in E ngland b u t not in France.
Published in The Eastern Post, No. 144, July 1, 1871, The Daily News, J u n e 27, 1871 (in abbreviated form ), a n d The Pall Mall Gazette, No. 1987, Ju n e 27, 1871 (in abbreviated form ) R ep ro d u ced from The Eastern Post

Sir, A C ouncil consisting of m ore th a n thirty m em bers cannot, of course, draw u p its own docum ents. It m ust e n tru st th at task to some o ne o r o th er of its m em bers, reserving to itself the rig h t of rejecting o r am ending. T h e address on the Civil W ar in F ran ce, d raw n u p by m yself, was unanim ously ad o p ted by the G eneral C ouncil of th e In tern atio n al, an d is th ere fo re th e official em bodim ent of its own views. W ith reg ard , how ever, to the personal charges b ro u g h t forw ard against Jules Favre an d Co., the case stands otherw ise. O n this point the g reat m ajority of the C ouncil h ad to rely u p o n my trustw orthiness. T his was th e very reason why I su p p o rted the m otion of an o th e r m em ber of the C ouncil' th at Mr. Jo h n Hales, in his answ er to M r. H olyoake' should nam e m e as the a u th o r of the address. I hold myself alone responsible fo r those charges, an d hereby challenge Jules Favre an d Co. to prosecute m e fo r libel. In his letter Mr. Llewellyn Davies says,
It is m elancholy to read th e charges of personal baseness so freely flu n g by F ren ch m en at one a n o th e r. * ^

Does this sentence not som ew hat smack of th at pharisaical self-righteousness with which William C obbett had so often tau n ted th e B ritish m ind? Let m e ask Mr. Llewellyn Davies which
See this volum e, pp. 307-59. Ed. > > F. Engels. (i See this volum e, pp. 367-68. Ed. J. L. Davies, T o the E d ito r of The Daily News", The Daily News, No. 7849, J u n e 26, \ 8 7 \. Ed.

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G eneral C ouncils S tatem ent on H olyoakes a n d L u crafts L etters

373

Frederick Engels
[S T A T E M E N T GEN ERA L C O U N C IL O N LET T E R S O F G. J. H O LY O A K E AN D B. LU CRAFT] BY THE THE

T O T H E E D IT O R O F T H E D A I L Y N E W S

dispense with it on May 23, am ongst o th e rs an d he then voluntarily in fo rm ed th e C ouncil th at his en tire sym pathy was with the C om m une of Paris. O n T u esday evening, Ju n e 20, at a m eeting of th e Council, M r. L u craft was forced to ad m it th at he h ad n o t even th en read th e address itself, b u t th at all his im pressions about it w ere derived from th e statem ents of the press. W ith respect to M r. O d g e rs rep u d iatio n , all I can say is that he was waited u p o n personally a n d in fo rm ed th at th e C ouncil was about to issue an address, a n d was asked if he objected to his nam e a p p e arin g in connection with it, an d he said No. T h e public can draw its own conclusions. I m ay ad d th at the resignations of Messrs. L u craft an d O d g er have been accepted by the C ouncil unanimously.^* I am , Sir, y o u r o b ed ien t servant,
John Hales,

Sir, I am instru cted by the G eneral C ouncil of th e In tern atio n al W orking M ens Association to reply to th e letters of Messrs. G. J. Holyoake an d B. L ucraft, which a p p e are d in your issue of M onday la s t/ I find, on re fe rrin g to th e m inutes of the Council, th at Mr. Holyoake atten d ed a m eeting of the Council, by perm ission, on the 16th of N ovem ber, 1869, an d d u rin g the sitting expressed his desire to becom e a m em ber of the Council, an d to atten d th e n ex t G eneral C ongress of the In tern atio n al, to be held in Paris, S eptem ber, 1870. A fter he h ad retire d , M r. Jo h n W eston p ro p o sed him as a candidate fo r m em bership, b u t the proposition was received in such a m a n n e r th at Mr. W eston did n o t insist, but w ithdrew it. W ith re g ard to M r. L u crafts statem ent th at he was n o t p resen t w hen the address was voted u p o n , I m ay say th at Mr. L u craft was p resen t at a m eeting of the C ouncil held on the 23rd of May, 1871, w hen it was officially an n o u n ced th at the d ra u g h t of th e address on the Civil W ar in Fr ance woul d be read and discussed at the next ord in ary m eeting of the Council, May the 30th. It was th e re fo re left entirely to M r. L ucraft to decide w h eth er he w ould be p resen t o r absent u p o n that occasion, and n o t only did he know th at it was the ru le of the C ouncil to ap p en d th e nam es of all its m em bers, p resen t o r absent, to its public docum ents, b u t he was one of the m ost stren u o u s su p p o rters of th at rule, a n d resisted on several occasions attem pts m ade to
^ G. J. H olyoake, T o the E d ito r of The Daily News', The Daily Neios, No. 7849, J u n e 26, 1871; B. L ucraft, T o the E d ito r of The Daily News, sam e issue. Ed. See this volum e, pp. 307-59. Ed.

Secretary to th e G eneral Council of th e In tern atio n al W orking M ens Association 256, H igh H olborn, W.C.
W ritten a bout Ju n e 27, 1871 A pp ro v ed at the G eneral C ouncil m eeting of Ju n e 27, 1871 P ublished in The Daily News, No. 7852, Ju n e 29, 1871 a n d in The Eastern Post, No. 144, July 1, 1871 R e p ro d u ce d from The Daily News

A t the m eetin g of Ju n e 27, 1871. Ed.

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Karl M arx
[L E T T E R T O MAX FRIEDLAND ER, T H E E D IT O R O F T H E N E U E F R E IE P R E SSE ]

F rederick Engels
[T H E ADDRESS T H E C I V I L W A R I N F R A N C E AND T H E EN G L ISH PRESS]

D ear F riend, W ould you be so kind as to publish the following statem ent in your new spaper an d to send m e a copy of the issue in question. Y ours very sincerely,
K arl M arx
T O T H E E D IT O R IA L B O A RD O F T H E N E U E F R E IE PRE SSE

U n d e r th e h ead in g A Socialist S oiree , signed W., th e V ienna

Presse carries a featu re article in which I have the h o n o u r to figure. W. m et m e, so he says,at a soiree at H erzens house. H e even recalled

th e speeches th at I m ade there. A firm o p p o n e n t of H erzen, I have always refused to m eet him , a n d have th ere fo re never seen the m an in my life. I d o u b t w h ether the im aginative W. has ever been to L ondon. As a m atter of fact, th ere are no marble steps th ere, except in the palaces, th o u g h W. even fo u n d some in H e rzen s c o t t a g e ! I hereby challenge the im aginative W., w hom th e laurels of the Paris-Joum al an d sim ilar police new spapers'" will no t allow to sleep, to n am e him self. L ondon, Ju n e 30, 1871
P ublished in the new spapers Neue Freie Presse, No. 2462, July 4, 1871, Borse des Lebens, Feuillelon und Localblatt der Berliner Borsen-Zeitung, No. 30, July 23, 1871

K arl M arx
P rin ted according to th e Neue Freie Presse, verified with th e ro u g h m anuscript; th e covering letter is p rin te d according to th e m a n u script P ublished in E nglish fo r th e first tim e

London, 30 Jun e. No publication in th e history of L ondon has caused such a stir as th e A ddress of th e G eneral C ouncil o f the International. In th e beginning, th e m ain pap ers tried to kill it with silence, a favourite m eth o d of theirs; b u t a few days were en o u g h to prove to th em th a t it w ould n o t work this time. T h e Telegraph, Standard, Spectator, Pall M all Gazette an d Tim es h ad to bring them selves, one by one, to m ention this rem arkable do cu m en t in th eir leaders.' T h e n letters from th ird parties started to ap p e a r in the p apers, draw ing atten tio n to this a n d th at in particular. T h e n m o re leaders, an d at th e w eekend th e weeklies re tu rn e d to it once again. T h e en tire press has h ad to confess unanim ously th at th e In tern atio n al is a g reat pow er in E u ro p e to be reckoned with, which cannot be elim inated by refusing to talk about it. T h ey all h ad to acknow ledge th e stylistic m astery with which the A ddress is w ritten a language as pow erful as William C obbetts, according to The Spectator. It was only to be expected th at this bourgeois press would attack, alm ost to a m an, such an energetic assertion of th e p ro letarian p o in t of view, such a decisive justification of th e Paris C om m une. Likewise, th at the Stieberiades fabricated by th e Parisian police p ap ers an d the
> See this volum e, pp. 307-59. Ed. I It is with a feeling o f... , The Daily Telegraph, No. 4994, J u n e 16, 1871; If th e re a re any in E n g la n d ... , The Standard, No. 14627, J u n e 19, 1871; T h e English C om m unists o n Paris , The Spectator, No. 2242, J u n e 17, 1871; T h e In tern a tio n a l W orking M ens A ssociation , The Pall Mall Gazette, No. 1979, Ju n e 17, 1871: T h is rem ark ab le d o c u m e n t o u g h t to rem ove all d o u b ts ... as to th e political im p o rt of th e late events in Paris ; T h e In tern a tio n a l W orking M ens Association has n o t... , The Times, No. 27093, J u n e 19, 1871. d.

W ., E ine socialistische Soiree , Die Presse, No. 173, J u n e 24, 1871. Ed. See this volum e, pp. 364, 366. Ed.

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F rederick Engels

The C ivil War in France a n d th e E nglish Press

377

docum ents of quite a d iffe re n t society (B akunins Alliance of Socialist Democracy) laid at the d o o r o f th e In tern atio n al by Jules F av re' w ould be attrib u ted to it, despite th e public disavowals of th e G eneral Council.'^ In the m eantim e, however, the com m otion finally becam e too m uch even fo r the philistine. The Daily News began to soothe, an d The Examiner, the only p a p e r to behave really decently, resolutely stood u p fo r th e In tern atio n al in a detailed article.'* Tw o English m em bers of the G eneral Council, Odger, who has long been on m uch too friendly term s with the bourgeoisie, an d Lucraft, who seems to have grow n m uch m ore co n cerned ab out the opinion of respectable people since he was elected on to th e L ondon School B oard, w ere swayed by the fuss in th e pap ers to te n d e r th eir resignations, which w ere u nanim ous ly accepted. T h ey have already been replaced by two o th e r English workers'^ an d will soon m ark w hat it m eans to betray the p ro letariat at th e critical m om ent. A n English parson, Llewellyn Davies, lam ented in The Daily News ab out the abuse directed at Jules Favre an d consorts in the A ddress a n d expressed the desire th at the tru th o r falsehood of these charges be ascertained, as fa r as I am concerned, by the F rench G o vernm ent brin g in g an action against the G eneral C ouncil.' O n the very next day, K arl M arx declared in the same paper that as the author o f the Address he considered him self personally responsible fo r the charges^; how ever, the F rench Embassy does not seem to have any o rd e rs to proceed with a libel suit against him. Finally The Pall M all Gazette then declared th a t this was quite unnecessary, the private ch aracter of a statesm an was always sacred, and only his public actions could be attacked.' O f course, if the private characters of the English statesm en w ere b ro u g h t before the public, the Last Day of the oligarchic an d bourgeois w orld would be nigh.
Programme de IAlliance internationale de la Democratie Socialiste, G eneva, 1868. J. Favre, Versailles, le 6 ju in 1871 , Journal officiel (Versailles), No. 159, Ju n e 8, 1871. See this volum e, pp. 361-62. Ed. 'I T h e In tern a tio n a l A ssociation , The Examiner, No. 3308, Ju n e 24, 1871. Ed. J. Roach a n d A. T aylor. Ed. f J. L. Davies, T o th e E ditor of The Daily News", The Daily News, No. 7849, Ju n e 26, 1871. <i. * See this volum e, p. 370. Ed. E ngland from the Point of View of the C o m m u n e , The Pall Mall Gazette, No. 1989, J u n e 29, IS71. Ed.

An article fro m th e V ienna Wanderer by an d ab out the scoundrel Netschajeff has b een doing th e ro u n d s of th e G erm an press, glorifying his deeds an d those of Serebrennikoff an d Elpidin. If this should occur again, we shall com e back to this fine th reesom e for a closer look. F or th e p resen t, suffice it to say th at Elpidin is a notorious Russian spy.
W ritten on Ju n e 30, 1871 First published in Der Volksstaat, No. 54, July 5, 1871 Prin ted paper according to the new s

Published in E nglish fo r the first tim e

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379

Karl M arx
[L E T T E R T O FRED ERICK GREEN W O O D , T H E E D IT O R OF T H E P A LL M A L L G A ZE TTE ]

Karl M arx
MR. W A SH BU RN E, T H E AM ERICAN AM BASSADOR, IN PARIS

H averstock-hill, N.W. Ju n e 30, 1871 Sir, I have declared in The D aily News an d you have re p rin te d in The Pall M all th at I hold myself alone responsible fo r the charges b ro u g h t forw ard against Jules Favre a n d C o. '' In your yesterdays publication you declare these charges to be libels. '' I declare you to be a libeller. It is n o fault of m ine that you are as ignorant as arrogant. If we lived on the C ontinent, I should call you to account in an o th er way. O bediently,
K arl M arx
P ublished in The Pall Mall Gazelle, No. 1992, July 3, 1871, The Eastern Post, No. 145, July 8, 1871 a n d Neue Freie Presse, No. 2465, July 7, 1871 (translated from The Pall Mall Gazette) R ep ro d u ced from The Pall Mall Gazette, verified with the m a n u script

T O T H E NEW YORK C E N T R A L C O M M IT T E E FO R T H E U N IT E D S T A T E S SE C T IO N S O F T H E IN T E R N A T IO N A L W O R K IN G M EN S A S SO C IA T IO N

Citizens ,

T h e G eneral C ouncil of th e Association consider it th eir d u ty to com m unicate publicly to you evidence on th e conduct, d u rin g the F rench Civil W ar, of Mr. W ashburne, th e A m erican A m bassador.

I T h e following statem ent is m ade by M r. R obert Reid, a Scotchm an who has lived fo r seventeen years in Paris, an d acted d u rin g the Civil W ar as a co rresp o n d en t fo r th e L o ndon Daily Telegraph an d The New York Herald. Let us rem ark , in passing, th at The Daily Telegraph, in th e interests of th e Versailles G overnm ent, falsified even the sh o rt telegraphic despatches transm itted to it by M r. Reid. Mr. Reid, now in E ngland, is ready to confirm his statem ent by affidavit.
T h e so u n d in g of th e general alarm , m ingled w ith the ro a r of th e cannon, c onrinued all night. T o sleep was impossible. W here, I th o u g h t, a re the representatives of E u ro p e a n d A m erica? C an it be possible th a t in the m idst of this e ffusion of inno cen t blood they should m ake no e ffo rt at conciliation? I could bear the th o u g h t n o longer; a n d know ing th a t Mr. W ash b u rn e was in tow n, I resolved at once to go a n d see him . T h is was, I think, on the 17th of A pril; th e exact date may, how ever, be ascertained from m y letter to L ord Lyons, to w hom I w rote on the sam e day. C rossing th e C ham ps Elysees, o n my way to Mr. W ash b u rn e s residence, I m et n u m ero u s am bulance-w aggons filled with the w o u n d ed a n d dying.

See this volum e, p. 370. Ed. E ngland from the Point of View of th e C o m m u n e , The Pall Mall Gazette, No. 1989, Ju n e 29, 1871. <i

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K arl M arx

M r. W ashburne, T h e A m erican A m bassador, in Paris

381

Shells w ere bu rstin g a ro u n d th e A rc de T rio ra p h e, a n d m any inno cen t p eople w ere a d d ed to the long list of M, T h ie rss victims. A rn v m g at No. 95, R ue d e Chaillot, I in q u ire d at th e C oncierges fo r the U nited States A m bassador, a n d was directed to the second floor. T h e particu lar flight o r flat you dwell in is, in Paris, a n alm ost u n e rrin g indication of y our wealth a n d position, a so rt o f social b a ro m e te r. W e fin d h e re a m arquis on the first fro n t floor, a n d an hum ble m echanic on th e fifth back floor, th e stairs th a t divide them re p re se n t the social gu lf betw een them . As I clim bed u p th e stairs, m eeting no stout flunkeys in re d breeches a n d silk stockings, I th o u g h t, Ah! th e A m ericans lay th eir m oney o u t to th e best advantage, we th ro w o u rs aw ay. E n te rin g the secretarys room , I in q u ire d fo r M r. W ashburne. Do you wish to see him personally? I do. My nam e having been sent in, I was u sh e re d into his presence. H e was lo u nging in an easy-chair, re ad in g a new spaper. I expected he w ould rise; b u t he rem ain ed sitting with th e p a p e r still before him , a n act of gross ru d en ess in a c o u n try w here the p eople a re generally so polite. I told M r. W ashburne th a t we w ere betraying the cause of hum anity, if we did n o t en d ea v o u r to b rin g ab o u t a conciliation. W h eth er we succeeded o r not, it was at all events o u r d u ty to try; a n d the m o m en t seem ed th e m o re favourable, as the Prussians w ere ju st th en pressing Versailles fo r a definitive setdem ent. T h e united influence of A m erica a n d E ngland w ould tu rn the balance in fav o u r o f peace. M r. W ashburne said, The men in Paris are rebels. Let them lay down their arms. l replied th a t the N ational G u ard s had a legal rig h t to th e ir arm s; b u t th at was not th e question. W hen hum an ity is o u trag e d , the civilized w orld has a rig h t to in te rfere , a n d I ask you to co-operate w ith L ord Lyons to th a t effect. Mr. W ashburne: T h ese m en at Versailles will listen to n o th in g . If they refuse, the m oral responsibility will rest with th e m . Mr. W ashburne: I d o n t see that. I cant do a n ything in the m atter. You h a d b e tte r see L o rd L yons. So e n d ed o u r interview . I left M r. W ash b u rn e sadly disappointed. I fo u n d a m an ru d e and haughty, with n o n e of those feelings of frate rn ity you m ight expect to fin d in the rep resen tativ e of a dem ocratic republic. O n two occasions I h a d h a d the h o n o u r of an interview with L ord Cowley, w hen h e was o u r rep resen tativ e in France. His fran k , courteous m a n n e r fo rm ed a striking contrast to th e cold, preten tio u s, a n d w ould-be-aristocratic style of the A m erican A m bassador. I also u rg e d u p o n L o rd Lyons that, in the defence of hum anity, E ngland was b o u n d to m ake an earn e st e ffo rt at reconciliation, feeling convinced th a t th e British G o v ern m en t could- n o t look coldly on such atrocities as the m assacres of the C lam art station a n d M oulin Saquet, not to speak o f the h o rro rs o f Neuilly, w ithout in c u rrin g th e m alediction of every lover o f hum anity. L ord Lyons answ ered m e verbally th ro u g h Mr. E dw ard M alet, his secretary, th a t he h a d fo rw ard ed m y letter to the G overnm ent, a n d w ould willingly forw ard any o th e r com m unication I m ight have to m ake on th at subject. A t one m o m en t m atters w ere m ost favourable fo r reconciliation, a n d h a d o u r G o v ern m en t throw n th e ir w eight in th e balance, the w orld w ould have been sp a red the c arn ag e o f Paris. A t all events, it is n o t the fault of L ord Lyons if th e B ritish G o v ern m en t failed in th eir duty. B ut, to re tu rn to Mr. W ashburne. O n W ednesday fo ren o o n , the 24th of May I was passing along the B oulevard des C apucines, w hen I h e a rd m y nam e called and, tu rn in g ro u n d , saw D r. H ossart sta n d in g beside Mr. W ashburne, w ho was in an o p en carriage am idst a g re at n u m b e r of A m ericans. A fter the usual salutations, I e n te re d in to a conversation with Dr. H ossart. Presently the conversation becam e general on the h o rrid scenes a ro u n d ; w hen M r. W ashburne, ad d ressin g m e with the air of a m an who knows the tru th of w hat he is saying, AH who belong to the Commune, and those that sympathize with them, will be shot. Alas! I knew th at they

w ere killing old a n d y oung fo r th e crim e o f sympathy, b u t I d id n o t expect to h e a r it semi-officially from M r. W ashburne; yet, while h e was repeating this sanguinary phrase, th ere was still tim e fo r him to save th e A rch b ish o p .

II O n the 2 4th o f May, Mr. W ash b u rn es secretary cam e to o ffe r to the th e n assem bled at the M airie o f the 1 1th A rrondissem ent, on the p a rt of the Prussians, an intervention betw een the V ersaillese a n d the Federals on the following term s: Suspension of Ijostilities. Re-election of th e C o m m u n e o n th e one side, a n d of th e N ational Assembly on the oth er. T h e Versailles troops to leave Paris, a n d to take u p th e ir q u a rte rs in and a ro u n d th e fortifications. T h e N ational G u a rd to c o n tin u e to g u a rd Paris. N o p u n ish m en t to be inflicted u p o n the m en serving o r h aving served in the Federal A rm y. . . . . . T h e C om m une, in an e x tra o rd in a ry sitting, accepted th e propositions, with the proviso th a t two m o n th s should be given to F rance in o rd e r to p re p a re fo r the general elections of a C onstituent Assembly. A second interview w ith th e Secretary of th e A m erican Embassy took place. At its m o rn in g sitting of th e 2 5th May, the C om m une resolved to send five citizens am ongst th em V erm orel, Delescluze, a n d A rn o ld as plenipotentiaries to V incennes, w here, according to th e in fo rm atio n given by M r. W ash b u rn e s secretary, a Prussian delegate w ould th e n be fo u n d . T h a t d e p u ta tio n wks, how ever, p re v en ted fro m passing by th e N ational G u ard s on d uty at th e gate of V incennes. C onsequent u p o n a n o th e r a n d final interview with th e sam e A m erican Secretary, Citizen A rnold, to w hom he h a d delivered a safe conduct, o n th e 26th May, w ent to St. Denis, w here h e was not adm itted by the Prussians. T h e result of this A m erican interv en tio n (which p ro d u c e d a belief in the renew ed n eutrality ol, a n d th e in te n d e d intercession betw een th e belligerents, by the Prussians) was, at the m ost criticial ju n c tu re , to paralyze th e defence fo r two days. D espite the precau tio n s taken to k eep th e negotiations secret, they becam e soon know n to th e N ational G uards, w ho th en , full of confidence in Prussian neutrality, fled to th e Prussian lines, th ere to su rre n d e r as prisoners. It is know n how this ra n fid e n c e was abused by th e Prussians, shooting by th e ir sentries p a rt of the fugitives, a n d h a n d in g over to th e Versailles G o v ern m en t those w ho h a d su rre n tle red . D u rin g th e w hole course of th e civil w ar, Mr. W ashburne, th ro u g h his secretary, never tire d of in fo rm in g the C om m une of his a rd e n t sym pathies, which only his diplom atic position p re v en ted him from publicly m anifesting, a n d of his decided re p ro b a tio n of th e Versailles G overnm ent.

C om m une,

T his statem ent, No. II., is m ade by a m em b er of th e Paris Commune,* who, like Mr. Reid, will, in case of need, confirm it by affidavit.
J. A. M cKean. Ed. I Au. Serraillier. Ed.

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T o fully ap p reciate Mr. W ashburnes conduct, the statem ents of M r. R obert Reid a n d th at of th e m em ber of the Paris C om m une m ust be read as a whole, as p a rt a n d co u n te rp a rt o f the sam e schem e. W hile Mr. W ashburne declares to Mr. Reid th at the C om m unals are rebels w ho deserve th eir fate, he declares to the C om m une his sym pathies with its cause an d his contem pt of the Versailles G overnm ent. O n the same 24th o f May, while, in presence of Dr. H ossart a n d m any A m ericans, info rm in g M r. Reid th at not only th e C om m unals b u t even th eir m ere sym pathizers w ere irrevocably d oom ed to death, he inform ed, th ro u g h his secretary, th e C o m m u n e th at no t only its m em bers w ere to be saved, bu t every m an in the F ederal army. We now req u est you, d e a r Citizens, to lay these facts before the W orking Class of the U nited States, an d to call u p o n them to decide w h eth er Mr. W ashburne is a p ro p e r representative o f the A m erican Republic. T h e G eneral Council of th e In tern atio n al W orking M ens Association: M. J. Boon, Fred. Bradnick, G. H . Buttery, Caihill, W illiam Hales, Kolb, F. Lessner, George M ilner, Thos. Mottershead, Chas. Murray, P. MacDonnell, Pfdnder, John Roach, Riihl, Sadler, Cowell Stepney, A lfred Taylor, W. Townshend. C orresp o n d in g Secretaries:
Eughfie Dupont, fo r France; K arl M arx, fo r G erm any an d H olland; F. Engels, fo r B elgium a n d Spain; H . Jung, fo r Switzerland; P. Giovacchini, fo r Italy; Zevy Maurice, fo r H ungary; A n to n Zabicki, fo r Poland; James Cohen, fo r D enm ark; / . G. Eccarius, fo r the

Karl Marx
T O T H E E D IT O R O F T H E M O R N IN G A D V E R T I S E R

Sir, In one of your leading articles of to-day you q u ote a string of phrases, such as, L on d o n , Liverpool, a n d M anchester in revolt against odious capital, etc., with th e au th o rsh ip of which you are kind en o u g h to cred it me. P erm it m e to state th at th e whole of th e q u o tatio n s' u p o n which you base y o u r article are forgeries from b eg inning to end. You have probably been misled by som e of th e fabrications which the Paris police are in th e habit of issuing alm ost daily in my nam e, in o rd e r to p ro c u re evidence against th e captive In tern atio n als at Versailles. I am. Sir, yours, etc..
K arl M arx

U nited States.
H erm ann Jung, C hairm an. George H arris, Financial Sec. John Weston, T re asu re r. John Hales, G eneral Secretary.

1, M odena-villas, M aitland Park, H averstock-hill, N.W., July 11, 1871

P ublished in The M orning No. 24997, July 13, 1871 Advertiser, R ep ro d u ced from th e n ew spaper

O ffice 256, H igh H olborn, L ondon, W.C., July 11th, 1871

W ritten betw een July 7 a n d 11, 1871 A d o p te d unanim ously at the G eneral C ouncil m eeting of July 11, 1871 Published as a leaflet ab o u t July 13, 1871 a n d in a n u m b e r of press organs of the In tern a tio n a l in July-S eptem ber 1871 R ep ro d u ced from th e leaflet

a L on d o n , Liverpool, a n d M anchester in revolt... , The M orning Advertiser, No. 24995, July 11, 1871. M C ited from U ne lettre d e K arl M arx , Paris-JoumaL, No. 175, July 5, 1871; LIn te rn a tio n a le , La Gazette de France, July 11, 1871, a n d o th e r sources.

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Karl Marx
T O T H E E D IT O R O F T H E S T A N D A R D [M A ZZIN IS

Frederick Engels
s t a t e m e n t A G A IN ST T H E IN T E R N A T IO N A L W O R K IN G M EN S A SSO C IA TIO N ]

Sir, In this m o rn in g s Standard^' your Paris co rresp o n d en t translates from th e Gazette de France'^ a letter d ated B erlin, A pril 28, 1871, an d p u rp o rtin g to be signed by me. I beg to state th at this letter is from beginning to en d a forgery, quite as m uch as all the previous p re te n d e d letters of m ine lately published in the Paris-Journal and o th er F rench police papers." If th e Gazette de France professes to have taken th e letter from G erm an papers, this m ust be a falsehood too. A G erm an p ap e r w ould never have dated that fabrication from Berlin. I am , Sir, your obedient servant.
K arl M arx

In his A ddress to th e Italian w orkers Mazzini says:

T h is A ssociation, fo u n d e d in L ondon som e years ago a n d w ith w hich I refu sed to collaborate from th e start.... A nucleus of individuals w hich takes it u p o n itself directly to govern a b ro a d m u ltitu d e o f m en of d iffe re n t nations, tendencies, political conditions, econom ic interests a n d m ethods of action will always e n d u p by not functioning, o r it will have to function tyrannically. F or this reason, I w ithdrew and, shordy afterw ards, the Italian w orkers section w ithdrew , etc. = "

Now fo r the facts. A fter th e fo u n d atio n m eeting of th e In tern atio n al W orking M ens Association of 28 S eptem ber 1864, w hen the Provisional Council elected by th at Assembly m et, M ajor L. W olff presen ted a m anifesto an d d ra ft Rules w ritten by Mazzini h i m s e l f N o t only did this d ra ft not find it difficult directly to govern a multitude, etc. an d n o t only did it not say th at this
nucleus o f individuals ... will always end up by not functioning, or it will have to function tyrannically, but, on the contrary, th e Rules were inspired by a centralised conspiracy which gave tyrannical powers

L o ndon, July 13
Published in The Standard, No. 14651, July 17, 1871 R ep ro d u ced from the n ew spaper

to the central body. T h e m anifesto was in M azzinis usual style: bourgeois dem ocracy o fferin g th e w orkers political rights so th at the social privileges of th e m iddle an d u p p e r classes could be preserved. T his m anifesto and th e d ra ft Rules w ere naturally rejected. T h e Italians continued th eir m em bership until certain questions were raised anew by a n u m b er of F rench bourgeois in an effo rt to m anipulate the Intern atio n al. W hen th e latter failed, first W olff
Ed. ^ G. Mazzini, Agli operai italiani , La Roma del popolo. No. 20, July 13, 1 8 7 l.~ d

= > F ran ce , The Standard, No. 14648, July 13, 1871. b LIn te rn a tio n a le , La Gazette de France, July 11, 1871. c See this volum e, pp. 364, 366. Ed.

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M azzinis S tatem ent against th e In tern a tio n a l

387

an d th en th e others withdrew.^'* A nd so the In tern atio n al did away with Mazzini. Subsequently, the provisional C entral Council, replying to an article by V esinier, stated in the Journal de Liege th at Mazzini had never been a m em ber of the In tern atio n al Association an d th at his proposals, m anifestoes, an d rules had been r e j e c t e d . M a z z i n i has also m ade frenzied attacks on the Paris C om m une in the English press.' T his is ju st w hat he always did w hen the p roletariat rose up. H e did th e sam e afte r the in su rrectio n of Ju n e 1848, d enouncing the in su rg en t proletarians in such offensive term s th at Louis Blanc him self w rote a pam phlet against him.^ A nd Louis Blanc rep eated on several occasions at th at tim e th at the Ju n e insurrection was the work of B onapartist agents! Mazzini calls M arx a m an o f corrosive ... intellect, of domineering temper, etc., p erh ap s because M arx knew very well how to co rro d e away th e cabal plotted against the In tern atio n al by Mazzini, dom inating th e old co n sp irato rs poorly disguised lusting for au th o rity so effectively th at he has been re n d e re d perm anently harm less to th e Association. T his being the case, the In tern atio n al should be delighted to n u m b er am ong its m em bers an intellect an d a temper which, by corroding a n d dom ineering in this way, have k ep t it going fo r seven years, o n e w orking m ore th an any o th er m an to b rin g it to its p resen t exalted position. As fo r th e split in the Association, which has, according to Mazzini, already begun in E ngland, the fact is th at two English m em bers of th e Council,'^ w ho h ad been getting on too close term s w ith th e bourgeoisie, fo u n d the A ddress on the Civil W ar too extrem e a n d w ithdrew . In th eir place fo u r new English m em bers a n d o ne Iris h m a n ' have joined the G eneral Council, which has been m ore stren g th en ed by this th an before. R ath er th an being in a state of dissolution, now fo r th e first tim e th e In tern atio n al is being publicly recognised by the whole English press as a g reat pow er in E urope, a n d never has a little p am p h let published in L ondon m ade such a big im pression as the A ddress of th e G eneral C ouncil on the civil w ar in France, which is now about to be published in its th ird edition.
P. V esinier, L A ssociation In tern a tio n a le des T rav a illeu rs , L Echo de Verviers, No. 293, D ecem ber 16, 1865; No. 294, D ecem ber 18, 1865. Ed. G. Mazzini, T h e C om m une in Paris , The Contemporary Review, Vol. 17, Ju n e 1871. (i L. Blanc, Des socialistes fran(ais a M. M azzini, Brussels, 1852. Ed. G. O d g e r a n d B. L ucraft. Ed. A. T aylor, J. Roach, Ch. Mills, G. L o ch n er a n d J. P. M cD onnell. Ed.

T h e Italian w orkers o u g h t to take note of th e fact th at th e g reat conspirator an d agitator, Mazzini, has no o th e r advice fo r them than: Educate yourselves, teach yourselves as best you can (as if this can be d o n e w ithout m oney!) ... strive to create more consumer co-operative societies (not only p ro d u c e r ones!) A n d trust in the future!!!
VVritten on July 28, 1871 Published in th e m agazine II Libero Pensiero. No. 9, A ugust 31, 1871 a n d in the n ew spapers La Eavilla, No. 209, Sep tem b e r 7, 1871, It Motto d Ordine, N ovem ber 20, 1871, in Gazzettino Rosa, No. 255, S eptem ber 13, 1871 (in p art) an d in a n u m b e r of o th e r Italian news papers P rin ted according to th e m agazine II Libero Pensiero T ran sla te d from th e Italian P ublished in E nglish fo r th e first tim e

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Karl Marx
[C O V ER IN G L E T T E R T O T H E E D IT O R O F T H E T /M S ]2'

Frederick Engels
T O T H E E D IT O R O F T H E TIM ES^*^

T O T H E E D IT O R O F T H E T IM E S

7 A ugust 1871 4, M aitland Park, H averstock Hill, N.W. S ir T h e n o te of the Journal officiel^ in contradiction to The Tim es article on the p ostp o n em en t of the Versailles trials' being m uch conim ented u p o n by the C ontinental Press, the enclosed may p erh ap s prove of in terest fo r your readers.'^ T h e letter quoted is from a b arrister engaged in the defence of som e of the prisoners. I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
K arl M arx
First published in: M arx a n d Engels, Works, First Russian E dition, Vol. X III P art II, 1940 R ep ro d u ced from th e ro u g h m a n u script

Sir, T h e rem arks of The Tim es on th e re p eated p o stp o n em en t of the trial of the C om m unist p risoners at Versailles have u n d o u b tedly hit the nail on th e h ead a n d have expressed th e feeling of the F rench public. T h e an g ry n o te of th e Journal officiel'^ in reply to these rem arks is b u t one of th e m any proofs of th e fact. In consequence of the article in The Times, m any reclam ations have been addressed to th e Paris press, reclam ations which, u n d e r these circum stances, h ad no chance of being published. I have before m e the letter of a F ren ch m an whose official position enables him to know th e facts h e is w riting about, an d whose testim ony as to the motives of this unaccountable delay o u g h t to have som e value. H ere are some extracts from this letter:
N obody as yet knows w hen the 3 rd C ourt-m artial will o p e n its sittings. T h e cause of this a p p ea rs to be th a t C aptain G rim al, Commissaire de la Republique (public accuser),has been su p e rse d ed by a n o th e r a n d m o re reliable m an; it has b e en fo u n d o u t a t the last m om ent, o n perusal of his general re p o rt w hich was to be re ad in court, th at h e was p e rh a p s a little bit of a republican, th a t he h a d served u n d e r Faidherbe etc in the A rm y of th e N o rth e tc Well; all at once a n o th e r officer presents him self at his office saying: h e re is m y com m ission, I am y o u r successor; the p o o r captain was so su rp rised th a t he w ent nearly m ad.... M. T h ie rs has the p re te n tio n to do e v erything by him self, this m ania goes so far th a t not only has he called to g eth er, con trary to all rules of fairness, all the juges d instruction'^ in his cabinet, but he p re te n d s even to reg u late the com position of the

A u g u l? T l8 T l.- 'Z ^ "

(Versailles), No. 215, 1871 E d

b Paris is once m o re busy... , The Times, No. 27128, July 29 See this volum e, pp. 389-90. Vi.

Paris is once m ore busy... , The Times, No. 27128, July 29, 1871. E d D ans son n u m e ro d u 29 ju illet... , Journal officiel (Versailles), No. 215, A ugust 3, 1871. Ed, ^ Public prosecutors. Ed.

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public to be a d m itte d in to th e C ourt; h e him self, th ro u g h M. B. St. H ilaire, distributes th e tickets o f adm ission.... In th e m ean tim e th e p risoners at Satory die like flies pitiless d e a th works faster th an the justice o f these litde statesm en.... T h e re is in th e Versailles C ellular prison a big fellow w ho does n o t speak a w ord o f F rench, h e is supposed to be an Irishm an. How h e got into this tro u b le is still a m y s t e r y A m o n g s t th e prisoners th e re is a very honest m an called..., h e has been in his cell fo r two m o n th s a n d has n ot yet been exam ined. It is in fam o u s.

Karl Marx
T O T H E E D IT O R O F U IN T E R N A T IO N A L ^ * ^

I am, Sir, Y our obedient servant,

Jiistitia

L o ndon 7th A ugust 1871

First published in: M arx a n d Engels, Works, First Russian E dition, Vol. X III, P art II, 1940 R ep ro d u ced fro m th e ro u g h m a n u script

Sir, In an article en tid ed T h e In tern atio n al Society you say:

Beside th e ir strict econom ies, the in fatu ate d w orkers provide th e m em bers of the Council with every desirable c om fort fo r leading a pleasant life in L o n d o n .

I w ould point ou t to you th at, with th e exception of th e G eneral Secretary, who receives a salary of 10 shillings p e r week, all the m em bers of the C ouncil carry o u t th eir duties gratuitously, an d have always d o n e so. I d em an d th a t you in sert these lines in y o u r n ex t issue. If your p ap e r continues to sp read such lies, legal action will be taken against it. Y ours faithfully,
K. M arx

L ondon, A ugust 17, 1871

First published in Der Volkstaat, No. 68, A ugust 23, 1871 P rin ted a ccording to th e ro u g h m anuscript, verified with the n ew spaper T ran sla te d from the F rench Published in E nglish for th e first tim e

La Societe Iln te rn a tio n a le , L'International, No. 3031, A ugust 17, 1871.Ed.

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Karl Marx
[T O T H E E D IT O R O F P U B L IC O P IN IO N r ^ *

Karl Marx
T O T H E E D IT O R OF P U B L IC O P IN IO N ^^^

P R IV A T E L E T T E R

Sir, I n o t only request you to in sert the enclosed reply in your next n u m b e r/ b u t I d em an d an ample and complete apology in the same place o f y o u r p a p e r w here you have inserted the libel.' I should re g re t being forced to take legal proceedings against y o u r paper. Y ours obediently,
K. M .
W ritten o n A ugust 19, 1871 First published in: M arx a n d Engels, Works, First Russian E dition, Vol. XX IV, 1931 R ep ro d u ced m an u scrip t from th e ro u g h C apital, says K arl M arx, trad es in the stre n g th a n d life o f the w o rk m an ; b u t this new Messiah him self is not a step fa rth e r advanced; he takes fro m the m echanic the m oney paid him by th e capitalist fo r his labour, a n d generously gives him in exchange a bill on a State th a t m ay possibly exist a th o u sa n d years hence. W hat edifying stories a re told ab o u t the vile c o rru p tio n of Socialist agitators, w hat a sham eful abuse they m ake of the m oney confided to them , a n d w hat m utual accusations they throw in each o th e rs faces, a re things we have a b u n d an tly lea rn ed by the C ongresses a n d fro m th e o rg an s o f th e party. T h e re is h e re a m onstrous volcano of filth, fro m w hose e ru p tio n s n o th in g b e tte r could issue th an a Parisian C o m m u n e .

Sir, In your publication of to-day you translate from th e B erlin N ational-Zeitung, a n otorious org an of B ism arcks, a m ost atrocious libel against the In tern atio n al W orking M ens Association, in which the following passage occurs:

In reply to the venal w riters of th e National-Zeitung, I consider it quite sufficient to declare th at I have never asked o r received one single fa rth in g from th e w orking class of this o r any o th er country. Save the general Secretary, who receives a weekly salary of ten shillings, all the m em bers of th e G eneral C ouncil of the In tern atio n al do th eir work gratuitously. T h e financial accounts
Die In te rn a tio n a le , National-Zeitung, No. 351, Jvily 30, 1871, M orning e dition. Ed. A G erm an View of th e In te rn a tio n a le , Public Opinio7i, No. 517, A ugust 19, 1871. E d

See this volum e, p. 393. Ed. ^ A G erm an View o f th e In te rn a tio n a le , Public Opinion, No. 517 A ugust 19 1871 M

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of th e G eneral Council, annually laid before the G eneral C ongresses of th e Association, have always been sanctioned unanim ously w ithout provoking any discussion w hatever. I am . Sir, your obedient servant.
K arl M arx

Karl Marx
T O T H E E D IT O R OF T H E GAULOIS'^*^

H averstock Hill, Aug. 19, 1871

Published in th e Public Opinion, No. 518, A ugust 26, 1871 R e p ro d u ce d fro m th e new spaper, verified with the ro u g h m a n u script

B righton, A ugust 24, 1871 Sir, Since you have published extracts from th e re p o rt of a conversation I h ad with one of th e co rresp o n d en ts of The New York H e r a l d , I ho p e th at you will also publish th e following statem ent, which I have sent to The N ew York Herald. I am sending you this statem ent in its original form , th at is, in English. Y ours faithfully,
K arl M arx
T O T H E E D IT O R O F T H E N E W Y O R K H E R A L D

L ondon, 17 A ugust 1871 Sir, In the H erald of A ugust 3rd, I find a re p o rt of a conversation I h ad with one of yo u r correspondents."^ I beg to say th at I m ust decline all an d every responsibility fo r th e statem ents attrib u ted to m e in th at re p o rt, w h eth er such statem ents re fe r to individuals connected with the late events in France, o r to any political o r econom ical opinions. O f w hat I am re p o rte d to have said, one p a rt I said differently, a n d a n o th e r I never said at all. Y ours obediently.
K arl M arx
First published in Le Gaulois, No. 1145, A ugust 27, 1871 P rin ted paper according to th e new s

G. C., La C om m une ju g ee p a r K arl M arx , Le Gaulois, No. 1140, A ugust 22, \ 871. Ed. T h is letter was published in English in Le Gaulois. T h e covering letter, w ritten in F rench, is published in E nglish in this volum e. Ed. T h e In te rn a tio n a l , The New York Herald, No. 12765, A ugust 3, 1871. Ed.

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L etter to th e E d ito r of The Sun, C harles D ana

397

Karl Marx
[L E TT ER T O T H E E D IT O R O F T H E S U N , CHARLES DAN A]2

B righton, A ugust 25, 1871 My d e a r Sir: In th e first instance I m ust beg you to excuse my prolonged silence. I should have answ ered y o u r letter long ago if I h ad no t been quite o v erb u rd en ed with work, so m uch so th at my health broke dow n, a n d my doctor fo u n d it necessary to banish m e fo r a few m onths to this sea-bathing place, with the strict injunction to do nothing. I shall com ply with your wish afte r my re tu rn to L ondon w hen a favorable occasion occurs fo r ru sh in g into print. I have sent a declaration to The N ew York Herald , i n which I decline all an d every responsibility fo r the trash an d positive falsehoods with which its co rresp o n d en t b u rd e n s me.*" I do not know w h eth er the H erald has p rin ted it. T h e n u m b er of the C om m unal refugees arriving in L ondon is on the increase, while o u r m eans of su p p o rtin g them is daily on the decrease, so th at m any find them selves in a very deplorable state. We shall m ake an appeal fo r assistance to the Americans.^^ T o give you an inkling of the state of things th at u n d e r the Republique Thiers prevails in France, I will tell you w hat has h a p p e n ed to my own daughters. My second d au g h ter, L aura, is m arrie d to M onsieur L afargue, a m edical m an. T hey left Paris a few days before the com m ence m ent of th e first siege fo r B ordeaux, w here L afarg u es fa th e r' lived. T h e latter, having fallen very ill, w anted to see his son, who
See this volume, p. 395. Ed. I T h e In te rn a tio n a l , The New York Herald, No. 12765, A ugust 3, 1871. E d F ranfois L afarg u e. Ed.

atten d ed him , ind eed was at his sick bed u n til th e tim e of his death. L afargue a n d my d a u g h te r th en co ntinued to stay at B ordeaux, w here th e fo rm e r possesses a house. D u rin g th e tim e of the C om m une, L afarg u e acted as Secretary to th e B o rd eau x branches of the In tern atio n al, an d was also sent as a delegate to Paris, w here he stayed six days to m ake him self acquainted with the state of things th ere. D u rin g all th e tim e he was n o t m olested by the B ordeaux police. T o w ard th e m iddle of May my two u n m arrie d d au g h ters set o u t fo r B ordeaux, an d thence to g eth er with the family L afargue to B agneres de L uchon, in th e Pyrenees, n e a r the Spanish fro n tier.... T h e re th e eldest d au g h ter, who h ad suffered from a severe attack of pleurisy, took th e m ineral w aters a n d u n d erw en t re g u la r m edical treatm en t. L afargue an d his wife h ad to atten d to a dying baby, an d my youngest d a u g h te r am used herself as m uch in th e ch arm in g environs of Luchon as th e family afflictions perm itted. L uchon is a place of re so rt fo r patients an d fo r the beau monde, ' an d above all places th e least fitted for political intrigue. My d a u g h te r M adam e L afargue h ad, m oreover, the m isfortune to lose h e r child, an d shortly afte r its b u ria l in the second week of A u g u st who should ap p e a r at the dwelling place? T h e illustrious K eratry, well know n by th e infam ies he com m itted d u rin g th e M exican war, an d th e equivocal p a rt he played d u rin g th e Franco-Prussian war, first as P refect of Police at Paris, an d later as a soi-disant^ G eneral in B rittany, an d now P refect of the H au te-G aro n n e, a n d M. Delpech, P ro cu reu r G en er al of T o u lo u se b oth these w orthies being accom panied by gendarm es. L afargue had received a h in t th e evening before, and had crossed the Spanish fro n tier, having provided him self with a Spanish passport at B ordeaux. A lthough the son of F rench p arents, he was b o rn in Cuba, and is th ere fo re a Spaniard. A dom iciliary visit was m ade at the dw elling place of my d au g h ters, an d they them selves were subjected to a severe cross exam ination by the two m ighty representatives of th e R epublique T hiers. T h ey w ere charged with carrying on an insurrectional correspondence. T h a t co rresp o n dence consisted simply in letters to th eir m o ther, the contents of w hich w ere of course n o t flatterin g to th e F rench G overnm ent, a n d in copies of some L ondon new spapers! For ab out a week th eir house was w atched by gendarm es. T h ey h ad to prom ise to leave

II

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L etter to th e E d ito r of The Sun, C harles D ana

399

France, w here th eir presence was too dangerous, as soon as they could m ake th e p rep aratio n s necessary fo r th e ir d e p a rtu re , an d in th e m ean tim e they w ere to consider them selves as people placed u n d e r th e haute surveillance'' of th e police. K eratry a n d D elpech h ad flattered them selves with the ho p e of finding them u n p ro vided with passports, b u t fortunately they w ere possessed of re g u la r English passports. O therw ise they would have h ad to share th e infam ous trea tm e n t of the sister of Delescluze a n d o th er F rench ladies as innocent as them selves. T hey have no t yet re tu rn e d , a n d are probably waiting fo r news from L afargue. M eanw hile th e Paris pap ers told the m ost incredible lies; the Gaulois, fo r instance, tran sfo rm in g my th ree d au g h ters into th ree b ro th ers of m ine, well know n and d an gerous agents of the In tern atio n al P ropaganda, th o u g h I have no brothers.** A t the sam e tim e th at L a France, a Paris organ of T h iers, gave a most varnished tale of th e events at L uchon, an d asserted th at M onsieur L afargue m ight quietly re tu rn to F rance w ithout in cu rrin g any danger,"^ th e F rench G overnm ent requested the Spanish G overn m en t to arrest L afargue as a member of the Paris Commune! to which he h ad never belonged, an d to which, as a resident of B ordeaux, he could not belong. L afargue was in fact arrested, an d u n d e r th e escort of gendarm es m arched to B arbastro, w here he h ad to take his night q u arters in the town prison, thence to H uesca, w hence the G overnor, on telegraphic o rd e r from the Spanish M inister of the Interior,'* h ad to forw ard him to M adrid. A ccording to The D aily News of th e 24th A ugust, he has at last been set fre e .' T h e whole proceedings at Luchon an d in the papers* were n o th in g b u t shabby attem pts of Mr. T h iers & Co. to revenge them selves u p o n m e as the au th o r of the address of the G eneral Council of th e In tern atio n al on the Civil War.* Between their revenge an d my d au g h ters stood the English passport, an d Mr. T h iers is as cow ardly in his relations to foreign pow ers as h e is un scru p u lo u s in re g a rd to his disarm ed countrym en.
^ Strict surveillance. Ed. * > E. C ard o n , Les nouvelles q ui nous a rriv e n t... , Le Gaulois, No. 1133, A ugust 14, 1871. Ed. L uchon, 8 aout 1871 , La France, No. 213, A ugust 12, 1871. Ed. 'I P raxedes M ateo Sagasta. Ed. = T h e In tern a tio n a l Society , The Daily News, No. 7900, A ugust 24, 1871. Ed. f T h e e x ta n t frag m e n t of th e m an u scrip t has and in S p a in instead of a n d in the p a p e rs . Ed. 8 See this volum e, pp. 307-59. Ed.

As to C luseret, I do n o t th in k th at he was a traito r, b u t certam ly he u n d erto o k to play a p a rt fo r which he lacked th e m ettle, and thus h e did g reat h arm to th e C om m une. I know n o th m g as to his w hereabouts. A nd now addio! Y our old frien d ,
K arl M arx
P ublished in The Sun, S eptem ber 9, 1871 R e p ro d u ce d from th e n ew spaper

:L

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T h e C om m une a n d A rchbishop Darboy

401
19, 1871

L o ndon, A ugust Sir,

Karl Marx
T H E C O M M U N E AND A R C H B IS H O P D A R B O Y ^"

Sir, T h e passage of the A ddress of the G eneral Council of the In tern atio n al W orking M ens Association, O n the C iv il W ar in France, which gave the signal to shouts of m oral indignation on the p a rt of th e L ondon press, was this; T h e real m u rd e re r of the A rchbishop is T h ie rs." From th e enclosed letter, addressed to M. Bigot, the counsel for M. Assi at th e Versailles C ourt-m artial, by M. E ugene Fondeville, who is ready to confirm his statem ents by affidavit, you will see th at th e A rchbishop him self actually shared my view of the case. At the tim e of the publication of the A ddress , I was n o t yet in fo rm ed of th e interview o f M. Fondeville with M. D arboy, but even th en the correspondence of th e A rchbishop with M. T hiers revealed his strange misgivings as to the good faith of the C hief of the F rench Executive. A n o th er fact has now been placed beyond d o u b t viz., th at at the lim e of the execution of the hostages the C om m unal g o v ernm ent h ad already ceased to exist, an d ought, th erefo re, no longer be held responsible fo r that event. I am , etc..
K arl Marx'"

L ondon, A ugust 29
See this volum e, p. 352. Ed. M arxs letter is w ritten in English. Fondevilles letter re p ro d u c e d by M arx was published in the n ew spaper in F rench. Ed.

I am taking the liberty of w riting to you to in fo rm you of th e existence of certain docum ents relatin g to the events of the C om m une a n d to ask you if you would kindly take advantage of th e privileges of y our profession a n d y o u r capacity as d efence counsel fo r one o f th e accused to have them p ro d u c e d in court. A ro u n d 15 A pril a Paris n ew sp ap er re p ro d u c e d a letter w ritten to The Times in which a certain person stated th a t he h a d visited th e hostages at Mazas a n d accused the C om m une of behaving barbarously tow ards them . Strongly desirous of ascertaining th e tru th of such assertions, I w ent to th e p rison w here I becam e convinced of the contrary. T h a t day I talked w ith M essieurs D arboy, B onjean and D eguerry, a n d M. Petit, secretary to th e A rchbishop, w ho could give you some in form ation on this subject, since he is alive. Subsequently I m ade fre q u e n t visits to them a n d a few days be fo re the collapse of the C om m une M essieurs D arboy and B onjean e n tru ste d m e w ith som e m anuscripts th e gist of which I give you below. H e re is a b rief resum e of th e D arboy docum ent. It is entitled My A rrest, my D etention, a n d m y R eflections at M azas . From this it em erges th a t a p a rt from his arrest, fo r w hich he blam es th e C om m une, he places th e full responsibility fo r his d eten tio n on the g o v e rn m e n t of Versailles; h e accuses it, above all, o f sacrificing the hostages to reserve itself a sort of rig h t to take reprisals in the fu tu re . In so d oing he re fe rs partly to his w ritten requests a n d partly to the a p p ro ac h es m ade by his frien d s to M. T h ie rs, ap p ro ach es a n d talks w hich led to n o th in g b u t refusals, notably th at of M. L agarde. H e affirm s th a t it was a question o f exch an g in g the hostages n o t only fo r B lanqui, b u t also to r the body of G eneral Duval. H e declares in addition th at he was well tre a te d a n d h e praises a t len g th the co n d u ct of citizen G arau, the go v ern o r of Mazas. H e already foresees his d e ath a n d this is w hat he w rites on the subject: It is know n th at Versailles does n o t w ant e ith e r a n exchange o r a reconciliation; on the o th e r h a n d , if th e C om m une h a d the pow er to a rre st us, it does n o t have th e pow er to have us set at liberty, because to set us at liberty w ithout an exchange at this tim e w ould start a revolution in Paris th a t would overthrow the C o m m u n e . As fo r M. B onjean, he gave m e a long treatise on ag ricultural econom y which he h a d com posed in prison, two letters fo r his family, a n d a kind of jo u rn a l o f his deten tio n . A lthough this d o cu m en t is n o t as valuable from th e p o in t of view of the defence as th a t o f M. D arboy, it proves th a t the hostages w ere tre a te d hum an ely at Mazas. Since it is pointless to insist on the im p o rtan ce of such docum ents, I shall now explain to you u n d e r w hat circum stances I was d e prived o f them . O bliged to leave the M inistry of Public W orks on the m o rn in g of M onday, 22 May, I h a d to take re fu g e in the only establishm ent th a t was o pen, in th e R ue d u Iem ple; it was th e re th a t I deposited my briefcase a n d my papers. O n T h u rsd a y ihe 2 5th the Versaillese c ap tu red this q u a rte r, and I w anted to p u t these docum ents in a safe place b efo re going hom e. T h e ow ner of the hotel, w hom I th o u g h t I could tru st, gave m e a wall safe in a room on the second floor, the key to which I took with m e. A p a rt from th e item s m en tio n ed above, I also deposited five letters fro m M acM ahon which h a d b een h a n d ed to m e at the P re fec tu re of Police, m any official docum ents, including a certificate saying th a t I was a delegate at Neuilly d u rin g the arm istice of 25 A pril, two cu rren cy bills, a letter from L ondon ad d ressed to M. T h iers, a n d som e p h o to g rap h s of various m em bers of the C om m une. O n 27 May I sent two m en to th e R ue d u T em p le who w ere to b rin g m e, to g eth e r with m y briefcase, th e p ap ers deposited in the safe. In answ er to th eir
15 *

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req u est the ow ner of the hotel replied th a t since m any of his neig h b o u rs h a d said several tim es th a t a m em b er of th e C om m une h a d taken re fu g e at his place, he had th o u g h t it p ru d e n t to force o p en the safe a n d b u rn th e papers. T h e briefcase was b ro u g h t to m e. It too h a d been forced o p e n , a n d m y private p apers, such as the certificates a n d oth ers, h a d been taken. Now d espite the fact th a t the ow ner of the hotel co n firm ed to m e personally th a t the docum ents had been destroyed, I am p e rsu ad e d of th e c ontrary, a n d th e news th a t I have had from Paris assures m e th a t the perso n to w hom I confided th em is still in possession of them , o r h a n d e d th em to the police a sh o rt tim e ago. I am sending you in fo rm atio n to institute a search fo r th e above-m entioned d ocum ents, a n d th e custom ary salutations. T h e letter has been sent to B igot on 19 A ugust 1871. E. Fondeville, H o u seh o ld er in St. M acaire W ritten o n A ugust 29, 1871 First published in The No. 3318, S eptem ber 2, 1871 Examiner, P rin ted according to th e news p a p er, verified with the m a n u script

K a rl M a rx [T O T H E E D IT O R O F L A V E R IT E ]^^

In tern atio n al W orking M ens Association 256, H igh H olborn, L o ndon. W.C. 30 A ugust 1871 Mr. Editor, H aving read in todays Daily News th at M. R en au t is attrib u tin g to th e International a m anifesto inviting th e F rench peasants to b u rn all th e ch ateau x they can, etc.,"* Mr. Jo h n Hales, the G eneral Secretary of th e G eneral C ouncil of th e In tern atio n al W orking M ens Association, im m ediately sent this telegram to M. L. Bigot, Assis defence counsel:
In cen d iary proclam ation a ttrib u te d to th e In tern a tio n a l is a fabrication. W e are read y to m ake a sw orn affidavit b efo re an E nglish m ag istrate.

I now hasten to w arn th e F ren ch public th ro u g h y o u r respected new spaper th at all the manifestos printed in Paris in the name of the
International since the entry of the French government troops into Paris that all these manifestos without a single exception are fabricationsP^

I m ake this declaration to b u t I am ready to give you m agistrate. I have reason to believe em anate directly from th e

you n o t only on my w ord of h o n o u r, an affidavit' sworn befo re an English th at these vile creations do n o t even police, b u t from M onsieur an

T rial of the C om m unist P riso n ers , The Daily News, No. 7905, A ugust 30, 1871. Ed. M arx gives th e E nglish w ord "th e affidavit in the p aren th eses a fte r the F rench one. Ed. M ost likely, Ch. B rad lau g h . Ed.

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individual attached to one of these Parisian new spapers which The Standard (Tory new spaper) in one of its latest issues describes as o rgans of th e demi-monde.'" Yours faithfully,
K arl M arx
First published in Le Soir, No. 862, S eptem ber 3, 1871, a n d in o th e r bourgeois new spapers a n d also in the new spapers L lnlernationale, No. 139, S eptem ber 10, 1871, Der Volksstaat, No. 74, S eptem ber 13, 1871, and others Prin ted according to the m an u script, verified with the text in Le Soir T ran sla te d fro m th e F rench Published in E nglish fo r th e first tim e

Karl M arx
[T O T H E E D IT O R O F T H E E V E N IN G S T A N D A R D ]

T O T H E EDTFOR

Sir, In your n u m b er of th e 2nd Septem ber, your B erlin co rresp o n d en t publishes the translation of an interesting article on the International, which has a p p e are d in th e Cologne Gazette, " " which article charges m e with living at th e expense of th e w orking classes. U p to the 30th A ugust, th e date of y o u r co rresp o n d en ts letter, no such article a p p e are d in the Cologne Gazette, from which p ap er, th erefo re, y o u r co rresp o n d en t could n o t translate it. O n the contrary, the article in question ap p eared , m ore th an a fo rtn ig h t ago, in th e B erlin N ational Zeitung^; a n d an English translation of it, literally identical with th e one given by your co rresp o n d en t, fig u red in the L o ndon weekly p ap er. Public Opinion,'^ as fa r back as the 19th A ugust. T h e n ex t n u m b er of Public O pinion contained my reply to these slanders,'* an d I hereby sum m on you to in sert th at reply, of which I enclose a copy, in the next n u m b er of y o u r p ap er. T h e Prussian gov ern m en t have reasons of th eir own why they push, by every m eans in th eir pow er, the sp read in g of such infam ous calum nies th ro u g h the English press. T hese articles are b u t th e h arb in g ers of im p en d in g governm ent prosecutions against the In tern atio n al . I am. Sir, your obedient servant,
K arl M arx

H averstock-hill, Sept. 4, 1871

Published in The Septem ber 6, 1871 Evening Standard, R ep ro d u ced from th e new spaper

Paris, A ugust 18. E vening, The Standard, No. 14681, A ugust 21, 1871. Erf.

3 T h e In te rn a tio n a l , The Evening Standard, No. 14692, S eptem ber 2, 1871. ^i Die In te rn a tio n a le , National-Zeitung, No. 3.51, July 30, 1871, M ornm g edition. Ed. ^ A G erm an View of the In te rn a tio n a le . Public Opinion, No. 517, A ugust 19, 1871. d See this volum e, p. 393. Ed.

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407

Karl Marx and Frederick Engels

[PR O PO SIT IO N S T O T H E GENERAL C O U N C IL C O N C E R N IN G PR EPA R A T IO N S FOR T H E LO N D O N CONFERENCE]

Karl Marx and Frederick Engels

P R O P O S IT IO N S T O BE SU B M IT T E D T O T H E C O N FER EN C E BY T H E GENERAL C O U N C IL

Financial account. 1) T o find a room fo r the m eetings of the C onference. 2) T o find an hotel w here the m em bers o f the C onference can stay pro p o se th e sam e as last, Leicester Square. 3) A C om m ittee to be app o in ted to arran g e these two points. 4) T h a t the en tire C ouncil assist at the m eetings of the C onference, with the rig h t of taking p a rt in the debate, b u t th at a certain n u m b er of the Council only be delegated with the rig h t of voting such n u m b er to be fixed by th e C ouncil w hen the n u m b e r of delegates to the C onference shall be known. 5) T h a t th e F renchm en now resident in L ondon who are acknow ledged m em bers of the In tern atio n al, provide fo r the re p resen tatio n of France at the C onference by th ree delegates. 6 ) T h a t if th e m em bers of any C ountry should no t be re p resen te d at the C onference, the C orresp o n d in g Secretary fo r th at C ountry be ap pointed to re p resen t them .
W ritten n o t late r th a n S eptem ber 5, 1871 A do p ted at th e G eneral C ouncil m eeting of S eptem ber 5, 1871 First published, in Russian, in the book The London Conference of the First Interna tional, 1936 R ep ro d u ced from E ngels m a n u script

1) T h a t afte r th e close of th e C onference, no b ran ch be acknow ledged as belonging to th e Association by th e G eneral C ouncil a n d by th e C entral Councils of th e various countries until its an n u al contrib u tio n of 1 p e r h ead fo r th e c u rre n t year shall have been rem itted to th e G eneral Council.^ 2) a) F or those countries in which th e re g u la r organization of th e Association m ay for th e m o m en t becom e im possible by G overnm ent interferen ce, th e delegates of each C o untry are invited to propose such plans of organization as m ay be com patible with th e peculiar circum stances of th e Case. 3) T h e Association may be re-fo rm ed u n d e r o th er nam es, 7 ) b u t all secret organizations are form ally excluded. 3) T h e G eneral C ouncil will subm it to th e C onference a re p o rt of its adm inistration of th e affairs of th e In tern atio n al since the last Congress. 5) T h e G eneral C ouncil will propose to th e C onference to discuss the p ro p riety of issuing a reply, to th e various g overn m ents which have prosecuted a n d are now p rosecuting the In ternational; th e C onference to nam e a C om m ittee to be ch arg ed with draw ing u p this reply afte r its close. 4) Resolution of Congress o f Basle to be inforced: T h a t to avoid confusion th e C entral Councils of th e various countries be in stru cted to designate them selves h en cefo rth as
T h e follow ing tex t is crossed o u t in th e m anuscript: N o exception to this ru le shall be allowed until it be proved to th e satisfaction of th e G eneral C ouncil th at the b ra n ch in question has been p re v en ted by existing legal obstacles from com plying w ith th e ru le . Ed.

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Federal Councils with the nam e attached of the country they rep resen t; an d th at the local branches o r th eir C om m ittees designate them selves as branches o r C om m ittees of th eir respective localities."*" 6) 7) T h a t all delegates of the G eneral C ouncil ap p o in ted to distinct missions shall have the rig h t to attend, an d be h ea rd at, all m eetings of federal councils a n d local com m ittees o r branches, w ithout how ever being thereby en tid ed to vote thereat. 8 ) T h a t th e G eneral C ouncil be instructed to issue a fresh edition of th e Statutes including the resolutions of th e Congresses having relation thereto; an d inasm uch as a m utilated F rench translation has h ith erto been in circulation in France, and re-tran slated into Spanish an d Italian, th at it provide an authentic F rench translation which is to be forw arded to Spain and Italy also. German-Holland. 3 languages printed side by side.
W ritten betw een S eptem ber 1871 5 a n d 12, R e p ro d u ce d from the m anuscript

T H E L O N D O N C O N FER EN C E OF T H E IN T E R N A T IO N A L W O R K IN G M EN S A SSO C IA T IO N

September 17-23, 1 8 7 P

First published, in Russian, in the book The London Conference of the First Interna tional, 1936

^ T h e text o f the sixth po in t is crossed o u t in the m anuscript: T h a t in all countries w here the A ssociation is reg u larly organised, the federal councils send re g u la r re p o rts of th e am o u n ts levied a n d received in the shape of local o r district contributions. Ed. T h e e n d of the sentence is indecipherable. It looks like ... Spain a n d Italy H olland, also G e rm an y , Ed.

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Karl M arx
rON T H E A C T IV IT Y O F T H E A LLIA N C E O F SO C IA L IST DEMOCRACY]

[RECORD O F T H E SPEECH A T T H E S IT T IN G O F T H E C O N FE R E N C E C O M M ISSIO N O F 18 SEPTEM B ER 1871]

M arx: T h e disp u te has its origin in th e fo rm ation of th e Alliance of Socialist Dem ocracy in Geneva, fo u n d e d by B akunin a n d others. H e read s th e two com m unications from th e G eneral C ouncil to the Alliance of 1868 a n d M arch 1869,^ m the second of which the dissolution of th e Alliance an d th e com m unication on the n u m b e r of its sections an d th eir num erical stren g th are laid dow n as conditions fo r th eir adm ission into th e In tern atio n al. T h ese conditions w ere n ever m et, th e Alliance was n ev er Y dissolved; it has always m aintained a sort of OTganisation T h e o rg an of th e G eneva sections, L Egahte, 11 D ecem ber 1869, blam ed the G eneral C ouncil for failing to do its d uty by not replying to its articles," w h ereu p o n th e G eneral C ouncil replied th at it was no t its d u ty to join in new spaper polemics, b u t th at it was p re p a re d to answ er requests o r com plaints m ade by the R om ance F ederal Council, a n d this circular was com m unicated to all th e sections'*; every one of th em ap p ro v ed th e co n d u ct of the G eneral Council. T h e Swiss C ouncil disow ned L E g a h te w ith whose editorial b o ard it h ad b ro k en off; th e editorial b o ard was changed, an d subsequently th e o rg an of th e Alliance ad h eren ts
See K M arx, T h e In tern a tio n a l W orking M ens Association a n d the In tern a tio n a l Alliance of Socialist D em ocracy a n d T h e G eneral C ouncil of the In tern a tio n a l W orking M ens A ssociation to the C entral B u re au of th e In tern atio n al Alliance of Socialist D em ocracy" (p resen t editio i^ . foRq b p Robin, R eflexions , L Egalite, No. 47, D ecem ber 11, 1869. i d , c T h e re fe re n ce is to a set of articles published in Le Progre, in N ovem ber M arx, T h e G eneral C ouncil to th e Federal C ouncil of Rom ance S w itzerland (p resen t edition. Vol. 21). Ed.

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was th e Progres and later th e Solidarite. T h en cam e the C ongress of L o d e w here th e two parties, the R om ance F ederation of Geneva a n d th at of th e m ountains (the Alliance), w ere openly divided.^ T h e G eneral Council left things as they were, only forbidding the new council to set itself u p as a R om ance council alongside the o th er. G uillaum e, who h ad preached abstention from all politics, co n trary to o u r Statutes, th e m om ent the w ar broke out published a proclam ation d em an d in g in the nam e of the In tern atio n al the form ation of an arm y to com e to the aid of France,* which is even m ore con trary to o u r Statutes.
R ecorded by F. Engels First published, in Russian, in the book The London Conference of the First International 1936 P rin ted according to the m an u script T ran sla te d from the French Published in English fo r the first tim e

Karl Marx and Frederick Engels

M O T IO N S O F T H E G ENERAL C O U N C IL A D O PTED BY T H E CONFERENCE""^*

1) In o rd e r to avoid any m isu n d erstan d in g th e resolution of the Basle Congress'- shall be stricdy observed, w hereby the central councils in the various countries w here th e Association has re g u lar organisations shall call them selves F ederal Councils o r C om m ittees of th eir respective countries, an d the local sections o r com m ittees shall call them selves sections o r com m ittees of th eir respective 3rC3.S 2) C onference instructs th e G eneral C ouncil to publish a new edition of the Rules, with auth en tic translations into F rench and G erm an p rin ted opposite th e English text. All translations into o th er languages m ust be ap p ro v ed by the G eneral C ouncil p rio r to ^ 3) At the suggestion of th e G eneral Council, C onference recom m ends th e fo rm ation of w om ens sections am ong fem ale w orkers. It is u n d ersto o d th at this in no way affects th e existence of m ixed sections including b oth sexes. 4) C onference invites th e G eneral C ouncil to enforce C lause 5 of the Rules'^ o rd e rin g general statistical surveys of th e w orking class, a n d the resolutions of th e G eneva C ongress to th e same effect.** W orking m en s societies o r branches which refuse to
See Association Internationale des Travailleurs. Compte-rendu de IV e Congrh International, tenu a Bale, en Septembre 1869, Brussels, 1869. b K. M arx, General Rules an d A dm inistrative Regulations of the International Working M en s Association, L ondon, 1871 (p resen t edition, Vol. 23). Ed. ^ K. M arx, Rules and Administrative Regulations of the International Working M ens Association (p resen t edition. Vol. 20, A ppendices). d. d Resolutions of the Congress of Geneva, 1866, and the Congress of Brussels 1868. T h e In tern a tio n a l W orking M ens Association. O ffice of G eneral C ouncil, L ondon [1869].

See K. M arx, Rules and Administrative Regulations of the International Working M ens Association (present edition, Vol. 20, A ppendices). M Jo G uillaum e, M anifeste aux Sections d e Iln te rn a tio n a le , La Solidarite No. 22, S eptem ber 5, 1870. <i

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provide th e inform ation requested shall be re p o rte d to the G eneral Council, which shall give a ruling on them . 5) All th e delegates ap p o in ted by the G eneral C ouncil to special missions shall be entitled to be p resen t an d to be h e a rd at all m eetings of th e federal councils, district o r local com m ittees, and local branches, w ithout, how ever, having a vote. 6 ) A fter th e closure of C onference no bran ch shall be consi d e re d by the G eneral C ouncil a n d th e F ederal Councils to belong to th e Association until it has paid to the G eneral C ouncil its co n tribution of 1 0 c. p er m em ber fo r the c u rre n t year.
R ecorded on S eptem ber 19 o r 20, 1871 First published B erlin, 1978 in P rin ted according to the m an u script T ran sla te d from the F rench P ublished in E nglish fo r th e first tim e

Frederick Engels
[ON T H E P O L IT IC A L A C T IO N O F T H E W O R K IN G CLASS]

MEGA 2 , Bd. 1/22,

[PLAN FO R SPEECH A T T H E C O N FE R E N C E SESSION O N SEPT E M B E R 21, 1871]

1) Lorenzo m atter of p rin cip le this decided. 2) A bstention impossible. N ew spaper politics is also politics; all abstaining papers attack th e governm ent. T h e only question is how a n d how fa r to get involved in politics. T his d ep en d s on circum stances a n d can n o t be prescribed. 2) A bstention nonsensical; o n e should abstain because bad people m ight be elected so no contributions because th e tre a su re r m ight abscond. So, no n ew spaper because the ed ito r is ju st as likely to sell him self as th e deputy. 3) Political freed o m s particularly of association, assembly an d p ress o u r m eans of agitation; is it u n im p o rtan t ) w h eth er these are taken from us o r not? A nd should we not resist if they are attacked? 4) A bstention p reach ed , because otherw ise o ne is recognis ing the status quo. T h e status q u o exists an d se fiche pas m al ' ab o u t o u r recognition. If we use th e m eans o ffered us by the status quo to p ro test against th e status quo, is th at recognition?' 3) A bstention impossible." T h e W orkers Party as a political p arty exists an d wants to act politically, an d to p reach abstention to it is to ru in the Intern atio n al. T h e m ere contem plation of conditions, of political suppression fo r social ends forces th e w orkers into
^ It could care n o less. Ed. * > Clauses 2,3,4, m ark ed by Engels w ith a brace in th e m anuscript, w ere w ritten as an insertion into th e tex t on the rig h t side. Ed. T h e n follows th e p h ra se a fte r the C o m m u n e crossed o u t by Engels. Ed.

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417

politics; th e p reachers of abstention are driving them into the arm s of bourgeois politicians. A fter the C om m une, which p u t the political action of the w orkers on the agenda, abstention impossible. 4) We w ant th e abolition of classes. Sole m eans is political pow er in the h an d s of the p ro le ta ria t an d we should not go into politics? All abstentionists call them selves revolutionaries. Revolu tion is the highest act of politics, an d anyone who wants it m ust also w ant th e m eans of p re p a rin g revolution, educate the w orkers fo r it, an d see to it th at he is not cheated again by Favre an d Pyat the following day. It is purely a question of w hich politics t/ie
exclusively p ro leta ria n , not as the ta il o f the bourgeoisie.
W ritten on S eptem ber 20 o r 21, 1871 First published, in F rench, in the m agazine Cahiers du Bolchevisme. Revue bimensuelle publiee par le C.C. du Parti communiste franfais (S.F.I.C.), No. 20 1934 P rin ted according to the m a n u script Published in E nglish fo r the first tim e

Frederick Engels
[ON T H E P O L IT IC A L A C T IO N OF T H E W O R K IN G CLASS]

[H A N D W R IT T E N T E X T OK T H E SPEECH D ELIV ER ED A T T H E C O N FE R E N C E SESSION O N SEPTEM BER 21, 1871]

A bsolute abstention from politics is im possible; all th e abstentionist new spapers go in for politics, too. It only d ep en d s how one does it a n d w hat sort of politics. M oreover, fo r us abstention is impossible. T h e w orkers p arty already exists as a political p arty in m ost countries. It is n o t u p to us to ru in it by p reaching abstention. T h e experience of real life and th e political oppression im posed on them by existing g o v ern m en ts w h eth er for political o r social e n d s force th e w orkers to concern them selves with politics, w h eth er they wish to o r not. T o p reach abstention would be to push them into th e arm s of bourgeois politics. Especially in the afterm ath of th e Paris C om m une, which placed th e political action of the p ro letariat on th e agenda, abstention is quite impossible. W e seek the abolition of Classes. W hat is th e m eans of achievm g it? T h e political dom ination of th e proletariat. A nd w hen everyone is agreed on that, we are asked n o t to get involved in politics! All abstentionists call them selves revolutionaries, even revolutionaries p a r excellence. B ut revolution is the su p rem e act of politics; w hoever w ants it m ust also w ant th e m eans, political action, which p re p are s fo r it, which gives th e w orkers th e education for revolution an d w ithout which th e w orkers will always be d u p ed by the Favres and the Pyats th e day after th e struggle. B ut the politics which are n eed ed are w orking class politics; th e w orkers party m u st be constituted not as th e tail of some bourgeois party, b u t as an in d e p e n d e n t p arty with its own objective, its own politics. T h e political freedom s, the rig h t of assembly an d association and the freedom of th e press, these are o u r w eapons should we

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F red erick Engels

Same^i i l Oclokre I87(.

PAS DE DBOITS SANS DEVOIRS, PAS DE DEVOIRS SANS DROITS.

Troisieme annee fi? 20.

fold o u r arm s a n d abstain if they seek to take them away from us? It is said th at every political act im plies recognition of the status quo. B ut w hen this status quo gives us the m eans of protesting against it, th en to m ake use of these m eans is not to recognise the status quo.
First published in full, in Russian, in the m agazine The Communist International, No. 29, 1934 P rin ted according to the m a n u script T ran sla te d from the French

Journal de IAssociation Internationale des Travailleurs de la Suisse romande

LEGALITE
Karl Marx

Espjgne A U e m a g n e . A n g l e t < f r r e

R E SO L U T IO N O F T H E L O N D O N CO N FER EN C E R E L A T IN G T O T H E S PL IT IN R O M ANCE SW ITZERLA N D

W ith re g a rd to this split; 1. First and forem ost, th e C onference m ust consider the d e m u rre rs p u t forw ard by th e F ederal C om m ittee of th e Societies of th e M ountains, which do n o t belong to th e R om ance F ed eratio n (see the letter of 4 S eptem ber subm itted to th e C onference by th e F ederal C om m ittee of th at section):
First demurrer:
T h e G eneral C o n g ress, they say, convened in accordance w ith the Rules, can alone be com petent to ju d g e such a serious m atter as th e split in the R om ance F e d e ratio n .

C onsidering: T h a t w hen conflicts arise betw een the societies o r branches of a national g ro u p , o r betw een gro u p s of d iffe re n t nationalities, the G eneral C ouncil shall have th e rig h t to decide on th e split, p en d in g appeal to th e next C ongress, which will take th e final decision (see clause V II of th e resolutions of th e C ongress of Basel) T h a t according to resolution V I of th e C ongress of Basel, the G eneral C ouncil also has th e rig h t to su spend a section of the In tern atio n al until th e n ex t Congress; T h a t these rights of th e G eneral C ouncil have been recogriised, albeit only in theory, by th e F ederal C om m ittee of th e dissident branches of the M ountains, since Citizen Robin has repeatedly appealed to the G eneral C ouncil in th e n am e of this C om m ittee to com e to a final decision on this question (see th e m inutes of th e G eneral Council);
Association Internationale des Travailleurs. Compte-rendu du I V national, tenu a Bale, en septembre 1869, Brussels, 1869. Ed. Congres Inter

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K arl M arx

R esolution o n the C onflict in R om ance Sw itzerland

421

T h a t the rights of C onference, while no t equal to those of a G eneral C ongress, at any rate exceed those of the G eneral Council; T h a t it is in fact the F ederal C om m ittee of th e dissident b ranches of the M ountains, not the F ederal C om m ittee of the R om ance F ederation, which th ro u g h Citizen Robin has requested th at a conference be convened to reach a final decision on this split (see th e m inutes of the G eneral C ouncil of 25 July 1871). F or these reasons: T h e C onference declares the first d e m u rre r invalid.
Second demurrer:
It w ould b e , they say, a b reach of e lem entary justice to pass sentence on a fed eratio n w hich has not been given the o p p o rtu n ity to d e fe n d itself... T oday (4 S eptem ber 1871) we learn indirectly th at an e x tra o rd in a ry C onference is to be held in L ondon on 17 Septem ber. [...] It was the d uty of th e G eneral C ouncil to inform all th e regional g ro u p s o f it; we do n o t know why it has m aintained silence w ith re g ard to u s.

C onsidering: T h a t the G eneral C ouncil had instructed all its secretaries to give notice of th e convening of a conference to the sections of the respective countries which they rep resen t; T h a t Citizen Ju n g , the co rresp o n d in g secretary fo r Switzerland, did n o t inform the C om m ittee of the J u ra branches fo r the following reasons: In flag ran t breach of the decision of th e G eneral C ouncil of 29 Ju n e 1870,^"^ this C om m ittee, as it still does in its last letter ad dressed to th e C onference, continues to call itself the C om m ittee o f th e Romance Federation. T h is C om m ittee had the rig h t to appeal against the decision of th e G eneral C ouncil at a fu tu re C ongress, b u t it did not have the rig h t to ig n o re th e decision of the G eneral Council. C onsequendy it had no legal existence as fa r as the G eneral C ouncil was concerned, and Citizen Ju n g did no t have th e rig h t to recognise it by inviting it direct to send delegates to the C onference; Citizen J u n g has no t received from th e C om m ittee any answers to questions p u t to it in the nam e of the G eneral Council; since the adm ission of Citizen Robin to the G eneral C o u n c il the requests of the above-m entioned C om m ittee have always been conveyed to th e G eneral C ouncil th ro u g h Citizen Robin, and n ever by th e co rresp o n d in g secretary for Switzerland.
= > N ovem ber 8, 1870. (i

C onsidering fu rth e r: T h a t on behalf of th e above-m entioned C om m ittee Citizen Robin h ad requested th at th e conflict be re fe rre d first to th e G eneral C ouncil a n d th en , on th e refusal of th e G eneral Council, to a C onference; th at th e G eneral C ouncil an d its co rresp o n d in g secretary fo r Sw itzerland th ere fo re h ad every reason to suppose th at C idzen Robin would in fo rm his co rresp o n d en ts of the convening of a conference, which they them selves h ad requested; T h a t the com m ission of inquiry set u p by th e C onference to study the Swiss split has h e a rd C idzen Robin as a witness; th at all the docum ents subm itted to th e G eneral C ouncil by th e two parties have been passed on to th e com m ission of inquiry; th at it is im possible to concede th at the above-m entioned C om m ittee had only been inform ed of the convening of a conference on 4 S eptem ber, seeing th at in A ugust it h ad already ap p ro ach ed Cidzen M... with an o ffer to send him to th e C onference as a delegate; For these reasons: T h e C onference declares th e second d e m u rre r invalid.
T h ird demurrer:
A decision, they say, ann u llin g the rights of o u r F ed eratio n w ould have the m ost disastrous consequences for th e existence of th e In tern a tio n a l in o u r c o u n try .

C onsidering: T h a t no one has asked fo r th e rights of th e above-m entioned F ederation to be annulled, T h e C onference declares th e th ird d e m u rre r invalid. 2) T h e C onference confirm s th e decision of th e G eneral C ouncil of 29 Ju n e 1870. At the same time, in view of th e persecutions which the In tern atio n al is at p resen t u n d erg o in g , th e C onference appeals to the feelings of fratern ity a n d u n io n which m o re th an ever o u g h t to anim ate the w orking class; It invites all the brave w orking m en of th e M ountain sections to rejoin the sections of th e R om ance F ederation. In case such an am algam ation should prove im practicable it decides th at the fed erated M ountain secdons shall h en cefo rth nam e them selves the Jurassian F ed eratio n . T h e C onference gives w arning th at h en cefo rth th e G eneral C ouncil will be b o u n d to publicly den o u n ce and disavow all w ould-be organs of the In te rn a tio n a l which, following the preced en ts of the
M alon. Ed.

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423

Progres an d th e Solidarite, should discuss in th eir colum ns, before the middle-class public, questions exclusively reserved fo r the local o r F ederal C om m ittees an d the G eneral Council, o r fo r th e private and adm inistrative sittings of th e F ederal o r G eneral Congresses.

Karl Marx and Frederick Engels

r e s o l u t io n s o f t h e c o n f e r e n c e o f d e l e g a t e s o f t h e i n t e r n a t i o n a l w o r k i n g M EN S A SSO C IA T IO N
a s s e m b l e d

L ondon, S eptem ber 26, 1871

Moved on S eptem ber 21, 1871 First published in L Egalite, No. 20, O c to b er 21, 1871 P rin ted paper according to the news

T ra n sla te d from th e F rench

a t L O N D O N FROM 17T H T O 23RD SEPTEM B ER 1871 (CIRCU LA R ISSUED BY T H E G EN ERA L C O U N C IL O F T H E A S SO C IA T IO N ) 263

I. C O M P O S IT IO N O F G E N E R A L C O U N C IL

T he C onference invites th e G eneral C ouncil to lim it th e n u m b er of those m em bers w hom it adds to itself, a n d to take care th at such adjunctions be n o t m ade too exclusively from citizens belonging to the sam e nationality. IL
D E S IG N A T IO N S O F N A T IO N A L COUNCILS,^ ETC.265

L In conform ity with a R esolution of th e C ongress of Basel (1869), the C entral Councils of th e various countries w here th e International is regularly organised, shall designate them selves henceforth as Federal Councils o r Federal Committees with the names of th eir respective countries attached, th e designation of General Council being reserved fo r th e C entral C ouncil of the International W orking M ens Association. 2 . All local branches, sections, gro u p s a n d th eir com m ittees are henceforth to designate and constitute them selves simply and exclusively as branches, sections, gro u p s a n d com m ittees of th e International W orking M en s Association with the nam es of th eir respective localities attached. 3. C onsequently, no branches, sections, o r g ro u p s will h ence forth be allowed to designate them selves by sectarian nam es such Positivists, M utualists, Collectivists, C om m unists, etc., o r to form separatist bodies u n d e r th e nam e of sections o f propaganda etc.,
' T h e F rench a n d G erm an editions have respectively: N ational o r regional Councils, local branches, sections, gro u p s a n d th e ir respective C om m ittees a n d National Councils, local branches, sections, gro u p s a n d th e ir C om m ittees . rf.

424

K arl M a rx a n d F re d e ric k E n g els

R e so lu tio n s o f th e L o n d o n C o n fe re n c e

425

p re te n d in g to accom plish special missions, distinct from the com m on purposes of the Association. 4. Resolutions 1 an d 2 do not, however, apply to affiliated
Trades Unions.
III. D E L EG A TE S O F T H E G EN ERA L C O U N C IL 266

V I. G EN ERA L S T A T IS T IC S O F T H E W O R K IN G CLASS 269

All delegates ap p o in ted to distinct missions by the G eneral Council shall have the rig h t to attend, an d be h ea rd at, all m eetings of F ederal Councils, o r C om m ittees, district an d local C om m ittees an d branches, w ithout, however, being entitled to vote thereat.
IV. C O N T R IB U T IO N O F ID.^ PER M EM BER T O T H E G EN ERA L C O U N C IL 267

1- T h e G eneral Council shall cause to be p rin ted adhesive stam ps rep resen tin g the value of one penny each, which will be annually supplied, in the n u m bers to be asked for, to the Federal Councils o r Com m ittees. 2. T h e F ederal Councils o r C om m ittees shall provide the local C om m ittees, or, in th eir absence, th eir respective sections, with the n u m b er of stam ps co rresp o n d in g to the n u m b er of th eir m em bers. 3. T h ese stam ps are to be affixed to a special sheet of the livret o r to th e Rules which every m em ber is held to possess. 4. O n the 1st of M arch of each year, the F ederal Councils o r C om m ittees of the d iffe ren t countries shall forw ard to th e G eneral C ouncil th e am o u n t of th e stam ps disposed of, an d re tu rn the unsold stam ps rem aining on hand. 5. T h ese stam ps, re p resen tin g the value of the individual contributions, shall bear the date of the c u rre n t year.
V. FO R M A T IO N O F W O R K IN G W O M E N S B RA N CH ES 268

1 . T h e C onference invites th e G eneral C ouncil to enfo rce art. 5 of the original Rules relating to a general statistics of th e w orking class, and the resolutions of th e G eneva C ongress, 1866,"' on th e same subject.^ 2 . Every local b ran ch is b o u n d to ap p o in t a special com m ittee of statistics, so as to be always ready, w ithin the limits of its m eans, to answ er any questions which m ay be ad dressed to it by th e F ederal C ouncil o r C om m ittee of its country, o r by th e G eneral Council. It is recom m en d ed to all branches to re m u n e rate the secretaries of the com m ittees of statistics, considering th e general benefit the w orking class will derive from th eir labour. 3 . _ O n the first of A ugust of each year th e F ederal Councils or C om m ittees will tran sm it th e m aterials collected in th eir respective countries to th e G eneral C ouncil which, in its tu rn , will have to elaborate them into a g eneral re p o rt, to be laid befo re the C ongresses o r C onferences annually held in the m o n th of S eptem ber. . 4 T ra d e s U nions a n d intern atio n al branches refu sin g to give the inform ation req u ired , shall be re p o rte d to th e G eneral Council which will take action th ereu p o n .
V II, IN T E R N A T IO N A L R E L A T IO N S O F T R A D E S
UN IO N S2 !

T h e C onference recom m ends the form ation of fem ale branches am o n g the w orking class. It is, how ever, u n d ersto o d th at this resoludon does no t at all in terfe re with the existence o r form ation of branches com posed of both sexes.
T h e G erm an edition has (G roschen) a fte r I d . , a n d the F rench one has 10 [centim es] instead of I d . h e re and below. Erf.

T h e G eneral Council is invited to assist, a s has been do n e h ith erto , the grow ing tendency of th e T ra d e s U nions of the d iffe ren t countries to e n te r into relations with the U nions of th e sam e trad e in all o th er countries. T h e efficiency of its action as th e international agent of com m unication betw een the national T ra d e s societies will essentially d ep e n d u p o n the assistance given by these sam e societies to th e G eneral L abour Statistics p u rsu e d by the International. T h e boards of T ra d e s U nions of all countries are invited to keep the G eneral C ouncil in fo rm ed of th e directions of th eir respective offices.
a Resolutions of the Congress of Geneva, 1866. and the Congress of Brussels 1868. T h e In tern a tio n a l W orking M ens Association. O ffice of G eneral C ouncil, L ondon L1869]. i.

K arl M arx a n d F red erick Engels Resolutions o f th e L o n d o n C o nference V III. A G R IC U L T U R A L PRO D U CERS 272

427

T T C onference invites th e G eneral Council an d the F ederal Councils o r C om m ittees to p re p are , fo r th e n ext C ongress rep o rts on th e m eans of securing the adhesion of the agricuftural prod^ucers to the m ovem ent o f th e industrial p ro le ta riftJ 2. M eanwhile, the F ederal Councils o r C om m ittees are invited to send agitators to th e ru ral districts, th ere to organTse Z S b r l X '
IX. P O L IT IC A L A C T IO N O F T H E W O R K IN G CLASS

an d ,o

C onsidering the following passage of the pream ble to the Rulesen d to em ancipation of the w orking classes is the great mmm m ovem ent o u g h t to be su b o rd in a tf o5 a

r
p erp etu atio n of th eir

H ^ca, econom ical

t
m onopolies So fa r
fro m

t h T T a T o f 'd i T th e way of th e em ancipation o f labour...

im pedim ent in T o co n q u er nolitir ^.1

S ; -

Srea. duty "T he

accom plishm ent of o u r ultim ate e n d th e econom ical em ancipa tion of the w orking class; T h a t false translations of th e original Statutes have given rise to various'^ in terp retatio n s which w ere m ischievous to th e develop m en t an d action of th e In tern atio n al W orking M ens Associa tion In presence of an u n b rid led reaction which violendy crushes every e ffo rt at em ancipation on th e p a rt of th e w orking m en, and p re te n d s to m aintain by b ru te force th e distinction of classes and the political dom ination of th e p ro p e rtie d classes resu ltin g from if*; C onsidering, th at against this collective pow er of th e p ro p e rtie d classes the w orking class cannot act, as a class, except by constituting itself in to a political party, distinct from , an d opposed to, all old parties fo rm ed by th e p ro p e rtie d classes; T h a t this constitution o f th e w orking class into a political p arty is indispensable in o rd e r to in su re th e triu m p h of th e social R evolution an d its ultim ate e n d th e abolition of classes; T h a t the com bination of forces which th e w orking class has already effected by its econom ical struggles o u g h t at th e sam e tim e to serve as a lever fo r its struggles against th e political pow er of landlords an d capitalists T h e C onference recalls to th e m em bers of th e International: T h a t in the m ilitant state of th e w orking class, its econom ical m ovem ent an d its political action are indissolubly united.
X. G EN ERA L R E S O L U T IO N AS T O T H E C O U N T R IE S W H E R E T H E REGULAR O R G A N IS A T IO N O F T H E IN T E R N A T IO N A L IS IN T E R FE R E D W IT H BY T H E G O V E R N M E N T S 275

t i o l ^ ^ 'r t ^ C ongress of L ausanne (1867) has passed this resolufrom th eir p d S a l T r n ' a n ^ ' S n ; " inseparable

p rS n d e d ^ pfench" iS tT r n a ln a T ^ o n t h t e ^ e S [He p ebiscite (1870) says: C ertainly by the ten o r of o u r Statutes al! o u r branches in E ngland, on the C ontinent, an d in A m e r ^ have th e special mission not only to serve as centres fo r the m ilitant organisation of the w orking class, but also to su p p o rt in their _ s p ^ v e countries, every political m ovem ent ten d in g tow ards the

In

those countries w here th e

re g u la r organisation of th e

International m ay fo r th e m o m en t have becom e im practicable in

consequence of g o v ern m en t interferen ce, the Association, an d its

(pre., " r ,

p 'f S ll'* '

K. M arx, C oncerning th e Persecution o f the M em bers of the F rench Sections (p resen t edition, Vol. 21, p. 127). Ed. ^ See K. M arx, Provisional Rules of the Association (p resen t edition. Vol. 20).__ Ed. T h e G erm an a n d F rench editions have false instead of various . Ed. d T h e G erm an edition has based on it instead of resu ltin g from it". Ed. T h e G erm an a n d F ren ch editions have its ex p lo iters instead of landlords and capitalists . Ed.

428

K arl M arx a n d F rederick Engels

Resolutions of the L ondon C onference

4 29

local groups, may be re fo rm ed u n d e r various o th e r nam es, but all secret societies properly so called are an d rem ain formally excluded.
XI. R E SO L U T IO N S R E L A T IN G T O FRA NCE

4 __x h e G eneral C ouncil shall im m ediately publish a declaration to the effect th at the In tern atio n al W orking M ens Association is utterly foreign to th e so-called conspiracy of N etschayeff who has frau d u len d y u su rp e d its nam e.
XIV. IN S T R U C T IO N T O C IT IZ E N O U T IN E ^so

1. T h e C onference expresses its firm conviction th at all persecutions will only double th e energy of the ad h e ren ts of the International, an d th at the branches will continue to organize them selves, if no t by great centres, at least by w orkshops and federations of w orkshops co rresp o n d in g with each o th e r by th eir delegates. 2- C onsequendy, the C onference invites all branches vigorously to persist in the p ro p a g an d a of o u r principles in F rance an d to im p o rt into th eir country as m any copies as possible of the publications an d Statutes of the International.
X II. R E S O L U T IO N R E L A T IN G T O E N G L A N D 2

Citizen O u d n e is invited to publish in the jo u rn al L Egalite a succinct re p o rt, from th e R ussian papers, of th e N etschayeff trial B efore publication, his re p o rt will be subm itted to th e G eneral Council.
XV.
281 C O N V O C A T IO N O F N E X T CON GRESS 2

T h e C onference leaves it to th e discretion of th e G eneral C ouncil to fix, according to events, th e day an d place of m eeting of the next C ongress o r Conference.*'
XV I.

T h e C onference invites th e G eneral Council to call u p o n the English branches in L ondon to form a F ederal C om m ittee for L o ndon which, afte r its recognition by the provincial branches and affiliated societies,^ shall be recognised, by the G eneral Council, as th e Federal Council fo r England.
X III. SPEC IA L V O T E S O F T H E C O N FE R EN C E 2 8

A L L IA N C E DE LA D E M O C R A T IE S O C IA L IST E (T H E A L L IA N C E O F SO C IA L IST DEM OCRACY) 282

L T h e C onference approves of the adjunction of the m em bers of th e Paris C om m une w hom the G eneral C ouncil has ad ded to its n um ber. 2- T h e C onference declares th at G erm an w orking m en have d o n e th eir d uty d u rin g the F ranco-G erm an war. 3. T h e C onference fra te rn a lly ' thanks the m em bers of the Spanish F ederation fo r the m em o ran d u m p resen ted by them on th e organisation of th e In tern atio n al by which they have once m ore p roved th eir devotion to o u r com m on work.
T h e G erm an societies . E d and F rench editions have tra d e u n io n s instead of

C onsidering th at the Alliance d e la D em ocratie socialiste has declared itself dissolved (see letter to th e G eneral Council d.d. Geneva, 10th A ugust 1871 signed by citizen N . Joukowsky, secretary to the Alliance), tt r uT h a t in its sitting of th e 18th S eptem ber (see No. II of this circular) the C onference has decided th at all existing organisations of the International shall, in conform ity with th e letter an d the spirit of th e general rules, h en cefo rth designate an d constitute them selves simply an d exclusively as branches, sections, f e d e r ^ tions, etc., of th e In tern atio n al W orking M ens Association with the nam es of th eir respective localities attached; T h a t the existing branches a n d societies shall th ere fo re no longer be allowed to designate them selves by sectarian nam es such as Positivists, M utualists, Collecdvists, C om m unists, etc., o r to form separatist bodies u n d e r th e nam es of sections o f propaganda. Alliance

T h e G erm an a n d F ren ch editions have u su rp e d and ex p lo ited ^ 1 > T h e G erm an and F ren ch editions have o r C o nference instead of it

td .

i r
430
K arl M arx a n d F rederick Engels R esolutions of th e L o n d o n C onference

431

de la Democratie socialiste, etc., p re te n d in g to accom plish special missions distinct from the com m on purposes of th e Association T h a t h en cefo rth the G eneral C ouncil of the In tern atio n al W orking M ens Association will in this sense have to in te rp re t an d apply article 5 of th e adm inistrative resolutions of the Basel Congress*: T h e G eneral C ouncil has th e rig h t eith er to accept o r to refu se th e affiliation of any new section o r g ro u p , etc.*^; T h e C onference declares th e question o f the Alliance d e la D em ocratie socialiste to be settled.
X V II. S P L IT IN T H E FR E N C H -SPEA K IN G PA R T O F SW IT ZE R L A N D 283

the m iddle-class public, questions exclusively reserved fo r th e local o r F ederal C om m ittees an d th e G eneral Council, o r fo r th e private an d adm inistrative sittings of th e F ederal o r G eneral Congresses.
N O T IC E

T h e resolutions n o t in ten d ed fo r publicity will be com m unicated to th e F ederal Councils o r C om m ittees of th e various countries by the co rresp o n d in g secretaries of th e G eneral Council.

By o rd e r an d in th e nam e of th e C onference, T h e G eneral Council:

1. T h e d iffe ren t exceptions taken by the F ederal C om m ittee of the M ountain sections as to th e com petency o f the C onference are declared inadm issible. (This is b u t a resum e of article 1 which will be p rin ted in full in th e Egalite of G en ev a.'*) 2. T h e C onference confirm s the decision of the G eneral Council o f Ju n e 29th, 1870.^^ A t th e sam e time, in view of th e persecutions which the International is at p resen t un d erg o in g , the C onference appeals to th e feelings of fratern ity an d union which m ore th an ever ou g h t to anim ate th e w orking class; It invites th e brave w orking m en of the M ountain sections to rejo in the sections o f th e R om ance Federation; In case such an am algam ation should prove im practicable it decides th at the dissident M ountain sections shall h en cefo rth nam e them selves th e Jurassian Federation. T h e C onference gives w arning th at h en cefo rth the G eneral C ouncil will be b o u n d to publicly denounce an d disavow all o rg a n s' of th e In tern atio n al which, following the precedents of the Progres an d th e Solidarite, should discuss in th eir colum ns, before

R . Applegarth, M . J. Boon, Fred. Bradnick, G. H . Buttery, Delahaye, Eugene D upont (on mission), W. Hales, G. Harris, H urlim an, Jules Johannard, Fred. Lessner, Lochner, Ch. Longuet, C. M artin, Z. Maurice, H enry Mayo, George M ilner, Charles Murray, Pfdnder, John Roach, Riihl, Sadler, Cowell Stepney, A lf. Taylor, W. Townshend, E. Vaillant, John Weston

C o rresp o n d in g Secretaries:
A . Serra illier ............... fo r France. K arl M a r x ............... G erm any and Walery Wroblewski ............... for

Poland.
H erm ann J u n g ....... fo r Switzer

Russia. F. E n g els ............... Italy an d Spain. A . H erm an .................... Belgium. J. P. M acDonnell ........... Ireland. Le M o u ssu .............. for th e French branches of the U nited States.

land. T. M ottershead ..........D enm ark. Ch. Rochat .................. H olland. J. G. Eccarius .....U nited States. Leo F ra n ke l ............. A ustria and H ungary.

F. Engels, C h airm an H erm ann Jung, T re a su re r John Hales, Gen. Secretary

256, H igh H olborn, W.C., O ctober 17, 1871

T h e F ren ch edition has fro m th e p u rp o se com m on to th e mass of m ilitant p ro letaria t u n ited w ithin th e In tern a tio n a l W orking M ens A ssociation instead of fro m th e com m on p u rposes o f th e A ssociation . Ed. ^ Association Internationale des Travailteurs. Compte-rendu du I V Congres Internation al, tenu a Bale, en septembre 1869, Brussels, 1869. Ed. T h e G erm an a n d F ren ch editions have p e n d in g appeal to th e n e x t congress instead o f etc. . Ed. See this volum e, pp. 419-22. Ed. = T h e G erm an a n d F rench editions have all w ould-be o rg a n s . Ed. D rafted , edited a n d p re p a re d fo r the press betw een O ctober 8 a n d 23, 1871 P ublished as a p a m p h le t in English, G erm an a n d F ren ch a n d in several press organs of the In tern a tio n a l in N ovem berD ecem ber 1871
16-1232

R eproduced from the English pam p h let, verified with the G e r m an a n d F rench editions

432

Karl Marx
[TO T H E E D IT O R S O F W O O D H U L L & C L A F L I N S
W EEKLY

FROM T H E PREPARATORY M ATERIALS

L ondon, N. W., S eptem ber 23, 1871

Mesdames:

I have th e h o n o r to send you, fo r insertion in your Weekly if you ju d g e th e contribution sufficiently interesting fo r your re a d e rs a sh o rt relation o f my d a u g h te r Jenny on the persecu tions she an d h e r sisters, d u rin g th eir stay at B agneres de Luchon (Pyrenees), h ad to u n d e rg o at the h ands of the F rench G overnm ent. T h is tragico-com ical episode seems to m e charac teristic of th e R epublic-Thiers. T h e news of m y d eath was concocted at Paris by the A v e n ir liberal,^ a B onapartist paper. Since S unday last a private C onference of th e delegates of the In tern atio n al W orkingm ens Association is sitting at L ondon. T h e proceedings will term inate to-day. W ith my best thanks fo r the highly interesting papers you had th e kindness to send me, I have the h o n o r, M esdam es, to rem ain, Y ours m ost sincerely.
K arl M arx
First p ublished in th e Woodhull & C laflin s Weekly, No. 23/75, O cto b er 21, 1871 R ep ro d u ced fro m th e weekly

See this volum e, pp. 622-32. Ed. * > Paris, le 4 septem bre 1871. D ernieres N ouvelles , L A venir liberal. No. 376, S eptem ber 5, 1871. Ed.

Karl Marx
DRAFTS O F T H E C I V I L W A R I N F R A N C E ^^^

437

[FIR ST D R A FT O F T H E C I V I L W A R I N F R A N C E ]

T H E G O V E R N M E N T O F D EFEN CE

F our m onths afte r th e com m encem ent of th e war, w hen the G overnm ent of D efence h ad th ro w n a sop to th e Paris N ational G u ard by allowing th em to show th eir fighting capabilities at Buzenval/' the G o vernm ent considered th e o p p o rtu n e m om ent com e to p re p a re Paris fo r capitulation. T o th e assembly of th e m aires of Paris fo r capitulation, T ro c h u , in presence of a[n d ] su p p o rted by Jules Favre a n d others of his colleagues, revealed at last his p la n . H e said literally:
T h e first question, ad d ressed to m e by m y colleagues on the evening of the 4th September, was this: Paris can it stand, with any chance of success, a siege against the Prussian arm y? I did not hesitate to answer in the negative. Som e o f m y colleagues h e re p re se n t will w a rra n t the tru th of these m y w ords, a n d the persistence of my opinion. I told th em in these very term s th at, u n d e r th e existing state of things, the a ttem p t o f Paris to m aintain a siege against the Prussian arm y w ould be a folly. W ithout do u b t, I ad d ed , this m ight be a heroical folly, b u t it w ould be n o th in g else... The events have not given the lie to my prevision.

W ritten by K. M arx betw een the m iddle of A pril a n d May 23, 1871 First published in full, in English and Russian, in Marx-Engels Archives, Vol. I l l (V III), 1934

R ep ro d u ced fro m th e m an u scrip t

H ence T ro c h u s plan, from th e very day of th e proclam ation of the Republic, was the capitulation of Paris and of France. In point of fact he was the co m m an d er in chief of th e Prussians. In a letter to G am betta, Jules Favre him self confessed so m uch th at th e enem y to be p u t dow n, was not the Prussian soldier, b u t th e Paris dem agogue revolutionist . T h e h ig h -sounding prom ises to the people, by the G o vernm ent of Defence, w ere th ere fo re as m any deliberate lies. T h e ir p la n they systematically carried o u t by en tru stin g the defence of Paris to B onapartist generals, by
Paris au jo u r le jo u r , Le Figaro, N o. 74, M arch 19, 1871. Ed.

,L

438

K arl M arx

First D raft. T h e G o v ern m en t of D efence

439

disorganizing the N ational G u ard an d by organizing fam ine u n d e r th e m aladm inistration of Jules Ferry. T h e attem pts of the Paris w orkm en on the 5th of O ctober, the 31st of O ctober etc, to su p p lan t these traitors by the C om m une, w ere p u t dow n as conspiracies with the Prussian!^ A fter the capitulation the m ask was throw n off (cast aside). T h e capitulards^^^ becam e a govern m en t by the grace of Bismarck." B eing his prisoners, they stipulated with him a general arm istice the conditions of which disarm ed F rance an d re n d e re d all fu rth e r resistance impossible. Resuscitated at B ordeaux as the G overnm ent of the Republic, these very sam e capitulards th ro u g h T hiers, th eir ex-A m bassador, an d Jules Favre, th eir F oreign m inister, fervently im plored Bism arck, in th e nam e of th e m ajority of th e so-called N ational Assembly, an d long before the rise of Paris, to disarm an d occupy Paris an d p u t dow n its canaille , as Bism arck him self sneeringly told his adm irers at F ran k fu rt on his re tu rn from F rance to Berlin!" T his occupation of Paris by the P russians such was the last w ord of th e p la n of the governm ent of defence. T h e cynical effro n tery with which, since th eir instalm ent at Versailles, the sam e m en fawn u p o n an d appeal to the arm ed intervention of Prussia, has d u m b fo u n d ed even the venal press of E urope. T h e heroic exploits of the Paris N ational G uard, since they fight no longer under b u t against the capitulards, have forced even the m ost sceptical to b ra n d th e w ord tra ito r on the brazen fronts of th e T ro c h u , Jules Favre et Co. T h e docum ents seized by the C om m une, have at last fu rn ish ed th e juridical proofs of th eir high treason.* A m ongst these pap ers th ere are letters of the B onapartist sabreurs'" to w hom th e execution of T ro c h u s p la n h ad been confided, in which these infam ous w retches crack jokes at and m ake fu n of th eir own defence of P aris , (cf. fo r instance the letter of Alphonse Sim on Guiod, suprem e co m m ander of the artillery of th e arm y of defence of Paris and G ran d Cross of the Legion of H o n o u r, to Suzanne, G eneral of division of artillery, published by th e Journal officiel of th e Commune.**) It is, th erefo re, evident, th at th e m en who now form the

governm ent of Versailles, can only be saved from th e fate of convicted traitors by civil war, th e d eath of th e R epublic a n d a m onarchical resto ratio n u n d e r th e shelter of Prussian bayonets. B u t an d this is m ost characteristic of th e m en of th e E m pire as well as of th e m en w ho b u t on its soil a n d w ithin its atm o sp h ere could grow into m ock-tribunes of th e p eo p le th e victorious republic w ould n o t only b ra n d th em as traitors, it w ould have to su rre n d e r them as com m on felons to th e crim inal court. Look only at Jules Favre, Ernest Picard, a n d Jules Ferry, th e great m en, u n d e r T h iers, of the g o v ern m en t of defence! A series of au th en ticated judiciary docum ents sp read in g over about 20 years, a n d published by M. Milliere, a rep resentative to th e N ational A s s e m b ly p ro v e s th at Jules Favre, living in ad u lte r ous concubinage with the wife of a d ru n k a rd resid en t at Algiers,' had, by a m ost com plicated concatenation of d arin g forgeries, contrived to grasp in th e nam e of his bastards, a large succession th at m ade him a rich m an an d th a t th e connivance only of the B onapartist tribunals saved him from ex p o su re in a law-suit u n d erta k en by th e legitim ate claim ants. Jules Favre, th en , this unctuous m outhpiece of family, religion, p ro p erty , a n d o rd e r, has long since been fo rfeited to th e Code Penal. Lifelong penal servitude w ould be his unavoidable lot u n d e r every honest governm ent. Ernest Picard, th e p resen t Versailles hom e m inister, ap p o in ted by him self on th e 4 th of S eptem ber H om e m inister of the gov ern m en t of defence,*^ afte r he h ad tried in vain to be ap p o in ted by L. B o naparte, this E rnest Picard is th e b ro th e r of one A rth u r Picard. W hen, to g eth er with Jules Favre a n d Co., he h ad the im puden ce to pro p o se this w orthy b ro th e r of his as a candidate in the Seine et Oise fo r th e Corps legislatif, the Im perialist g o v ern m en t published two docum ents, a re p o rt of th e P refectu re of Police (31 July, 1867) stating th at this A rth u r Picard was excluded from th e B ourse as an escroc ," * an d an o th er d o cu m en t of th e 11 December 1868, according to which A rth u r h ad confessed the th eft of 300,000 fcs, com m itted by him as a d irecto r of one of the branches of th e Societe Generale,'^ ru e Palestro, No. 5 .' E rnest m ade n o t only his w orthy A rth u r th e editor in chief of a
a See J.-B. E. M illiere, Le F aussaire , Le Vengeur, No. 6, F eb ru ary 8, 1871. Ed. b Jea n n e C h a rm o n t, w ho lived sep arate fro m h e r h u sb an d . V ern ier. Ed. c In the final version of The C ivil W ar in France M arx corrected the inaccuracy: E rn est Picard was M inister of Finance in the G o v ern m en t o f N ational D efence (see this volum e, p. 314). Ed. Sw indler. Ed. See Le S ieur P icard , La Situation, No. 168, A pril 4, 1871. Ed.

R e p o rt from G erm any in th e colum n R evelations , La Situation, No. 156, M arch 21, 1871. d. * > Le G ou v ern em en t de la D efense n atio n ale . La Situation, No. 189, A pril 29, 1871. (i. ^ Stout soldiers. Ed. See Journal officiel (Paris), No. 115, A pril 25, 1871. M arx re fe rs to th e item Le G o u v ern em en t d e la D efense n a tio n a le . La Situation, No. 189, A pril 29, 1871. Ed.

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p ap e r of his own, the Electeur libre, fo u n d ed u n d e r the E m pire a n d co n tin u ed to this day, a p ap er, in which the republicans are daily d en o u n ced as robbers, bandits, an d partageux^, b u t once becom e th e h om e m inister of the D efence , E rnest em ployed A rth u r as his financial m edium betw een the hom e office to the Stock Exchange, th ere to discount the State secrets en tru sted to him . T h e whole financial correspondence betw een E rnest and A rth u r has fallen into th e hands of th e C om m une. Like the lachrym ose Jules Eavre, E rnest Picard, the Joe M iller of the Versailles G overnm ent, is a m an forfeited to the Code Penal and th e galleys! T o m ake u p this trio, Jules Ferry, a p o o r briefless b arrister before 4 S eptem ber, no t content to organize th e fam ine of Paris, h ad contrived to job a fo rtu n e o u t of this fam ine. T h e day on which he would have to give an account of his peculations d u rin g th e Paris siege w ould be his day of judgm ent! N o w o n d er th e n th at these m en who can only hope to escape th e hulks in a m onarchy, protected by Prussian bayonets, who b u t in the turm oil of civil w ar can win th eir ticket of leaved th at these desperadoes w ere at once chosen by T h iers a n d accepted by the R urals as th e safest tools o f th e C ounterrevolution! N o w o n d er th at w hen in the beginning of A pril cap tu red N ational G uards w ere exposed at Versailles to th e ferocious o u trages of P ietris lam bs an d the Versailles m ob, M. E rnest Picard, with his h an d s in his trousers pockets, walked fro m g ro u p to g ro u p cracking jokes while on the balcony of the P refecture M adam e T hiers, M adam e Jules Eavre a n d a bevy of sim ilar Dames, looking in excellent health an d spirits ,* ^ exulted in th at disgusting scene. N o w o n d er then, th at while o n e p a rt of F rance winces u n d e r th e heels of the conquerors, while Paris, the h e a rt a n d head of France, daily sheds stream s of its best blood in self-defence against the hom e traitors, ... the T hiers, Favres et Co. indulge in revelries at th e Palace of Louis XIV , such f.i. as the g ra n d fete given by T h iers in h o n o u r of Jules Eavre on his re tu rn from R ouen (w hither he h ad been sent to conspire with (fawn upon) th e Prussians). It is the cynical orgy of evaded felons!

If the G overnm ent of D efence first m ade T h iers th eir Foreign A m bassador, going a begging at all C ourts of E u ro p e th e re to b a rte r a king fo r F rance fo r th eir in tervention against Prussia, if, later on, they sent him on a travelling to u r th ro u g h o u t th e F rench provinces, th ere to conspire w ith th e chateaux^ an d secretly p re p a re the G eneral elecdons which to g eth er with th e C apitulation w ould take F rance by su rp rise T h iers, on his side, m ade them his m inisters an d h igh functionaries. T h ey w ere safe m en. T h e re is one th in g ra th e r m ysterious in the proceedings of T h iers, his recklessness in precipitating th e revolution of Paris. N ot content to goad Paris by th e A ntirepublican dem onstrations of his rurals, by th e th reats to decapitate and decapitalize Paris, (by D u fa u res (T hiers m inister of justice) law of th e 10th of M arch on th e echeances^ of bills which im p en d ed b an k ru p tcy on th e Paris com m erce ), by ap p o in tin g O rleanist am bassadors, by th e tra n s fe r of th e Assem blee to Versailles, by an im position of a new tax on new spapers, by th e confiscation of th e R epublican Paris journals, by the revival of th e State of Siege, first proclaim ed by Palikao and annulled with the dow nfall of th e Im perialist gov ern m en t on th e 4th of S eptem ber, by ap p o in tin g Vinoy, th e Decembriseur and E xsenator govern o r of Paris, Valentin, th e Im perialist G endarm e Prefect of Police, an d A urelle de Paladines, th e jesuit G eneral C o m m an d er in chief of th e Paris N ational G u a rd he o p en ed th e civil .war with feeble forces, by V inoys attack on th e B uttes M ontm artre, by th e attem p t first to ro b th e N ational G uards of C annons which belonged to th em and which w ere only left to them by the Paris convention, because they w ere th eir p ro p erty , a n d thus to disarm Paris. W hence this feverish eagerness d en fin ir ? T o disarm an d p u t dow n Paris was of course th e first condition of a m onarchical counterrevolution, b u t an astute in trig u er like T h iers could only risk the fu tu re of th e difficult en terp rise in u n d erta k in g it w ithout d u e p re p ara tio n , with ridiculously insufficient m eans, except u n d e r th e sway of some overw helm ingly u rg e n t move. T h e m otive was this. By the agency of P ouyer-Q uertier, his finance m inister, T h iers h ad concluded a loan of two m illiards to be paid im m ediately dow n a n d some m o re m illiards to follow at certain term s. In this loan transaction a truly royal pot-de-vin (drink= > M anors (i.e. big landlords). Ed. b See T h e scanty news from th e capital of R evolution... No. 7774, M arch 30, 1871. Ed. ^ T h e days of paym ent. Ed. ' T o p u t an e n d to it. Ed. The Daily News,

S u p p o rte rs of th e division of p ro p e rty . Ed. See this volum e, p. 314. Ed. T h e A dvance of th e In su rg e n ts on V ersailles , The Daily News, No. 7781, April 7, 1871. d.

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m oney) was reserved fo r those g ra n d citizens T hiers, Jules Favre, E rnest Picard, Jules Simon, P ouyer-Q uertier etc. B ut th ere was one hitch in the transaction. B efore definidvely sealing the treaty, the contractors w anted one g u a ra n te e the tranquillization of Paris}^^ H ence th e reckless proceedings of T hiers. H ence the savage h a tre d against the Paris w orkm en perverse en o u g h to in terfe re with this fine job. As to the Jules Favres, Picards etc, we have said en o u g h to prove th em th e w orthy accomplices of such a jobbery. As to T h iers him self, it is notorious th at d u rin g his two m inistries u n d e r Louis Philippe h e realized 2 millions, an d th at d u rin g his prem iersh ip (dating M arch 1840) he was tau n ted from th e tribune of th e C h am bre of D eputies with his B ourse peculations, in answ er to which he shed tears, a com m odity he disposes of as freely as Jules Favre an d th e celebrated com edian F rederick Lem aitre. It is n o less notorious th at the first m easure taken by M. T h iers to save F rance from th e financial ru in , fastened u p o n h e r by the war, was to endow him self with a yearly salary of 3 Millions of francs, exactly th e sum L. B onaparte got in 1850 as an equivalent from M. T h iers an d his tro o p in the Legislative Assembly fo r allowing them to abolish the general suffrage.* T his endow m ent of M. T h iers with 3 millions was th e first w ord of the economic republic th e vista of which he h ad o p en ed to his Paris electors in 1869. As to P ouyer-Q uertier, h e is a cottonspinner at R ouen. In 1869, he was th e lead er of th e m illow ners conclave th at proclaim ed a g eneral reduction of wages necessary fo r the conquest of the English m ark e t an intrigue, then baffled by the Intem atim al?^^ P ouyer-Q uertier, otherw ise a fervent an d even servile partisan of th e E m pire, fo u n d only one fault with it, its com m ercial treaty with E ngland d am aging to his own shop interests. His first step as M. T h ie rs finance m inister was to den o u n ce th at h atefu l treaty an d to p ro n o u n ce th e necessity of reestablishing the old protective duties fo r his own shop. His second step was the patriotic attem p t to strike Alsace by the reestablished old protective duties on the p re te x t th at in this case no international treaty stood in th e way of th eir re-introducdon. By this m asterstroke his own shop at R ouen would have got rid of th e d an gerous com petition of th e rival shops at M ulhausen. His last step was to m ake a p resen t to his son-in-law, M. Roche L am bert, of the receveurgeneralship of th e Loiret, one of the rich booties falling into the lap of the governing bourgeois, and which P ouyer-Q uertier had
M ulhouse. Ed.

fo u n d so m uch fault with his Im perialist predecessor M. M agne, endow ing his own son with th at big jobbing place. T his P ouyer-Q uertier was th en exactly th e m an fo r th e p erp etratio n of the above-said job.
30 March, Rappel. Jules F erry, ex-m ayor of Paris, issued a circular on M arch 28, o rd e rin g th e town dues officials to stop forthw ith all collections for th e city of Paris.

Small state-rogueries, a litde ch aracter ... cankering conscience ... everlasting suggester of Parliam entary in trig u e ... petty expedients an d devices ... reh earsin g his hom ilies of liberalism , of the libertes necessaires eagerly b en t on ... stro n g reasons to weigh against the chances of failure ... cogent arg u m en ts which counterpoise ... kind of heroism in ex aggerated baseness ... lucky parliam entary stratagem s... M. E. Picard is a swindler, w ho th ro u g h o u t th e siege speculated on the B ourse over th e defeats of o u r armies.
massacre, treason, arson, assassination, calumny, lies^

In his speech to th e assembly of m aires etc. (25th April) T h iers says him self th at the
assassins o f C lem ent T h o m a s a n d L ecom te a re a h a n d fu l of crim inals ^ like those w ho m ay justly be re g a rd e d as having b e en accom plices in these crim es th ro u g h abetting a n d assistance, th at is, a verj small number of individuals".'^

D u fa u r e

D ufaure wants to p u t dow n Paris by press prosecutions in the provinces. M onstrous to b rin g jou rn als b efo re a ju ry because preaching C onciliation. D u fau re plays a g reat p a rt in th e T h iers intrigue. By his law of the 10th of M arch, he ro used all th e in d eb ted com m erce of
M arx w rote this p a ra g ra p h in F ren ch except fo r th e w ords for the city of Paris . Ed. b M arx w rote this a n d th e p re ce d in g p a ra g ra p h in F rench. <i T h e follow ing text in th e p a ra g ra p h is in F rench. E d d M editation des m unicipalites de la S eine , Le Rappel, No. 684, A pril 28,

1871.<i.

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Paris. By his law on Paris houserents, he m enaced all Paris.' B oth laws w ere to p u nish Paris fo r having saved the h o n o u r o f F rance an d delayed th e su rre n d e r to B ism arck fo r 6 m onths. D u fau re is an O rleanist, an d a L iberal , in the parliam entary sense of th e w ord. C onsequently, h e has always been the m inister of repression an d of th e State of Siege. H e accepted his first portefeuille on the 13 May, 1839, afte r the d efeat of th e dem iere prise d armes^ of the R epublican p a r t y , w a s th e re fo re th e m inister of th e pitiless repression of the July g o v ern m en t of th at day.'" Cavaignac, forced on th e 29th O ctober (1848) to raise the state of siege, called into his m inistry two m inisters of Louis Philippe (Dufaure, fo r th e In terio r, an d Vivien). H e ap p o in ted them on the d em an d of th e rue Poitiers (Thiers),^ which d em an d e d guarantees. H e th u s h o p ed to secure th e su p p o rt of th e dynasties fo r the im p en d in g election of president. D u fau re em ployed th e m ost illegal m eans to secure C avaignacs candidature. Intim idation an d electoral c o rru p tio n h ad never been exercised on a larg er scale. D ufaure in u n d ated France with defam atory prints against the o th er candidates, a n d especially of Louis B on., w hat did no t p rev en t him to becom e later on Louis B o n ap artes m inister. D u fa u re becam e again th e m inister of th e state o f siege o f 13 June 1849 (against the d em o n stratio n of th e N ational G u ard against the b o m b ard m en t of R om e etc by th e F rench army). H e is now again the m inister of th e state of siege, proclaim ed at Versailles (for d e p a rtm e n t of Seine et Oise). Pow er given to T h iers to declare any d e p a rtm e n t w hatever in a state of siege. D ufaure, as in 1839, as in 1849, wants new repressive laws, new press laws, a law to abridge the form alities of the C ourts M artial . In a circular to the P ro cu reu rs-G en eraux he denounces th e cry of conciliation as a press crim e to be severely prosecuted."^ It is characteristic of the F rench m agistrature th at only one single P ro cu reu r G eneral (that of Mayenne)'* w rote to D u fau re to
resign... I can n o t serve an A d m inistration w hich o rd e rs m e, in a m o m e n t of civil war, to ru sh into p a rty struggles a n d prosecute citizens w hom m y conscience holds innocent, fo r u tte rin g th e w ord conciliation."'^ T h e latest a rm e d u p risin g . Ed. T h e n e x t sentence began w ith th e w ords O n J u n e 2, 1849 , w hich were subsequently crossed o u t by M arx. Ed. J. D u fau re, [Circulaire a u x p ro c u re u rs g e n erau x . Versailles, 23 avril 1871], Le Mot d Ordre, No. 62, A pril 26, 1871. Ed. 'I Louis V acheron. Ed. ' T h e F ren ch A ssem bly , The Daily News, No. 7800, A pril 29, 1871. Ed.

H e belonged to th e U nion liberale in 1847 which conspired against G uizot, as h e belonged to th e U nion liberale of 1869 which conspired against Louis Bonaparte.* W ith respect to th e law of 10 M arch a n d th e law of houserents, it o u g h t to be re m a rk ed th at b o th D u fa u res a n d P icards, both advocates, best clients are am ongst the h o u sep ro p rieto rs a n d th e big bourses averse to losing anything by the siege of Paris.

Now as afte r th e R evolution of F ebruary 1848, these m en tell th e Republic, as th e ex ecutioner told D on Carlos, Je vais t assassiner, mais cest pour ton bien. (I shall m u rd e r thee, b u t for thy own good.)

Lecomte and Clement Thomas

A fter Vinoys attem p t to carry th e B uttes M o n tm artre (on the 18th M arch, they w ere shot in th e g ard en s of th e C hateau Rouge, 4 oclock, 18th) G eneral Lecom te a n d C lem ent T h o m as w ere taken prisoners a n d shot by th e sam e excited soldiers of th e 81st of th e line. It was a sum m ary act of Lynch justice p erfo rm ed despite th e instances of som e delegates of th e Central Committee. Lecom te, an ep auletted cut-th ro at, h ad fo u r tim es co m m anded his tro o p , on the place Pigalle, to ch arg e an u n arm e d g ath erin g of w om en an d children. Instead of shooting th e people, th e soldiers shot him C lem ent T hom as, an ex -q u arterm aster, a g en e ral extem porized at the eve of th e Ju n e m assacres (1848)** by th e m en of the National, whose gerant^ h e h ad been, h ad n ever d ip p ed his sword in the blood of any o th e r enem y b u t th at of th e P an s w orking class. H e was one of th e sinister plotters w ho deliberately provoked the Ju n e in su rrection an d one of its m ost atrocious executioners. W hen on th e 31 O ctober 1870, th e Paris P roletarian N ational G uards su rp rised th e G overnm ent of D efence at the H otel d e Ville an d took them prisoners, these m en, w ho h ad [been] ap p o in ted by them selves, these gens de paroles!^ as o ne of them , Picard, called them recendy, gave th eir word of honour th at they w ould m ake place to th e Commune. T h u s allowed to escape
Responsible e d ito r. E d M en of th e ir w ord. E d

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scot free, they launched T ro c h u s B retons on th eir tooco n fid en t captors. O ne of them , however, M. Tamisier, resigned his dignity as co m m ander in chief of the N ational G uard. H e refu sed to break his w ord of h o n o u r. T h e n the h o u r h ad again struck fo r C lem ent T hom as. H e was ap p o in ted in T am isiers place co m m an d er in chief of th e N ational G uard. H e was the tru e m an fo r T ro c h u s p la n . H e never m ade w ar u p o n the Prussians; h e m ade w ar u p o n the N ational G uard, whom h e disorganized, disunited, calum niated, w eeding o u t all its officers hostile to T ro c h u s p la n , setting one set of N ational G uards against the o th er, an d w hom h e sacrificed in sorties so plan n ed as to cover th em with ridicule. H a u n te d by the spectres of his Ju n e victims, this m an, w ithout any official charge, m ust needs again re a p p e a r on [the] th eatre of w ar o f th e 18th o f M arch, w here h e scented a n o th e r m assacre of the Paris people. H e fell a victim of Lynch justice m th e first m om ent of p o p u lar exasperation. T h e m en who h ad su rre n d e re d Paris to th e te n d e r m ercies of the Decembriseur Vinoy, in o rd e r to kill the R epublic a n d pocket the pots-de-V in stipulated by th e P ouyer-Q uertier contract, shouted now; Assas sins, Assassins! T h e ir howl was re-echoed by the press of E u ro p e so eag er fo r th e blood of th e P roletarians . A farce of hysterical sensibility was enacted in th e ru ral A ssem blee,'and, as now as before, the corpses o f th e ir friends w ere m ost welcome w eapons against th eir enem ies. Paris an d the C entral C om m ittee w ere m ade responsible fo r an accident ou t of th eir control. It is know n how in th e days of Ju n e 1848 th e m en o f o rd e r shook E u ro p e with the cry of indignation against the In su rg en ts because of the assassina tion of th e A rchbishop o f Paris.* Even at th at tim e they knew perfectly well from th e evidence o f M. Jacquem et, the vicaire general o f th e A rchbishop, who h ad accom panied him to the barricades, ^ th at the B ishop h ad been shot by the troops of C avaignac, an d no t by the insurged,' b u t his d ead corpse served th eir tu rn . M. Darboy, the p resen t A rchbishop of Paris, one of the hostages taken by the Com m une in self-defence against the savage atrocities of th e Versailles governm ent, how ever seems, as appears from his letter to Thiers," to have strange misgivings [that] Papa T ra m n o n a in be eager to speculate in his d ead body, as an object holy indignation. T h e re passed h ard ly a day, in which the
^ D. A. A U re. E d I' T h e referen ce is to Jac q u em ets statem ent o f J u n e 26, 1848, published in La Situation, No. 185, A pril 25, 1871.

V ersailles jo u rn als d id n o t an n o u n ce his execution, which the co n tin u ed atrocities, a n d violation of th e rules of w ar on the side of o rd e r , w ould h av e sealed on th e part of every governm ent b u t th a t of th e C om m u n e. T h e Versailles governm ent h ad hardly realized a first m ilitary success, w hen Captain D esm arets, who at th e h ea d o f his g en d a rm es assassinated the chivalrous Flourens, has b een deco rated by T hiers. F lourens had saved th e lives of the defence m e n on th e 31st October.'^ Vinoy, the runaw ay (runagate), was a p p o in te d g ra n d cross of the Legion of H o n o u r, because h e h a d o u r b rav e com rade Duval, when taken prisoner, shot inside th e red o u b ts, because as a second instalm ent, he h ad shot som e dozen captive troops o f th e line who had joined th e Paris peo p le an d in a u g u ra te d this civil war by the m ethods of D ecem ber .^ ^ G en eral G alliffet th e husband of th at charm ing M archioness whose costum es at th e masked balls w ere one of the w onders o f th e E m p ire , as a L o n d o n penny a liner delicately puts it, su rp rise d n e a r R ueil a captain, lieutenant, an d private of N ational G uards, h a d them at once shot, and im m ediately published a proclam atio n to glorify himself in th e deed.^ T hese a re a few of th e m u rd e rs officially narrated and gloried in by the Versailles g o v ern m en t. 25 soldiers of the 80th R egim ent of th e line shot as rebels by th e 75th.'
Every m an wjearing th e u n ifo rm of th e re g u la r army who was c ap tu re d in the ranks o f th e C om m unists w as straightaw ay shot without the slightest m ercy. T h e g o v e rn m e n t tro o p s w ere p erfectly ferocious. "M. Thiers communicated the encouraging particulars of Flourens death to the Assembly.

Versailles 4 A pril. T h ie rs, th at misshapen dwarf, rep o rts on his prisoners b ro u g h t to Versailles (in his proclamation):
N ever h a d m o re d e g ra d e d countenances o f a degraded dem ocracy m et the afflicted gaze o f h o n est m e n . "* (Pietris m en!) Vinoy protests against any mercy to insurgent officers or line m en.< ^

O n th e 6 th of A p ril decree of the Commune on reprisals (and hostages):

N otice o n th e p ro clam atio n of G eneral d e Galliffet, A pril 3, 1871, The Daily News, No. 7783, A pril 10, 1871. Ed. b Paris, M onday, A p ril 3, 1871 , The Daily Telegraph, No. 4931, A pril 4, 1871. d. ^ Every m an w e arin g ... , The Daily Telegraph, No. 4932, A pril 5, 1871. Ed. d L. A. T h ie rs p ro clam atio n of A pril 4, 1871, The Daily News, No. 7779, A pril 5, 1871. ^ Versailles, A pril 5 , The Daily News, No. 7781, April 7, 1871. Ed.

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C o nsidering th a t the Versailles g o v e rn m e n t openly tread s u n d e rfo o t th e laws of hum an ity a n d those of w ar, a n d th a t it has b een guilty of h o rro rs such as even th e invaders of F rance have n o t d ish o n o u re d them selves by ... it is d ecreed e tc . (There follow the points.)^

T h iers and la com m ission des quinze of his rurals^* h ad th e cool im pudence to deny officially th e p re te n d ed summary executions
and reprisals attributed to the troops of Versailles."' B ut P apa T ra n sn o n ain , in his circular of 16th A p ril on the bombardment o f Paris:
If som e cannon-shots have been fired , it is n o t th e d e ed of the arm y of Versailles, b u t of som e insu rg en ts w anting to m ake believe th a t they a re fighting, while they d o n o t d a re show them selves.

A p ril 5. Proclamation o f the Commune:

Every day the b an d itti o f V ersailles slau g h ter o r shoot o u r prisoners, a n d every h o u r we lea rn th a t a n o th e r m u rd e r has been com m itted... T h e people even in its a n g er, detests bloodshed, as it detests civil war, b u t it is its d u ty to p ro tec t itself against th e savage attem p ts of its enem ies, a n d w hatever it m ay cost it shall be an eye fo r an eye, a to o th fo r a to o th . T h e police w ho are fighting against Paris have 10 fcs a d a y .

Versailles, 11 A p ril. Most horrible details of the coldblooded shooting of prisoners, no t deserters, related with an evident gusto by general officers an d o th e r eyewitnesses. In his letter to T hiers, D arboy protests
against the atrocious excesses w hich a d d to th e h o rro r o f o u r fratricidal w a r .'=

In th e sam e strain writes D eguerry (cure de la M adeleine):

T h ese executions rouse g re at w rath in Paris a n d m ay well lead to terrible rep risals . T h u s, a decision has already been taken to execute two o f the n u m ero u s hostages they hold fo r every new execution. Ju d g e fo r yourself how pressing a n d absolutely necessary is th a t w hich, [I] as a priest, am asking you to d o .

T h iers has proved th at he surpasses his h ero, N apoleon I, at least in one th in g lying bulletins. (Of course, Paris bom bards itself, in o rd e r to be able to calum niate M. T hiers!) T o these atrocious provocations of th e B onapartist blacklegs, the C om m une has co n ten ted itself to take hostages a n d to th rea ten reprisals, b u t its th reats have rem ain ed a d ead letter! N ot even the G endarm es m askeraded into officers, n o t even th e captive sergents d e ville, u p o n w hom explosive bom bs have been seized, w ere placed b efo re a co u rt m artial. T h e C om m une has refu sed to soil its h ands with th e blood of these bloodhounds! A few days b efo re th e 18th M arch, C lem ent T h o m as laid before th e w ar m inister Le Flo a plan fo r th e d isarm am en t of th ree q u arters of the N ational G arde.
T h e flow er of th e canaille, he said, has crow ded ro u n d M o n tm artre a n d is w orking hand-in-glove w ith Belleville. '

In

m idst of these h o rro rs

T h iers writes to the

Prefects:

The National Assembly

T h e assembly elected on F ebruary 8 u n d e r th e pressu re of th e enem y, to w hom th e m en of th e Versailles go v ern m en t h ad su rre n d e d all th e forts a n d h an d e d over defenceless Paris, this Assembly of Versailles has been called fo r th e sole pu rp o se, which is clearly stated in the C onvention itself" signed at Versailles on Jan u ary 28, nam ely, to decide w h eth er th e w ar could be co n tin u ed o r a peace concluded, an d in th e latter case to a rran g e for peace term s an d en su re th e earliest possible evacuation of F rench territory.'*
La com m ission des Q u in ze... , Le Rappel, No. 673, Ap*'*' b La Sociale public u n e curieuse lettre... , Le Vengeur, No. 21, A pril 19, 1871. M arx quotes in F ren ch in the original a n d gives th e F ren ch p h rase th re e q u a rte rs m th e previous sentence. Ed. O n th e arm istice a n d th e capitulation of Paris. Ed. d M arx w rote this p a ra g ra p h in F rench. Ed.

L assemblee siege paisiblem ent. (Elle aussi a le cceur leg er./

D ecree of A pril 5, 1871 on reprisals a n d hostages. The Daily News, No. 7781, A pril 7, 1871. T h e p h ra se in p aren th eses is in G erm an in the original. See also Journal officiel (Paris), No. 96, A pril 6, 1871. T h e C o m m u n es Proclam ation of A pril 5, 1871 is q u o ted a ccording to T h e Civil W ar in F ra n c e in The Daily News, No. 7781, A pril 7, 1871. See also Journal officiel (Paris), No. 96, A pril 6, 1871. M arx w rote th e next sentence in F rench. Ed. G. D arboy, Prison d e Mazas, le 8 avril 1871 , Le Rappel, No. 669, A pril 13, 1871. <i. B e ginning from h e re M arx quotes in F rench. Ed. ' G. D eguerry, A M essieurs les m em bres d u g o u v e rn em en t a V ersailles , Le Rappel, No. 669, A pril 13, 1871. Ed. f T h e Assem blys sitting proceeds peacefully. (It also takes everything light-heartedly.) A refe re n ce to O lliviers statem ent th a t h e will take th e responsibility fo r th e w ar with a light h e a r t , which h e m ade on the eve of the declaration of w ar on Prussia a n d w hich was cited in T h . A strie, Lhom m e ro u g e , La Situation, No. 176, A pril 14, 1871.

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Chanzy. Archbishop of Paris etc.

L iberation of C hanzy took place alm ost sim ultaneously with the re tre a t of Saisset. T h e Royalist journalists w ere unanim ous in decreeing the death o f the General. T h ey desired to fix th at am iable p ro ceeding on the Reds. T h re e tim es h e h ad been o rd e re d to execution, an d now h e was really going to be shot. A fte r the Vendome affair"': T h e re was consternation at Versailles. An attack on Versailles was expected on 23 M arch, fo r th e leaders of th e C om m unal agitation had an n o u n ced th at they would m arch on Versailles, if the Assembly took any hostile action. T h e assembly d id not. O n the contrary, it voted as u rg e n t a proposition to hold C om m unal Elections at Paris etc. By the concessions the Assembly ad m itted its powerlessness. At th e sam e tim e Royalist Intrigues at Versailles. B onapartist G enerals an d the Due d Aumale.^^ Favre avowed h e h ad received a letter from Bism arck, announcing th at unless o rd e r w ere resto red by the 26 M arch Paris w ould be occupied by the G erm an troops. Reds saw plainly th ro u g h his little artifice.' T h e V endom e affair was provoked by the forger, that infam ous jesuit J. Favre, who o n (21 M arch?) m o u n ted the trib u n e o f th e Assembly of Versailles to insult the people who h ad rescued him from insignificance, an d to rouse Paris against the d e p a rt m ents.
3 0 M arch, Proclamation o f the Commune:
T oday, th e crim inals, w hom you did not even w ant to p u rsu e , are abusing y o u r m agnanim ity to organise a ho tb ed o f m onarchist conspiracy at the very gates o f the city. T h ey have been inciting to civil war. T h ey have re so rted to every m eans o f c o rru p tio n , they have acted as accomplices with everyone, a n d have gone to the e x te n t of begging fo reig n ers fo r aid.^^

T h e progress of F rance from 1830 to 1871, according to M. T hiers, consists in this: In 1830 Louis Philippe was th e best of R epublics . In 1871 th e m inisterial fossil of Louis P hilippes reign, little T h iers him self, is th e best of Republics. M. T h iers com m enced his regim e by an usu rp atio n . By th e N ational Assembly he was ap p o in ted chief of th e m inistry of th e Assembly; he ap p o in ted him self chief of th e executive of France.

The Assembly and the Paris Revolution

T h e Assembly, sum m oned at th e dictate of th e F oreign invader, was, as is clearly laid dow n in th e Versailles convention of th e 28th Jan u ary , b u t elected fo r one single purpose: T o decide th e continuation of w ar o r setde th e conditions of peace. In th eir calling the F rench people to electoral u rn s, th e C apitulards of Paris them selves plainly defin ed th at specific mission of th e Assembly and this accounts to a g reat p art fo r its very constitution. T h e continuation of the w ar having becom e im possible th ro u g h th e very term s of th e arm istice hum bly accepted by th e capitulards, the Assembly h ad in fact b u t to reg ister a disgraceful peace a n d fo r this specific p erform ance th e w orst m en of F rance w ere best. T h e R epublic was proclaim ed on th e 4 th of S eptem ber, n o t by th e pettifoggers w ho installed them selves at the H otel d e Ville as a governm ent of defence, b u t by th e Paris people. It was acclaimed th ro u g h o u t F rance w ithout a single dissentient voice. It co n quered its own existence by a five m o n th s w ar whose co rn ersto n e was the p rolonged resistance o f Paris. W ithout this war, carried on by the R epublic and in the n am e of th e Republic, th e E m pire w ould have been resto red by B ism arck afte r th e capitulation of Sedan, the pettifoggers with M. T h iers at th eir h ead would have h ad to capitulate n o t fo r Paris, b u t fo r personal g u arantees against a voyage to Cayenne,'^ an d th e ru ral Assembly would n ever have b een h ea rd of. It m et only by the grace of th e R epublican revolution, initiated at Paris. B eing no co nstituent Assembly, as M. T h iers him self has rep eated to nauseousness, it would, if n o t as a m ere chronicler of the passed incidents of th e R epublican Revolution, not even have h ad the rig h t to proclaim th e destitution of th e B onapartist dynasty. T h e only legitim ate pow er, th erefo re, in France is th e Revolution itself, centring in Paris. T h a t revolution was n o t m ade against N apoleon the little, b u t against th e social and political conditions which

Thiers
O n th e 25th April, in his reception of th e m aires, adjuncts, and m unicipal councillors of the su b urban com m unes of th e Seine, T h iers said:
T h e republic is th ere . The chief of the executive power is only a common citizen.

See this volum e, pp. 511-12, 528-30. <i. * = B eginning from h e re M arx w rites in F ren ch to th e e n d of the quotation. Ed. Q u o te d according to Proclam ation d e la C o m m u n e [M arch 29, 1871], Le Rappel, No. 655, M arch 30, 1871; see also Journal officiel (Paris), No. 1 (89), M arch 30, 1871 d. I M editation des m unicipalites d e la S eine , Le Rappel, No. 684, A pril 28, 1871. M arx quotes these two sentences in F rench. Ed.

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en g e n d ere d the Second E m pire, which received th eir last finish u n d e r its sway, an d which, as th e w ar with Prussia glaringly revealed w ould leave F rance a cadaver, if they w ere n o t superseded by the t"^hf^Rnr^.?T f w orking class. T h e attem pts of th e R ural Assembly, holdm g only an A ttorneys Pow er from the R evolution to sign the disastrous bond h an d e d over by its p resen t executive to the F oreign invader, its attem pt to trea t the R evolutm n as its own capitulard, is, therefore, a m onstrous u su rp atio n . Its w ar a p i n s t Paris is n o th in g bu t a cowardly C h o u an n erie u n d e r the shelter of Prussian bayonets. It is a base conspiracy to assassinate France, in o rd e r to save the privileges, the m onopolies and the luxuries o f the degenerate, effete, and p utrefied saved by th e H erculean h an d of a truly social Revolution

T hiers Small state rogueries. Everlasting suggester of Parliam entary intrigues, M. T h iers was n ever anything else b u t an able journalist an d a clever w ord fe n cer , a m aster o f p arliam entary roguery, a virtuoso in p erju ry , a craftsm an in all th e small stratagem s, base perfidies, a n d subde devices of Parliam entary party-w arfare. T h is m ischievous gnom e ch arm ed th e F rench bourgeoisie d u rin g half a cen tu ry because h e is th e tru est intellectual expression of th eir own class-corruption. W hen in the ranks of th e opposition he over an d over re h earse d his stale hom ily of the libertes necessaires ,'^ to stam p th em o u t w hen in pow er. W hen o u t of office, h e used to th rea ten E u ro p e with the sword of France. A nd w hat w ere his diplom atic p erform ances in reality? T o pocket in 1841 th e h u m iliadon of th e L o n d o n treaty, to h u rry on the w ar with Prussia by his declam ations against G erm an unity, to com prom ise F rance in 1870 by his begging to u r at all the C ourts of E u ro p e, to sign in 1871 th e Paris capitulation, to accept a peace at any p rice a n d im plore from Prussia a concession: leave an d m eans to get u p a civil w ar in his own d o w n tro d d en country. T o a m an of his stam p th e u n d e rg ro u n d agencies of m o d ern society rem ain ed of course always unknow n, b u t even the palpable changes at its surface he failed to u n d ersta n d . F.i. any deviation from th e old F rench protective system h e den o u n ced as a sacrilege and, as a m inister of Louis Philippe, w ent th e length of treatin g disdainfully th e construction of railways as a foolish chim era an d even u n d e r Louis B o n ap arte h e eagerly opposed every R eform of th e ro tten F rench arm y organization. A m an w ithout ideas, w ithout convictions, and w ithout courage. A professional R evolutionist in th at sense, th at in his eagerness of display, of w ielding pow er a n d p u ttin g his h an d s into the N ational E xchequer, he n ev er scrupled, w hen banished to the banks o f the opposition, to stir th e p o p u lar passions a n d provoke a catastrophe to displace a rival; he is at th e sam e tim e a m ost shallow m an of ro u tin e, etc. T h e w orking class h e reviled as the vile m ultitude. O ne of his fo rm e r colleagues in the legislative assemblies, a con tem p o rary of his, a capitalist, an d how ever a m em ber of the Paris C om m une, M. Beslay th u s addresses him in a public address:
T h e subjugation (asservissement) o f lab o u r to capital, such is the c o rn e r stone of y our politics (policy), a n d the day you saw the Republic of Labour installed

Thiers Finest Army

Even before h e becam e a statesm an , M. T h iers h ad proved d w a rS the vanity, so characteristic of dw arfish m en, has this tim e betrayed him into th e sublim e of the ridiculous. arm y o f o rd e r, the dregs o f the B onapardst P r ^ s i T nrf"" n '^ e grace of Bism arck, from Prussian prisons, the Pontifical Zouaves,'** th e C h o u an s^" of C harette, the V endeans o f C athelineau; the m u n icip al?- of V alentin, the exsergeants d e ville o f Pietri a n d the Corsican G endarm es of V alentm who u n d e r L. B onaparte w ere only the spies of th e arm y bu t u n d e r M. T h iers form its warlike flow er the th^commt''^H f epauletted mouchards^ an d u n d e r honnn^?^^ runaw ay D ecem brist M arshals who h ad no h o n o u r to lose this m odey, ungainly, h an g d o g lot, M. T hiers dubs the finest army France ever possessed^! If h e allows the Prussians still to q u a rte r at St. Denis, it is only to frighten them by the sight of th e finest arm y of Versailles. ^ ^

Spies. d L h o - m e ro u g e , L No. 176,

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at th e H 6tel-de-V ille, you have n e v er ceased to cry to F rance T h ey a re crim i nals!

N o w on d er th at M. T h iers has given o rd ers by his hom e m inister E rn est Picard to p revent the In tern atio n al Association from com m unicating with Paris. (S ittin g of Assembly. 28 M arch.)
Circular o f Thiers, to prefects and sub-prefects.
T h e good v^orkmen, so n u m e ro u s as c o m p a red to th e bad ones, o u g h t to know, th a t if b re ad flies again fro m th e ir m ouths, they owe it to th e a d ep ts o f the International, w ho a re th e tyrants of labour, o f w hich they p re te n d them selves the lib erato rs. * :

attem p t on the liberty of Paris by th e whole dem ocratic party, except the B ourgeois R epublicans of th e National. M. T h iers replied to th eir outcry from th e T rib u n e of th e C h am bre des D eputes:
W hat? T o fancy th a t any w orks of fortification could e n d a n g e r freedom ?... T h is is to be com pletely o u t of to u ch w ith reality. A n d first of all, you calum niate any government whatever in assum ing th a t it could one day try to m aintm n itself by b o m b ard in g th e capital. Do you really th in k th a t a fte r it h a d pierced w ith its bom bs th e d om e of Les Invalides o r th e P an th eo n , a fte r it h a d sw ept th e hom es of y our famiUes with its fire, it could com e be fo re you a n d ask you to co n firm it m office. B ut it would be a hundred times more impossible after its victory than bejore.

W ithout th e International...'' (Now fo r th e story of m oney.) (H e a n d Favre tra n sfe rre d th eir m oney to L ondon.) It is a proverb th at if rogues fall o u t tru th comes out. W e can th ere fo re no t b etter finish the picture of T h iers th an by the w ords o f the L ondon M oniteur of the m aster of his Versailles generals. Says th e Situation in its n u m b er o f the 21 M arch:
M. T h ie rs has nev er been m inister w ithout p u sh in g th e soldiers to the m assacre of th e people, h e th e parricide, th e m an o f incest, the peculator, the plagiarist, the traito r, the am bitious, the im p o te n t .

Indeed, n eith er th e g o v ern m en t of Louis Philippe n o r th at of the B onapartist Regency d ared to w ithdraw from Paris an d bom bard it. T his em ploym ent of th e fortifications was reserved to M. T h iers, th eir original plotter. W hen King B om ba of N aples b o m b ard ed Palerm o m Jan u ary 1848, M. T h iers again declared in th e C ham bre of D eputies:
Y ou know, gentlem en, w hat is h a p p e n in g in Palerm o: you all shake with h o rro r on h e a rin g th a t d u rin g 48 h o u rs a large tow n has been bo m b ard ed . By w hom ? W as I't by a fo reig n enem y exercising th e rig h ts of w ar? N o, g e n d em en it was by its own government. A n d why? Because that unfortunate town demanded its rights. W ell th a n for d e m a n d in g its rights, it has h a d 48 h o u rs of b o m b ard m en t. [...] Allow m e to appeal to th e o p inion of E urope. I t will b e a service to m an k in d to rise a n d , from w hat is p e rh a p s th e greatest trib u n e in E u ro p e, voice a few words of indignation against such acts. G entlem en, th e re was a cry of g e n era l indig n atio n in all p a rts of th e w or w hen 50 years ago, in o rd e r to avoid a long siege th e A ustrians, exercism g the rights of w ar, w anted to b o m b ard Lille, w hen later, exercising th e sam e rig h ts o f w ar, the E nglish b o m b ard e d C o p en h ag en , a n d when, ju st recently, the Regent E sp a rte ^ w ho h a d re n d e re d services to his country, wanted to bombard Barcelona in order to suppress an insurrection.

Shrewd in cunning devices, and artful dodges.

B an d ed with the republicans before the Revolution of July, he slipped into his first m inistry u n d e r Louis Philippe by ousting Laffitte, his old p rotector. His first d eed was to throw his old collaborator A rm an d C arrel into prison. H e insinuated him self with Louis Philippe as a spy u p o n and the goal-accoucheur of th e Duchesse of Berry,' bu t his activity cen tred in the m assacre of th e in su rg en t Paris R epublicans in the R ue T ra n sn o n ain a n d the S eptem ber Laws against the press/ to be th en cast aside as an in stru m en t becom e blunted. H aving intrig ued him self again into pow er in 1840, he plan n ed the Paris fortifications' opposed as an

Ch. Beslay, A u citoyen T h ie rs... , Le Mot d Ordre, No. 64, A pril 28, 1871. M arx gives th e w ord c o rn e rsto n e in F rench. <i. * > T h e F ren ch A ssem bly , The Daily News, No. 7774, M arch 30, 1871. d. " L. A. T h ie rs, [Circulaire a p refets et sous-prefets. Versailles, 28 m ars 1871], U Rappel, No. 655, M arch 30, 1871. M arx gives th e previous sentence in F rench. Ed. T h is sentence is incom plete in the m anuscript. It is follow ed by two G erm an sentences in p arentheses. E d

Litde m ore th a n a year later, T h iers acted th e m ost fiery apologist of th e b o m b ard m en t of R om e by th e tro o p s of the F rench re p u b lic ,'^ a n d exalted his frien d . G eneral C h an g arn ier, fo r sabring dow n th e Paris N ational G uards pro testin g against this breach of th e F rench C onstitution. , 0 .0 r A few days befo re th e R evolution of F ebruary 1848, frettin g at the long exile fro m place to which G uizot h ad co n d em n ed him , scenting the grow ing com m otion of th e masses, which he h o p ed w ould enable him to oust his rival an d im pose him self u p o n Louis Philippe, Thiers exclaim ed in th e C h am bre of D eputies:
a L A T h ie rs speech at the sitting of th e C h am b er of D eputies o n Ja n u a ry 13 1841, Le Vengeur, No. 14, A pril 12, 1871. M arx quotes from it m French. d. b L. A. T h ie rs speech at th e sitting of th e C h am b er of D eputies on Ja n u a ry 31, 1848, Le Rappel, No. 673, A pril 17, 1871; Le Vengeur, No. 21, A pril 19, 1871. M arx quotes in F rench. Ed.

j j

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wUh u "* '> *( in the whole of Europe I wish th e g o v e rn m e n t of th e R evolution to rem ain in th e h a n d s o f m o d era te m en even in to those of

him self with ridicule by his bulletin on th e taking of M oulinS aquet (4 of May), w here 300 prisoners w ere taken.
T h e re st of the in su rg en ts has fled in a wild flight, leaving 150 d e ad a n d w o u n d ed o n the field o f b a ttle , a n d snappishly adds: Such is th e victory the C om m une can celebrate in its bulletins tom orrow . ... Paris will soon be delivered from th e terrible tyrants o p p ressin g it. '>

To

put

dow n

the

F ebruary

R evolution was his exclusive R epublic was proclaim ed to the

C oup d E tat

3 ^ter the F ebruary explosion he anxiously hid

h m se lf, b u t th e P ans w orkm en despised him too m uch to hate m m . btill, with his notorious cow ardice which m ade A rm an d C arrel answ er to his boast he w ould one day die on the banks of th e R hine , T h o u wilst die in a g u tte r h e d ared n o t play a p art on th e public stage before th e p o p u la r forces w ere broken dow n th ro u g h the m assacre of th e insurgents of Tune. H e confined him self first to the secret direction of the C onspiracy of th e R eunion o f the R ue de Poitiers which resulted in the R estoration of the E m pire, until the stage h ad becom e sufficiently clear to re a p p e a r publicly on it.

D u rin g the siege of Paris, on the question w h eth er Paris was ab o u t to capitulate, Jules Favre answ ered that, to u tte r the w ord capitulation, th e bo m b ard m en t of Paris was w anted! * >T his explains his m elodram atic protests against the Prussian bom bardm ent, and why th e latter was a m ock bom bardm ent, while the T h iers b o m b ard m en t is a stern reality.
Parliamentary mountebank.

H e is fo r 40 years on the stage. H e has never initiated a single useful m easure in any d e p a rtm e n t of state o r life. Vain, sceptical ep icurean: H e has never w ritten o r spoken fo r things. In his eyes th e things them selves are only p retexts fo r the display of his pen o r his tongue. Except his thirst fo r place a n d pelf an d display th ere is n o th in g real about him , not even his chauvinism in hie h vein of vulgar professional journalists h e now sneers in his bulletins [at] the bad looks of his Versailles prisoners now com m unicates th at the rurals are a leu r aise ,^ now covers
1S48^ / ' C h a m b e r of D eputies on F ebruary 2
i"

P aris the Paris of th e mass of th e Paris people fighting against him is n o t Paris . P aris th at is th e rich, the capitalist, the idle * (why no t th e cosm opolitan stew?). T his is th e Paris of M. T hiers. T h e real Paris, w orking, thinking, fighting Paris, the Paris of the people, th e Paris of th e C om m une is a vile m u ltitu d e . T h e re is th e whole case of M. T h iers, n o t only for Paris, b u t fo r France. T h e Paris th at shews its courage in th e pacific procession an d Saissets escapade , th at th ro n g s now at Versailles, at Rueil, at St. Denis, at St. G erm ain-en-Laye, followed by the cocottes sticking to the m en of religion, family, o rd e r, and p ro p e rty (the Paris of th e really d an g e ro u s , of th e exploiting and lounging classes) (th e francs-fileurs ^ ) an d am using itself by looking by the telescope at th e battie going on, fo r w hom the civil w ar is b u t an agreeable diversion th at is th e Paris of M. T hiers, as the em igration of Coblenz^' was th e F rance of M. de C alonne. In his vulgar jo u rn alist vein he knows n o t even to observe sham dignity, b u t he m u rd ers th e wives an d girls, a n d children fo u n d u n d e r the ru in s of Neuilly n o t to swerve from th e etiquette of legitim acy . H e m ust needs illum inate th e m unicipal elections he has o rd e re d in F rance by th e conflagration of C lam art b u rn t by petroleum bom bs. T h e R om an historians finish o ff N ero s ch aracter by telling us th at th e m on ster gloried in being a rhym ester a n d a com edian. B ut lift a professional m ere jo u rn alist an d parliam entary m o u n teb an k like T h iers to pow er, an d h e will o u tn e ro N ero. H e acts only his p a rt as th e blind tool of class interests in allowing the B on ap artist gen erals to revenge them selves on Paris; b u t he acts his personal p a rt in th e litde byplay of bulletins, speeches, addresses, in which th e vanity, vulgarity, an d lowest taste of the journalist creep out.

F ^ n c h -E d

^ A t ea se . Ed.

Voici, su r le m em e fait, le bu lletin ... , Le Rappel, No. 692, May 6, 1871. M arx gives a F ren ch quotation. E d T h e C om m une of Paris... , The Times, No. 27028, A pril 4, 1871. E d

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H e com pares him self with Lincoln a n d the Parisians with the rebellious slaveholders of th e South. T h e S o utherners fo u g h t for th e slavery of lab o u r an d the territorial secession from the U nited States. Paris fo u g h t fo r th e em ancipation of labour an d the secession from pow er of T h iers state parasites, of the would-be slaveholders of France!

In his speech to th e m aires:

You may rely u p o n m y w ord, which I have nev er b ro k e n ! T h e Assembly is one o f the m ost liberal ever elected by F ran ce.

to the F oreigner th e ch aracter of th e capitulation of Paris to him self a n d Co. T his stipulation was a stipulation fo r civil war. T h a t w ar itself h e o pens n o t only with th e passive perm ission of Prussia, b u t by the facilities she lends him , by th e captive F rench troops she m agnanim ously despatches him from G erm an dungeons! In his bulletins, in his an d Favres speeches in the Assembly, h e crawls in the du st befo re Prussia a n d th reaten s Paris every eight days with h er intervention, after having failed to get it, as stated by Bism arck himself.^ T h e B ourbons w ere dignity itself com pared to this m ou n teb an k , this g ra n d apostle of Chauvinism!

H e will save the R epublic

provided o rd e r a n d lab o u r a re not continuously th re a te n e d by those w ho claim to be th e special g u a rd ia n s of th e R epublics w eal .

A t th e A pril 27 sitting of th e Assembly, he said:

T h e Assembly is m o re liberal th an h e is. *

H e whose rhetorical tru m p ca rd was always the denunciation of th e V ienna treaties, he signs the Paris treaty,^ not only the d ism em b erm en t o f o n e p a rt of France, no t only the occupation of alm ost V2 of it, bu t the m illiards o f indem nity, w ithout even asking B ism arck to specify an d prove his w ar expenses! H e does n o t even allow th e Assembly at B ordeaux to discuss the p arag ra p h s of his capitulation! H e w ho u p b ra id e d th ro u g h o u t his life th e B ourbons because they cam e back in the re a r of Foreign arm ies an d because of their undignified behaviour to th e allies occupying F rance afte r the conclusion of peace, h e asks n o th in g from B ism arck in the treaty b u t o ne concession: 40,000 troops to subdue Paris (as Bism arck stated in th e Diet). Paris was fo r all purposes of in tern al defence an d Foreign aggression fully secured by his arm ed N ational G u ard , b u t T h iers su p erad d ed at once to th e capitulation o f Paris
M editation des m unicipalites d e la Seine . Le Rappel, No. 684, A pril 28, 1871. M arx quotes from it in French; th e p h rase H e will save the R epublic is in G erm an . Ed. ^ M arx gives th e first p a rt of the sentence in G erm an a n d quotes from the speech in French. Ed.

A fter the dow nbreak of Prussia (Tilsit peace 1807), its g overn m en t felt th at it could only save itself a n d th e co u n try by a g reat social regeneration . It naturalized in P russia on a small scale, w ithin the limits of a feudal m o n arch y th e results of th e F rench revolution. It liberated th e peasan t etc.^ A fter th e C rim ean defeat, which, how ever Russia m ight have saved h e r h o n o u r by th e defence of Sebastopol an d dazzled th e F o reig n er by h e r diplom atic triu m p h s at Paris, laid o p en at hom e th e rottenness of h e r social an d adm inistrative system, h er go v ern m en t em ancipated th e serf a n d h e r whole adm inistrative a n d judicial system.^ In bo th countries the d arin g social refo rm was fettered a n d lim ited in its ch aracter because it was octroyed from th e th ro n e an d not co n q u ered by the people. Still th ere w ere g reat social changes doing away with th e w orst privileges of th e ru lin g classes and changing the econom ical basis of th e old society. T h ey felt th at the g reat m alady could only be cu red by heroic m easures. T h ey felt th at they could only answ er to th e victors by social reform s, by calling into life elem ents of p o p u lar reg en eratio n . T h e F rench catastrophe of 1870 stands un p aralleled in th e history of th e m o d ern world! It shew ed official France, th e F rance of Louis B onaparte, the F rance of th e ru lin g classes a n d th eir state parasites a p u trescen t cadaver. A nd w hat is th e first attem p t of th e infam ous m en, w ho h ad got at h e r go v ern m en t by a surprise of th e people an d w ho continue to hold it by a conspiracy with the F oreign invader, w hat is th eir first attem pt? T o assassinate, u n d e r P russian patronage, by L. B o n ap artes soldatesque an d P ietris police, the glorious w ork of p o p u lar reg en eratio n com m enced at Paris, to sum m on all th e old legitim ist spectres, beaten by th e July
See re p o rt from G erm any u n d e r the general h e ad in g R evelations , La Situation, No. 156, M arch 21, 1871. Ed.

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R evolution, the fossil sw indlers of Louis Philippe, beaten by the revolution of F ebruary, an d celebrate an orgy of counterrevolu tion! Such heroism in exaggerated self-debasem ent is u n h e a rd of in the annals of history! But, w hat is m ost characteristic, instead of arousing a general shout of indignation on the p a rt of official E u ro p e, an d A m erica, it evokes a c u rre n t of sym pathy an d of fierce d en u nciation of Paris! ifossiles, vilains, hommes tares "') T his proves th at Paris, tru e to its historical antecedents, seeks the reg en eratio n of the F rench people in m aking it the cham pion of th e re g en eratio n of old society, m aking the social reg en eratio n of m an k in d th e national business of France! It is the em ancipation of th e p ro d u cin g class from the exploiting classes, th eir retainers and th eir state parasites w ho prove the tru th of th e F rench adage, that les valets d u diable sont p ire que le diable him self. '" Paris has hoisted th e flag of m ankind! 18 March. G o vernm ent laid
stam p of 2 centim es on each copy of every periodical, w hatever its n a tu re , fo rb id d en to fo u n d new jo u rn als until th e raising of th e state of siege .

T h e d iffe ren t fractions of the F rench bourgeoisie h ad succes sively their reigns, the great lan d ed p ro p rie to rs u n d e r the Restoration (the old B ourbons), the capitalists u n d e r th e parliam en tary m onarchy o f July (Louis Philippe), while its B onapartist and republican elem ents k ept rankling in the background. T h e ir party feuds an d intrigues w ere of course carried on on pretexts of public welfare, an d a p o p u lar revolution having got rid of these m onarchies, th e o th er set in. All this chang ed with the R epublic (February). All th e fractions of the B ourgeoisie com bined together in th e Party o f Order, that is the p arty of [landed] P roprietors and Capitalists, b o u n d to g eth er to m aintain the econom ic subjuga tion of lab o u r a n d th e repressive state m achinery su p p o rtin g it. In stead of a m onarchy, whose very nam e signified the prevalence of o ne bourgeois fraction over th e oth er, a victory on one side an d a d efeat on the o th e r (the triu m p h of one side an d the hum iliation of the other), the Republic was the anonym ous joint-stock-com pany of the com bined bourgeois fractions, o f all the exploiters o f the people clubbed together, an d indeed. Legitimists, B onapartists, O rleanists, B ourgeois Republicans, Jesuits, a n d V oltaireans, em braced each o ther. No longer h id d en by the sh elter of the crown.
Fossils, villains, ill-fam ed m en. Ed. ^ T h e Devils valets a re w orse th a n the Devil him self . Ed.

no lo n g er able to in terest th e people in th eir p arty feuds by m askerading them in to struggles fo r p o p u la r interest, no longer subordinate the one to th e o th er. D irect an d confessed antagonism of th e ir class ru le to th e em ancipation of th e p ro d u cin g masses, order th e nam e fo r th e econom ical an d political condi tions o f th eir class ru le a n d th e servitude of labour, this anonym ous o r republican form of th e bourgeois re g im e this B ourgeois Republic, this R epublic of th e Party o f Order is th e m ost odious o f all political regim es. Its direct business, its only raison d etre^ is to crush dow n th e people. It is th e terrorism of class rule. T h e th in g is do n e in this way. T h e people having fo u g h t an d m ade th e Revolution, proclaim ed th e Republic, a n d m ade room fo r a N ational Assembly, the B ourgeois whose know n R epublican professions are a g u aran tee fo r th eir R epublic , are p u sh ed on the fo reg ro u n d of th e stage by th e m ajority of th e Assembly, com posed of th e vanquished a n d professed enem ies of th e Republic. T h e R epublicans are en tru sted with th e task to goad th e people into th e tra p of an in su rrectio n to be cru sh ed by fire an d sword. T his p a rt was p e rfo rm ed by th e p arty of th e N ational with Cavaignac at th eir head" afte r th e R evolution of F eb ru ary (by th e Ju n e Insurrection). By th eir crim e against th e masses, these R epublicans lose th en th eir sway. T h ey have d o n e th eir w ork and, if yet allowed to su p p o rt th e party of order in its g eneral struggle against the P roletariate, they are at th e sam e tim e displaced from th e governm ent, forced to fall back in th e last ranks, a n d only allowed on su fferan ce . T h e com bined royalist bourgeois th en becom e th e fathers of th e Republic, the tru e ru le of th e Party of O rd e r sets in. T h e m aterial forces of th e people b eing b ro k en fo r th e tim e being, th e w ork of reactio n th e b reak in g dow n of all th e concessions co n q u ered in fo u r revolutions begins piece by piece. T h e people is stu n g to m adness n o t only by th e deeds of th e party of order, b u t by the cynical effro n tery with which it is treated as th e vanquished, with which in its own nam e, in th e nam e of th e Republic, th at low lot rules it suprem e. O f course, th at spasm odic form of anonymous class despotism cannot last long, can only be a transitory phase. It knows th at it is seated on a revolutionary volcano. O n the o th er h an d , if th e p arty of o rd e r is u n ited in its w ar against the w orking class, in its capacity of th e party o f order, the play of intrigue of its d iffe ren t fractions th e one against the o th er, each fo r th e prevalence of its peculiar in terest in th e old o rd e r of society, each fo r th e R estoration of its own p re te n d e r and
M e a n in g o f e x is te n c e . E d

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personal am bitions, sets in in full force as soon as its rule seems secured (guaranteed) by the destruction o f th e m aterial revolution ary forces. T his com bination of a com m on w ar against the people an d a com m on conspiracy against the Republic, com bined with the in tern al feuds o f its rulers, a n d th eir play of intrigues, paralyses society, disgusts an d bew ilders th e masses of the m iddle class a n d tro u b les business, keeps them in a chronic state of disquietude. All th e conditions of despotism are created (have been en g en d ered ) u n d e r this regim e, bu t despotism w ithout quietude, despotism with parliam entary anarchy at its head. T h e n the h o u r has struck fo r a Coup d Etat, a n d th e incapable lot has to m ake room fo r any lucky p re te n d e r, m aking [an] e n d o f th e anonymous form of class rule. In this way Louis B o n ap arte m ade an e n d of th e B ourgeois R epublic afte r its 4 years of existence. D uring all th at tim e Thiers was the am e d am n ee of th e p arty of ord er, th at in th e nam e o f th e R epublic m ade w ar u p o n the Republic, a class w ar u p o n th e people, and, in reality, created the E m pire. H e played exactly th e sam e p a rt now as h e played th en , only th en bu t as a parliam en tary in trig u er, now as th e C hief of th e Executive. Should h e n o t be co n q u ered by the Revolution, he will now as th en be a baffled tool. W hatever countervailing governm ent will set in, its first act will be to cast aside the m an who su rre n d e re d France to Prussia an d bom b ard ed Paris. T h iers h ad m any grievances against L. B onaparte. T h e latter h ad used him as a tool an d a dupe. H e h ad frig h ten ed him by his arrest afte r th e C oup d Etat. H e h ad annulled him by p u ttin g dow n the parliam en tary regim e, th e only one u n d e r which a m ere state-parasite, like T hiers, a m ere talker can play a political part. Last n o t least, T h iers having been the historic shoeblack of N ap o leo n ' had so long described his deeds as to fancy he had enacted th em him self. T h e legitim ate caricature o f N ap. I was in his eyes n o t N ap. th e litde, b u t litde T hiers. W ith all th at th ere was n o infam y com m itted by L. B. which h ad n o t been backed by T hiers, from th e occupation of Rom e by the F rench troops to the w ar with Prussia.

Assembly half-Legitim ist, half-O rleanist, with an arm y u n d e r B onapartist leaders, will, if victorious, n o t push him aside.

T h e re is n o th in g m o re grotesquely h o rrid th an a T o m Pouce affecting to play the T im u r T am erlan e. W ith him th e deeds of cruelty are not only a m atter of business, b u t a th in g of theatrical display, of phantastical vanity. T o w rite his bulletins , to show his severity , to have his troops, his strategy, his b o m b ard m ents, his petroleum -bom bs, to h id e his cowardice u n d e r the coldbloodedness with which he allows th e D ecem brist blacklegs to take th eir revenge on Paris! T his kind of heroism in exaggerated baseness! H e exults in th e im p o rtan t p a rt he plays a n d th e noise h e m akes in the world! H e quite fancies to be a g reat m an! and how gigantic (titanic) he, th e dw arf, th e p arliam entary dribbler, m ust look in the eyes of th e world! In m idst the h o rrid scenes of this war, one cannot help sm iling at th e ridiculous capers T h iers V anity cuts! M. T h iers is a m an of lively im agination, th ere ru n s an artists vein th ro u g h his blood, an d an artists vanity able to gull him into a belief of his own lies, an d a belief in his own g ran d eu r.

T h ro u g h all the speeches, bulletins etc. of T h iers, ru n s a vein of elated vanity.

that affreux'" Triboulet.

S plendid B om bardm en t (with petro leu m bom bs) from M ont V alerien on one p a rt of th e houses in th e T ern es within the ra m p a rt, with a grandiose conflagration a n d a fearfu l th u n d e r of cannon shaking all Paris. Bombs purposely throw n into T ern es an d th e C ham ps Elysees quarters. Explosive bom bs, petro leu m bombs.

Only a m an of his shallow h ead can fancy fo r one m om ent, th at R epublic with his h ead on its shoulders, with a N ational
T h e tool. Ed. T h e refe re n ce is to T h ie rs Histoire de la Revolution franfaise a n d Histoire du Consulat et de I Empire. Ed.

T he Com m une

T h e glorious B ritish penny a lin er has m ade th e splendid discovery that this is n o t w hat we use to u n d ersta n d by
A tro c io u s. Ed,
1 7 -1 2 3 2

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self-governm ent. O f course, it is not. It is n o t the self adm inistration of the towns by turtle-soup guttling alderm en, jobbing vestries, an d ferocious w orkhouse guardians. It is no t the self-adm inistration of the counties by the holders of bro ad acres, long purses an d em pty heads. It is no t the judicial abom ination of th e G reat Un p a i d . I t is no t political self-governm ent of the country th ro u g h the m eans of an oligarchic club an d the read in g of T he Tim es new spaper. It is th e people acting fo r itself by itself.

T h e soldiers su rro u n d e d th em a n d took them p riso n e r w ithout reso rtin g to violence o r th reats against them . T h ey h a d b e en prisoners fo r a few m inutes, w hen a captain of th e m o u n ted C hasseurs a p p e a re d a n d threw him self u p o n them revolver in han d . W ithout saying a w ord h e fired at one o f them a n d killed him o u trig h t; th en he also fired a t G u ard sm an Scheffer, w ho was shot in the chest and fell by his com rade. T h e o th e r two g u a rd sm en , terrifie d a t this sneaking attack, tried to escape b u t th e wild captain ra n a fte r th e two prisoners a n d killed them b oth with revolver shots. A fter these savage a n d o u trag e o u s acts th e C hasseurs re tired with th e ir chief, leaving th eir victims lying on the g ro u n d .

New York Tribune outdoes the London papers.

W ithin this w ar of cannibals th e m ost disgusting, the literary shrieks of th e hideous gnom e seated at th e h ead of the governm ent! T h e ferocious trea tm e n t of the Versailles prisoners was no t in te rru p te d one m om ent, a n d th eir coldblooded assassination was resu m ed so soon as Versailles had convinced itself th at the C o m m u n e was too h u m an e to execute its decree of reprisals! T h e Paris Journal (at Versailles) says th at 13 line soldiers m ade p n so n ers at the railway station of C lam art w ere shot o ffh an d , and all p risoners w earing the line uniform s who arrive in Versailles will be executed w henever doubts about th eir identity are cleared up! M. A lexander D um as, fils, tells th at a young m an exercising the functions, if n o t b earing the title, of a general, was shot after having m arch ed (in custody) a few h u n d re d yards along a road. 5 May, M ot d Ordre: A ccording to th e Liberte, which is published in Versailles, all re g u la r arm y soldiers fo u n d at C lam art am ong th e in surgents w ere shot on the sp o t (by Lincoln Thiers!) (Lincoln acknow ledged the belligerent rights), T h ese are th e m en d en o u n cin g on th e walls of all F rench com m unes the Parisians as assassins! T h e b an d itti!
Desmarets.

M. T h iers m ost liberal an d m ost freely elected N ational assembly th at ever existed in F ran ce is quite of a piece with his finest arm y th at F rance ever possessed .* T h e m unicipal elec tions, carried on u n d e r T h iers him self on th e 30th of April, show th eir relations to th e F rench people! O f 700,000 councillors (in ro u n d num bers) re tu rn e d by th e 35,000 com m unes still left in m utilated France, 200 are Legitim ists, 600 O rleanists, 7,000 avowed B onapartists, an d all th e rest R epublicans o r Com m unists. ( Versailles Cor. Daily News, 5 May.) Is any o th er p ro o f w anted th at this Assembly with th e O rleanist m um m y T h iers at its head re p resen t only an u su rp ato ry m inority?

Paris
M. T h iers re p resen te d again an d again the C om m une as the in stru m en t of a h an d fu l of convicts an d ticket of leave m e n , of the scum of Paris. A nd this h a n d fu l of d esp eradoes holds in check since m ore th an 6 weeks th e finest arm y th at France ever possessed led by the invincible Mac M ahon an d inspired by the genius of T h iers himself! T h e exploits of th e Parisians have n o t only re fu te d him . All elem ents of Paris have spoken.
You m ust n o t confuse th e m ovem ent o f Paris with the seizure o f M ontm artre, w hich was only its o p p o rtu n ity a n d startin g point; this m ovem ent is general a n d p ro fo u n d in th e conscience of Paris; th e greatest n u m b e r even of those who, fo r

A d ep u tatio n of the C om m une w ent to B icetre (April 27) to investigate the case of fo u r N ational G uards of the 185th field battalion an d th ere saw one survivor (badly w ounded) Scheffer.
T h e w ounded m an said th a t o n A pril 25 o v ertaken at Belle E pine, n e ar Villejuif, by a w ho told them to su rre n d e r. As it was q uite against th e forces th a t su rro u n d e d them , they he a n d th ree of his com rades w ere d e ta ch m e n t o f m o u n te d Chasseurs, im possible to p u t u p any resistance laid dow n th eir arm s and gave up.

T h e first half of th e p a ra g ra p h , to th e parenthesis, is in F rench in the original. Ed.

^ [R apport de la C om m ission d e n q u ete de la C om m une], Le Mot d Ordre, No. 65, A pril 29, 1871; see also Journal officiel (Paris), No. 118, A pril 28, 1871. T h ese two p a ra g ra p h s a re in F ren ch in the original. Ed. * > T h e follow ing text is crossed o u t in the m anuscript: T h is senile chambre introuvable,^ ^'^ chosen on a false p retex t, consists alm ost exclusively of Legitim ists a n d O rleanists. Ed.
17

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one reason o r a n o th e r, hold aloof from it, d o not deny th a t it is socially legitim ate.

W ho says this? T h e delegates o f the Syndical chambres, m en who speak in the nam e of 7-8,000 m erchants an d industrials. T h ey have gone to tell it at Versailles... T h e L ig u e de la reunion republicaine... the manifestation o f the Francs Magons^'^^ etc.

The Province
Les provinciaux espiegles}

If T h iers fancied one m om ent th at the provinces w ere really antagonistic to the Paris m ovem ent, he w ould do all in his pow er to give th e provinces the greatest possible facilities to becom e acquainted with th at m ovem ent an d all its h o rro rs . H e would solicit them to look at it in its naked reality, to convince them selves with th eir own eyes an d ears of w hat it is. N ot he! H e a n d his defence m e n try to keep th e provinces dow n, to prev en t their general rising fo r Paris, by a wall o f lies as they kept o u t the news from th e provinces in Paris d u rin g the Prussian siege. T h e Provinces are only allowed to look at Paris th ro u g h the Versailles camera obscura. (N othing b u t the lies a n d slanders of the Versailles jo u rn als reach the d ep artm en ts an d reign th ere unrivalled.)'' Pillages an d m u rd ers of 20,000 ticket of leave m en d ish o n o u r the capital.
The League considers it to be its prim ary d u ty to shed light on th e facts and resto re no rm al relations betw een the province a n d Paris. '*

T h ie rs bulletins, P icards circulars, D u fa u res... T h e placards in the C om m unes. T h e felon press of Versailles an d th e G erm ans. T h e petit Moniteur."^ T h e re in tro d u ctio n of passports fo r travelling from one place to an o th er. An arm y of mouchards'' sp read in every direction. A rrests (in R ouen etc u n d e r Prussian authority) etc. T h o u san d s of com m issioners of police scattered in the environs of Paris have been o rd e re d by th e prefect of the g endarm erie, V alentin, to confiscate jo u rn als of any tren d published in the in su rg en t city, an d to b u rn them publicly, as used to be done in the heyday of th e Holy Inquisition.'" T h ie rs govern m en t first ap p ealed to th e provinces'* to form battalions of N ational G u ard s an d send th em to Versailles against Paris.
T h e P rovince, as th e Journal de Limoges says, show ed its d iscontent by refu sin g the battalions of volontaires w hich w ere asked from it by T h ie rs a n d his

T h e few B reto n idiots, fighting u n d e r a white flag, every o ne of them w earing on his breast a Jesus h ea rt in white cloth an d shouting vive le ro i! ^ are th e only provincial arm y g ath ered ro u n d T hiers. confessedly d irected against the excesses of th e Provincial press. T h e n the n u m ero u s arrestations in the Province. It is placed u n d e r th e laws of suspects?^^ Intellectual and police blockade of province.^ A p ril 23 H avre: T h e m unicipal council has despatched th ree of its m em bers to Paris and Versailles with instructions to o ffer m ediation, with th e view of term in atin g th e civil w ar on the basis of th e m aintenance of th e Republic, an d th e g ra n tin g of m unicipal franchises to th e whole of France... 23 A p ril delegates from Lyon received by Picard and Thiers war at any price is th eir reply.
^ T h e refe re n ce is to th e Moniteur des Communes. Ed. Spies. Ed. M arx gives th e F rench sentence in the original. Ed. T h e m an u scrip t contains th e follow ing text w ritten above this sentence: m ad e an anxious appeal ... before having got a p riso n e r arm y fro m B ism arck. Ed. ' C om m unication fro m the L im oges p a p e r La Defense republicaine in Le Mot d Ordre, No. 65, A pril 29, 1871. Erf. * L ong live the K ing! Ed. s Q uoted in F rench fro m Q ui, een est fait... , Le Vengeur, No. 38, May 6, 1871. d.

The elections. Vengeur 6 May. M . D ufaure s presslaw (8 A pril)

As they were, w hen besieged in Paris, thus they are now in besieging it in th eir tu rn .
A s in the past, the lie is their favourite weapon. T h ey suppress a n d confiscate the jo u rn als of th e capital, in te rce p t re p o rts, a n d sift the letters, in such a way th a t the province is re d u ce d to having the news th a t it pleases Jules Favre, Picard a n d C om pany to let it have, w ithout it being possible to verify its tr u th . ^ R a p p o rt des delegues des cham bres syndicales. A u syndicat d e IU nion na tio n a le , q u o ted according to A. V acquerie, U ne poignee d e factieux , Le Rappel, No. 669, A pril 13, 1871; see also Journal officiel (Paris), No. 102, A pril 12, 1871. M arx gives a F ren ch quotation. Ed. b Provincial wags. Q u o te d from Ceci est vraim ent m erveilleux... , Le Rappel, No. 669, A pril 13, 1871. <i. T h e sentence in p aren th eses is in F rench. Ed. Le com ite de IU nion republicaine p o u r les droits de P aris... , Le Rappel, No. 673, A pril 17, 1871. M arx gives a F ren ch quotation. d. e La circulaire d e M. T h ie rs , Le Vengeur, N o. 21, A pril 19, 1871. M arx gives a F ren ch quotation in the original a n d uses th e English p h rase sift the letters . Ed.

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T h e address of the Lyons delegates is h an d e d to the Assembly by G rep p o on A pril 24.^^ T h e m unicipalities of th e provincial towns com m itted the great im pudence to send th eir dep u tatio n s to Versailles in o rd e r to call u p o n them to g ra n t w hat d em an d ed by Paris; no t one C om m une of France has sent an address approving of the acts of T h iers and th e rurals; th e provincial papers, like these m unicipal councils, as D u fau re com plains in his circular against Conciliation to the Procureur
General,
p u t on the sam e footing th e Assembly elected by universal suffrage, a n d the self-styled Paris C om m une; re p ro a c h the fo rm e r fo r having failed to recognise the m unicipal rights of Paris etc '

th e universal suffrage against the p arty of o rd e r an d its Assembly) the universal suffrage, because u n d e r th e R epublic it m ight still play them freaks, are now its fanatical adepts, m ake it th eir legiti m ate title against Paris, after it had received u n d e r B o n ap arte such an organization as to be th e m ere plaything in th e h an d of the Executive, a m ere m achine of cheat, surprise, and fo rgery on the p a rt of th e Executive. Congres de la L igue des Villes^'^ (Rappel 6
M ay!)

Trochu, Jules Favre, and Thiers Provincials

It m ay be asked how these su p eran n u ated parliam entary m ountebanks an d intrig u ers like T h iers, Favre, D ufaure, G arnierPages (only stren g th en ed by a few rascals of th e sam e stam p) continue to reap p ear, afte r every revolution, on the surface, and u su rp the executive power? these m en th at always exploit an d betray the R evolution, shoot dow n the people th at m ade it, an d sequester the few liberal concessions co n q u ered from fo rm e r governm ents? (which they o pposed themselves?) T h e thing is very simple. In the first instance, if very u n p o p u lar, like T h iers afte r th e F ebruary Revolution, p o p u lar m agnanim ity spares them . A fter every successful rising of th e people th e cry of conciliation, raised by th e im placable enem ies of th e people, is reechoed by th e people in th e first m om ents of th e enthusiasm at its own victory. A fter this first m om ent m en like T h iers and D u fau re eclipse them selves as long as th e people hold m aterial pow er an d work in the d ark. T h ey re a p p e a r as soon as it is disarm ed an d are acclaim ed by th e bourgeoisie as th eir chefs de
file.'"

an d w hat is worse, these m unicipal councils, f. i. that of A uch,

have unanim ously d e m a n d e d th a t it should at once propose an armistice with Paris,'^ a n d th a t the Assembly chosen o n the 8-th of F ebruary, dissolves itself because its m an d ate h a d e x p ire d . (Dufaure, I'assemblee de Versailles, A pril 26)

It o u g h t to be rem em b ered th at these w ere the old m unicipal councils, not those elected on 30th April. T h e ir delegations so n u m ero u s, th at T h iers decided no longer to receive them personally, b u t address them to a m inisterial subaltern. Lastly the elections o f 3 0 A p ril the final ju d g m en t of the Assembly an d th e electoral surprise from which it had sprung. If then, the provinces have till now only m ade a passive resistance against Versailles w ithout rising fo r Paris, to be explained by the strongholds the old authorities hold h e re still', the trance in which th e E m pire m erged an d the w ar m aintained the Province. It is evident th at it is only the Versailles arm y, governm ent, and C hinese wall of lies, th at stand betw een Paris an d the provinces. If th at wall falls, they will unite with it. It is m ost characteristic, th at the sam e m en (T hiers et Co.) who in May 1850 abolished by a parliam entary conspiracy (B onaparte aided them , to get them into a snare, to have them at his mercy, a n d to proclaim him self afte r the coup d etat as th e re sto rato r of

^ A dresse des D elegues de I.yon a IAssem blee nationale et a la C om m une de P aris , Le Mot d Ordre, No. 63, A pril 27, 1871. M arx gives this sentence a n d th e e n d of the previous o n e in F rench a n d th e w ords is th e ir re p ly in G erm an . Ed. J. D ufaure, [Circulaire aux p ro c u re u rs g e n erau x . Versailles, 23 avril 1871], Le Mot d Ordre, No. 62, A pril 26, 1871. M arx gives a F rench quotation. Ed. M arx gives this p a rt of th e quotation in F rench. Ed.

O r, like Favre, G a m ier Pages, Jules Sim on etc (recruited by a few y o unger ones of sim ilar stam p) an d T h iers him self afte r the 4th of S eptem ber, w ere th e respectable republican opposition u n d e r Louis Philippe: afterw ards th e parliam en tary opposition u n d e r L. B onaparte. T h e reactionary regim es they have th em selves initiated w hen raised to pow er by th e Revolution, secure for them the ranks of th e opposition, d ep o rtin g , killing, exiling the tru e Revolutionists. T h e people fo rget th eir past, th e m iddle class look u p o n them as th eir m en, th eir infam ous past is fo rgotten.
F ile -le a d e rs. Ed.

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an d th u s they re a p p e a r to recom m ence th eir treason an d th eir w ork of infam y.

Deliverance of Paris from the hideous tyrants who oppress it" ( the V ersaillese w ere disguised as N ational G u a rd s ) (m ost of th e Federals w ere asleep a n d w ere killed o r taken in th e ir sleep ).= B lanqui th ro w n in to jail dying, F lourens cut to pieces by th e gendarm es, Duval shot by Vinoy, they h a d th em in th e ir h an d s on the 31st of O ctober, a n d did n o th in g to th e m .

N ig h t o f 1 to 2 May: the village o f Clamart h ad been in the hands of th e m ilitary, the railway station in those of the insurgents, (this station dom inates the F ort of Issy.) By a surprise (their patrouilles being let in by a soldier on guard, the watchword having been betrayed to them ) the 23 B attalion of C hasseurs got in, surprised th e garrison m ost of them sleeping in th eir bed, m ade only 60 prisoners, bayoneted 3 0 0 o f the insurgents. D azu line soldiers afterw ards shot o ffhand. Thiers in his circular to the Prefects, civil and military authorities o f 2 May has the im pudence to s ay:
It {the C om m une) arrests generals (Cluseret!) only to shoot them , a n d institutes a com m ittee of public safety w hich is u tterly u n w o rth y ! ''

T ro o p s u n d e r G eneral Lacretelle took the redoubt of M oulin Saquet situated betw ixt F ort Issy an d M ontrouge, by a coup de main.'" T h e garrison was surprised by treachery on the p a rt of the co m m an d an t Gallien, who h ad sold the passw ord to the Versaillese troops. 150 of th e Federals bayoneted an d over 300 of them m ade prisoners. M. T h iers, says the Tim es co rresp o n d en t, was weak w hen he o u g h t to have been firm (the cow ard is always weak as long as he has to apprehend danger fo r himself) a n d firm , w hen everything was to be gained by some concessions.'* (the rascal is alw'ays firm , w hen th e em ploym ent of m aterial force bleeds France, gives g reat airs to him self, b u t w hen he, personally, is safe. T his is his whole cleverness. Like A nthony, T h iers is an honest m a n .")

T hiers bulletin on M oulin-Saquet (4 M ay)'

^ M oreover. Ed. L. A. T h iers, [C irculaire a toutes les au to rites civiles et m ilitaires. Versailles, 2 m ai 1871], Journal officiel (Versailles), No. 123, May 3, Ed. S u d d en attack, Ed. d T h e C om m une of P aris... , The Times, No. 27055, May 5, 1871. Ed. W. Shakespeare, Julius Caesar, Act III, Scene II. Ed. f T h e n follows the F rench text to th e e n d of the section. Ed.

Voici, su r le m em e fait, le bulletin ... , Le Rappel, No. 692, May 6, 1871. T h e follow ing passage, w ritten by M arx in F rench, is crossed o u t in the m anuscript: Picard our artillery does not bombard; true, it cannonades (Moniteur des communes, journal de Picard). Ed.

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T H E COM M UNE
A) M EASURES FO R T H E W O R K IN G CLASS

nightwork o f journeymen bakers suppressed. (20 April) the private jurisdiction, u su rp e d by the Seigneurs of mills etc (m anufacturers) {employers, great an d small) being at the sam e tim e

judges, executors, gainers an d parties in the disputes, th at rig h t of a penal code o f their own, enabling them to rob the lab o u rers wages by fin es and deductions, as p u n ish m en t etc, abolished in public and private w orkshops; penalties im p en d ed u p o n the em ployers in case they in frin g e u p o n this law; fines and deductions ex to rted since th e 18th of M arch to be paid back to the w orkm en; (27 April).* Sale of paw ned articles at Pawn Shops suspended; (29 March).*^ A g reat lot of w orkshops an d m anufactures have been closed in Paris; th eir ow ners having ru n away. T his is the old m ethod of the industrial capitalists, w ho consider them selves entitled by the spontaneous action of the laws of political econom y not only to m ake a p ro fit o u t of labour, as the condition of labour, b u t to stop it alto g eth er an d throw th e w orkm en on the p av em en t to p ro d u ce an artificial crisis w henever a victorious revolution th reaten s th e o rd e r of th eir system . T h e C om m une, very wisely, has ap p o in ted a C om m unal com m ission which in coopera tion with delegates chosen by the d iffe ren t trades will itiquire into th e ways of h an d in g over th e d eserted w orkshops an d m anufac tu res to cooperative w orkm en societies with som e indem nity for
[A rrete su r la suppression d u travail d e n u it d ans les boulangeries. Paris, 20 avril 1871], L Avant-Garde, No. 451, A pril 22, 1871; see also Journal officiel (Paris), No. I l l , A pril 21, 1871. [A rrete su r Iabolition des am en d es ou re te n u es su r les salaires. Paris, 27 avril 1871], Journal officiel (Paris), No. 119, A pril 29, 1871. Ed. D ecree of M arch 29, 1871 su sp en d in g th e sale of paw ned articles. The Daily News, No. 7776, A pril 1, 1871. <i

the capitalist deserters; (16 A p r i l ) ( t h i s com m ission has also to m ake statistics of th e ab an d o n ed w orkshops); C om m une has given o rd e r to th e m airies to m ake no distinction betw een the femm es called illegitim ate, th e m others an d widows of national guards, as to th e indem nity of 75 centimes*; the public prostitutes till now k ep t fo r th e m en of o rd e r at Paris b u t fo r th e ir safety k ep t in penal servitude u n d e r th e arbitrary rule of th e police; th e C om m une has liberated the prostitutes from this d eg rad in g slavery, b u t swept away th e soil u p o n which, an d th e m en by whom , p ro stitu tio n flourishes. T h e h ig h er p ro stitu tes th e cocottes w ere, of course, u n d e r th e rule of o rd e r, not the slaves, b u t the m asters of th e police an d the governors. T h e re was,, of course, no tim e to reorganize public instruction (education); b u t by rem oving th e religious a n d clerical elem ent from it, the C om m une has taken th e initiative in th e m ental em ancipation of th e people. It has ap p o in ted a C om m ission for th e organization of education (prim ary a n d professional) (28 April). It has o rd e re d th at all tools of instruction like books, m aps, p ap e r etc be given gratuitously by th e schoolm asters who receive them in th eir tu rn from th e respective m airies to which they belong. No schoolm aster is allowed on any p re te x t to ask paym ent from his pupils fo r these instru m en ts of instruction. (2 8 A p ril)'' Pawnshops'^: u n d e r all receipts issued by M ont de Piete before A pril 25, 1871, th e paw ned clothes, fu rn itu re , linen, books, b ed d in g an d im plem ents of labour, valued at n o t m ore th an 2 0 francs, may be reclaim ed free of charge, beginning from May 12.
{May 7 Y
2) M EASURES FO R T H E W O R K IN G CLASS, B U T M O ST LY FO R T H E M ID D L E CLASSES

Houserent fo r the last 3 quarters up to A p ril wholly remitted:

W hoever h ad paid any of these 3 q u arters shall have rig h t of

D ecree of A pril 16, 1871 o n h a n d in g over th e w orkshops a n d m anufacturies to cooperative w orkm en societies. The Daily News, No. 7790, A pril 18, 1871; see also Journal officiel (Paris), No. 107, A pril 17, 1871. Ed. See U n g ro u p e d e citoyennes n ous & rit... , Le Vengeur, No. 21, A pril 19, 1871. d. c T h e source from w hich M arx cites it has n o t been established. See [A rrete su r la com m ission d organisation de Ienseignem ent. Paris, 28 avril 1871], Journal officiel (Paris), No. 119, A pril 29, 1871. Ed. T h e n follows th e F rench tex t except for not m o re , w ritten in G erm an. Ed. [D ecret su r le m ont-de-piete. Paris, 6 m ai 1871], Journal officiel (Paris), No. 127, May 7, 1871. d.

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setting th at sum against fu tu re paym ents. T h e sam e law to prevail in th e case of fu rn ish ed apartm ents. No notice to quit com ing from lan dlords to be valid fo r 3 m onths to come. (2 9 M a rch ) echeances (Payment o f bills o f exchange due): (expiration o f bills): all prosecutions fo r bills of exchange fallen d u e suspended. (1 2 A p ril)^ All com m ercial papers of th at sort to be repaid in repaym ent sp read over two years, to begin next July 15, the debts being not chargeable with interest. T h e total am o u n t of the sum s due divided in 8 equal coupures, payable by trimestre (first trim ester to be d ated from July 15). Only on these partial paym ents w hen fallen d u e judicial prosecutions perm itted. (1 6 A pril)'^'^ T h e D ufaure laws on leases an d bills of exchange entailed the bankruptcy of the m ajority of th e respectable shopkeepers of Paris.** T h e notaries, huissiers,'" auctioneers, bum -bailiffs and o th er judicial officers m aking till now a fo rtu n e of th eir functions tran sfo rm ed into agents of th e C om m une receiving from it fixed salaries like o th er w orkm en As th e Professors of the Ecole de M edecine have ru n away, the C om m une ap p o in ted a Com m ission fo r the foundation of free universities, no lo nger state parasites; given to the students th at h ad passed th eir exam ination m eans to practise in d ep en d e n t of D octor titles; (titles to be co n ferre d by the faculty). Since the ju d g es of th e C iv il tribunal o f the Seine, like the o th er m agistrates always ready to function u n d e r any class governm ent, h ad ru n away. C om m une ap p o in ted an advocate to do the m ost u rg e n t business until the reorganization of tribunals on the basis of general suffrage; (2 6 A p ril)
3) G E N E R A L M EASURES

Games o f hazard suppressed. (2 April)"'

Conscription abolished.^ In the p resen t w ar every able m an (N ational G uard) m ust serve. T his m easure excellent to get rid of all traito rs an d cow ards h iding in Paris (2 9 March).
D ecree of M arch 29, 1871 on the rem ission of rents, The Daily News, No. 7775, M arch 31, 1871. d. [D & ret sur la suspension des pou rsu ites p o u r feheances. Paris, 12 avril 1871], Le Rappel, No. 670, A pril 14, 1&71. Ed. ^ Bailiffs. T h e source from w hich M arx cites it has n o t b een established. See [D ecret su r les traitem en ts publics. Paris, 2 avril 1871], Journal officiel (Paris), No. 92, A pril 2,

C h u rch separated from State; th e religious b u d g et suppressed; all clerical estates declared national p ro perties, (3 A pril).^ T h e C om m une, having m ade inquiries consequent u p o n private inform ations, fo u n d th at beside th e old G uillotine th e government o f order h ad co m m anded th e construction of a new guillotine (m ore expeditive an d portable), an d paid in avance. T h e C om m une o rd e re d both the old an d th e new guillotine to be b u rn e d publicly on the 6 th of April." T h e Versailles journals, reechoed by the press of o rd e r all over th e w orld, n a rra te d the Paris people, as a dem o n stratio n against th e bloodthirstiness of the C om m unals, had b u rn t these guillotines! (6 A p ril) All political prisoners w ere set free at once afte r th e R evolution of th e 18th of IVlarch.'' B ut the C om m une knew th at u n d e r th e regime of L. Bonaparte an d his w orthy successor of th e G o vernm ent of D efence m any people w ere simply incarcerated on no ch arg e w hatever as political suspects. C onsequently it ch arg ed o ne of its m em b ers P ro to t to m ake in q u iries.' By him 150 people set free who being arrested since six m onths, h ad n o t yet u n d erg o n e any judicial exam ination; m any of them , already arrested u n d e r B onaparte, had been for a year in prison w ithout any charge o r judicial exam ination. (9 A pril) T his fact, so characteristic of th e G overn m en t of D efence, en rag ed them . T h ey asserted th e C om m une h ad liberated all felons. B ut who liberated convicted felons? T h e fo rg er Jules Favre. H ardly got into pow er, he h astened to liberate Pic and Taillefer, co n d em n ed fo r th eft a n d forgery in the affaire of th e E te n d a rd '^ O ne of these m en, T aillefer, d arin g to re tu rn to Paris, has been rein stated into his convenient abode. B ut this is not all. T h e Versailles g o v ern m en t has delivered in th e Maisons Centrales^ all over F rance convicted thiefs on the condition of en terin g M. T h ie rs army! Decree on the demolition of the column of the place Venddme'^''- as
See Le je u x d e h a sa rd , Le Petit Journal, No. 3014, A pril 3, 1871. Ed. > > D ecree of A pril 2, 1871 sep aratin g the ch u rch fro m th e state. The Daily Telegraph, No. 4931, A pril 4, 1871; see also Journal officiel (Paris), No. 93, A pril 3, 1871. (i. ^ La G uillotine , La Situation, No. 176, A pril 14, 1871; see also Journal officiel (Paris), No. 100, A pril 10, 1871. A m nistie pleine et e n tie re ... . La Cloche, No. 385, M arch 21, 1871; see also Journal officiel (Paris), No. 79, M arch 20, 1871. Ed. [A rrete de la com m ission de justice. Paris, 31 m ars 1871], Le Rappel, No. 666, A pril 10, 1871; see also Journal officiel (Paris), No. 91, A pril 1, 1871. Ed. f C entral prisons. Ed.

m i . Ed.
' D ecree of M arch 29, 1871 on abolishing conscription, The Daily New s,N o. 7776, A pril 1, 1871; see also Journal officiel (Paris), No. 1 (89), M arch 30, 1871. Ed.

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a m o n u m e n t o f barbarism , symbol of b ru te force a n d false glory, an affirm ation of m ilitarism , a negation of in tern atio n al rig h t. {12 A pril) '

Election o f Frankel (G erm an m em ber of th e International) to the C om m une declared valid: considering that the flag of the C om m une is th at of th e U niversal R epublic an d th at foreigners can have a seat in it ; (4 A p r il)'' Frankel afterw ards chosen a m em b er of th e executive of the C om m une; (21 A pril) T h e Journal officiel has in au g u ra ted the publicity of the sittings of th e C om m une. (15 A p ril) D ecree of Pascal G rousset fo r the protection of Foreigners against requisitions. N ever a governm ent in Paris so courteous to Foreigners. (2 7 A pril)^ T h e C om m une has abolished political an d professional oaths. (May 4 / Destruction o f the m onum ent called Chapelle expiatoire de Louis X V I ru e d A njou St. H o n o re (erected by the C ham bre introuvable of 1816) (7 May).^
4) M EA SU RES O F P U B L IC SA FETY

college of Jesuits; Incu m b en ts of all th e principal churches; Part of these fellows arrested as hostages, p a rt as conspirators with Versailles, p a rt because they tried to save ch u rch p ro p e rty from th e clutches of the C om m une. (6 A pril)
T h e M onarchists wage w ar like savages; they shoot prisoners, they m u rd e r the w ou n d ed , they fire on am bulances, tro o p s raise th e b u tt-e n d of th e ir rifles in the air a n d th en fire traito ro u sly . (Proclamation of Commune)^

D isarm am ent of the loyal N ational G uards; (30 M arch )' C om m une declares incom patibility betw een seats in its ranks and at Versailles; (29 March)^ Decree o f Reprisals}' N ever executed. Only the fellows arrested, Archbishop o f Paris and Cure o f the Madeleine'; whole staff of the
^ [D & ret su r la dem olition d e la colonne V endom e. Paris, 12 avril 1871], Le Rappel, No. 670, A pril 14, 1871; see also Journal officiel (Paris), No. 103, A pril 13, 1871. d. R a p p o rt d e la C om m ission des elections , La Situation, N o. 169, A pril 5, 1871; see also Journal officiel (Paris), No. 90, M arch 31, 1871. jErf. D ecree o f A pril 26, 1871 on the pro tectio n of foreigners. The Daily News, No. 7799, A pril 28, 1871; see also Journal officiel (Paris), No. 117, A pril 28 1871. <i. T h e source used by M arx has n o t been established. See [D ecret su r Iabolition d u se rm en t politique et d u se rm en t professionel. Paris, 4 m ai 1871], Journal officiel (Paris), No. 125, May 5, 1871. Erf. ' T h e source used by M arx has n o t been established. See [A rrete s u r la destruction d e la chapelle dite ex piatoire d e Louis X V I. Paris, 5 m ai 1871], Journal officiel (Paris), No. 126, May 6, 1871. T h is p a ra g ra p h , except for the first fo u r w ords, is in F rench in the original. Ed. f Progress of the revolution in P aris , The Daily News, No. 7775, M arch 31, 1871. 8 T h e C entral C om m ittee still c ontinues... . The Daily News, No. 7776 A pril 1 1871. Ed. h D ecree of A pril 5, 1871 on reprisals a n d hostages. The Daily News, No. 7781, A pril 7, 1871; see also Journal officiel (Paris), No. 96, A pril 6, 1871. Ed. ' G. D arboy a n d G. D eguerry. Ed.

In re g ard to these decrees of Reprisals to be rem ark ed : In the first instance m en of all layers of th e Paris society afte r the exodus of the capitalists, th e idlers, an d th e parasites have in terp o sed at Versailles to stop th e Civil w a r except the Paris clergy. T h e A rchbishop an d th e cu re d e [la] M adeleine have only w ritten to T h iers because averse to the effusion of their own blood'' in th eir quality as hostages. Secondly: A fter th e publication by th e C om m une of th e D ecree of reprisals, the taking of hostages etc, th e atrocious trea tm e n t of the Versailles prisoners by P ietris lam bs an d V alentins G en darm es did n o t cease, b u t th e assassination of th e captive Paris soldiers an d N ational G u ard was stopped to set in with renew ed fury so soon as th e Versailles G o v ern m en t had convinced itself th at the C om m une was too h u m an e to execute its d ecree of the 6 th of April. T h e n th e assassination set again in wholesale. T h e C om m une did not execute one hostage, not one prisoner, not even som e G en d arm e officers w ho u n d e r th e disguise of N ational G uards h ad en tered Paris as spies a n d w ere simply arrested. Surprise o f the Redoute of Clamart (2 May). Railway Station in the hands of the Parisians, m assacre, bayonetting, th e 22nd B attalion of C hasseurs (Galliffet?) shoots line soldiers o ffh an d w ithout any form ality. (2 May) Redoubt o f M oulin Saquet, situated betw een F o rt Issy and M ontrouge, surp rised in the n ig h t by treachery on th e p a rt of the co m m an d an t Gallien who h ad sold th e passw ord to th e Versaillese troops. Federals surp rised in th eir beds asleep m assacred great p a rt of them . (4 May?) 25 A p ril 4 N ational g u ard s (this constated by Com missaries
Proclam ation of th e C om m une of A pril 5, 1871 to the inhabitants of Paris, The Daily Telegraph, No. 4933, A pril 6, 1871; see also Journal officiel (Paris), No. 95, A pril 5, 1871. <i. G. D arboy, Prison d e Mazas, le 8 avril 1871 , Le Rappel, No. 669, A pril 13, 1871; G. D eguerry, A M essieurs les m em bres d u g o u v ern em en t a V ersailles , the sam e issue. Ed.

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sent to B icetre w here the only survivor of the 4 m en, a Belle Epine, pres ' Villejuif. His nam e Scheffer.) T h ese m en being su rro u n d e d by horse C hasseurs, on th eir o rd e r, unable to resist, su rre n d e re d , disarm ed, n o thing done to them by the soldiers. B ut th en arrives the captain of the C hasseurs, an d shoots them down one afte r th e o th e r with his revolver. Left them on the soil. S cheffer fearfully w ounded survived.' 13 soldiers of the line m ade prisoners at the railway Station of C lam art w ere shot offhand, an d all prisoners w earing the line u niform s who arrive in Versailles will be executed w henever doubts about th eir identity are cleared up. (Liberte at Versailles.) A lex an d er D um as fils, now at Versailles, tells th at a young m an exercising the functions, if no t bearing the title, of a general, was shot, by o rd e r of a B onapartist general, afte r having m arched in custody a few 100 yards along a road... Parisian troops and N ational G uards su rro u n d e d in houses by G endarm es, [who] in u n d ate th e house with P etroleum an d th en fire it. Some cadavers of N ational G uards {calcines^) have been tran sp o rte d by the am bulance of the press of the T ern es. (M ot d ordre 20 April'*) T hey have no rig h t to am bulances. ' Thiers. Blanqui. Archbishop. General Chanzy. (T hiers said his B onapartists should have liked to be shot.) Visitation in Houses, etc. Casim ir Bouis, ap p o in ted chairm an of a com m ission of in q u iry ' in the doings of the dictators of 4 September. (14 A p ril) Private houses invaded an d pap ers seized, b u t no fu rn itu re has been carried away an d sold by auction.^ (Papers of the fellows of 4 S eptem ber, of T h iers etc an d B onapartist policem en), f. i. in H otel of Lafont, inspecteur-general des prisons. (11 A p ril) T h e houses (properties) of T h iers et Co. as traitors sealed b u t only the papers confiscated. Arrests am ong themselves: T his shocks the bourgeois who wants political idols an d great m e n im mensely.
It is provoking (Daily News, 6 May. Paris Correspondence), how ever, and discouraging, th a t w hatever be th e au th o rity possessed by the C om m une, it is continually c hanging hands, a n d we know n o t to-day with w hom th e pow er may N ear. Ed. [R apport d e la C om m ission d en q u ete d e la C om m une], Le Mot d Ordre, No. 65, A pril 29, 1871; see also Journal officiel (Paris), No. 118, A pril 28, 1871. Ed. C h a rred . Ed. Les g en d arm es u se n t... , Le Mot d Ordre, No. 56, A pril 20, 1871. Ed. < = M arx gives this p a rt of the sentence in F rench. Ed. f C o n sid eran t q u il est im p o rta n t..., Le Rappel, No. 672, A pril 16, 1871. M arx th en gives the G erm an sentence in paren th eses. Ed.

re st to-m orrow ... In all these e te rn al changes o n e sees m o re th a n ever the w ant of a p resid in g m ind. T h e C o m m u n e is a concourse of equivalent atom s, each one jealous of a n o th e r a n d none endowed with supreme control over the others. ^

Journal suppression!^^*
5) F IN A N C IA L M EASURES

(See Daily News. 6 May)*'

Principal outlay fo r war! O nly 8,928 fcs. from confiscations" all taken from ecclesiastics etc Vengeur 6 May.

T h e B alance-sheet of the C o m m u n e , The Daily News, No. 7807, May 6, 1871. d. l> Ibid. See also Journal officiel (Paris), No. 124, May 4, 1871. Ed. M arx gives th e F rench w ord. Ed. C oncerning the financial account of the C om m une see Et m a in te n a n t... , Le Vengeur, No. 38, May 6, 1871. Ed.

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T H E COM M UNE
T H E R ISE O F T H E C O M M U N E A N D T H E C E N T R A L C O M M IT T E E

T h e C om m une h ad been proclaim ed at Lyons, th en Marseilles, T oulouse etc afte r Sedan. G am betta tried his best to break it down.^ T h e d iffe ren t m ovem ents at Paris in the beginning of O ctober aim ed at the establishm ent of the C om m une, as a m easure of defence against the F oreign invasion, as th e realisation of the rise of th e 4 th of S eptem ber. Its establishm ent by the m ovem ent of the 31 O ctober failed only because B lanqui, F lourens an d the o th er th en leaders of the m ovem ent believed in the gens de paroles'" who h ad given th eir parole d honneur'^ to abdicate an d m ake room to a C om m une freely elected by all th e arrondissem ents of Paris. It failed because they saved the lives of those m en so eager fo r th e assassination of th eir saviours. H aving allowed T ro c h u and F erry to escape, they [were] surprised th en by T ro c h u s B retons. It o u g h t to be rem em b ered th at on the 31st of O ctober the selfim posed g o v ernm ent of d efen ce existed only on sufferance. It had n o t yet gone even th ro u g h the farce of a plebiscite.^ U n d e r th e circum stances, th ere was of course n o thing easier than to m isrep resen t the character of th e m ovem ent, to decry it as a treasonable conspiracy with the Prussians, to im prove the dismissal o f the only m an am ongst them who would not break his word,*^ for stren g th en in g T ro c h u s B retons who w ere fo r the G overnm ent of th e D efence w hat the C orsican spadassins"^ had been for
M en as good as th e ir w ord. Ed. W ord of h o n o u r. Ed. F.A.L. T am isier. Ed. Bravos. Ed.

L. B onaparte by the ap p o in tm en t of C lem ent T hom as as C om m ander-in-C hief of th e N ational G uard; th ere was n o th in g easier fo r these old panic-m ongers th a n appealing to the cowardly fears of th e m iddle class [before] w orking bataillons who h ad taken the initiative, throw ing distru st an d dissension am ongst the w orking bataillons them selves, by an appeal to p atrio tism to create one of those days of blind reaction an d disastrous m isunderstandings by which they have always contrived to m aintain th eir u su rp e d pow er. As they h ad slipped into pow er th e 4 th of S eptem ber by a surprise, they w ere now enabled to give it a m ock sanction by a plebiscite of th e tru e B onapartist p attern d u rin g days of reactionary terro r. T h e victorious establishm ent at Paris of th e C om m une in the beginning of N ovem ber 1870 (then already initiated in the great cities of th e country an d sure to be im itated all over France) would n o t only have taken the defence o u t of th e h an d s of traito rs an d im p rin ted its enthusiasm as th e p resen t heroic w ar of Paris shows, it w ould have alto g eth er changed th e ch aracter of th e war. It would have becom e th e w ar of republican France, hoisting th e flag of the social R evolution of th e 19th century, against Prussia, the b a n n e r b ea rer of th e conquest a n d counterrevolution. Instead of sending the hackneyed old in trig u e r a begging at all courts of E urope, it w ould have electrified th e p ro d u cin g masses in the old a n d the new w orld. By th e escamotage of th e C om m une on O ctober 31, the Jules Favre an d Co secured th e capitulation of France to Prussia an d initiated th e p resen t civil war. B ut this m uch is shown: T h e revolution of th e 4 th S eptem ber was no t only the reinstalm ent of th e R epublic because th e place of the usurper* h ad becom e vacant by his capitulation at Sedan, it not only conquered th at republic from th e Foreign inv ad er by th e prolonged resistance of Paris alth o u g h fighting u n d e r th e lead e r ship of its enem ies th at revolution was w orking its way in the h e a rt of th e w orking classes. T h e republic h ad ceased to be a nam e fo r a th in g of th e past. It was im p reg n ated with a new w orld. Its real tendency veiled from th e eye of th e w orld th ro u g h the deceptions, th e lies an d th e vulgarizing of a pack of in trig u in g lawyers an d w ord fencers, cam e again and again to th e surface in the spasm odic m ovem ents of th e Paris w orking classes (and the S outh of France) whose w atchw ord was always th e same: the C om m une !
T h ie r s . Ed. > > N a p o le o n I I I . Ed.

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T h e C o m m u n e the positive form of th e R evolution against the E m pire an d th e conditions of its existence first essayed in the cities of S o u th ern France, again an d again proclaim ed in the spasm odic m ovem ents d u rin g the siege of Paris a n d escamotes by the sleights of h an d of the G overnm ent of D efence and the B retons of T ro c h u , the plan of capitulatio n h e ro was at last victoriously installed on the 26th M arch, b u t it had no t suddenly sp ru n g into life on th at day. It was th e unchangeable goal of the w orkm ens revolution. T h e capitulation of Paris, the open conspiracy against the R epublic at B ordeaux, the C oup d E tat initiated by th e nocturnal attack on M ontm artre, rallied a ro u n d it all th e living elem ents of Paris, no longer allowing the defence m en to limit it to th e insulated efforts of the m ost conscious and revolutionary portions of th e Paris w orking class. T h e gov ern m ent of defence was only u n d e rg o n e as a pis aller^ of th e first surprise, a necessity of the war. T h e tru e answ er of the Paris People to th e Second E m pire, the E m pire of Lies was the C om m une. T h u s also th e rising of all living P aris with the exception of th e pillars of B onapartism a n d its official opposition, the great capitalists, th e financial jobbers, the sharpers, the loungers, and th e old state parasites against the governm ent of D efence does not date from th e 18th of M arch, although it conquered on that day its first victory against the conspirators, it dates from the 28 Jan u ary , from the very day o f the capitulation. T h e N ational G u a rd th at is all the arm ed m anhood of P aris organized itself a n d really ru led Paris from th at day, in d ependently of the u su rp ato ry gov ernm ent of the capitulards installed by the grace of Bism arck. It refused to deliver its arm s an d artillery, which was its p ro p e rty and only left them in the capitulation because its p ro perty. It was not the m agnanim ity of Jules Favre th at saved these arm s from Bism arck, b u t the readiness of arm ed Paris to fight for its arm s against Jules Favre a n d Bism arck. In view of the F oreign inv ad er an d the peace negotiations Paris would not com plicate th e situation. It was afraid of civil war. It observed a m ere attitu d e of defence an d [was] content with the de facto selfru le of Paris. B ut it organized itself quietly an d steadfastly for resistance. iTven in the term s of the capitulation itself th e capitu lards h ad unm istakeably shown th eir tendency to m ake the su rre n d e r to Prussia at the sam e tim e the m eans of th eir do m in a tion over Paris. T h e only concession of Prussia, they insisted upon,
A m a k e s h ift. Ed.

a concession, which Bism arck w ould have im posed u p o n them as a condition, if they had n o t begged it as a concession was 40,000 soldiers fo r subduing Paris. In the face of its 300,000 n atio n al guards, m ore th an sufficient fo r securing Paris from an at tem p t by the F oreign enem y, an d fo r th e defence of its internal o rd e r the d em an d of these 40,000 m e n a th in g which was besides avow ed could have no o th er purpose.*)On its existing m ilitary organization it g rafted a political fed eratio n according to a very sim ple plan. It was th e alliance of all th e N ational G uards p u t in connection th e one with th e o th er by the delegates of each com pany, app o in tin g in th eir tu rn th e delegates of the battalions, who in th eir tu rn app o in ted general delegates, gen erals of legions, who w ere to re p resen t an arro n d issem en t and to cooperate with th e delegates of th e 19 o th e r arrondissem ents. T hose 20 delegates, chosen by th e m ajority of th e battalions of the N ational G u ard, com posed th e Central Committee, which on the 18th of M arch initiated th e greatest revolution o f this century an d still holds its post in the p resen t glorious struggle of Paris. N ever w ere elections m ore sifted, never delegates fuller re p resen d n g the masses from which they h ad sp ru n g . T o the objection of the outsiders th at they w ere u n k n o w n in point of fact, th at they only w ere know n to th e w orking classes, b u t no old stagers, no m en illustrated by the infam ies of th eir past, by th eir chase afte r pelf and place they p ro u d ly answ ered: So w ere the 12 A posdes " an d they answ ered by th eir deeds.
T H E CHARACTER O F T H E COM MUNE

T h e centralized state m achinery which, with its ubiquitous and com plicated m ilitary, b u reaucratic, clerical an d judiciary organs, entoils (inm eshes) th e living civil society like a boa constrictor, was first forged in the days of absolute m onarchy as a w eapon of nascent m o d ern society in its struggle of em ancipation from feudalism . T h e seignorial privileges of th e m edieval lords and cities an d clergy w ere tran sfo rm ed into th e attrib u te of a unitary state pow er, displacing th e feudal dignitaries by salaried state functionaries, tran sferrin g th e arm s from m edieval retain ers of th e landlords and the corporations of townish citizens to a standing arm y, subsdtudng for th e checkered (party coloured) anarchy of conflicting m edieval powers th e reg u lated plan of a state power, with a systematic an d hierarchic division of labour. T h e first
^ T o th e o b je c tio n ../, T he Daily News, N o . 7 7 7 6 , A p ril 1, 1871. Ed.

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F rench Revolution with its task to fo u n d national unity (to create a nation) h ad to break dow n all local, territorial, townish and provincial independences. It was, therefore, forced to develop, w hat absolute m onarchy h ad com m enced, the centralization and organization o f state power, an d to ex p an d the circum ference and th e attributes of th e state pow er, the n u m b er of its tools, its in d ep en d en ce of, an d its su p ern atu ralist sway of real society which in fact took th e place of the m edieval su p ern atu ralist heaven with its saints. Every m inor solitary interest en g en d ered by the relations of social gro u p s was separated from society itself, fixed an d m ade in d ep en d e n t of it a n d opposed to it in the form of state interest, adm inistered by state priests with exactly determ in ed hierarchical functions. T his parasitical [excrescence upon] civil society, p re te n d in g to be its ideal c o u n terp art, grew to its full developm ent u n d e r the sway of th e first B onaparte. T h e restoration and the m onarchy of July ad d ed n o th in g to it bu t a g re ater division of labour, grow ing at the sam e m easure in which the division of labour within civil society created new groups of interest, and, th erefo re, new m aterial fo r state action. In th eir struggle against the Revolution of 1848, th e parliam entary republic of F rance a n d the govern m ents of all continental E urope, w ere forced to stren g th en , with th eir m easures of repression against the p o p u lar m ovem ent, the m eans of action an d the centralization of th at governm ental power. All revolutions thus only perfected the state m achinery instead of throw ing off this d ead en in g incubus. T h e fractions and parties of th e ru lin g classes which alternately struggled for suprem acy, considered the occupancy (Control) (seizure) an d the direction of this im m ense m achinery of governm ent as the m ain booty of th e victor. It cen tred in the creation of im m ense standing arm ies, a host of state verm in, an d h u g e national debts. D uring th e tim e of th e absolute m onarchy it was a m eans of th e struggle of m o d ern society against feudalism , crow ned by the F rench revolution, an d u n d e r the first B onaparte it served n o t only to subjugate th e R evolution a n d annihilate all p o p u lar liberties, it was an in stru m en t of the F rench revolution to strike abroad, to create for F rance on th e C ontinent instead of feudal m onarchies m ore o r less states after the im age of France. U n d e r the R estoration and th e M onarchy of July it becam e no t only a m eans of the forcible class dom ination of the m iddle class, an d a m eans of ad d in g to the direct econom ic exploitation a second exploitation of the people by assuring to th eir families all the rich places of the State household. D u rin g th e tim e of the R evolutionary struggle of 1848 at last it

served as a m eans of annihilating th at R evolution and all aspirations at the em ancipation of th e p o p u lar masses. B ut the state parasite received only its last developm ent d u rin g th e second E m pire. T h e governm ental pow er with its standing arm y, its all directing bureaucracy, its stultifying clergy an d its servile tribunal hierarchy, h ad grow n so in d e p e n d e n t of society itself, th at a grotesquely m ediocre ad v e n tu rer with a h u n g ry b an d of desp e radoes beh in d him sufficed to wield it. It did no lo n g er w ant the p re te x t of an arm ed C oalition of old E u ro p e against th e m o d ern w orld fo u n d ed by th e R evolution of 1789. It a p p e are d n o longer as a m eans of class dom ination, su b o rd in ate to its p arliam entary m inistry o r legislature. H um bling u n d e r its sway even the interests of the ru lin g classes, whose p arliam entary show-work it su p p lan ted by self-elected C orps Legislatifs a n d self-paid senates, sanctioned in its absolute sway by universal suffrage, th e acknowl edged necessity fo r keeping u p o rd e r , th at is th e ru le of th e landow ner an d the capitalist over th e p ro d u cer, cloaking u n d e r the tatters of a m askerade of th e past, th e orgies of th e co rru p tio n of the p re sen t an d th e victory of th e m ost parasite fraction, the financial swindler, th e debauchery of all th e reactionary influences of the past let loose a p an d em o n iu m of infam ies th e state pow er h ad received its last an d su p rem e expression in th e Second E m pire. A pparently th e final victory of this governm ental pow er over society, it was in fact th e orgy of all th e c o rru p t elem ents of th at society. T o the eye of th e u n initiated it a p p e are d only as th e victory of the Executive over th e legislative, as th e final defeat of the form of class ru le p re te n d in g to be the autocracy of society u n d e r its form p re te n d in g to be a su p erio r pow er to society. B ut in fact it was only th e last d eg rad ed an d th e only possible form of th at class rule, as hum iliating to those classes them selves as to the w orking classes which they kept fettered by it. T h e 4th of S eptem ber was only the revindication of th e R epublic against the grotesque ad v e n tu rer th at h ad assassinated it. T h e tru e antithesis to th e Em pire itself th a t is to th e state pow er, the centralized executive, of which th e Second E m pire was only the exhausting fo rm u la was the Commune. T his state pow er form s in fact the creation of th e m iddle class, first a m eans to break down feudalism , then a m eans to crush th e em ancipatory aspirations of the producers, of th e w orking class. All reactions an d all revolutions h ad only served to tra n sfe r th at organized p o w er th at organized force of th e slavery of lab o u r from one h an d to the other, from one fraction of th e ru lin g classes to th e o ther. It h ad served the ru lin g classes as a m eans of subjugation an d of

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pelf. It h ad sucked new forces from every new change. It had served as th e in stru m en t of breaking dow n every p o p u lar rise and served it to crush the w orking classes afte r they h ad fo u g h t and been o rd e re d to secure its tra n sfe r from one p a rt of its oppressors to th e others. T his was, th erefo re, a R evolution not against this or that, legitim ate, constitutional, republican o r Im perialist form of State Power. It was a Revolution against the State itself, this su p ern atu ralist abortion of society, a resum ption by the people fo r th e people, of its own social life. It was no t a revolution to tran sfer it from o n e fraction of the ru lin g classes to the other, b u t a Revolution to break dow n this h o rrid m achinery o f Class dom ination itself. It was no t one of those dw arfish struggles betw een th e executive an d the parliam entary form s of class dom ination, b u t a revolt against both these form s, integrating each oth er, an d of which the parliam entary form was only the deceitful bywork of th e Executive. T h e Second E m pire was the final form of this State u surpation. T h e C om m une was its definite negation, and, th ere fo re the initiation of the social R evolution of the 19th century. W hatever th ere fo re its fate at Paris, it will m ake le tour du monde."^ It was at once acclaim ed by the w orking class of E u ro p e a n d th e U nited States as the m agic w ord of delivery. T h e glories an d th e antediluvian deeds of the Prussian co n q u ero r seem ed only hallucinations of a bygone past. I t was only the working class that could form ulate by the word C o m m u n e an d initiate by the fighting C om m une of P aris this new aspiration. Even the last expression of th at state pow er in the Second E m pire although hum bling fo r the p rid e of the ruling classes and casting to the winds th eir parliam entary pretentions of self-governm ent, had been only the last possible form of th eir class rule. W hile politically dispossessing them , it was the orgy u n d e r which all th e econom ic and social infam ies of th eir regim e got full sway. T h e m iddling bourgeoisie a n d th e petty m iddle class w ere by th eir econom ical conditions o f life excluded from initiating a new revolution an d induced to follow in the tracks of the ruling classes o r [be] th e followers of the w orking class. T h e peasants w ere the passive econom ical basis of the Second E m pire, of th at last triu m p h of a State separate of an d in d ep en d e n t from society. Only th e Proletarians, fired by a new social task to accom plish by them fo r all society, to do away with all classes a n d class rule, w ere the m en to b reak the in stru m en t of th at class ru le the State, the centralized an d organized governm ental pow er u su rp in g to be the
'> I t will g o r o u n d th e w o rld . Ed.

m aster instead of th e servant of society. In the active struggle against them by th e ru lin g classes, su p p o rted by th e passive ad h eren ce of the peasantry, th e Second E m pire, the last crow ning at the same tim e as th e m ost signal p ro stitution of the S tate which h ad tak en the place of th e m edieval c h u rc h h ad been en g en d ered . It h ad sp ru n g into life against them . By them it was broken, not as a peculiar form of centralized governm ental pow er, bu t as its m ost pow erful, elaborated into seem ing indep en d en ce from society expression, and, th erefo re, also its m ost p rostitute reality, covered by infam y from top to bottom , having centred in absolute co rru p tio n at hom e a n d absolute powerlessness ab ro ad . P arliam entarism in F rance h ad com e to an end. Its last term and fullest sway was th e p arliam entary R epublic from May 1848 to the C oup d Etat. T h e E m pire th at killed it, was its own creation. U n d e r the E m pire with its C orps Legislatif an d its S en ate a n d in this form it has been re p ro d u ce d in th e m ilitary m onarchies of Prussia a n d A u stria it h ad been a m ere farce, a m ere byw ork of D espotism in its cru d est form . P arliam entarism th en was d ead in France an d the w orkm ens R evolution certainly was n o t to aw aken it from th e death. B ut this one form of class ru le h ad only b ro k en dow n to m ake the Executive, th e governm ental state m achinery the g reat and single object of attack to th e Revolution.

T h e Com mune th e reabsorption of th e State pow er by society, as its own living forces instead of as forces controlling an d subduing it, by the p o p u lar masses them selves, form ing th eir own force instead of the organized force of th eir su p p ressio n th e political form of th eir social em ancipation, itstead of th e artificial force (ap p ro p riated by th eir oppressors) (their own force opposed to an d organized against them ) of society w ielded fo r th eir oppression by th eir enem ies. T h e form was sim ple like all great things. T h e reaction of fo rm er R evolutions th e tim e w anted fo r all historical develop m ents, an d in the past always lost in all Revolutions in the very days of p o p u lar triu m p h , w henever it h ad re n d e re d its victorious arm s, to
' M arx a d d ed the follow ing two p a rag ra p h s on the u p p e r m arg m of the m an u scrip t. Ed.

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be tu rn e d against itself [the C om m une] first displaced th e arm y by the N ational guard.
F or the first tim e since the 4 th S eptem ber the republic is liberated from th e government of its enemies... to th e city a national m ilitia th a t d efen d s th e citizens against the pow er (the government) instead of a permanent army that defends the government against the citizens (Proclamation o f C entral C om m ittee of 22 M arch)3

(the people h ad only to organize this militia on a national scale, to have do n e away with the S tanding arm ies; the first econom ical conditio sine qua non' for all social im provem ents, discarding at once this source of taxes an d state debt, an d this constant d a n g e r to g o v ern m en t u surpation of class ru le of th e re g u la r class rule o r an ad v e n tu rer p re te n d in g to save all classes); at the sam e tim e th e safest g u aran tee against Foreign aggression a n d m aking in fact th e costly m ilitary ap p a ratu s im possible in all o th e r states; the em ancipation of the peasant from the bloodtax an d the m ost fertile source o f all state taxation an d state debts. H ere already the p oint in which the C om m une is a bait fo r the peasant, the first w ord of his em ancipation. W ith the in d e p e n d e n t police abolished, and its ru ffian s su p p lan ted by servants of the C om m une. T h e general suffrage, till now abused eith er for the parliam entary sanction of th e Holy State Power, o r a play in th e hands o f the ruling classes, only em ployed by the people to choose the instrum ents of p arliam entary class rule once in m any years, ad ap ted to its real purposes, to choose by the com m unes th eir own functionaries of adm inistration an d initiation. [Gone is] the D elusion as if adm inistration and political governing w ere m ysteries, transcendent functions only to be tru sted to th e hands of a train ed caste, state parasites, richly paid sycophants an d sinecurists, in the h ig h er posts, absorbing th e intelligences of the masses and tu rn in g them against them selves in the low er places of the hierarchy. D oing away with th e state hierarchy altogether and replacing the haughteous m asters of th e people by its always rem ovable servants, a m ock responsibility by a real responsibility, as they act condnuously u n d e r public supervision. Paid like skilled w orkm en, 12 po u n d s a m o n th , the highest salary not exceeding 240 a year, a salary som ew hat m ore th an V s, according to a great sciendfic authority. Professor H uxley, to sadsfy a clerk fo r the M etropolitan School B o a r d . T h e whole sham o f state m ysteries an d state pretensions
' [Proclam ation d u C om ite central de la G arde nationale. Paris, 22 m ars 1871J Le Rappel, No. 650, M arch 25, 1871; see also Journal officiel (Paris) N o 84 M arch 25, 1871 . ii , T h e n e c e ssa ry c o n d itio n . Ed.

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was do n e away by a C om m une, mostly consisting of sim ple w orking m en, organizing the defence of Paris, carrying war against th e P retorians of B onaparte, securing the approvisionment of th at im m ense town, filling all th e posts h ith erto divided betw een G overnm ent, police, and P refecture, doing th eir work publicly, simply, u n d e r the m ost difficult an d com plicated circum stances, and do in g it, as M ilton did his Paradise Lost, fo r a few pounds, acting in b right daylight, with no pretensions to infallibility, not h id in g itself behind circum locution office, not asham ed to confess blu n d ers by correcting them . M aking in one o rd e r the public functions, m ilitary, adm inistrative, political rm / workmen s fu n c tions, instead of the h id d en attributes of a train ed caste; (keeping o rd e r in the turbulence of civil w ar and revolution) (initiating m easures of general regeneration). W hatever the m erits of the single m easures of the C om m une, its greatest m easure was its own organisation, extem porized with the F oreign Enem y at one door, an d th e class enem y at the other, proving by its life its vitality, co n firm ing its thesis by its action. Its appearance was a victory over th e victors of France. Captive Paris resum ed by one bold sp rin g th e leadership of E urope, not d e p e n d in g on b ru te force, b u t by taking the lead of the Social M ovem ent, by giving body to th e aspirations o f the w orking class of all countries. W ith all th e g reat towns organized into C om m unes after the m odel of Paris no governm ent could repress the m ovem ent by the surprise of su dden reaction. Even by this p re p ara to ry step th e tim e of incubation, the g u aran tee of the m ovem ent, won. All F rance organized into self-working an d self-governing com m unes, the standing arm y replaced by the p o p u lar militias, the arm y of state parasites rem oved, the clerical hierarchy displaced by the schoolm aster, the state judges tran sfo rm ed into C om m unal organs, the suffrage fo r the N ational representation not a m atter of sleight of h an d fo r an allpow erful governm ent, bu t the deliberate expression of organized com m unes, the state functions red u ced to a few functions for general national purposes. Such is th e C om m une the political form of the social emancipation, of th e liberation of labour from the usu rp atio n of the (slaveholding) m onopolists of the m eans of labour, created by the labourers them selves o r form ing the gift of n atu re. As the state m achinery a n d parliam entarism are n o t the real life of the ru lin g classes, but only th e organized general organs of th eir dom inion, the political guaran tees an d form s a n d expressions of the old o rd e r of things, so the C om m une is not the social m ovem ent of the w orking class an d th ere fo re of a general reg en eratio n of m ankind bu t the

organized m eans of action. T h e C om m une does n o t [do] away with the class struggles, th ro u g h which th e w orking classes strive to th e abolition of all classes and, th erefo re, of all class rule (because it does n o t re p re se n t a peculiar interest. It rep resen ts the liberation of lab o u r , th at is th e fu n d am en tal an d natu ral condition of individual an d social life which only by u su rp atio n , frau d , an d artificial contrivances can be shifted from th e few u p o n the many), b u t it affo rd s th e rational m edium in which th at class struggle can ru n th ro u g h its d iffe ren t phases in th e m ost rational a n d h u m an way. It could start violent reactions an d as violent revolutions. It begins the emancipation of labour its great goal by doing away with the u n p ro d u ctiv e an d m ischievous w ork of the state parasites, by cutting away the springs which sacrifice an im m ense portio n of th e national p ro d u ce to th e feed in g of the state-m onster, on th e one side, by doing, on th e o th er, th e real w ork of adm inistration, local a n d national, for w orkingm ens wages. It begins th ere fo re with an im m ense saving, with econom i cal refo rm as well as political transform ation. T h e com m unal organization once firm ly established on a national scale, th e catastrophes it m ight still have to u n d erg o , w ould be sporadic slaveholders insurrections, which, while fo r a m om ent in te rru p tin g th e w ork of peaceful progress, would only accelerate the m ovem ent, by p u ttin g the sword into th e h a n d of the Social Revolution. T h e w orking class know th at they have to pass th ro u g h d iffe ren t phases of class struggle. T h ey know th at th e su p erseding of the econom ical conditions of th e slavery of lab o u r by th e conditions of free an d associated lab o u r can only be th e progressive w ork of tim e, (that econom ical tran sform ation) th at they req u ire n o t only a change of distribution, b u t a new organization of pro d u ctio n , or ra th e r the delivery (setting free) of th e social form s of pro d u ctio n in p resen t organized labour (en g en d ered by p resen t industry) of the tram m els of slavery, of th eir p resen t class character, and th eir harm onious national an d intern atio n al coordination. T hey know th at this w ork of re g en eratio n will be again a n d again relen ted an d im peded by the resistances of vested interests and class egotisms. T h ey know th at th e p resen t spontaneous action of the natu ral laws of capital an d lan d ed p ro p e rty can only be superseded by th e spontaneous action of th e laws of th e social econom y of free an d associated lab o u r , by a long process of developm ent of new conditions, as was th e spontaneous action of the econom ic laws of slavery an d th e spontaneous action of th e econom ical laws of serfd o m . B ut they know at th e same tim e that

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great strides m ay be taken at once th ro u g h the C om m unal form of political organization and th at the tim e has com e to begin that m ovem ent fo r them selves an d m ankind.
PEA SA N TR Y

(W ar indem nity.) Even before th e instalm ent of the C om m une, th e C entral C om m ittee h ad declared th ro u g h its Journal officiel: The greater part o f the war indem nity should be paid by the authors o f w a r.^ T his is the g reat conspiracy against Civilization ' the m en

of o rd e r are m ost afraid of. It is th e m ost practical question. W ith th e C om m une victorious, the au th o rs of th e w ar will have to pay Its indem nity; with Versailles victorious, the p ro d u cin g masses who have already paid in blood, ru in , an d contributions, will have agam to pay, an d th e financial dignitaries will even contrive to m ake a p ro fit o u t of the transaction. T h e liquidation of th e w ar costs is to be decided by the civil war. T h e C om m une represents on this vital p oint no t only the interests of the w orking class, the petty m iddle class, in fact, all the m iddle class with the exception of th e bourgeoisie (the wealthy capitalists) (the rich landow ners, and th eir state parasites). It represents above all th e interests of th e French peasantry. O n them the g re ater p a rt of the w ar taxes will be shifted, if T h iers an d his R urals are victorious. A nd people are silly en o u g h to rep eat the cry of th e R urals th at th ey the great lan d ed p ro p rie to rs re p resen t the peasant, who is, of course, in the naivety of his soul exceedingly anxious to pay fo r these good lan d o w n ers the m illiards of the w ar indem nity who m ade him already pay th e m illiard of the R evolution indem nity! T h e sam e m en deliberately com prom ised the R epublic of F ebruary by th e additional 45 C endm es tax on the peasant,^ but this they did in th e nam e of the Revolution, in the nam e of the provisional g o v ern m e n t , created by it. It is now in th eir own nam e th at they wage a civil w ar against the C om m unal R epublic to shift the w ar indem nity from th eir own shoulders u p o n those of th e peasant! H e will of course be delighted by it! T h e C om m une will abolish C onscription, the p arty of o rd e r will fasten the bloodtax on the peasant. T h e party of o rd e r will fasten u p o n him th e tax-collector fo r the paym ent of a parasitical and
= > [V.] G relier, Le com ite central de la g a rd e nationale est decid e... Toumal officiel (Paris), No. 80, M arch 21, 1871. Q u o te d from T h e C om m une of P aris... , The Times, No. 27028 A nril 4 1871 . ^

cosdy state m achinery, the C o m m u n e will give him a cheap governm ent. T h e p arty of o rd e r will co n tin u e [to] g rin d him dow n by the townish u su re r, the C om m une will free him of th e incubus of th e m ortgages lasting u p o n his plot of land. T h e C om m une will replace th e parasitical judiciary body eating th e h e a rt of his incom e the notary, th e huissier^ etc by C om m unal agents doing th eir w ork at w orkm ens salaries, instead of en rich in g them selves o u t of the peasants work. It will b reak dow n this whole judiciary cobweb which entangles th e F rench peasant an d gives abodes to the judiciary bench an d m aires of th e bourgeois spiders th at suck its blood! T h e party of o rd e r will keep him u n d e r th e rule of the gendarm e, the C om m une will resto re him to in d e p e n d e n t social and political life! T h e C om m une will enlighten him by th e ru le of the schoolm aster, th e p arty of o rd e r force u p o n him th e stultification by th e ru le of th e priest! B ut th e F rench peasant is above all a m an of reckoning! H e will find it exceedingly reasonable th at th e paym ent of th e clergy will no lo n g er [be] exacted from him by th e tax-collector, b u t will be left to th e spontaneous actio n of his religious instincts! T h e F rench peasant h ad elected L. B o n ap arte P resid en t of th e Republic, b u t th e p arty of O rd e r (d u rin g th e anonym ous Regim e of the R epublic u n d e r th e assembly constituante, an d legislative) was th e creato r of th e Em pire! W hat th e F rench peasant really wants, he com m enced to show in 1849 an d 1850 by opposing his m aire to th e G overnm ents prefect, his schoolm aster to th e g o v ern m en ts parson, him self to th e g o v ern m en ts gendarm e! T h e nucleus of th e reactionary laws of th e Party of O rd e r in 1849 an d peculiarly in Jan u a ry an d F ebruary 1850^' w ere specifically directed against th e F rench Peasantry! If th e F rench peasant had m ade L. B o n ap arte p resid en t of th e R epublic because in his tradition all th e benefits h e h ad derived fro m th e first R evolution w ere phantastically tran sferre d on the first N apoleon, the arm ed risings of Peasants in som e d ep artm en ts of France and the g endarm e h u n tin g u p o n them after th e C oup d E tat proved th at th at delusion was rapidly b reaking down! T h e E m pire was fo u n d e d on the delusions artificially n o u rish ed an d traditional prejudices, the C om m une w ould be fo u n d ed on his living interests an d his real wants! T h e h a tre d of th e F rench peasant centres on th e ru ra l , the m en of the C hateau, the m en of the M illiard of indem nity an d the townish capitalist, m askeraded into a landed p ro p rie to r, whose
Bailiff. Ed.

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en croachm ent u p o n him m arched never m ore rapidly than u n d e r th e Second E m pire, partly fostered by artificial state m eans, partly n aturally grow ing o u t of th e very developm ent of m o d ern agriculture. T h e ru ra ls know th at th ree m onths rule of the R epublican C om m une in F rance w ould be the signal of th e rising of th e peasantry an d the agricultural P roletariat against them . H ence th eir ferocious h a tre d of th e C om m une! W hat they fe ar even m o re th an the em ancipation of th e townish p roletariat is the em ancipation of the peasants! T h e peasants would soon acclaim th e townish p roletariat as th eir own leaders an d seniors! T h e re exists of course in F rance as in m ost continental C ountries a d eep antagonism betw een the townish an d ru ral producers, betw een the industrial P roletariat a n d th e peasantry. T h e aspirations of the P roletariat, the m aterial basis of its m ovem ent is lab o u r organized on a g ra n d scale, although now despotically organized, a n d the m eans of p ro d u ctio n centralized, although now centralized in the h an d s of th e m onopolist, no t only as a m eans of production, bu t as a m eans of the exploitation an d enslavem ent of the producer. W hat th e p roletariat has [to] do is to tran sfo rm the p resen t capitalist ch aracter of th at organized lab o u r and those centralized m eans of labour, transform them from th e m eans of class rule an d class exploitation into foVms of free associated labour and social m eans of production. O n the o th e r han d , the labour of the peasant is insulated, an d th e m eans of pro d u ctio n are parcelled, dispersed. O n these econom ical differences rests superconstructed a whole w orld of d iffe ren t social an d political views. B ut this peasantry p ro p rie to rsh ip has long since outgrow n its norm al phase, th at is th e phase in which it was a reality, a m ode of p ro d u ctio n an d a form of p ro p e rty which resp o n d ed to th e econom ical wants of society and placed the ru ral p ro d u cers them selves into norm al conditions of life. It has en tered its period of decay. O n the one side a large proletariat fo n d e r (rural proletariat) has grow n ou t of it whose interests are identical with those of the townish wages labourer. T h e m ode of p ro d u ction itself has becom e su p eran n u ated by the m o d ern progress of agronom y. Lastly the peasant p ro p rie to rsh ip itself has becom e nom inal, leaving to the peasant the delusion of p ro p rie to r ship, an d ex p ro p riatin g him from the fru it of his own labour. T h e com petition of the great farm producers, the bloodtax, the statetax, th e usury of the townish m ortgagee an d the m u ltitu d in ous pilfering of the judiciary system throw n aro u n d him , have d eg rad ed him to the position of a H indoo Ryot, while ex p ro p ria tio n even ex p ro p riatio n from his nom inal p ro p rie to r sh ip and, his d egradation into a ru ral p ro letarian is an every

days fact. W hat separates th e peasant from th e pro letarian is, th erefo re, no lo n g er his real interest, b u t his delusive prejudice. If the C om m une, as we have shown, is th e only pow er th at can give him im m ediate g reat boons even in its p re sen t economical conditions, it is th e only form of go v ern m en t th at can secure to him the tran sfo rm atio n of his p resen t economical conditions, rescue him from ex p ro p riatio n by th e lan d lo rd on the one h an d , from grinding, tru d g in g an d m isery on the p re te x t of p ro p rie to r ship on the oth er, th at can convert his nom inal p ro p rie to rsh ip of the land in the real p ro p rie to rsh ip of th e fruits of his labour, th at can com bine fo r him th e profits of m o d ern agronom y, dictated by social wants, an d every day now encroaching u p o n him as a hostile agency, w ithout annihilating his position as a really in d ep en d e n t p ro d u cer. B eing im m ediately benefited by th e com m unal R epub lic, he w ould soon confide in it.

U N IO N (L IG U E ) R E P U B L IC A IN E

T h e party of d isorder, whose regim e to p p ed u n d e r the co rru p tio n of th e Second E m pire, has left Paris (Exodus from Paris), followed by its ap p u rten an ces, its retainers, its menials, its state parasites, its mouchards;' its cocottes , an d th e whole ban d of low boheme (the com m on crim inals) th at form th e com plem ent of th a t boheme of quality. B ut th e tru e vital elem ents of th e m iddle classes, delivered by th e w o rk m en s revolution from th eir sham representatives, have, fo r th e first tim e in the history of F rench Revolution, sep arated from it a n d com e o u t in its tru e colours. It is the Ligue of R epdblican L iberty ' acting the in term ed iary betw een Paris an d th e Provinces, disavowing Versailles and m arching u n d e r th e b an n ers of the C om m une.

T H E C O M M U N A L R E V O L U T IO N AS T H E R E P R E S E N T A T IV E O F A L L CLASSES O F S O C IE T Y N O T L IV IN G U P O N F O R E IG N L A B O U R

W e have seen th at th e Paris P roletarian fights fo r th e F rench Peasant, and Versailles fights against him ; th at the greatest anxiety of the R urals is th at Paris be h ea rd by th e Peasants an d no longer separated by him th ro u g h the blockade; th at at the bottom of its w ar u p o n Paris is th e attem p t to keep the peasantry as its
Spies. Ed.
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b o n d m an and trea t him as before as its m atiere taillable a m erci et m isericorde . For th e first tim e in history the petty and moyenne m iddle class has openly rallied ro u n d the w orkm ens Revolution, and p ro claim ed it as the only m eans of th eir own salvation and th at of France! It form s with them the bulk of th e N ational g u ard , it sits with them in the C om m une, it m ediates fo r them in the U nion Republicaine! T h e principal m easures taken by the C om m une are taken for th e salvation of the m iddle class th e d eb to r class of Paris against th e cred ito r class! T h a t m iddle class h ad rallied in the Ju n e insurrection (1848) against the P roletariat u n d e r the banners of th e capitalist class, th eir generals, a n d th eir state parasites. It was p u n ish ed at once on the 19th S eptem ber 1848 by the rejection of th e concordats a Iam iable .' T h e victory over the Ju n e insu rrectio n showed itself at once also as the victory of the creditor, the wealthy capitalist, over the debtor, the m iddle class. It insisted mercilessly on its p o u n d of flesh.' O n the 13th Ju n e 1849 th e national g u ard of th at m iddle class was disarm ed and sabred dow n by the arm y of the bourgeoisie! D uring the E m pire the dilapidation of the State Resources, u p o n which the wealthy capitalist fed, this m iddle class was delivered to th e p lu n d e r of the stockjobber, the Railway kings, the swindling associations of the C red it Mobilier'' etc a n d ex p ro p riated by C apitalist Association (Joint-Stock Com pany). If low ered in its political position, attacked in its econom ical interests, it was m orally revolted by the orgies of th at regim e. T h e infam ies of th e w ar gave the last shock and ro u sed its feelings as F renchm en. T h e disasters bestow ed u p o n F rance by th at war, its crisis of national dow nbreak an d its financial ru in , this m iddle class feels th at no t the c o rru p t class of th e would-be slaveholders of France, bu t only the m anly aspira tions and th e herculean pow er of the w orking class can com e to th e rescue! T h ey feel th at only the w orking class can em ancipate them from p riest rule, convert science from an in stru m en t of class ru le into a p o p u lar force, convert the m en of science them selves from the p an d e rers to class prejudice, place h u n tin g state parasites, and allies of capital into free agents of thought! Science can only play its gen u in e p a rt in the R epublic of Labour.

R E P U B L IC O N L Y PO SSIB LE AS A V O W ED LY SO C IA L R E PU B L IC

T his civil w ar has destroyed th e last delusions ab out R epublic as the E m pire th e delusion of uno rg an ized universal su ffrag e in the hands of the State G endarm e an d th e parson. All vital elem ents of France acknow ledge th at a R epublic is only in F rance and E u ro p e possible as a Social R epublic , th at is a R epublic which disowns the capital an d landow ner class of th e State m achinery to supersede it by the C om m une, th at frankly avows social em ancipation as th e great goal of th e R epublic an d guarantees thus th at social tran sfo rm atio n by the C om m unal organisation. T h e o th er R epublic can be n o th in g b u t th e anonymous terro rism of all m onarchical fractions, of th e com bined Legitimists, O rleanists, an d B onapartists to land in an E m pire quelconque'' as its final goal, the anonymous te rro r of class ru le which having d o n e its dirty work will always b u rst into an Em pire! T h e professional republicans of th e ru ral assembly are m en who really believe, despite th e experim ents of 1848-51, despite the civil war against P aris th e republican form of class despotism a possible, lasting form , while th e p arty of o rd e r dem ands it only as a form of conspiracy fo r fighting the R epublic an d re in tro d u c ing its only ad eq u ate form , m onarchy o r ra th e r Im perialism , as th e form of class despotism . In 1848 these voluntary d u p es w ere p u shed in the fo re g ro u n d till, by th e in su rrection of Ju n e, they h ad paved the way fo r th e anonymous ru le of all fractions of the w ould-be slaveholders in France. In 1871, at Versailles, they are from beginning p u sh ed in the background, th ere to fig u re as the R epublican decoration of T h ie rs rule an d sanction by th eir presence th e w ar of th e B o n ap artist generals u p o n Paris! In unconscious self-irony these w retches hold th eir p arty m eeting in the Salle des Paumes (T ennis-C ourt) to show how they have d eg en erated from th eir predecessors in 1789!^' By th eir Schoelchers, etc., they tried to coax Paris in ten d erin g its arm s to T h iers an d to force it into d isarm am en t by the N ational G u ard of O rd e r u n d e r Saisset! W e do not speak of th e so-called Socialist Paris deputies like Louis Blanc. T h ey u n d erg o m eekly the insults of a D ufaure an d th e rurals, dote u p o n T h ie rs legal rights, and w hining in presence of th e banditti cover them selves with infamy!

As its subject in its pow er a n d at its m ercy . Ed. W. Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice, Act IV, Scene l. Ed.
18*

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W o rkm en a n d C om te

If the w orkm en have outgrow n the tim e of Socialist Sectarianism , it o u g h t not be forgotten th at they have never been in the leading strings of Com tism . T his sect has never affo rd ed the International b u t a branch of about half a dozen of m en, an d whose program m e was rejected by the G eneral C ouncil.^" C om te is know n to the Parisian w orkm en as the p ro p h e t in politics of Im perialism (of personal Dictatorship), of capitalist rule in political econom y, of h ierarchy in all spheres of h u m an action, even in the sphere of science, an d as the au th o r of a new catechism with a new pope and new saints in place of the old ones.^* If his followers in E ngland play a m ore p o p u lar p a rt th an those in France, it is no t by preach in g th eir Sectarian doctrines, bu t by th eir personal valour, an d by the acceptance on th eir p a rt of the form s of w orkingm en class struggle created w ithout them , as f. i. th e trad e unions an d strikes in E ngland which by the by are d en o u n ced as a heresy by th eir Paris coreligionists.
T H E C O M M U N E (SO C IA L M EASURES)

T h a t th e w orkm en of Paris have taken the initiative of the p resen t Revolution an d in heroic self-sacrifice b ea r th e b ru n t of his battle, is n o th in g new. It is the striking fact of all F rench revolutions! It is only a repetition of the past! T h a t the revolution is m ade in the name an d confessedly fo r the p o p u lar masses, th at is th e p ro d u cin g masses, is a featu re this Revolution has in com m on with all its predecessors. T h e new featu re is th at the people, after th e first rise, have n o t disarm ed them selves and su rre n d e re d their pow er into th e hands of the R epublican m ountebanks of the ru lin g classes, that, by the constitution of the Commune, they have taken the actual m anagem ent of th eir R evolution into th eir own h ands an d fo u n d at the sam e time, in the case of success, the m eans to hold it in the h ands of th e People itself, displacing the State m achinery, the governm ental m achinery of th e ru lin g classes by a governm ental m achinery of th eir own. T his is th eir ineffable crime! W orkm en infringing u p o n the governm ental privilege of th e u p p e r 1 0 ,0 0 0 an d proclaim ing th eir will to break the econom ical basis of th at class despotism , which fo r its own sake wielded th e organized State force of society! T his is it th at has throw n the respectable classes in E urope as in the U nited States
A. C om te, Cours de philosophie positive, T . 1-6, Paris, 1830-1842. Ed.

into the paroxysm of convulsions an d accounts fo r th eir shrieks of abom ination, it is blasphem y, th eir fierce appeals to assassination of the people, an d this Billingsgate^^ of abuse an d calum ny from th eir parliam entary tribunes a n d th eir journalistic servants hall! T h e greatest m easure of th e C om m une is its own existence, w orking, acting u n d e r circum stances of u n h ea rd -o f difficulty! T h e re d flag, hoisted by the Paris C om m une, crowns in reality only the governm ent of w orkm en for Paris! T h ey have clearly, consciously proclaim ed the E m ancipation of L abour, an d th e tran sfo rm atio n of Society, as th eir goal! B ut th e actual social ch aracter of th eir Republic consists only in this, th at w orkm en govern th e Paris C om m une! As to th eir m easures, they m ust, by th e n a tu re of things, be principally confined to th e m ilitary defence of Paris and its approvisionment. Some patronizing friends of th e w orking class, while hardly dis sem bling th eir disgust even at the few m easures they consider as socialist although th ere is n o th in g socialist in them except th eir ten d en cy express th eir satisfaction and try to coax genteel sym pathies for th e Paris C om m une by th e great discovery th at afte r all w orkm en are rational m en and w henever in pow er always resolutely tu rn th eir back u p o n Socialist enterprises! T h ey do in fact n eith er try to establish in Paris a phalansthe n o t an Icarie?^^ Wise m en of th eir generation! T hese benevolent patronizers, profoundly ig n o ran t of th e real aspirations an d th e real m ove m ent of the w orking classes, fo rg et one thing. All th e Socialist fo unders of Sects belong to a perio d in which the w orking class them selves w ere n eith er sufficiently train ed an d organized by the m arch of capitalist society itself to e n te r as historical agents u p o n the w orlds stage, n o r w ere th e m aterial conditions of th eir em ancipation sufficiently m atu red in th e old w orld itself. T h eir m isery existed, but th e conditions of th eir own m ovem ent did no t yet exist. T h e u to p ian fo u n d ers of sects, while in th eir cri ticism of p resen t society clearly describing the goal of the social m ovem ent, the supersession of th e wages system with all its econom ical conditions of class rule, fo u n d n eith er in society itself the m aterial conditions of its tran sfo rm atio n n o r in the w orking class th e organized pow er and th e conscience of the m ovem ent. T hey tried to com pensate for th e historical co ndi tions of the m ovem ent by phantastic pictures an d plans of a new society in- whose p ro p a g an d a they saw th e tru e m eans of salvation. From th e m om ent the w orkingm en class m ovem ent becam e real, the phantastic utopias evanesced, not because the w orking class had given u p th e end aim ed at by these Uto-

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pists, but because they had found the real m eans to realize them , b u t in th eir place cam e a real insight into th e historic conditions of the m ovem ent and a m ore a n d m ore g ath erin g force of th e m ilitary organization of the w orking class. B ut the last 2 ends of th e m ovem ent proclaim ed by the U topians are the last ends proclaim ed by the Paris R evolution an d by the In ternational. Only th e m eans are d iffe ren t an d the real conditions of the m ovem ent are no longer clouded in utopian fables. T hese patronizing friends of the P roletariat in glossing over the loudly proclaim ed Socialist tendencies of this Revolution, are th ere fo re b u t th e d u p es of th eir own ignorance. It is no t the fau lt of the Paris proletariat, if fo r them the U topian creations of the prophets of th e w orkingm en m ovem ent are still the Social R evolution , th at is to say, if the Social R evolution is fo r them still u to p ia n .

Journal officiel o f the Central Committee, 2 0 March:

T h e pro letarian s of the capital, in m idst the defaillances^ a n d the treasons of the governing (ruling) classes, have u n d e rsto o d (com pris) th at the h o u r was arrived for them to save the situation in taking into their own hands the direction (management) of public affairs (the state business).

T h ey d en o u n ce the political incapacity an d the m oral d e crep itu d e of the bourgeoisie as the source of the m isfortunes of F ran ce .
T h e w orkm en, w ho p ro d u c e everything a n d enjoy n othing, w ho su ffe r from m isery in the m idst of th e ir accum ulated products, the fru it of th e ir w ork a n d their sweat, ... shall they never be allowed to work for their emancipation?... T h e pro letariat, in face o f the p e rm a n e n t m enace against its rights, of th e absolute n egation of all its legitim ate aspirations, of th e ru in of th e co u n try a n d all its hopes, has u n d e rsto o d th a t it was its im perious d u ty a n d its absolute rig h t to take into its h a n d s its own destinies a n d to assure th eir triu m p h in seizing the state pow er (en s emparanl du pouvoir)." b

It is h ere plainly stated th at the governm ent of the w orking class is, in the first instance, necessary to save France from the ruins a n d th e co rru p tio n im p en d ed u p o n it by the ruling classes, that th e dislodgm ent of these classes from Pow er (of these classes who have lost the capacity of ruling France) is a necessity of national
safety.

B ut it is no less clearly stated th at the governm ent by the

^ Im p o ten ce. Ed. La Revolution d u 18 m a rs , Le Petit Journal, No. 3002, M arch 22, 1871; see also Journal officiel (Paris), No. 80, M arch 21, 1871. Ed.

w orking class can only save F rance an d do th e national business, by w orking fo r its own emancipation, th e conditions of th at em ancipation being at th e sam e tim e th e conditions of the reg en eratio n of France. It is proclaim ed as a w ar of lab o u r u p o n the m onopolists of the m eans of labour, u p o n capital. T h e chauvinism of th e bourgeoisie is only the su p rem e vanity, giving a national cloak to all th eir own pretensions. It is a m eans, by p erm a n en t arm ies, to p e rp etu ate in tern atio n al struggles, to subjugate in each co untry the p ro d u cers by pitching them against th eir b ro th ers in each o th er country, a m eans to p rev en t the international cooperation of th e w orking classes, the first condition of th eir em ancipation. T h e tru e ch aracter of th at chauvinism (long since becom e a m ere phrase) has com e o u t d u rin g th e w ar of defence after Sedan, everyw here paralysed by th e C hauvinist bourgeoisie, in the capitulation of France, in the civil w ar carried on u n d e r th at high Priest of C hauvinism , T h iers, on B ism arcks sufferance! It cam e o u t in th e petty police in trig u e of the A nti-G erm an league,^ F oreig n ers-h u n tin g in Paris afte r the capitulation. It was h o p ed th at the Paris people (and the French people) could be stultified into th e passion of N ational h atre d and by factitious ou trages to th e F o reig n er fo rget its real aspiration an d its hom e betrayers! How has this factitious m ovem ent disap p eared (vanished) before the b re ath of R evolutionary Paris! Loudly proclaim ing its in te r national tenden cies because th e cause of th e p ro d u c er is every [where] th e sam e an d its enem y everyw here th e sam e, w hatever its nationality (in w hatever national g arb ) it proclaim ed as a principle the adm ission of F oreigners into th e C om m une, it chose even a F oreign w orkm an (a m em b er of th e In tern atio n al) into its Executive, it decreed [the d estruction of] th e symbol of F rench chauvinism th e V endom e colum n ^^! A nd, while th eir bourgeois chauvins have d ism em bered France, and act u n d e r th e dictatorship of th e Foreign invasion, the Paris w orkm en have beaten the F oreign enem y by striking at th eir own class rulers, have abolished frontiers, in con q u erin g the post as the vanguard of the w orkm en of all nations! T h e genuine patriotism of th e bourgeoisie so n atu ral fo r the real p ro p rieto rs of th e d iffe ren t n atio n al estates has faded into a m ere sham consequent u p o n the cosm opolitan ch aracter im p rin ted u p o n th eir financial, com m ercial, an d industrial e n te r
' See this volum e, pp. 286-87. Ed. > Leo F rankel. <i.

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prise. U n d e r sim ilar circum stances it would be exploded in all countries as it did in France.
D E C E N T R A L IZ A riO N BY IH F , RU R A LS A N D T H E C O M M U N E

It has been said th at Paris, an d with it the o th er F rench towns, were oppressed by the ru le of the peasants, an d th at its present struggle is fo r its em ancipation from the rule of the peasantry! N ever was a m ore foolish lie uttered! Paris as th e central seat an d the stronghold of the centralized gov ern m en t m achinery subjected the peasantry to th e rule of the gendarm es, the tax collector, the Prefect, an d the priest, and the ru ral m agnates, th at is to the despotism of its enem ies, and deprived it of all life (took the life ou t of it). It repressed all organs of in d ep en d e n t life in the ru ral districts. O n the o th er han d , the g overnm ent, the ru ral m agnates, the g en d arm e an d the priest, into whose h an d s the whole influence of th e provinces was thus th ro w n by the centralized state m achinery centring at Paris, b ro u g h t this influence to b ea r fo r th e governm ent an d th e classes whose g o v ern m ent it was, not against Paris [of] the governm ent, the parasite, th e capitalist, the idle, the cosm opolitan stew, but against th e Paris of th e w orkm en an d the thinker. In this way, by th e g o v ern m en t centralization with Paris as its base, the peasants w ere suppressed by the Paris of the governm ent an d the capitalist, an d th e Paris of the w orkm en was suppressed by the provincial pow er h an d e d over into the h ands of th e enem ies of th e peasants. T h e Versailles M oniteur^ (29 M arch) declares
th a t Paris can n o t be a free city, because it is the capital.^

national power strongly centralized. It is to conquer, and secure independence for all the communes of F rance, a n d also of all su p e rio r groups, d e p artm e n ts, a n d provinces, u n ite d am ongst them selves fo r th e ir com m on interest by a really national pact; it is to g u a ra n te e a n d p e rp e tu a te the Republic.... Paris has renounced her apparent omnipotence w hich is identical with h e r fo rfeitu re, she has n o t re n o u n ce d th a t m oral pow er, th a t intellectual influence, which so o ften has m ad e h e r victorious in France a n d E u ro p e in h e r p ro p a g a n d a . T h is tim e again Paris w orks a n d suffers to r all France, of w hich it p re p are s by its com bats a n d its sacrifices the intellectual, m oral, adm inistrative a n d econom ic re g en e ratio n , th e glory a n d th e p ro sp e rity (Programme of the Commune de Paris sent out by balloon).'^

T his is th e tru e thing. Paris, the capital of the ruling classes and its g overnm ent, cannot be a free city , an d the provinces cannot be fre e , because such a Paris is th e capital. T h e provinces can only be free with the C om m une at Paris. T h e party o f order is still less in fu riated against Paris because it has proclaim ed its own em ancipation from them a n d th eir governm ent, th an because, by doing so, it has sounded the alarm signal fo r the em ancipation of th e peasant a n d the provinces from th eir sway.
Journal officiel o f the Commune, 1 A pril:
T h e revolution of the 18th M arch had not for its only object the securing to Paris of com m unal re p re se n tatio n elected, but subject to the despotic tutelage of a

Mr. T hiers, in his to u r th ro u g h th e provinces, m anaged the elections, and above all, his own m anifold elections. B ut th ere was one difficulty. T h e B o n ap artist provincials h ad fo r th e m om ent becom e impossible. (Besides, he did n o t w ant them , n o r d id they w ant him .) M any of th e old O rleanist stagers h ad m erg ed into the B onapartist lot. It was, th erefo re, necessary, to appeal to th e rusticated legitim ist landow ners, who h ad k ep t quite aloof from politics an d w ere ju st th e m en to be d u p ed . T h ey have given th e a p p a re n t character to th e Versailles assembly, its ch aracter of th e cham bre introuvable of Louis X V III, its ru ra l character. In th eir vanity, they believed, of course, th at th eir tim e h ad at last com e with the dow nfall of th e Second B onapartist E m pire and u n d e r th e shelter of Foreign invasion, as it h ad com e in 1814 and 1815. Still they are m ere dupes. So fa r as they act, they can only act as elem ents of th e p arty of o r d e r , a n d its an o nym ous terrorism as in 1848-1851. T h e ir own p arty effusions lend only the comical ch aracter to th at association. T h ey are, th erefo re, forced to suffer as p resid en t th e ]zi\-accoucheur of th e D uchess of B e r r y a n d as th eir m inisters th e pseudo republicans of the g overnm ent of defence. T hey will be p u sh ed aside as soon as they have do n e th eir service. B u t a freak of histo ry by this curious com bination of circum stances they are forced to attack Paris because of revolting against th e R epublique u n e et indivisible (Louis Blanc expresses it so," T h iers calls it unity of France), while th eir very first exploit was to revolt against unity by declaring fo r the decapitation and decapitalization * * of Paris, by w anting the
a Q u o te d from A n article in the Journal officiel.... The Evening Standard, No. 14561, A pril 3, 1871. Ed. h D & laration au p euple franfais. [Paris, 19 avril 1871] , The Daily News, No. 7793, A pril 21, 1871; see also Journal officiel (Paris), No. 110, A pril 20, 1871. d. U nited a n d indivisible re p u b lic , qu o ted from L. B lancs letter to th e e d ito r of Le Siecle in The Daily News, No. 7797, A pril 26, 1871. Ed. T h e scanty news from th e capital of R evolution... , The Daily News, No. 7774, M arch 30, 1871.

Moniteur des Communes. Ed. I Q u o te d from T h e M oniteur which is... , The Daily News, No. 7776, A pril 1, 1871. Ed.

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Assembly to th ro n e in a provincial town. W hat they really w ant is to go back to w hat p receded the centralized state m achinery, becom e m o re o r less in d e p e n d e n t of its prefects an d its m inisters, an d pu t into its place the provincial an d local dom anial influence of the Chateaux. T h ey w ant a reactionary decentralization of France. W hat Paris wants is to su p p lan t th at centralization which has do n e its service against feodality, b u t has becom e the m ere unity of an artificial body, resting on gendarm es, red an d black arm ies, repressin g th e life of real society, lasting as an incubus u p o n it, giving Paris an a p p a re n t o m nipotence by enclosing it a n d leaving the provinces o u td o o r to su p p lan t this Unitarian France which exists besides th e F rench society by the political union of F rench society itself th ro u g h the C om m unal organization. T h e tru e partisans of breaking u p the unity of F rance are th e re fo re th e rurals, opposite to the u n ited state m achinery so far as it in terferes with th eir own local im portance (seignorial rights), so far as it is the antagonist of feudalism . W hat Paris wants is to break u p th at factitious Unitarian system, so far as it is the antagonist of the real living union of F rance and a m ere m eans of class rule.

T hey are as rig h t in th eir appreciation of th e aim s of th e Paris w orking classes, as is M. Bism arck in declaring th at w hat the C om m une wants is th e Prussian m unicipal order."* Poor m en! T hey do n o t even know th at every social form of p ro p e rty has m orals of its own, and th at the form of social p ro p e rty which m akes p ro p e rty the attrib u te of labour, far from creating individual m oral co n strain ts will em ancipate th e m o r als of the individual from its class constraints. How the b re ath of th e p o p u la r revolution has changed Paris! T h e revolution of F eb ru ary was called th e R evolution of m oral contem pt! It was proclaim ed by th e cries of th e people: a bas les grands voleurs! a bas les assassins!"'' Such was th e sentim ent of the people. B ut as to th e bourgeoisie, they w anted b ro a d e r sway for corruption! T h ey got it u n d e r Louis B o n ap artes (N apoleon the little) reign. Paris, the gigantic town, the tow n of historic initiative, was tran sfo rm ed in th e Maison d o r k of all th e idlers and swindlers of the world, into a cosm opolitan stew! A fter th e exodus of the b etter class of p eo p le , th e Paris of th e w orking class reap p ea red , heroic, self-sacrificing, enthusiastic in the sentim ent of its h e r culean task! N o cadavers in the M orgue, no insecurity of the streets. Paris was never m ore quiet within. Instead of th e Cocottes, the heroic w om en of Paris! Manly, stern, fighting, w orking, thinking Paris! M agnanim ous Paris! In view of th e cannibalism of th eir enem ies, m aking th eir p risoners only dangerless!...
W hat Paris will n o lo n g er stand is yet the existence of th e C ocottes and Cocodes. W hat it is resolved to drive away o r tran sfo rm is this useless, sceptical and egotistical race w hich has tak en possession of the gigantic town, to use it as its own. N o celebrity of th e E m pire shall have th e rig h t to say, Paris is very pleasant in the best qu a rte rs, but th ere a re too m any p a u p ers in the o th e rs. '^

C o m tist view

M en com pletely ig n o ran t of th e existing econom ical system are of course still less able to co m p reh en d the w orkm ens negation of th at system. T h ey can of course no t co m p reh en d th at the social tran sfo rm atio n the w orking class aim at is th e necessary, historical, unavoidable b irth of the p resen t system itself. T hey talk in d ep recato ry tones of th e th rea ten ed abolition of p ro p e rty because in th eir eyes th eir p resen t class form of p ro p e rty a transitory historical fo rm is p ro p e rty itself, an d the abolition of th at form would th e re fo re be the abolition of property. As they now d efen d the etern ity of capital rule an d the wages system, if they had lived in feudal times o r in times of slavery, they would have d efen d ed th e feudal system an d the slave system as fo u n d ed on the n a tu re of things, as springing from n atu re , fiercely declaim ed against th eir abuses , b u t at the sam e tim e from the h eig h t of th eir ignorance answ ering to the prophecies of the abolition by the dogm a of th eir etern ity righted by m oral checks (constraints).

{Verite: 23 A pril)
Private crim e w onderfully dim inished ^ at Paris. T h e absence of thieves a n d cocottes, of assassinates and street attacks: all the conservateurs have fled to V ersailles! T h e re has not been signalized one single no ctu rn al attack even in the m ost d istan t a n d less freq u e n te d q u a rte rs since the citizens do th e ir police business them selves. ' O. von B ism arcks speech in the Reichstag, May 2, 1871, Stenographische Berichte iiber die Verhandlungen des Deutschen Reichstages. 1. L egislatur-Periode. 1. Session 1871. Bd. 1, B erlin, 1871. Ed. Down with big robbers! Down with the assassins! Ed. T h e really d a n g ero u s classes... . The Observer, No, 4170, A pril 23, 1871. Ed. Life in P aris , The Daily News, No. 7791, A pril 19, 1871. Ed. M anifeste , Le Vengeur, No. 30, A pril 28, 1871. Ed.

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unintelligent, a rb itrary a n d onerous. T h e political unity as desired by Paris, is a voluntary association of all local initiatives... a central delegation from the Federal C om m unes... E nd of the old g overnm ental and clerical w orld, of m ilitary suprem acy a n d b ureaucracy a n d jo bbing in m onopolies a n d privileges to which the proletariat owed its slavery a n d th e country its misfortunes and disasters." (Proclam ation of C om m une 19 A pril.) ^

The Gendarmes and Policemen

20,000 G endarm es d raw n to Versailles from all France (a total of 30,000 u n d e r th e E m p ire ) an d 12,000 Paris police agents, basis of the finest arm y F rance ever had.
[f r a g m
en ts]

Thiers on the Rurals

T h is p arty knows only to em ploy th ree m eans: Foreign invasion, civil w ar a n d anarchy ... such a go v ern m en t will nev er be th a t of F ra n c e. (Chambre des Deputes of 5th Janvier 1833.)^

Republican Deputies of Paris

T h e R epublican dep u ties of Paris have not pro tested e ith e r against the b o m b ard m en t o f Paris, n o r the sum m ary executions of th e prisoners, n o r the calum nies against the People of Paris. T h ey have o n th e c o n tra ry by th eir presence at th e assem bly a n d th e ir mutisme given a consecration to all these acts su p p o rte d by the notoriety the republican p arty has given those m en, H ave becom e th e allies a n d conscious accomplices of the m onarchical party. Declares th em traitors to th eir m an d a te a n d th e R epublic . (Association generale des defenseurs de la Republique^^^) (9 May) C entralization leads to apoplexy in Paris a n d to absence of life everyw here else (Lamennais). E verything now gravitates to one centre, a n d this centre is, so to say, the state itself (Montesquieu).'^

Government of Defence
A nd this sam e T ro c h u said in his fam ous program m e: the g overn o r of Paris will never capitulate * an d Jules Favre in his circular; N ot a stone of o u r fortresses, n o r a foot of o u r territo rie s ^; same as D ucrot: I shall never re tu rn to Paris save dead o r victorious. '* H e fo u n d afterw ards at B ordeaux that his life was necessary fo r keeping dow n the rebels of Paris. CThese w retches know th at in th eir flight to Versailles they have left b eh in d th e proofs of th eir crim es, an d to destroy these proofs, they w ould not recoil from m aking of Paris a m ountain of ruins b ath ed in a sea of blood) {M anifeste a la Province, by balloon').

Vendome affair etc.

T h e C entral C om m ittee of th e N ational G u ard , constituted by the nom ination of a delegate of each com pany, on th e en tran ce of the Prussians into Paris, tran sp o rted to IVIontmartre, Belleville and La Villette the can n o n an d m itrailleuses fo u n d ed by the subscrip tion of the N ational g u ard s them selves, which can n o n an d m itrailleuses w ere ab an d o n ed by th e g o v ern m en t of th e N ational defence, even in those q u arters which w ere to be occupied by the Prussians.
2 D eclaration au p eu p le franfais. [Paris, 19 avril 1871] , The Daily News, No. 7793, A pril 21, 1871; see also Journal officiel (Paris), No. 110, A pril 20, 1871. <i. b M arx gives a G erm an p h rase in paren th eses. Ed. Ch.-L. d e M ontesquieu, De VEsprit des Loix, L ondon, 1769, Liv. 23, Ch. 24. M arx gives a F rench quotation. Ed.

T h e u nity w hich has been im posed u p o n us to th e p resen t, by the E m pire, the M onarchy, a n d P arliam entary G overnm ent is n o th in g b u t centralization, despotic, Q u o te d in La Tribune de Bordeaux, A pril 25, 1871. Ed. > > L. J. T ro ch u , [Proclam ation aux h abitants d e Paris. Paris. 6 jan v ier 1871], Journal officiel (Paris), No. 7, Ja n u a ry 7, 1871. Ed. J. Favre, C irculaire adressee aux agents diplom atiques d e France.... Le 6 septem bre 1870 , Journal officiel (Paris), No. 246, S eptem ber 7, 1870. Ed. A . D ucrot, Soldat de la 2= arm e e de Paris! [O rd e r of N ovem ber 28, 1870], Journal officiel (Paris), No. 329, N ovem ber 29, 1870. Ed. M anifeste , Le Vengeur, No. 30, A pril 28, 1871. Ed.

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O n the m o rn in g of the 18th M arch the governm ent m ade an energetic appeal to the N ational G uard, bu t o u t of 400,000 National G u ard only 300 m en answ ered. O n th e 18th M arch, at 3 o clock in the m orning, the agents of police, and some bataillons of the line were at M ontm artre, Belleville, an d La Villette to surprise the g uardians of artillery and to take it away by force. T h e N ational G uard resisted, the soldiers of the line raised th eir rifle-butts in the air, despite the menaces and the orders of General Lecomte, shot the sam e day by his soldiers at the sam e tim e as C lem ent T hom as.
( troops of the line threw the butts of th eir m uskets in the air, a n d fratern ized with the in su rg e n ts. )*

Som e m isguided m en ... resist forcibly th e N ational G u a rd a n d th e arm y.... T h e G overnm ent has chosen that your arms should be left to you. Seize th em with resolution to establish the reign of law a n d to save the Republic from anarchy." -'

(On the 17th Schoelcher tries to w heedle them into disarm ing.)
Proclamation of the Central Committee of the 19 March:
th e state of siege is raised. T h e p eople of Paris is convoked for its com m unal elections.

Id. to the N ational Guards:

You have ch arg ed us to organize th e d efen ce of Paris a n d of y o u r rights.... At this m o m en t o u r m an d a te has e x p ire d ; we give it back to you, we will n o t take the place of those w hom the p o p u la r b re ath has ju st sw ept away. * >

T h e bulletin of victory by A urelle de Paladines was already p rin ted , also papers fo u n d on the D ecem brisation of Paris.^ O n the 19 M arch the C entral C om m ittee declared the state of siege of Paris raised,"* on the 20 Picard proclaim ed it fo r the d ep a rtm en t of the Seine-et-Oise. 18 M arch (M orning: still believing in his victory) proclamation of Thiers, p lacarded on the walls:
T h e G o v ern m en t has resolved to act. T h e C rim inals who affect to institute a g o v ern m en t m ust be delivered to re g u la r justice, a n d the can n o n taken away m ust be resto red to the A rsenals.

Late in th e aftern o o n , the nocturnal surprise having failed he appeals to th e N ational Guards:
T h e G o v ern m en t is n o t p re p a rin g a coup d etat. T h e G overnm ent of the R epublic has n o t a n d cannot have any o th e r aim th an the safety o f the R epublic.

T hey allowed th e m em bers of th e G o v ern m en t to w ithdraw quietly to Versailles (even such as they h ad in th eir h an d s like Ferry). T h e com m unal elections convoked fo r th e 22 M arch th ro u g h the dem onstratio n of th e p arty of o rd e r rem oved to th e 26th M arch. 21 March. T h e Assemblys frantic roars of dissent against the w ords Vive la Republique at th e en d of a Proclam ation To Citizens and A rm y (soldiers) .^ Thiers: It m ight be a very legitim ate proposal etc. (Dissent of th e rurals.) Jules Favre m ade a "harangue against the d o ctrin e of th e R epublic being su p erio r to universal suffrage, flattered th e ru ral m ajority, th rea ten ed the Parisians with Prussian in tervention and p ro v o k ed the demonstra
tion of the Paris of Order. Thiers: come what may he would not send an armed force to attack Paris. (had no troops yet to do it.)

H e will only
do away with the in su rg e n t com m ittee ... almost all unknown to the population".'^

L ate in th e evening a th ird proclam ation to the N ational Guard, signed by Picard an d d Aurelle:
M arx gives raised th e ir rifle-butts in the a ir in French. Ed. b Paris, M arch 18, 1871 , The Daily News, No. 7765, M arch 20, 1871. d. I. e. a coup d t ta t like th a t of D ecem ber 2, 1851. See Paris in In su rre c tio n , The Daily News, No. 7765, M arch 20, 1871; see also Journal officiel (Paris), No. 78, M arch 19, 1871. <;. '* A u P e u p le , The Standard, No. 14550, M arch 21, 1871 (published in F rench). Ed. ' I,. A. T h e irs proclam ation of M arch 17, 1871 to the inhabitants of Paris and proclam ation of M arch 18, 1871 to the N ational G uards, The Daily News, No. 7765, M arch 20, 1871. </.

T h e C entral C om m ittee was so u n su re of its victory th at it hastened to accept th e m ediation of th e m ayors an d th e deputies of Paris.... T h e stubbornness of T h iers allowed it (the C om m ittee) to survive fo r a day o r two, an d by th en it had com e to realise its strength. Countless mistakes by the revolutionaries. Instead of re n d e rin g the police harm less, th e doors w ere flu n g op en to them ; they w ent to Versailles, w here they w ere welcom ed as saviours; they let the 4 3 rd of th e line go; all th e soldiers w ho had
E. Picard, L .J.-B . d A urelle d e Paladines, T o the N ational G u ard s of the Seine , The Daily News, No. 7765, M arch 20, 1871. Ed. Au P eu p le ; A ux G ardes n a tio n a u x de Paris , The Standard, No. 14550, M arch 21, 1871; see also Journal officiel (Paris), No. 79, M arch 20, 1871. M arx gives the last fo u r w ords in F rench. Ed. Proclam ation of M arch 21, 1871 T o the Citizens a n d Soldiers , The Daily News, No. 7768, M arch 23, 1871. Ed. d See I.. A. T h ie rs and J. Favres speeches in the N ational Assembly on M arch 21, 1871, The Daily News, No. 7768, M arch 23, 1871. d.

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fratern ised with the people w ere allowed to go hom e; they let the reactionaries organise them selves in the very h e a rt of Paris; they left Versailles alone. T rid o n , Jaclard, V arlin an d Vaillant w anted them to go an d drive the royalists ou t rig h t away.... Favre and T h iers took u rg e n t steps with the Prussian authorities to secure th eir assistance ... in p u ttin g dow n the in su rg en t m ovem ent in Paris. T ro c h u an d C lem ent T hom as concentrated on fru stratin g every attem p t to arm an d organise the N ational G uard. T h e m arch on Versailles was decided u p o n , p re p a re d an d u n d erta k en by the C entral C om m ittee w ithout th e know ledge of the C om m une and even directly contrary to its clearly expressed will.... B ergeret ... instead of blowing u p the bridge at Neuilly, which the Federals w ere unable to hold because of M ont V alerien an d the batteries installed at C ourbevoie, allowed the royalists to take it, an d th ere to en tre n ch them selves strongly, thereby assuring them selves of a ro u te of com m unication with Paris... As M. Littre said in a letter {Daily News, 20 April):
Paris disarm ed; Paris m anacled by the Vinoys, the V alentins, the Paladines, the Republic was lost. T h is th e Parisians u n d e rsto o d . W ith the alternative of succum bm g w ithout fighting, a n d risking a terrible contest of un certain issue, they chose to fight; a n d I can n o t b u t praise them fo r it. *

shall elect th e m em bers of th e C ouncil by general roll. 64. O ne-half of it shall be renew ed in the last m o n th of th e legislative session. 65. T h e C ouncil shall be c h arg e d with d irecting a n d supervising the general adm inistration. 66. It shall a p p o in t not from its m em bers th e chief officers of the general adm inistration of the R epublic. 68. T h ese officers shall n o t constitute a council b u t shall act separately a n d shall have no direct connection w ith one a n o th e r; they shall n o t exercise any p ersonal authority. 73. T h e C ouncil shall recall a n d replace the officers it appoints.''

R oused on the one h a n d by J. Favres call to civil w ar in the Assem bly he told th at the Prussians h ad th rea ten ed to interfere, if th e Parisians d id n o t give in at once, en co u rag ed by the forbearance of the people an d th e passive attitu d e tow ards them of the C entral C om m ittee, th e Party of O rd e r at Paris resolved on a coup de m ain^ which cam e off on th e 22 M arch u n d e r the etiquette of a Peaceful Procession, a peaceable dem o n stratio n against the R evolutionary G overnm ent. A nd it was a peaceful d em o n stra tion of a very peculiar character.
T h e w hole m ovem ent seem ed a surprise. T h e re w ere n o p re p ara tio n s to m eet

T h e expedition to Rome,'''^ th e work of Cavaignac, Jules Favre, an d T hiers.

A go v ern m en t w hich has all th e in tern al advantages of a republican go v ern m en t a n d th e ex ternal stre n g th of a m onarchist governm ent. I m ean a federal republic.... It is a society of societies, a new society, w hich grows th ro u g h the ad dition of n u m ero u s new associated members until it becom es stro n g e n o u g h to assure th e security o f those w ho have b a n d ed together. T h is kind of republic ... can m aintain its size without succum bing to internal c o rru p tio n . T h e form of this society averts all difficulties (Montesquieu. L Esprit des Loix, l.IX , Ch. I ) .

The Constitution o f 1793^^^

78. Every commune of th e Republic shall have a m unicipal adm inistration. Every district shall have an in term ed iate a d m inistration a n d every department a central adm inistration. 79. M unicipal officers shall be elected by assem blies of the com m une. 80. T h e adm inistrators shall be a p p o in te d by assem blies of electors in the d e p artm e n ts a n d districts. 81. O n e-h alf of th e m em b ersh ip o f the m unicipalities a n d th e adm inistrations shall be renew ed every year. Executive Council, 62. Shall consist of 24 m em bers. 63. T h e electoral assem bly of each d e p a rtm e n t shall nom inate one candidate. T h e Legislative C orps ^ M arx w rote th e last th ree p a rag ra p h s in French. Ed. A F rench View of th e Presence a n d F u tu re of F ra n c e , The Daily Neu; No. 7792, A pril 20, 1871. Erf. M arx gives a French quotation in the original. rf.

it. ^ ^ A riotous m ob of g en tlem en , in th eir first ra n k th e familiars of the E m pire, th e H eeckeren, C oetlogon, an d H . de P ene etc, illtreating a n d disarm ing national g u ard s d etach ed from advanced sentinels (sentries) who fled to th e Place V endom e w hence th e N ational G uards m arch at once to th e R ue N euve des Petits C ham ps. M eeting th e rioters, they received o rd e r n o t to fire, b u t the rioters advance u n d e r th e cry: dow n with the Assassins! dow n with the C om m ittee!, insult the guards, grasp at th eir m uskets, shoot with a revolver citizen M aljoum al (lieutenant of th e G eneral Staff on the Place)** (m em bre du Comite central). G eneral B ergeret calls u p o n them to w ithdraw (disband) (retire). D uring about 5 m inutes th e d ru m s are beaten and th e sommations' (replacing the English read in g of th e riot acts) m ade. T h ey reply by cries of insult. Tw o national g u ard s fall severely w ounded. M eanwhile th eir com rades hesitate a n d fire in to th e air. T h e rioters try to forcibly break through the lines and to disarm them. B ergeret com m ands fire an d th e cow ards fly. T h e emeute is at once dispersed an d th e fire ceases. Shots w ere fired from houses on the national gu ard . Tw o of them , W ahlin a n d F ranfois were
= > T h ese two p a rag ra p h s a re in F rench in the original. Ed. h S u d d en attack. Ed. " T h e Rule of S edition , The Daily Telegraph, No. 4921, M arch 23, 1871. Ed. M arx gives the p h rase in p aren th eses in F rench. Ed. Sum m ons. Ed. f R ebellion. d.

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killed, eight are w ounded. T h e streets th ro u g h which the pacific disband are strew n with revolvers an d sword-canes (m any of them picked u p in the R ue de la Paix). Vicom te de M olinet, killed from beh in d (by his own people) fo u n d with a dagger fixed by a chain. Rappel*" was beaten. A n u m b er of cane swords, revolvers, and daggers lay on the streets by which th e u n a rm e d dem onstration h ad passed. Pistol shots w ere fired before the insurgents received o rd ers to fire on the crowd. T h e m anifesters w ere the aggressors (witnessed by G eneral S heridan from a window). T his was th en simply an attem p t to do by the reactionists of Paris, arm ed with revolvers, canesw ords, an d daggers, w hat Vinoy had failed to do with his sergents-de-ville, soldiers, cannon and m itrailleuse. T h a t the lower o rd e rs of Paris allowed them selves n o t even to be disarm ed by the g en d e m e n of Paris, was really too bad! W hen on th e 13th Ju n e 1849 the N ational G uards of Paris m ade a really u n a rm e d an d pacific procession to protest against a crim e, the attack on Rom e by the F rench troops, G eneral C h an g arn ier was praised by his intim ate T h iers fo r sabring and shooting them dow n. T h e state of siege was declared, new laws of repression,'* new proscriptions, a new reign of terror!*^ Instead of all th at, th e C entral C om m ittee an d the w orkm en of Paris stricdy kept on the defensive d u rin g the en co u n ter itself, allowed the assailers, th e g en dem en of the dagger, to re tu rn quietly hom e, and, by th eir indulgence, by not calling them to account fo r this d arin g enterp rise, encouraged them so m uch, th at two days later, u n d e r th e leadership of adm iral Saisset, sent from Versailles, [they] rallied again an d tried again th eir h ands at civil war. A nd this V endom e affair evoked at Versailles a cry of Assassination of u n arm e d citizens rev erb eratin g th ro u g h o u t the world. Be it rem ark ed th at even T hiers, while eternally reiterating the assassination of the two generals, has not once d ared to re m in d th e w orld of this Assassination of u n arm e d citizens . As in the m edieval times the knight m ay use any w eapon w hatever against the plebeian, b u t the latter m ust not d a re even to d efen d himself. (27 M arch. Versailles. Thiers:
Le Journal officiel de Paris ra co n te... , Le Rappel, No. 650, M arch 25, 1871. d. R etreat. Ed. M arx gives a detailed analysis of the events of J u n e 13, 1849 in his The Class Struggles in France, 1848 to 1850, Ch. 2 (see p re sen t edition. Vol. 10, pp. 71-100). Ed.

I give a form al contradiction to those w ho accuse m e of leading the way for a m onarchical settlem ent. I found the Republic an accomplished fact. B efore G od and m en I declare I will not betray it .^

A fter the second rising of th e p arty of O rd e r, the Paris people took no reprisals w hatever. T h e C en tral C om m ittee even com m it ted the great b lu n d er, against th e advice of its m ost energetic m em bers, no t to m arch at once at Versailles, w here, after the flight of A dm . Saisset and th e ridiculous collapse of th e N ational G u ard of O rd e r, C onsternation ru led suprem e, th ere being not yet any forces of resistance organized. A fter the election of th e C om m une, the party of o rd e r tried again th eir forces at the ballot-box, and, w hen again beaten, effected th eir E xodus from Paris. D u rin g the election, hand sh ak in g and fraternizatio n of the B ourgeois (in the courts of the M ayoralties) with the in su rg en t N ational G uards, while am ong them selves they talk of n o th in g b u t decimation en masse.;' m itrailleuses , frying at C ayenne , wholesale fusillades .
T h e runaw ays of yesterday th in k to-day by flatterin g th e m en of th e H otel de Ville to keep them quiet until th e R urals a n d B o napartist generals, w ho are gath e rin g at Versailles will be in a position to fire on th e m . '

T h iers com m enced th e arm ed attack on th e N ational G u ard for the second tim e in A ffair of A p ril 2. F ighting betw een C ourbevoie an d Neuilly, close to Paris. N ational G uards beaten, bridge of Neuilly occupied by T h ie rs soldiers. Several th o u san d s of N ational G uards, having com e o u t of Paris and occupied C ourbevoie and P uteaux and the bridge of Neuilly, ro u ted . M any prisoners taken. Many of the in surgents im m ediately shot as rebels. Versailles troops began the firing.
Commune:
T h e G o v ern m en t of Versailles has attacked us. N ot being ab|e to co u n t u p o n the arm y, it has sent Pontifical Z o u a v e s o f C harette, B retons ' of T ro ch u , a n d G endarm es of V alentin, in o rd e r to b o m bard N euilly.

O n 2nd A pril th e Versailles G overnm ent h ad sent forw ard a division chiefly consisting of Gendarmes, Marines, Forest Guard, and Police. Vinoy with two brigades of infantry, an d G alliffet at the
Mass decim ation. Ed. b Paris M arch 26, 1871 , The Daily News, No. 7772, M arch 28, 1871. Proclam ation of th e C om m une of A pril 2. 1871 to the N ational G uards, The Daily Telegraph, No. 4931, A pril 4, 1871; see aLso Journal officiel (Pans), No. 93, .-Xpril 3, 1871. rf.

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head of a brigade of cavalry an d a battery of artillery advanced u p o n Courbevoie. Paris. A p ril 4. M illiere (Declaration)
the p eople of Paris was not m aking any aggressive a tte m p t ... w hen the g o v e rn m e n t o rd e re d it to be attacked by the ex-soldiers of the E m pire, organized as p re to rian troops, u n d e r th e C om m and of ex-S enators, = >

[SECOND D R A FT O F T H E C I V I L W A R I N F R A N C E ]
1) G O V E R N M E N T O F DE FEN C E. T R O C H U , FA V RE, P IC A R D , FERRY

T h e republic proclaim ed on the 4 th S eptem ber by the Paris w orkm en was acclaim ed th ro u g h all France w ithout a single vo k e of dissent. Its rig h t of life was fo u g h t for in a 5 m onths defensive w ar (centring in) based u p o n the resistance of Paris. W ithout th at w ar of defence waged in the n am e of th e Republic, William the C o n q u ero r w ould have resto red th e E m pire of his good b ro th e r Louis B onaparte. T h e cabal of barristers, with T h iers for th eir statesm an, an d T ro c h u fo r th eir general, installed them selves at the H 6 tel-de-Ville at a m om ent of surprise, when the real leaders of th e Paris w orking class w ere still sh u t u p in B onapartist prisons a n d th e Prussian arm y was already m arching u p o n Paris. So deeply w ere th e T h iers, th e Jules Favre, the Picard th en im bued with the belief in th e historical leadership of Pans, th at to legitim ate th eir tide as th e gov ern m en t of national defence they fo u n d e d th eir claim exclusively u p o n th eir having been chosen in the elections to th e C orps Legislatif, in 1869, as the
Deputies of Paris.

In o u r Second address on th e late war, five days after th e advent of those m en, we told you w hat they were." If they had seized th e gov ern m en t w ithout consulting Paris, Paris had proclaim ed th e republic in th e teeth of th eir resistance. A nd th eir first step was to send T h iers begging ab out at all courts of E u ro p e th ere to buy if possible F oreign m ediation, b arterin g th e R epubhc fo r a king. Paris did b ear with th eir assum ption of pow er, because they highly professed on th eir solem n vow to wield th at pow er for the single pu rp o se of national defence. Paris, however, was n o t to be
|.-B . E. M illieres declaration of A pril 4, 1871, The Daily Telegraph, No. 4933, April 6, 1871. Ed. See thi.s volum e, pp. 268-69. Ed.

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seriously d efen d ed w ithout arm ing the w orking class, organizing them into a N ational G uard, an d train in g th eir ranks th ro u g h the w ar itself. B ut Paris arm ed was the social R evolution arm ed. T h e victory of Paris over its Prussian besieger would have been a victory of th e R epublic over F rench class rule. In this conflict betw een national du ty an d class interest, the G overnm ent of national D efence did not hesitate one m om ent to tu rn into a g o v ern m en t of national defection. In a letter to Gam betta, Jules Favre confessed th at w hat T ro c h u stood in defence of, was no t the Prussian soldier, bu t the Paris w orkm an. F our m onths after the com m encem ent of the siege, w hen they th o u g h t the o p p o rtu n e m om ent com e fo r breaking the first w ord of capitulation, T ro ch u , in the presence of Jules Favre and others of his colleagues, addresses th e reu n io n of the m aires of Paris in these term s:
T h e first question, ad d ressed to m e by my colleagues, on the very evening of the 4th September, was this: Paris, can it, with any chance of success, stand a siege against the Prussian arm y? I did not hesitate to answer in the negative. Some of my colleagues h e re p re sen t will w a rran t th e tru th of m y w ords, a n d the persistence of my opinion. I told them , in these very term s, th at u n d e r the existing state of things, the a tte m p t of Paris to m aintain a siege against the Prussian arm y w ould be a folly. W ithout doubt, I ad d ed , it m ight be a heroic folly, b u t it w ould be n o th in g m ore.... The events (m anaged by him self) have not given the lie to my prevision.

of the siege T ro c h u s plan was systematically carried out. In fact, the vile B onapartist cut-throats, to whose tru st they gave the generalship of Paris, cracked in th eir intim ate co rresp o n d en ce ribald jokes at th e w ell-understood farce of th e defence. (See f.i. the correspondence of Alphonse Sim on Guiod, su p rem e co m m an d er of the artillery of th e arm y of defence of Paris an d G ran d Cross of th e Legion of H o n o u r, to Suzanne, G eneral of Division of A rtille r y p u b lis h e d by th e Journal officiel of th e C om m une.) T h e m ask of im posture was d ro p p e d at the capitulation of Paris. T h e government of national defence unm asked itself as the government of France by B ism arck s prisoners a. p a rt which Louis B o n ap arte him self at Sedan h ad considered too infam ous even fo r a m an of his stam p. O n th eir wild flight to Versailles, afte r th e events of the 18th M arch, the c a p i t u l a r d s h a v e left in the h an d s of Paris the docum entary evidence of th eir treason, to destroy which, as the C om m une says in its M anifesto to the Provinces,
they w ould not recoil fro m b a tte rin g Paris into a h e ap of ru in s w ashed in a sea of b lo o d .* >

(This little speech of T ro c h u s was after the arm istice published by M. C orbon, one of the m aires present.) T hus, on the very evening of th e proclam ation of the Republic, T ro c h u s p la n , know n to his colleagues, was n o th in g else b u t the capitulation of Paris and France. T o cure Paris of its heroic folly , it h ad to u n d erg o a trea tm e n t of decim ation an d fam ine, long en o u g h to screen the u su rp e rs of the 4th of S eptem ber from the vengeance of th e D ecem ber men.'^'^ If the national defen ce h ad been m ore th an a false pretence fo r g o v ern m en t , its self-appointed m em bers would have abdicated on the 5th of S eptem ber, publicly revealed T ro c h u s p la n , an d called u p o n the Paris people to at once s u rre n d e r to the co n q u ero r o r take the work of defence in its own hands. Instead of this the im posters published high-sounding m anifestoes w herein T ro c h u the g overnor will never capitulate ^ an d Jules Favre the Foreign m inister not cede a stone of o u r fortresses, n o r a foot of o u r te rrito ry .' T h ro u g h the whole time
Paris au jo u r le jo u r , Le Figaro. No. 74, M arch 19, 1871. Ed. L. J. T ro ch u , [Proclam ation aux habitants d e Paris. Paris, 6 jan v ier 1871], Journal officiel (Paris), No. 7, Ja n u a ry 7, 1871. Ed. J. Favre, C irculaire adressee aux agents diplom atiques de France ... Le (i septem bre 1870 , Journal officiel (Paris), No. 246, S eptem ber 7, 1870. Ed.

Some of the m ost influential m em bers of th e g o v ern m en t of defence h ad m oreover u rg e n t private reasons of th eir own to be passionately b ent u p o n such a consum m ation. Look only at Jules Favre, E rnest Picard, an d Jules Ferry! S hordy afte r th e conclusion of the arm istice, M . Milliere, o n e of th e representatives of Paris to th e N ational Assembly, published a series of authentic legal documents'^ in p ro o f th at Jules Favre, living in concubinage with the wife of a d ru n k a rd , resid en t at Algiers,'* had, by a m ost d arin g concoction of forgeries, spread over m any years, contrived to grasp, in the n am e of th e children of his adultery, a large succession which m ade him a rich m an, an d that, in a law-suit u n d erta k en by the legitim ate heirs, he only escaped exposure th ro u g h th e connivance of th e B onapartist tribunals. Since those d ry legal docum ents w ere n o t to be got rid of by any horsepow er of rhetorics, Jules Favre, in the same heroism of self-abasem ent, rem ain ed fo r once tongue-tied until the turm oil of th e civil w ar allowed him to b ra n d th e Paris people in the Versailles assembly as a b an d of escaped convicts in u tter revolt against family, religion, o rd e r an d property!
^ See Journal officiel (Paris), No. 115, A pril 25, 1871. M arx cites from the item Le G o u v ern em en t d e la D efense n atio n ale , La Situation, No. 189, A pril 29, 1871. b M anisfeste , Le Vengeur, No. .SO, A pril 28, 1871. Ed. ' J.-B. E. Milliere, Le F aussaire , Le Venguer, No. 6, F eb ru ary 8, 187L (i. Jea n n e C h a rm o n t, w ho lived separately from h e r hu sb an d V ern ier. Ed.

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(Pic affaire.) T his very fo rg e r h ad hardly got into pow er w hen he sym pathetically hastened to liberate two bro th er-fo rg ers. Pic and T aillefer, u n d e r the E m p ire itself convicted to the hulks for theft an d forgery.'*' O ne of th ese m en, Taillefer, d arin g to re tu rn to Paris after th e instalm ent of the C om m une, was at once re tu rn ed to a convenient abode; a n d th en Jules Favre told all E u ro p e that Paris was setting free all th e felonious inhabitants of h e r prisons! Ernest Picard, a p p o in ted by him self the hom e m inister of the F rench R epublic on the 4 th of S eptem ber, after having striven in vain to becom e th e h o m e m inister of Louis B onaparte, is the b ro th e r of one A rth u r Picard, an individual expulsed from the Paris bourse as a blackleg (R eport of the P refecture of Police d.d. 31 July 1867) an d convicted on his own confession of a th eft of 300,000 fcs while a d ire c to r of one of the branches of the Societe Generate,'^' (see R eport o f th e P refecture of Police, 11 D ecem ber 1868).^ B oth these re p o rts w ere still published at the tim e of th e E m pire. T his A rth u r Picard was m ade by E rnest Picard the redacteur en chef of his Electeur libre to act, d u rin g the whole siege, as his financial go-betw een, discounting at the B ourse the state secrets in the tru st o f E rnest an d safely speculating on the disasters of th e F rench arm y, while the com m on jobbers were m isled by th e false new s, an d official lies, published in the Electeur libre} the o rg a n of the hom e m inister. T h e whole financial co rresp ondence betw een th at w orthy pair of b re th re n has fallen into th e h ands o f th e C om m une. No w onder th at Ernest Picard, th e Joe M iller o f the Versailles governm ent, with his h an d s in his tro u sers pockets, walked from g ro u p to g ro u p cracking jo k es , at the first batch of Paris N ational G uards m ade prisoners and exposed to th e ferocious outrages of P ietris lambs.*' Jules Ferry, a pennyless b arriste r before the 4th of Septem ber, contrived, as th e M aire o f Paris, to job d u rin g the siege a fo rtu n e o u t of the fam ine w hich was to a great p a rt the w ork of his m aladm inistration. T h e d a y on which he w ould have to give an account of his m aladm inistration w ould be his day of judgem ent. T h e docum entary proofs a re in the hands of the C om m une. T h ese m en, th erefo re, a re the deadly foes of the w orkingm ens
See Le Sieur P ic ard , La Situation, No. 168, A pril 4, 1871. I' M arx corrected th e inaccuracy in th e final version o f The C ivil War in France: E rnest Picard was M inister of F in a n ce in the G o v ern m en t of N ational D efence and the n ew spaper Electeur libre was th e o rg a n of th e M inistry of Finance (see this volum e, p. 314). Ed. T h e A dvance of the In su rg e n ts on V ersailles , The Daily News, No. 7781, April 7, 1871. Ed.

Paris, n o t only as parasites of th e ru lin g classes, not only as th e

b e t r a y e r s o f Paris d u rin g the siege, b u t above all as com m on felons

who b u t in the ru in s of Paris, this stronghold of th e F rench R evolution, can hope to find th eir tickets-of-leave. ' T h ese d e sp e ra d o e s w ere exactly th e m en to becom e th e m inisters of T hiers.
2) T H IE R S . D U FA U R E . P O U Y E R -Q U E R T IE R

In t h e parliam entary sense things are only a p re te x t fo r w ords serving as a snare for th e adversary, an am buscade fo r th e people, or a m a tte r of artistic display fo r th e speaker him self. T h e ir m aster, M. T hiers, the mischievous gnom e, has charm ed the F r e n c h bourgeoisie fo r alm ost half a century because he is the most co n su m m ate intellectual expression of th eir own class c o rru p tio n . Even before he becam e a statesm an, he h ad shown his lying p o w e rs as a historian. E ager of display, like all dw arfish m en, greed y o f place an d pelf, with a b a rre n intellect b u t lively fancy, e p ic u re a n , sceptical, of an encyclopedic facility fo r m astering the surface o f things, an d tu rn in g things into a m ere p re te x t fo r talk, a w o rd fe n c e r of ra re conversational power, a w riter of lucid shallow ness, a m aster of small state ro g uery, a virtuoso in perju ry , a c ra ftsm a n in all th e petty stratagem s, cu n n in g devices and base p e rfid ie s of parliam en tary p arty w arfare, national an d class p re ju d ic e s standing him in the place of ideas, an d vanity in the place o f conscience, in o rd e r to displace a rival, and to shoot the p eople, in o rd e r to stifle th e Revolution, mischievous w hen in o p p o sitio n , odious w hen in pow er, never scrupling to provoke rev o lu tio n s, the history of his public life is th e chronicle of the m iseries of his country. F ond of b ran d ish in g with his dw arfish arm s i n th e face of E u ro p e th e sword of th e first N apoleon, whose h istorical shoeblack he h ad become,* his F oreign policy always c u lm in a te d in the u tte r hum iliation of France, from th e L ondon C o n v en tio n of 1841 to th e Paris capitulation of 1871 and the p re s e n t civil w ar he wages u n d e r th e shelter of Prussian invasion. It n e e d n o t be said th at to such a m an the d e e p e r u n d e rc u rre n ts of m o d e r n society rem ain ed a closed book, b u t even the m ost p a lp ab le changes on its surface w ere a b h o rre n t to a b rain all w hose vitality had fled to the tongue. F.i. he never fatigued to d e n o u n c e any deviation from th e old F rench protective system as
' S e e this volum e, p. 314. Ed. T h e re fe re n c e is to T h ie rs Histoire de la Revolution franfaise a n d Histoire du ( om ulat et de VEmpire . Ed.

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a sacrilege, railways he sneeringly d erid ed , w hen a m inister of Louis Philippe, as a wild chim era, an d every refo rm of the ro tten F rench arm y system he b ra n d ed u n d e r Louis B o naparte as a pro fan atio n . W ith all his versatility of talent an d shiftiness of pu rp o se, he was steadily w edded to the traditions of a fossilized ro u tine, an d never, d u rin g his long official career, becam e guilty of one single, even the smallest m easure of practical use. Only the old w orlds edifice may be p ro u d of being crow ned by two such m en as N apoleon the litde an d little T hiers. T h e so-called accom plishm ents of culture ap p e a r in such a m an only as the re fin em en t of debauchery and the...'* of selfishness. B anded with the R epublicans u n d e r the restoration, T hiers insinuated him self with Louis Philippe as a spy u p o n and the jail-accoucheur of the Duchess of Berry,' b u t his activity w hen he had first slipped into a m inistry (1834-35) cen tred in the m assacre of th e in su rg en t R epublicans at the ru e T ra n sn o n ain and the incubation of the atrocious S eptem ber laws against the press.' R eap p earin g as the chief of the cabinet in M arch 1840, he came o u t with th e plot of the Paris fortifications.' T o the [outcry] of the R epublican party, against the sinister attem p t on the liberty of Paris, he replied;
W hat! T o fancy th at any w orks of fortification could e n d a n g e r liberty! A nd first of all, you calum niate every Government whatever in sup p o sin g th a t it could one day try to m aintain itself by bom b ard in g th e capital.... B ut it w ould be h u n d re d tim es m ore im possible a fte r its victory th an b e f o r e .

(If it h ad been by its own governm ent, u n d e r th e eyes an d on the sufferance of th e F oreign enem y, all would, of course, have been right.)
A nd why? Because that unfortunate town (city) demanded its rights. Well, th en . For the d e m a n d of its rights, it has had 48 hours of bombardment."

(If the b o m b ard m en t had lasted 4 weeks an d m ore all would have been right.)
Allow m e to appeal to th e opinion of E urope. It is dom g a service to m ankind to com e a n d m ake re v erb erate from the greatest trib u n e p e rh a p s of E u ro p e som e words of indignation*' (indeed! words!) agam st such acts.. W hen the re g e n t E spartero, w ho h a d re n d e re d services to his c o u n try (w hat T h ie rs never did), in order to suppress an insurrection, w anted to bombard Barcelona, th ere was from all p a rts of the w orld a general shriek of in d ig n a tio n .

Well, about a year later this fine-souled m an becam e the sinister suggester an d th e m ost fierce d e fe n d e r (apologist) of the bo m b ard m e n t of Rom e by the troops of the^ F rench republic, u n d e r the com m and of th e legitim ist O udinot.*^ A few days before th e R evolution of February, frettin g at the long exile from pow er to which Guizot h ad co n d em n ed him , smeUing in the air th e com m otion, T h iers exclaim ed again in the C ham bre of D eputies:
/ am of the parly of Revolution n o t only in France, b u t in E urope. I wish the go v ern m en t of th e Revolution to rem ain in the h an d s of m o d era te m e n . . B u t if th a t go v ern m en t should pass into th e h an d s of a rd e n t m en, even of the Radicals, I should not for all that d e se rt (abandon) my cause. I shall always be of the party of the Revolution.

In d e ed no F rench governm ent w hatever save th at of M. T hiers him self with his ticket-of-leave" m inisters an d his ru ral assembly* ru m in an ts could have d ared u p o n such a deed! A nd this too in the m ost classic form ; one p art of his fortifications in the hands of his Prussian conquerors an d protectors. W hen K ing Bomba'* tried his h ands at Palerm o **in Jan u ary 1848, T h iers rose in the C ham ber of D eputies:
You know, gentlem en, w hat passes at Palerm o: you all shook w ith h o rr o r (in the p a rliam e n ta ry sense) w hen h e a rin g th a t during 48 hours a great town has been bombarded. By whom ? was it by a F oreign enem y, exercising the rights of war? No, gentlem en, by its own government."

T h e Revolution of F ebruary came. Instead of displacing the G uizot cabinet by the T h iers cabinet as th e litde m an had dream t, it displaced Louis Philippe by th e Republic. T o p u t dow n th at R evolution was M. T h iers exclusive business from th e proclam a tion of the R epublic to th e Coup d Etat. O n the first day of the p o p u lar victory, he anxiously hid him self, fo rg ettm g th at the contem pt of the people rescued him from its h atred . Still, with his legendary courage, he con tin u ed to shy the public stage until after the bloody disru p tio n of th e m aterial forces of th e P ans proletariat by Cavaignac, the bourgeois republican.* T h e n th e scene was cleared fo r his sort of action. His h o u r h ad again struck. He becam e the leading m ind of th e Parly of O rder and its Parliamentary Republic, th at anonym ous reig n in which all the
a L A. T h ie rs speech at the session of the C ham ber 1848 Le Rappel, No. 673, A pril 17, 1871; Le Vengeur, No. h L. A. T h ie rs speech at the session of the C h am b er 1848, Le Moniteur universe!. No. 34, F ebruary 3, 1848. of D eputies, Jan u ary 31, 21, A pril 19, 1871. Ed of D epuues, F ebruary 2, Ed.

^ A blank space in the m anuscript. Ed. L. A. T h ie rs speech at the session of the C h am b er of D eputies, Ja n u a ry 13, 1841, Le Venguer, No. 14, A pril 12, 1871. See this volum e, p. $14 . Ed. F erd in an d II. Ed.

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rival factions of the ruling classes conspired to g eth er to crush the w orking class an d conspired against each oth er, each fo r the restoration of its own m onarchy. (T he R estoration had been the reign of the aristocratic landed p ro p rieto rs, th e July m onarchy the reign of the capitalist, Cavaignacs republic the reign of the R epublican fraction of the bourgeoisie, while d u rin g all these reigns the band of h u n g ry ad v en tu rers fo rm ing the B onapartist party h ad p an ted in vain for th e p lu n d e r of France, that was to qualify them as the saviours of o rd e r an d pro perty, family an d religion . T h a t R epublic was th e anonym ous reign of coalesced Legitim ists, O rleanists, and B onapartists, with the bourgeois Republicans fo r th eir tail.)
3) T H E R U R A L ASSEM BLY

If this ru ra l assembly, m eeting at B ordeaux, m ade this g overnm ent, the governm ent of defence m e n had b efo reh an d taken good care to m ake th at assembly. F or th at pu rp o se they had dispatched T h iers on a travelling to u r th ro u g h the provinces, th ere to foreshadow com ing events and m ake ready fo r the su rp rise of the general elections. T h iers had to overcom e one difficulty. Q uite ap a rt from having becom e an abom ination to the F rench people, the B onapartists, if num erously elected, w ould at once have resto red the E m pire and em baled M. T h iers and Co. fo r a voyage to Cayenne.'*^ T h e O rleanists w ere too sparsely scattered to fill th eir own places an d those vacated by the B onapartists. T o galvanize the Legitim ist party, h ad th ere fo re becom e unavoidable. T h iers was no t afraid of his task. Im possible as a g o v ernm ent of m o d ern France, a n d th ere fo re contem ptible as rivals fo r place an d pelf, who could be fitter to be h an d led as the blind tool o f C ounter-revolution, than the party whose action, in the w ords of T hiers, had always been confined to the th ree resources of Foreign invasion, civil war, and an arch y . (Speech of Thiers at the Chambre o f Deputies o f January 5, 1833.^) A select set of th e Legitimists, ex p ro p riated by the R evolution of 1789, had reg am ed th eir estates by enlisting in the servant hall of the first N apoleon, th e bulk of them by the m illiard of indem nity an d the private donations of the R estoration. Even their seclusion from participation in active politics u n d e r the successive reigns of Louis Philippe an d N apoleon the little, served as a lever to the reestablishm ent of th eir wealth as landed proprietors. Freed from
= * See La Tribune de Bordeaux, A pril 25, 1871. <i.

co u rt dissipation a n d rep resen tatio n costs at Paris, they had, o u t of the very corners of provincial France, only to g ath er th e golden apples falling into th eir chateaux^ from th e tree of m o d ern industry, railways enh an cin g the price of th eir land, agronom y applied to it by capitalist farm ers, increasing its pro d u ce, an d th e inexhaustible d em an d of a rapidly swollen town population securing the grow th of m arkets fo r th at produce. T h e very same social agencies which reco nstituted th eir m aterial w ealth and rem ad e th eir im po rtan ce as p artn e rs of th at jointstock com pany of m o d ern slaveholders, screened them from th e infection of the m o d ern ideas an d allowed them , in rustic innocence, n o th in g to forget and noth in g to learn. Such people fu rn ish ed th e m ere passive m aterial to be w orked u p o n by a m an hke T hiers. While executing the m ission, en tru sted to him by the g o v ern m en t of D efence, the mischievous im p overreached his m andataries in securing to him self th at m u ltitu d e of elections which was to convert the defence m en from his o p p o n en t m asters into his avowed servants. T h e electoral trap s being th u s laid, the F rench people was suddenly sum m oned by the capitulards of Paris to choose within 8 days a national assembly with th e exclusive task by virtue of the term s of the convention of th e 31st Jan u ary , dictated by Bismarck,^' to decide on w ar o r peace. Q uite ap a rt from the ex trao rd in ary circum stances, u n d e r which th at election occurred, with no tim e for deliberation, with one half of F rance u n d e r the sway of Prussian bayonets, with its o th er half secretly w orked u p o n by the governm en t intrigue, with Paris secluded from th e provinces, the F rench people felt instinctively th at th e very term s of the armistice, u n d erg o n e by th e capitulards, left France no alternative (choice) b u t th at of a peace a outrance' and th at for its sanction the w orst m en of F rance w ould be th e best. H ence the ru ra l assembly em erg in g at B ordeaux. Still we m ust distinguish betw een the old regim e orgies an d the real historical business of th e rurals. A stonished to find them selves the strongest fraction of an im m ense m ajority, com posed of them selves an d th e O rleanists, with a co n tin g en t of B ourgeois republicans an d a m ere sprinkling of B onapartists, they verily believed in the long-expected advent of th eir retrospective m illennium . T h e re w ere th e heels of th e Foreign invasion tram pling u p o n France, th ere was the downfall of th e E m pire and
M anors. Ed. At any price. Ed.

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wheel ^Of history ^ h a d ^ e v S e m lt

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themselves. T h e

curses agam st the Revolutionary deluge L d T tL h " " ^ ^ p a s s io n a te Its decapitation an d d e c a n ita liz a tio n ^ f d f, f'^o^Jnations, with tio n breaking th ro u g h the netw ork f f ^^centralizainfluences of the Chateaux m d I T i * e local of antediluvian politics, with its^ ^ ' S t t genealogic spite against the d r u d r n f ^ ^^PP^ncy, its B o e u f v i e w s of the world. Still i n T o in tT f u" act th eir p a rt as joint-stock holders of the to m onopolists of the m eans r>f r. ^ p arty of o rd e r as
parliam entary rep ub lic, with this diffe^e o f the rep resen ted by th eir educaf^H ^ ference th at then they were ions, the B erryer, the Falloux T h e T t. ^ham pthey had to ask in tL fr " u ^ ic rank d iffe ren t tone and tu n e to th T w ' P arting thus a bourgeois reality u n d e r feudal colours ^ a s k e ra d in g its tions (homilies) serve only to set o ff th ^ ^ ^ ^sque exaggeragovernm ent. E nsnared into an u su rp a tL n ^ electoral m andates, they live beyond th eir selfm ade rulers T h e Foreio-n ' ^ sufferance of their been the deadly w e a p o T S S ^ ^ ^ ^ 1 8 1 5 - having parvenus, they have in in ju d ic ia f blTnd bourgeois them selves th e responsibility fo r hi bestowed upon France to the Fore^gn^r ^ s u r r e n d e f o f people astonished an d insulted by th e " "? noble P ourceaugnacs it believed buried , of all the aw are th at beside m aking the Revoh!t 1 become to finish o ff the R e v Z i o n o f m q T d has ho last goal o f all ruscic a n i m a l s - , h / ^ a S s

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T h e d isarm am ent o f Paris as a rr, counter-revolutionary plot m ieh t h a v A he tem porizing, d r c u m lp L t m a n S r bm a s '^ H financial treaty with its irreckf.Ki f clause of the u rg en t delay .'2 T h iers had th ere fo re to try hrooked no 7 ^ , his h an d at a coup d etat. He
No. 7774, M Z c h m J l S l 7 L % T The Da^ly N e ..,
4 th o r o i r s <, th e n ex t p a s e .- ^ L . f ' - o . , i o o f ti.e it

T h T rV th e m enacing concentration of troops ^ _ _ e defeat of Vmoy by the N ational G u ard was b u t a check

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given to the C ounterrevolution plotted by ruling classes, b u t the Paris people tu rn e d at once th at incident of th eir selfdefence into th e first act of a social R evolution. T h e revolution of the 4th S eptem ber h ad resto red the R epublic after the th ro n e of the u s u rp e r h ad becom e vacant. T h e tenacious resistance of Paris d u rin g its siege, serving as th e basis fo r the defensive w ar in the provinces, h ad w ru n g from the F oreign invader the recognition of th at Republic, b u t its tru e m eaning an d p u rpose were only revealed on the 18th of M arch. It was to supersede the social and political conditions of class rule, u p o n which the old w orlds system rests, which h ad en g e n d ere d the Second E m pire an d u n d e r its tutelage, rip en ed into rottenness. E u ro p e thrilled as u n d e r an electric shock. It seem ed fo r a m om ent to do u b t w hether its late sensational p erform ances of state an d w ar h ad any reality in them an d w ere n o t the m ere sanguinary dream s of a long bygone past. T h e traces of the long e n d u re d fam ine still u p o n th eir figures, and u n d e r th e very eye of Prussian bayonets, the Paris w orking class co n q u ered in one b o u n d the cham pionship of progress etc. In the sublim e enthusiasm of historic initiative, the Paris w o rk m en s Revolution m ade it a point of h o n o u r to keep the p ro letarian clean of the crim es in which the revolutions an d still m ore th e counterrevolutions of th eir betters (natural superiors) abound.

Clement Thomas. Lecomte etc.

B ut th e h o rrid atrocides that have sullied this Revolution? So fa r as these atrocities im p u ted to it by its enem ies are not the deliberate calum ny of Versailles o r the h o rrid spawn of the penny a lin ers brain, they relate only to two facts the execution of th e G enerals Lecom te an d C lem ent T hom as an d the V endom e A ffaire, of which we shall dispose in a few words. O n e of th e paid cut-throats selected fo r th e (felonious handy work) execution of the nocturnal coup de main'" on M ontm artre, G eneral L ecom te h ad on the place Pigalle fo u r times o rd e re d his troops of the 81st of the line to charge an u n arm e d g athering, and on th eir refusal fiercely insulted them . Instead of shooting wom en an d children, some of his own m en shot him , w hen taken prisoner in the aftern o o n of the 18th M arch, in the gard en s of the C hateau rouge. T h e inveterate habits acquired by the F rench soldatesque u n d e r th e train in g of the enem ies of the w orking class, are of
S u d d en attack. Ed.

course no t likely to change th e very m o m en t they change sides. T h e sam e soldiers executed C lem ent T hom as. G en eral C lem ent T hom as, a discontent ex-quarterm aster-sergeant had, in th e latter times of Louis P hilippes reign, enlisted in th e rep u b lican N ational new spaper, th ere to serve in the double quality of straw m an (responsible Geranf') and bully. T h e m en of th e N ational having abused th e F ebruary Revolution,* to cheat them selves into pow er, m etam o rp h o sed th eir old qu arterm aster-serg ean t into a G en eral on th e eve of th e butchery of Ju n e, of which he, like Jules Favre, was o ne of the sinister plotters an d becam e one of th e m ost m erciless executors. T h e n his generalship cam e to a su d d en end. H e disappears only to rise again to th e surface on the 1st N ovem ber 1870. T h e day before th e govern m en t of defence, caught at th e H otel de Ville, had, u p o n th eir w ord of h o n o u r, solem nly b o u n d them selves to B lanqui, Flourens an d th e o th er representatives of th e w orking class to abdicate th eir u su rp e d pow er into th e h an d s of a C om m une to be freely chosen by P a r i s . T h e y broke, of course, th eir w ord of h o n o u r, to let loose th e B retons of T ro c h u , who had taken the place of the C orsicans of L. Bonaparte,' u p o n the people guilty of believing in th eir h o n o u r. M. T am isier alone refusing to b ra n d him self by such a breach of faith, ten d erin g at once his resignation of th e com m andership-in-chief of the N ational G uard, G en eral C lem ent T hom as was shuffled into his place. D uring his whole te n u re of office h e m ade w ar n o t u p o n the Prussians, bu t u p o n th e Paris N ational G u ard, proving inexhaustible in pretexts to p rev en t its g eneral arm am ent, in devices of disorganization by pitching its bourgeois elem ent against its w orking m e n s elem ents, of w eeding o u t the officers hostile to T ro c h u s p la n and disbanding, u n d e r th e stigm a of cow ardice, the very pro letarian battalions whose heroism is now astonishing th eir m ost inveterate enem ies. C lem ent T hom as felt p ro u d of having reco n q u ered his Ju n e p reem inence as the personal enem y of th e Paris w orking class. Only a few days before the 18th of M arch he laid before th e w ar m inister Le Flo a new plan of his own fo r finishing off la fin e fleur (the cream ) of th e Paris canaille.'' As if h au n ted by th e Ju n e spectres, he m ust needs appear, in the quality of an amateur detective, on the scene of action after V inoys rout!
E ditor, Ed. b O f 1848. Ed. La Sociale public u n e curieuse le ttre ... , Le Venguer, No. 21, A pril 19, 1871. Canaille m ob. Ed.
19-1 2 3 2

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T h e C entral C om m ittee tried in vain to rescue these two crim inals, Lecom te and C lem ent T hom as, from the soldiers wild lynch justice, of which they them selves an d the Paris w orkm en w ere as guilty as th e Princess A lexandra of the people crushed to d eath on the day of h e r en tran ce in L ondon. Jules Favre, with his forged Pathos, flung his curses u p o n Paris, the d en of assassins. T h e R ural Assembly m im icked hysterical contortions of sensiblerie .'' T hese m en never shed th eir crocodile tears bu t as a p retex t fo r shed d ing the blood of the people. T o han d le respectable cadavers as w eapons of civil w ar has always been a favourite trick with the p arty of o rd e r. How did E u ro p e rin g in 1848 with th eir shouts of h o rro r at the assassination of the A rchbishop of P aris by the in surgents of Ju n e, and while they w ere fully aw are from th e evidence of an eyewitness: M. Jacquem et, the A rchbishops vicar, th at the B ishop h ad been shot by Cavaignacs own soldiers! ^ T h ro u g h the letters to T h iers of th e p resen t A rchbishop of Paris,*^ a m an with no m a rty rs vein in him , there ru n s the shrew d suspicion th at his Versailles friends w ere quite th e m en to console them selves of his prospective execution in the violent desire to fix th at am iable proceeding on the C om m une! H owever, w hen the cry of assassins h ad served its tu rn , T h iers coolly disposed of it by declaring from the trib u n e of the N ational Assembly, that the assassination was the private d eed of a few, very few obscure individuals.' T h e m en of o rd e r , the reactionists of Paris, trem bling at the p eoples victory as th e signal of retribution, w ere quite astonished by proceedings strangely at variance with th eir own traditional m ethods of celebrating a defeat of the people. Even the sergents-de-ville, instead of being disarm ed an d locked up, h ad the doors of Paris flu n g wide o p en fo r th eir safe re tre a t to Versailles, while th e m en of o rd e r , left not only u n h u rt, w ere allowed to rally quietly and lay hold of the strongholds in the very centre of Paris. T h ey in terp re ted , of course, the indulgence of the C entral C om m ittee an d th e m agnanim ity of the arm ed w orkm en as m ere sym ptom s of conscious weakness. H ence th eir plan to try u n d e r th e m ask of an u n a rm e d dem onstration the w ork which fo u r
> Sentim entality. Ed. D. A. A ffre. Erf. T h e re fe re n ce is to Ja c q u em ets statem ent o f Ju n e 26, 1848, published in La Situation, No. 185, A pril 25, 1871. /. d G. D arboy, Prison de Mazas, le 8 avril 1871 , Le Rappel, No. 669, A pril 13, 1871. d. See M editation des m u n id p alites de la Seine , Le Rappel, No. 684, A pril 28, 1871. Ed,

days before Vinoys cannon an d m itrailleuses h ad failed in. S tarting from th eir q u arters of luxury, this riotous m ob of g en tlem en , with all th e petits creves^ in th eir ranks and the fam iliars of th e E m pire, th e H eeckeren, C oetlogon, H. de Pene etc. at th eir h ead, fell in m arching o rd e r u n d e r th e cries of down with the Assassins! dow n with th e C entral Com m ittee! Vive IAssemblee N ationale! illtreating an d disarm ing th e detached posts of N ational G uards they m et with on th eir progress. W hen then at last d ebouching in the place V endom e, they tried, u n d e r shouts of ribald insults, to dislodge th e N ational G uards from th eir h ea d q u arters an d forcibly b reak th ro u g h the lines. In answ er to th eir pistol shots th e reg u lar sommations (the F rench equivalent of the English read in g of th e Riot acts) w ere m ade, b u t proved ineffective to stop th e aggressors. T h e n fire was com m anded by the general of th e N ational G u a rd ' and these rioters dispersed in wild flight. Tw o national g u ard s killed, eight dangerously w o u n d ed, an d the streets, th ro u g h which they d isbanded (runaways fled), strew n with revolvers, daggers an d cane-sw ords, gave clear evidence of th e u n a rm e d ch aracter of th eir pacific dem o n st ration." W hen, on the 13th Ju n e 1849, th e N ational g u ards of Paris m ade a really u n a rm e d dem o n stratio n of pro test against the felonious assault on Rom e by F rench troops, C h an g arn ier, the general of th e p arty of o rd e r , had th eir ranks sabred, tram pled dow n by cavalry an d shot dow n, the state of siege was at once proclaim ed, new arrests, new proscriptions, a new reign of te rro r set in."* B ut the lower o rd e rs m anage these things otherw ise. T h e runaw ays of th e 22nd M arch being n eith er followed u p on th eir flight n o r afterw ards called to account by th e ju d g e of instruction (juge d instruction), w ere able two days later to m u ster again an a rm e d dem o n stratio n u n d e r A dm iral Saisset. Even afte r the grotesque failure of this th eir second rising, they were, like all o th er Paris citizens, allowed to try th eir h an d s at the ballot-box fo r th e election of th e C om m une, an d w hen succum b ing in this bloodless batde, they at last p u rg e d Paris from th eir presence by an unm olested Exodus, d rag g in g along with them the cocottes, the lazzaroni and th e o th e r dan g ero u s class of th e capital.
Fops. Ed. I J. B erg eret. Ed. See Le Journal officiel de Paris ra co n te... , Le Rappel, No. 650, M arch 25, 1871. d. M arx gives a detailed analysis of the events of Ju n e 13, 1849 in his w ork The Class Struggles in France, 1848 to 1850, Ch. II (see p re sen t edition. Vol. 10, pp. 71-100). (/.

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T h e assassination of the u n arm e d citizens on the 22nd of M arch is a m yth which even T h iers a n d his rurals have never d ared to h a rp u p o n , en tru stin g it exclusively to the servant hall of E u ro p ean journalism . If th ere is to be fo u n d fault with in the conduct of th e C entral C om m ittee an d the Paris w orkm en tow ards these m en of o rd e r from 18th M arch to the tim e of th eir Exodus, it is an excess of m o d eratio n b o rd e rin g u p o n weakness.

nev er h a d m ore d e g ra d e d co untenances of a d e g ra d e d dem ocracy m et the afflicted gazes of h o n est m e n ,^'

Look now to the o th er side of the medal! A fter the failure of th eir nocturnal surprise of M ontm artre, the p arty of o rd e r began th eir re g u la r C am paign against Paris in the com m encem ent of April. For in au g u ratin g the civil w ar by the m ethods of D ecem ber, the massacre in cold blood of the captured soldiers of th e line an d infam ous m u rd e r of o u r brave friend Duval, Vinoy, the runaw ay, is ap pointed by T h iers G ran d Cross of th e Legion of H onour! Galliffet, the fancy-m an of th at wom an so notorious fo r h e r sham eless m askerades at the orgies of the Second E m p ir e ,b o a s ts in an official m anifesto of his cowardly assassination of Paris N ational G uards, their lieu ten an t an d th eir captain, m ade by surprise and treason.* D esm arets, the gendarm e, is deco rated fo r his butchery-like chopping of the highsouled and chivalrous Flourens, the en co u rag in g particulars of whose d eath are triu m p h an tly com m unicated to the Assembly by Thiers.^ In the horribly grotesque exultation of a T om Pouce playing the p a rt of T im u r T am erlan e, T h iers denies th e rebels against his littleness all th e rights an d custom s of civilized w arfare, even the rights of am bulances .' W hen th e C om m une h ad published on the 7 A pril its decree of reprisals, declaring it its du ty to protect itself against the cannibal exploits of th e Versailles b anditti an d to d em an d an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth,'* the atrocious trea tm e n t of the Versailles prisoners, of whom T h iers says in one of his bulletins:
^ T h e wild tum ults o f... . The Daily News, No. 7779, A pril 5, 1871. Ed. Notice on Proclam ation of G eneral d e G alliffet, A pril 3, 1871, The Daily News, No. 7783, A pril 10, 1871. Ed. M arx sets fo rth T h ie rs speech in the N ational Assembly on A pril 3, 1871 according to The Daily Telegraph, No. 4932, A pril 5, 1871. Ed. T h e Proclam ation of the C om m une of A pril 5, 1871 is cited from The Civil War in France published in The Daily News, No. 7781, A pril 7, 1871; see also Journal officiel (Paris), No. 96, A pril 6, 1871. d.

did no t cease, b u t the fusillades of the captives w ere stopped. H ardly how ever had he and his D ecem brist generals becom e aw are, that the C om m unes decree was b u t an em pty th reat, th at even th eir spying g endarm es caught in Paris u n d e r the disguise of N ational G uards, th at even th eir sergents-de-ville cap tu red with explosive bom bs u p o n them w ere spared, w hen at once th e old regim e set in wholesale an d has con tin u ed to this day. T h e N ational G uards who h ad su rre n d e re d at Belle Epine to an overw helm ing force of C hasseurs w ere th en shot dow n one after the o th er by the captain of th e peloton'' on horseback; houses, to which Parisian troops an d N ational g uards h ad fled, su rro u n d e d by G endarm es, in u n d ated with p etroleum , an d th en set on fire, the calcinated corpses being afterw ard tran sp o rte d by Paris am bulance; th e bayoneting of th e national g u ard s su rprised (Federals su rprised in th eir beds asleep) by treason in th eir beds at the R edoubt of M oulin Saquet, the m assacre (fusillades) of C lam art, prisoners w earing th e line u n ifo rm shot o ffh an d , all these high deeds flippantly told in T h iers b ulletin,' are only a few incidents of this slaveholders rebellion! B ut w ould it not be ludicrous to quote single facts of ferocity in view of this civil war, fom ented am idst the ru in s of France, by th e conspirators of Versailles from th e m eanest motives of class interest, an d the b o m b ard m en t of Paris u n d e r the p atro n ag e of Bism arck, in the sight of his soldiers! T h e flip p an t m an n er in which T h iers rep o rts on these things in th e bulletin, has even shocked th e not oversensitive nerves of The Times!^ All this is how ever re g u la r as the S paniards say. All the fights of the ru lin g classes against the p ro d u cin g classes m enacing th eir privileges are full of th e same h o rro rs, althoug h no n e exhibits such an excess of hum anity on the p a rt of the oppressed an d few such an abasem ent.... T h eirs has always been the old axiom of k n ig h t-erran try th at every w eapon is fair if used against th e plebeian.
L assemblee siege paisiblement, writes Thiers to th e Prefects. '
3 L. A. T h ie rs proclam ation of A pril 4, 1871, The Daily News, No. 7779, A pril 5, 1871. Ed. I A com pany. Ed. See Voici, su r le m em e fait, le b u lle tin ... , Le Rappel, No. 692, May 6, 1871. Erf. d See T h e M assacre at C lam a rt , The Times, No. 27056, May 6, 1871. Ed. > Assembly m eets peacefully , quoted in: T h . A strie, Lhom m e ro u g e . La Situation, No. 176, A pril 14, 1871. Ed.

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The A ffaire at Belle-Epine T h e affair at Belle-Epine, n e a r Villejuif this: O n the 25th A pril fo u r national guards, being su rro u n d e d by a tro o p of m ounted Chasseurs, who bid them to su rre n d e r an d lay dow n th eir arm s. U nable to resist, they obeyed an d w ere left u n h u rt by the Chasseurs. Some tim e later th en th eir captain, a w orthy officer of Galliffets, arrives in full gallop and shoots the prisoners down with his revolver, one afte r the oth er, an d th en trots off with his troop. T h re e of the guards w ere dead, one, nam ed Scheffer, grievously w ounded, survives, an d is afterw ards b ro u g h t to the H ospital of Bicetre. T h ith e r the C om m une sent a com m ission to take u p th e evidence of the dying m an which it published in its report.^ W hen one of the Paris m em bers of th e Assemblee in terp ellated the w ar m inister u p o n th at re p o rt, the rurals dro w n ed th e voice of th e dep u ty an d forbid th e m inister to answer.*" It would be an insult to th eir glorious arm y not to com m it m u rd er, b u t to speak of it. T h e tranquillity of m ind with which th at Assembly bears with th e h o rro rs of civil w ar is told in one of T h iers bulletins to his prefects: Lassemblee siege paisiblem ent (has the coeur leger'" like Ollivier) an d the executive with its ticket-of-leave m en shows by its gastronom ical feats, given by T h iers a n d at the table of G erm an princes, th at th eir digestion is not troubled even by the ghosts of Lecom te an d C lem ent Thom as.
6) T H E C O M M U N E

its dream s of th e Prussian E m pire u n d e r th e Paris th u n d erb u rsts of Vive la C om m une!^ W hat is the C om m une, this sphinx so tantalizing to the Bourgeois m ind? In its m ost sim ple conception, th e form u n d e r which the w orking class assum e th e political pow er in th eir social stro n g holds, Paris a n d th e o th er centres of industry.
T h e p ro letarian s o f th e capital, said th e C entral C om m ittee in its proclam a tion o f the 20 M arch, have, in the m idst of the failures a n d treasons of th e ru lin g classes, u n d e rsto o d th a t fo r th em th e h o u r h a d struck to save the situation by taking into th e ir own h an d s th e direction of public affairs.... T h ey have u n d e rsto o d th a t it was th e ir im perious d uty a n d th e ir absolute rig h t to take into th e ir own h an d s th e ir own destiny by seizing u p o n the political pow er (state power).*>

T h e C om m une had, afte r Sedan, been proclaim ed by the w orkm en of Lyons, M arseilles, an d T o u l o u s e . G a m b e t t a did his best to destroy it. D uring the siege of Paris the ever re c u rre n t w orkm ens com m otions again an d again crushed on false p re tences by T ro c h u s B retons, those w orthy substitutes of L. B o n ap artes Corsicans,' w ere as m any attem pts to dislodge the g o v ern m en t of im postors by the C om m une. T h e C om m une then silently elaborated, was the tru e secret of the R evolution of the 4th of S eptem ber. H ence on the very daw n of the 18th M arch, after th e ro u t of th e C ounterrevolution, drowsy E urope started u p from
^ [R ap p o rt d e la C om m ission d e n q u ete de la C om m une], Le Mot d Ordre, No. 65, A pril 29, 1871. Ed. R e p o rt of th e N ational Assem blys Sitting o f May 6, 1871, Journal officiel (Versailles), No. 127, May 7, 1871. <i. C arefre e m ind. Ed.

B ut the p roletariat cannot, as th e ru lin g classes a n d th eir d iffe re n t rival fractions have d o n e in the successive h o u rs of th eir triu m p h , simply lay hold of th e existent state body an d wield this ready-m ade agency fo r th eir own purpose. T h e first condition for the holding of political pow er, is to tran sfo rm th e traditional w orking m achinery a n d destroy it as an in stru m en t of class rule. T h a t huge governm ental m achinery, entoiling like a boa constric to r the real social body in th e ubiquitous m eshes of a standing arm y, a hierarchical bureaucracy, an o b ed ien t police, clergy a n d a servile m agistrature, was first forged in th e days of absolute m onarchy as a w eapon of nascent m iddleclass society in its struggles of em ancipation from feudalism . T h e first F rench R evolution, with its task to give full scope to th e free developm ent of m o d ern m iddleclass society, h ad to sweep away all th e local, territorial, townish an d provincial strongholds of feudalism , p re p a re d the social soil fo r th e su p erstru ctu re of a centralized state pow er, with o m n ip resen t o rgans ram ified afte r th e plan of a systematic an d hierarchic division of labour. B ut the w orking class cannot simply lay hold o n th e ready-m ade state m achinery a n d wield it fo r th eir own purpose. T h e political in stru m en t of th eir enslavem ent cannot serve as the political in stru m en t of th eir em ancipation. T h e m o d ern bourgeois state is em bodied in two great organs, parliam ent an d governm ent. Parliam entary om nipotence had, d u rin g the perio d of th e p arty of o rd e r republic, from 1848 to 1851, en g e n d ere d its own n egative th e Second E m pire, and
L ong live the C o m m u n e! Ed. I' La Revolution d u 18 m ars , Le Petit Journal, No. 3002, M arch 22, 1871. Ed.

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Im perialism , with its m ere m ockery of parliam ent, is the regim e now flourishing in m ost of the great m ilitary states of the continent. At first view ap p aren tly the u su rp ato ry dictatorship of th e governm ental body over society itself, rising alike above and h u m bling alike all classes, it has in fact, on the E u ro p ean continent at least, becom e th e only possible state form in which the ap p ro p riatin g class can continue to sway it over the p roducing class. T h e assembly of the ghosts of all the d efu n ct F rench parliam ents which still hau n ts Versailles, wields no real force save th e governm ental m achinery as shaped by the Second Em pire. T h e h u g e governm ental parasite, entoiling the social body like a boa constrictor in the ubiquitous m eshes of its bureaucracy, police, standing arm y, clergy an d m ag istratu re dates its b irth from the days of absolute m onarchy. T h e centralized state pow er h ad at th at tim e to serve nascent m iddleclass society as a m ighty w eapon in its struggles of em ancipation from feudalism . T h e French R evolution of the 18th century, with its task to sweep away the m edieval rubbish of seigniorial, local, townish, an d provincial privileges, could no t b u t sim ultaneously clear the social soil of the last obstacles h am p erin g the full developm ent of a centralized state pow er, with o m n ip resen t organs w ro u g h t afte r the plan of a systematic an d hierarchic division of labour. Such it b u rst into life u n d e r the first E m pire, itself the o ffspring of th e coalition wars of old sem ifeudal E u ro p e against m o d ern France. D uring the subsequent p arliam entary regim es of the R estoration, the July M onarchy, an d the party of o rd e r Republic, the suprem e m an ag em en t of th at state m achinery with its irresistible allure m ents of place, pelf and patronage, becam e not only the b u tt of contest betw een the rival fractions of the ruling class, b u t at the sam e d eg ree th at the econom ic progress of m o d ern society swelled th e ranks of th e w orking class, accum ulated its m iseries, organized its resistance an d developed its tendencies at em ancipation, that, in o ne w ord, the struggle of classes, the struggle betw een labour and capital assum ed shape an d form , the physiognom y and the ch aracter of th e state pow er u n d erw en t a striking change. It had always been the pow er fo r the m aintenance of o rd e r, i.e., the existing o rd e r of society, and, th erefo re, of th e subordination and exploitation of the pro d u cin g class by the a p p ro p riatin g class. B ut as long as this o rd e r was accepted as the uncontrovertible and uncontested necessity, the state pow er could assum e an aspect of im partiality. It kept u p the existing subordination of the masses which was the unalterable o rd e r of things an d a social fact u n d erg o n e w ithout contest on the p a rt of the masses, exercised by

th eir natu ral su p erio rs w ithout solicitude. W ith the en tran ce of society itself into a new phase, th e phase of class struggle, the character of its organized public force, the state pow er, could not b u t change also (but also u n d erg o a m arked change) an d m ore an d m ore develop its ch aracter as th e in stru m en t of class despotism , the political engine fo r forcibly p erp etu atin g th e social enslavem ent of th e p ro d u cers of wealth by its ap p ro p riato rs, of the econom ic ru le of capital over labour. A fter each new p o p u lar revolution, resulting in th e tran sfer of th e direction of th e state m achinery from one set of th e ru lin g classes to an o th er, the repressive ch aracter of th e state pow er was m o re fully developed an d m ore mercilessly used, because th e prom ises m ade, and seemingly assured by the Revolution, could only be b ro k en by the em ploym ent of force. Besides, the change w orked by the successive revolutions, sanctioned only politically th e social fact, the grow ing pow er of capital, and, th erefo re, tra n sfe rre d th e state pow er itself m ore an d m o re directly into th e h ands of th e direct antagonists of th e w orking class. T h u s th e R evolution of July tran sferre d the pow er from th e h an d s of th e landow ners into those of the g reat m an u factu rers (the great capitalists) an d the R evolution of F ebruary into those of th e u n ited fractions of the ru lin g class, u n ited m th eir antagonism to th e w orking class, united as the party of o rd e r , th e o rd e r of th eir own class rule. D uring the perio d of th e parliam en tary republic the state pow er becam e at last the avowed in stru m en t of w ar wielded by the ap p ro p riatin g class against the productive mass of th e people. B ut as an avowed in stru m en t of civil w ar it could only be wielded d u rin g a tim e of civil w ar an d th e condition of life fo r the parliam entary republic was, th erefo re, the continuance of openly declared civil war, the negative of th at very o rd e r in th e nam e of which the civil w ar was waged. T his could only be a spasm odic, exceptional state of things. It was im possible as th e norm al political form of society, u n bearable even to th e mass of the m iddle class. W hen th ere fo re all elem ents of p o p u lar resistance w ere broken dow n, the p arliam entary republic had to disap p ear (give way to) befo re th e Second Em pire. T h e E m pire, professing to rest u p o n th e p ro d u cin g m ajority of th e nation, the peasants, ap p aren tly o u t of th e ra n g e of th e class struggle betw een capital and lab o u r (indifferen t an d hostile to both the contesting social powers), w ielding th e state pow er as a force su p erio r to th e ru ling an d ru led classes, im posing u p o n both an arm istice, (silencing th e political, and, th erefo re, revolutionary form of the class struggle), divesting the state pow er of its direct

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form of class despotism by braking the parliam entary and, th erefo re, directly political pow er of th e ap p ro p riatin g classes, was th e only possible state form to secure the old social o rd e r a respite of life. It was, th erefo re, acclaim ed th ro u g h o u t the w orld as the saviour of o rd e r an d the object of adm iration d u rin g 2 0 years on th e p a rt of the would-be slaveholders all over the world. U n d e r its sway, coincident with the change b ro u g h t u p o n the m arket of th e w orld by C alifornia, Australia,*^ a n d the w onderful develop m en t of th e U nited States, an unsurpassed p erio d of industrial activity set [in], an orgy of stockjobbery, finance swindling, Joint-Stock C om pany a d v e n tu re leading all to rapid centraliza tion of capital by th e ex p ro p riatio n of the m iddle class and w idening th e gulf betw een the capitalist class an d the w orking class. T h e whole tu rp itu d e of th e capitalist regim e, gave full scope to its in n ate tendency, broke loose u n fe tte red . At th e sam e tim e an orgy of luxurious debauch, m eretricious splendour, a p an d em o n iu m of all th e low passions of th e h ig h er classes. This ultim ate form of the governm ental pow er was at the sam e tim e its m ost prostitute, sham eless p lu n d e r o f the state resources by a ban d of ad v en turers, hotbed of hu g e state debts, the glory of prostitution, a factitious life of false pretences. T h e governm ental pow er with all its tinsel covering from top to bottom im m erged in m ud. T h e m aturity of rottenness of th e state m achinery itself, and th e putrescence of the whole social body, flourishing u n d e r it, w ere laid b are by the bayonets of Prussia, herself only eager to tra n sfe r th e E u ro p ean seat of th at regim e of gold, blood, a n d m ud from Paris to Berlin. T h is was th e state pow er in its ultim ate an d m ost prostitute shape, in its su prem e an d basest reality, which the Paris w orking class h ad to overcom e, an d of which this class alone could rid society. As to parliam entarism , it had been killed by its own triu m p h an d by the E m pire. All the w orking class h ad to do was n o t to revive it. W hat the w orkm en h ad to b reak dow n was no t a m ore o r less incom plete form of the governm ental pow er of old society, it was th at pow er itself in its ultim ate an d exhausting sh a p e the Empire. T h e direct opposite to the Em pire was the Commune. In its m ost sim ple conception the C om m une m eant the prelim inary destruction of th e old governm ental m achinery at its central seats, Paris an d th e o th er g reat cities of France, an d its su p ersed in g by real self-governm ent which, in Paris an d the great cities, the social strongholds of the w orking class, was the gov ern m en t of the w orking class. T h ro u g h the siege Paris h ad got

rid of th e arm y which was replaced by a N ational G u ard , with its bulk form ed by th e w orkm en of Paris. It was only d u e to this state of things, th at the rising of th e 18th of M arch had becom e possible. T his fact was to becom e an institution, an d th e national g u ard of the g reat cities, th e people arm ed against governm ental usurpation, to su p p lan t the standing arm y, d efen d in g the g overn m en t against the people. T h e co m m une to consist of th e m unicipal councillors of the d iffe ren t arrondissem ents, (as Paris was the initiator a n d the m odel, we have to re fe r to it) chosen by the suffrage of all citizens, responsible, an d revocable in sh o rt term s. T h e m ajority of th at body w ould naturally consist of w orkm en o r acknow ledged representatives of th e w orking class. It was to be a w orking, no t a parliam entary body, executive a n d legislative at the sam e time. T h e police agents, instead of being th e agents of a central governm ent, w ere to be th e servants of the C om m une, having, like the functionaries in all th e o th er d ep a rtm en ts of adm inistration, to be ap p o in ted an d always revocable by the C om m une; all th e functionaries, like th e m em bers of the C om m une itself, having to do th eir w ork at w orkm ens wages. T h e judges w ere also to be elected, revocable, a n d responsible. T h e initiative in all m atters of social life to be reserved to the C om m une. In o n e w ord, all public functions, even the few ones th a t w ould belong to th e C entral G overnm ent, w ere to be executed by com m unal agents, an d , th erefo re, u n d e r th e control of th e C om m une. It is o ne of th e absurdities to say, th at the C entral functions, not of governm ental au th o rity over th e people, b u t necessitated by the g eneral an d com m on wants of th e country, w ould becom e impossible. T hese functions w ould exist, b u t th e functionaries them selves could not, as in the old governm ental m achinery, raise them selves over real society, because th e fu n c tions w ere to be executed by communal agents, and, th erefo re, always u n d e r real control. T h e public functions would cease to be a private p ro p e rty bestow ed by a central g o v ern m en t u p o n its tools. W ith the stan d in g arm y a n d th e governm ental police the physical force of repression was to be broken. By th e disestablish m en t of all churches as p ro p rietary bodies a n d th e b an ishm ent of religious instruction from all public schools (to g eth er with gratuitous instruction) into th e recesses of private life, th ere to live u p o n the alms of th e faithful, th e divestm ent of all educational institutes from governm ental p atro n ag e an d servitude, the m ental force of repression was to be b roken, science m ade not only accessible to all, b u t freed from th e fetters of g o v ern m en t pressure an d class prejudice. T h e m unicipal taxation to be d eterm in ed and

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levied by th e C om m une, the taxation fo r general state purposes to be levied by com m unal functionaries, a n d disbursed by the C om m une itself fo r the general purposes, (its disbursem ent for th e g eneral purposes to be supervised by the C om m une itself.) T h e governm ental force of repression an d authority over society was th u s to be broken in its m erely repressive organs, an d w here it h ad legitim ate functions to fulfil, these functions w ere not to be exercised by a body su p erio r to th e society, but by the responsible agents of society itself.
7) S C H L U SS"

T o fighting, w orking, thinking Paris, electrified by the e n thusiasm of historic initiative, full of heroic reality, the new society in its throes, th ere is opposed at Versailles the old society, a world of an tiq u ated sham s an d accum ulated lies. Its tru e representation is th at ru ral A s s e m b l y , p e o p l e d with the gibberish ghouls of all th e d efu n ct regim es into which class rule had successively em bodied itself in France, at th eir head a senile m ou n teb an k of parliam entarism , an d th eir sword in the hands of the Im perialist cap itu lard s,' bom barding Paris u n d e r the eyes of th eir Prussian conquerors. T h e im m ense ruins which the second E m pire, in its fall, has h eap ed u p o n France, is fo r them only an o p p o rtu n ity to dig out and throw to the surface the rubbish of fo rm e r ruins, of Legitim ism o r O rleanism . T h e flam e of life is to b u rn in an atm osphere of the sepulchral exhalations of all th e bygone em igration. (T he very air they b reath e is th e sepulchral exhalation of all bygone em igrations.) T h e re is n o th in g real about them b u t th eir com m on conspiracy against life, th eir egotism of class interest, th eir wish to feed upon the carcass of F rench society, th eir com m on slaveholders interests, th eir h a tre d of the present, and th eir w ar u p o n Paris. E verything about them is a caricature, from th at old fossil of Louis Philippes regim e, C ount Jau b e rt exclaim ing in the N ational assembly, in th e palace of Louis XIV: we are the state (T h e state, th at is ourselves ) (they are in fact the State spectre in its secession from society) to the R epublican faw ners u p o n T hiers holding th eir reunions in the Jeu de Paumes (T ennis C ourt) to show th eir degeneracy from th eir predecessors in 1789.'*' T h iers at th e head, the bulk of the m ajority split into these two gro u p s of Legitimists and O rleanists, in the tail the R epublicans of
^ C onclusion. Ed.

old style . Each of these fractions intrigues fo r a resto ratio n of its own, the R epublicans for th at of th e parliam en tary R epublic building th eir hopes u p o n the senile vanity of T h iers, form ing in the m eantim e th e R epublican decoration of his rule and sanction ing by their presence th e w ar of the B onapartist generals u p o n Paris, after having tried to coax it into th e arm s of T h iers an d to disarm it u n d e r Saisset! K nights of th e sad figure, the hum iliations they voluntarily b ear with, show w hat R epublicanism , as a special form of class rule, has com e dow n to. It was in view of them th at T h iers said to th e assem bled m aires of th e Seine an d Oise: W hat could they m ore want? Was n o t he, a sim ple citizen, at the head of the State. Progress from 1830 to 1870 th at th en Louis Philippe was th e best of Republics, an d th at now Louis P hilippes M inister, little T h iers him self, is th e best of Republics. B eing forced to do th eir real w o rk th e w ar against Paris, th ro u g h the Im perialist soldiers. G endarm es, a n d police, u n d e r the sway of th e re tire d B o n ap artist generals, they trem ble in th eir shoes at the suspicion th a t as d u rin g th eir regim e of 1848-51 they are only fo rging the in stru m en t fo r a second R estoration of the E m pire. T h e Pontifical Zouaves and th e V endeans of C athelineau an d th e B retons of C h a r e t t e a r e in fact th eir parliam en tary arm y, th e m ere phantasm s of an arm y com pared with the Im perialist reality. W hile fum ing with rage at the very nam e of the Republic, they accept B ism arcks dictates in its nam e, waste in its nam e th e rest of F rench wealth u p o n th e civil war, denounce Paris in its nam e, forge laws of prospective proscription against the rebels in its nam e, u su rp dictation over F rance in its nam e. T h e ir title [is] th e general suffrage, which they h ad always opposed d u rin g th eir own regim es from 1815 to 1848, abolished in May 1850, afte r it h ad been established against them by the Republic, an d which they now accept as th e p ro stitu te of the E m pire, forgettin g th at with it they accept th e E m pire of th e Plebiscites! T hey them selves are im possible even with the general suffrage. T h ey rep ro ach Paris fo r revolting against national unity, and th eir first w ord was th e decapitation of th at U nity by the decapitaliza tion of Paris. Paris has do n e th e th in g they p re te n d ed to want, b u t it has d o n e it, not as they w anted it, as a reactionary d ream of the past, b u t as the revolutionary vindication of th e fu tu re. T hiers, the
M editation des m unicipalites d e la Seine , Le Rappel, No. 684, A pril 28, \8 7 1 . Ed.

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C h a u v in / th reaten s since th e 18th M arch Paris with the in terv en tion of Prussia , asked at B ordeaux for the intervention of Prussia , acts against Paris in fact only by the m eans accorded to him by Prussia. T h e B ourbons w ere dignity itself, com pared to this m o u n teb an k of Chauvinism . W hatever may be th e n a m e in case they are victorious of th eir R estoration, with w hatever successful p re te n d e r at its head, its reality can only be th e E m pire, the ultim ate and indispensable political form of the rule of th eir ro tten classes. If they succeed to resto re it, and they m ust restore it with any of th eir plans of restoration successful-they succeed only to accelerate the p u t refaction of the old society they re p re se n t a n d th e m aturity of the new one they com bat. T h e ir dim eyes see only the political o utw ork of th e d efu n ct regim es an d they d ream of reviving them by placing a H enry the 5th o r the C ount of Paris at th eir head. T h ey do n o t see th at the social bodies which bore these political su p erstru ctu res have w ithered away, th at these regim es w ere only possible u n d e r now outgrow n conditions a n d past phases of F rench society, an d th at it can only yet bear with Im perialism , in its p u trescen t state, and th e R epublic of L abour in its state of regen eratio n . T hey do not see th at the cycles of political form s w ere only th e political expression of the real changes society un derw ent. T h e Prussians who in coarse w ar exultation of triu m p h look at th e agonies of F rench society an d exploit them with the sordid calculation of a Shylock, an d the flippant coarseness of the Krautjunker^ are them selves already punished by the tran sp lan ta tion of the E m pire to the G erm an soil. T hey them selves are d oom ed to set free in F rance th e su b terran ean agencies which will en g u lf them with the old o rd e r of things. T h e Paris C om m une may fall, b u t the Social R evolution it has initiated, will triu m p h . Its b irthstead is everyw here.
[FRA G M EN TS]

In his answ er to th e A rchbishops letter he coolly denies the p re te n d ed executions an d reprisals (!) attrib u ted to th e troops of Versailles ,^ an d has this im p u d en t lie co n firm ed by a com m ission app o in ted for this very p u rp o se by his rurals.^^ H e knows of course th eir triu m p h a n t proclam ations by the B onapartist generals them selves. B ut in th e p arliam entary sense of th e w ord they do no t exist.
In his circular of the 16th A p ril on the bombardment of Paris:
If som e cannon-shots have been fired, it is n o t the d e ed of the arm y of Versailles, b u t of som e in su rg en ts wanting to make believe that they are fighting, while they d o not d a re show them selves. *

O f course, Paris bom bards itself, in o rd e r to m ake th e world believe th at it fights! Later: O u r artillery does not bombard but it cannonades, it is true.
T hiers bulletin on M oulin-Saquet (4 May): Deliverance o f Paris from the hideous tyrants who oppress i t ^ (by killing the Paris N ational

G uards asleep). T h e m otley lot of an arm y th e dregs of th e B onapartist soldatesque released from prison by the grace of Bismarck,*^ with th e gendarm es of V alentin an d th e sergents-de-ville of Pietri for th eir nucleus, set o ff by th e Pontifical Zouaves, th e C houans of C h arette an d th e V endeans of C athelineau, the whole placed u n d e r the runaw ay D ecem brist generals of capitulation, he dubs the finest army France ever possessed.'^ O f course, if the Prussians q u a rte r still at St. Denis, it is because T h iers wants to frig h ten them by the sight of th at finest of fine arm ies . If such is the finest arm y th e Versailles anachronism is the m ost liberal a n d m ost freely elected assembly th at ever existed in F ran ce .' T h iers caps his eccentricity by telling th e m aires etc th at he is a m an, who has never b roken his w o rd , of course in the parliam entary sense of w ord-keeping.

The Lies in Thiers Bulletins

T h e im m ense sham of th at Versailles, its lying character could not b etter be em bodied and resum ed th an in T hiers, the professional liar, fo r w hom the reality of th in g s exists only in th eir p arliam entary sense , that is as a lie.
Jingo. Ed. T h e c o untry squire. d.

= > La com m ission des Q u in ze... , Le Rappel, No. 673, A pril 17, 1871. Ed. ^ C ited in: La C irculaire de M. T h ie rs , Le Vengeur, No. 21, A pril 19, 1871. Erf. Voici, su r le m em e fait, le bulletin ,,, , Le Rappel, No. 692, May 6, 1871. M arx gives the quotations in this a n d th e previous p a ra g ra p h in F rench. Ed. Q u o te d according to: T h . A strie, Lhom m e ro u g e . La Situation, No. 176, A pril 14, 1871. <i. ' M editation des m unicipalites de la Seine , Le Rappel, No. 684, A pril 28,

1871.<;.

542

K arl M arx Second D raft. F ragm ents 54:^

'

"T he w^rld. " ' "

You m ust not c o n fo u n d

* '

' " ' ' S '

" o f

th e m ovem ent of Paris with

the su rn rise of

F ran ce.=

^'t>eral ever elected by

e r J ,r d % r o f o u n r n fts s o c L lT e 'g i'm i;" " f - aH th a t not dtsavow

in .erests h e repre" L labour. *

P "

"? ' " >' 'f " d -he '' *^ em ancipation o f

an L T h3ns k % o n T a ' J ^ t ^ ;^^^ against lab o u r but in the little h i t

the class w ar

ch?m her^ ' ^^e syndical cham bers, p e a k in g m the n am e of 7 -8 ,0 0 0 m erchants and Industrials. T hey w ent to tell it him personally at Versailles. T h u s the League o f the Republican Union, thus th e M asons lodses^^^ bv th eir delegates an d th eir dem onstrations. B ut he sticks to it. In his bulletin of M oulin-Saquet (4 May):

i. in to a p re te x t o " S r i j a t t l r f n , h f i f t ^
him self th e laughing-stock o f F r
k i!^

P m akes

renow n it h ad lost in the w ar against t L has regained the th u s ap p ears as m ere childnlav tn cri P^'ussian. T h e whole war of a dw arf, elated at having to dp childish vanity h^s own arm y u n r S own " by A nd h,s he^ c " S L t^ T ;X rp T rra " n " a ' P ans which in reality holds in check ^^e province, arm y F rance ever nossessed I nths the finest Prussian, is in f L t o 2 atrocious ty ran ts, by T h iers a n X L r e f from its alth o u g h a m ere h an d fu l '' c o n .!c tt" c r t. ! l e t r T ' " ? u m ' because it wants to be delivered hv h ' r th at oppress it. A nd this handfn^r check fo r two m onths possessed led by the invincible MaTlVf N apoleonic genius of T hiers him self I ^ <>' against him affreux^ tyrants desperadoes holds in F rance ever inspired by the

F re n c h a rm y th rtju fh S V a r u p T , h / p

p p r e t i n g k ."

h e terrib le tyrants

B ut the fighting Paris, the real Paris is n o t his Paris. His Paris is tself a parh am en tary he. T h e rich, the idle, the capitalist P aris ' the cosm opolitan stew, this is his Paris. T h a t is th e Paris which wants to be resto red to him , th e real Paris is th e Paris o f th e vile m ultitude . T h e Paris th at shewed its courage in the pacific L '^ T u e ira t'^ S t n t h r o n g s now at Versailles, ro r ft . T* G erm ain-en-Laye, followed by the cocottes, sticking to th e m an of family, religion, o rd e r an d above all of p ro p e rty , th e P an s of the lounging classes, the Paris of the by looking th ro u g h telescopes at the batdes going on, treatm g the civil w ar b u f as an ag reea b k P^ris of M. T hiers, as th e emigrftTon o5 at Ver.^ II u ^^e em igration at Versailles is th e F rance of M. T hiers. T h iers his rurals, delivered of th e C om m une by D e c e m b r i s e u r s a n d G endarm es, is a lie so

^_^The resistance of Paris is no reality, but T h ie rs lies about Paris d e W rfrT m ^ S a H s ^ ^ " _ ^ o t e t to re fu te him by its exploits, all the living elem ents
N o 6 8 5 ,''a |S ] '2 9 , next p a ra g ra p h . rf. ^ M arx gives this quotation in F r e n c h A trocious. Ed. f" k "' the speech h e re a n d in the N o .% 1 " A pril V oid, su r le m em e fait, le b u lletin... , Le Rappel, N o , Ed 692 May 6 1871

- - d s like th e w i L ' - i f i C om m une of P a n s... , The Times, No. 27028, A pril 4 1871 M ^ d an g ero u s classes... , The Observer, No. 4170, A pril 23, 1 8 7 1 ,-

544

K arl M arx

Second D raft. F ragm ents

545

B efore th e definitive conclusion at F ran k fo rt of the peace t r e a t y , h e appealed to the provinces to send th eir battalions of national g u ard s an d volunteers to Versailles to fight against Paris. T h e Province refused p oint blank. O nly B retagne sent a h an d fu l of C houans fighting u n d e r a white flag, every one of them w earing on his breast a Jesus h e a rt in white cloth an d shouting; Vive le ro i! ' T h u s is the provincial F rance listening to his sum m ons so th at he was forced to lend captive F rench troops from Bism arck, lay hold of the Pontifical Zouaves (the real arm ed representatives of his provincial France) an d m ake 20,000 G endarm es an d 12,000 sergents-de-ville the nucleus of his army. Despite th e wall of lies, the intellectual an d police blockade, by which he tried to (debar) fence off Paris from th e provinces, the provinces, instead of sending him battalions to wage w ar u p o n Paris, in u n d ated him with so m any delegations insisting upon peace with Paris, th at he refu sed to receive them any longer in person. T h e tone of the addresses sent u p from the Provinces, p ro posing m ost of them the im m ediate conclusion of an arm istice with Paris, the dissolution of the Assembly, because its m andate h ad ex p ire d ,'^ an d the g ra n t of th e m unicipal rights d em an d ed by Paris, was so offensive th at D ufaure denounces them in his circular against conciliation to th e p refects. ^ O n the o th e r hand, the ru ra l assembly an d T h iers received no t one single address of approval on the p a rt of th e provinces. B ut the g ra n d defi^ the Provinces gave to T h ie rs lie about th e provinces w ere the m unicipal elections of the 30th April, carried on u n d e r his governm ent, on the basis of a law of his Assembly. O u t of 700,000 councillors (in ro u n d num bers) re tu rn e d by the 35,000 com m unes still left in m utilated France, the u n ited Legitimists, O rleanists a n d B onapartists did not carry 8,000! T h e su pplem entary elections still m ore hostile! T his showed plainly how fa r the N ational Assembly, chosen by surprise, and on false pretences, represents France, provincial France, France m inus Paris!
= R e p o rt from La Defense republicaine of Lim oges, Le Mot d Ordre, No. 65, A pril 29, \S 1 \ . Ed. L ong live th e K ing! T h e C om m unal D elegation... , The Daily News, No. 7779, A pril 5, 187L d, J. D u fa u re s speech in the N ational Assembly on A pril 26, 1871, Le Mot d Ordre, No. 65, A pril 29, 187L J. D ufaure, [C irculaire aux p ro c u re u rs g e n era u x . Versailles, 23 avril 1871], Le Mot d Ordre, No. 62, A pril 26, IS71. Ed. C hallenge. Ed.

B ut the plan of an assembly of th e m unicipal delegates of the g reat provincial towns at B ordeaux, fo rb id d en by T h iers on the g ro u n d of his law of 1834 an d an Im perialist one of 1855,^^ forced him to avow th at his Provinces are a lie, as his Paris is. H e accuses them of resem bling th e false Paris, of being eagerly b en t u p o n laying th e fu n d am en ts of C om m unism an d Rebel lion . A gain he has been answ ered by th e late resolutions of th e m unicipal councils of N antes, V ienne, C ham bery, Lim oux, C arcas sonne, A ngers, C arp en tras, M ontpellier, Privas, G renoble etc. insisting u p o n peace with Paris,
th e absolute affirm atio n of th e R epublic, the recognition of th e com m unal rig h t w hich , as th e m unicipal council of Vienne says, ^ those elected o n F eb ru ary 8 p rom ised in th e ir circulars w hen they w ere candidates. T o stop the ex tern al war, it (the N ational Assembly) ceded two provinces a n d prom ised Prussia five m illiards. W hat o u g h t it n o t to d o to p u t an e n d to th e civil w ar?

(Just the contrary. T h e two provinces are n o t th eir priv ate p ro p erty , an d as to th e prom issory note of 5 m illiards, th e th in g is exactly th at it shall be paid by th e F rench people an d not by them .) If, th erefo re, Paris m ay justly com plain of th e Provinces th at they limit them selves to pacific dem onstrations, leaving it un aid ed against all the State forces ... th e Province has in m ost unequivocal tones given the lie to T h iers an d th e Assembly to be rep resen ted th ere, has declared th eir Province a lie as is th eir whole existence, a sham , a false pretence. T h e G eneral C ouncil feels p ro u d of th e p ro m in en t p a rt th e Paris branches of the International have taken in th e glorious revolution of Paris. Not, as th e imbeciles fancy, as if th e Paris, o r any o th er b ran ch of the In tern atio n al received its mot d ordre^ from a centre. B ut the flower of th e w orking class in all civilized countries belonging to th e International, an d being im bued with its ideas, they are sure everyw here in th e working-class m ovem ents to take the lead. From the very day of th e capitulation by which th e governm ent of B ism arck prisoners h ad signed th e s u rre n d e r of France, b u t in
a B eginning from h e re M arx quotes in F rench. Ed. I' O rd e rs. Ed. ^ T h e follow ing text was w ritten on th ree pages w ithout any pagm ation; the second p a ra g ra p h is m ark ed to p. 9 . Ed.

546

K arl M a rx

S e c o n d D raft. F ragm ents

547

re tu rn , got leave to retain a bodyguard fo r the express p u rp o se of cowing Paris, Paris stood on its watch. T h e N ational g u ard reo rganized itself an d en tru sted its suprem e control to a central com m ittee elected by all the com panies, battalions, an d batteries of th e capital, save some fragm ents of the old B onapartist fo rm a tions. O n the eve of the entrance of the Prussians into Paris, the central com m ittee took m easures fo r the rem oval to M ontm artre, Belleville, a n d La Villette, of the cannon an d m itrailleuses treacherously ab an d o n ed by the capitulards in the very quarters th e Prussians w ere about to occupy.

A rm ed Paris was the only serious obstacle in the way of the counter-revolutionary conspiracy. Paris was, th erefo re, to be disarm ed. O n this point the B ordeaux assembly was sincerity itself. If th e ro arin g ra n t of its ru rals h ad no t been audible enough, the s u rre n d e r of Paris h a n d e d over by T h iers to the te n d e r m ercies of the trium virat of Vinoy, the Decembriseur, V alentin, the B o n ap art ist G endarm e, an d A urelle de Paladines, the Jesuit G eneral, w ould have cu t off even the last subterfuge of d o u b t as to the ultim ate aim of the disarm am ent of Paris. B ut if th eir p u rpose was frankly avowed, the p re te x t on which these atrocious felons initiated th e civil w ar was the m ost sham eless, the m ost barefaced (glaring) of lies. T h e artillery of the Paris N ational G uard, said T hiers, belonged to the State and to the State it m ust be returned.^* T h e fact was this. F rom the very day of th e capitulation by which B ism arcks prisoners h ad signed th e s u rre n d e r of F rance bu t reserved to them selves a n u m ero u s b o d yguard fo r the express pu rp o se of cowing Paris, Paris stood on its watch. T h e national g u ard reorganized them selves an d en tru sted th eir suprem e control to a central com m ittee elected by th eir whole body, save some fragm ents of the old B onapartist form ations. O n the eve of the en tran ce of th e Prussians into Paris, their central com m ittee took m easures fo r the rem oval to M ontm artre, Belleville, and La Villette of th e cannon and m itrailleuses treacherously abandoned by th e capitulards in the very q u arters the Prussians w ere about to occupy. T h a t artillery h ad been fu rn ish ed by the subscriptions of th e N ational G uard. As th eir private p ro p e rty it was officially recognized in the convention of the 28th January," an d on that
L. A. T h ie rs proclam ation of M arch 17, 1871 to th e inhabitants of Paris, The Daily News, No. 7765, M arch 20, \ S 7 \. Ed.

very title exem pted from th e general su rre n d e r of arm s, belonging to the governm ent, into th e h an d s of th e co n q u ero r. A nd T h iers d ared initiate the civil w ar on the m endacious p re te x t th at the artillery of the N ational G uard was state property! T h e seizure of this artillery was evidently b u t to serve as the p re p ara to ry m easure for the general d isarm am ent of th e P ans N ational G uard, an d th ere fo re of th e R evolution of th e 4 th of S eptem ber B ut th at revolution h ad becom e th e legal status of France. Its republic was recognized in th e term s of th e capitulation itself by the conq u ero r, it was after the capitulation acknow edged by the F oreign pow ers, in its nam e th e N ational Assernbly had been sum m oned. T h e R evolution of th e P ans w orkm en of th e 4th of S eptem ber was th e only legal tide of th e N ational Assembly seated at B ordeau x an d its Executive. W ithout it, the N ational Assembly h ad at once to give room to th e C orps L ep slatif, elected by general suffrag e a n d dispersed by th e arm of th e Revolution. T h iers an d his ticket-of-leave m en w ould have h ad to capitiUi^e fo r safe conducts an d securities against a voyage to C ayenne. T h e N ational Assembly, with its A tto rn ey s Power to settle th e term s of peace with Prussia, was only an incident of th e R evolution. Its tru e em bodim ent was arm ed Paris, th at had initiated th e R evolutw n, u n d erg o n e for it a five m onths siege with its h o rro rs of tam m e, th at h ad m ade its pro lo n g ed resistance, despite T ro c h u s plan the basis of a trem en d o u s w ar of defence in the provinces and Paris was now sum m oned with coarse insult by th e rebe lous slaveholders at B ord eau x to lay dow n its arm s and acknowledge th at the p o p u lar revolution of th e 4 th S eptem ber h ad h ad no o th e r purpose b u t th e sim ple tra n sfe r of pow er from th e h an d s ot Louis B onaparte and his m inions into those of his m onarchical rivals o r to stand forw ard as th e selfsacrificing cham pion ot F rance to be saved from h e r ru in an d to be reg en erated only th ro u g h the revolutionary overthrow of th e political and socml conditions th at h ad en g e n d ere d the E m pire a n d u n d e r its fostering care, m atu re d into u tte r rottenness. P ans, Pans em aciated by a five m o n th s fam ine, did n o t hesitate one m om ent. It heroically resolved to ru n all th e hazards of a resistance against th e F rench conspirators u n d e r th e very eye of th e Prussian arm y q u arte red before its gates. B ut in its u tte r ab h o rren ce of civil war, the p o p u lar go v ern m en t of Paris, the C entral C om m ittee of the N a tiL a l G uard, co n d n u ed to persist in its m erely defensive attitude, despite th e provocations of the Assembly, the u su rpations of the Executive, and th e m enacing concentration of troops m and a ro u n d Paris.

548

K arl M arx

Second D raft. F ragm ents

549

O n th e daw n of the 18th M arch Paris arose u n d e r th u n d erbursts of Vive la Com m une! W hat is the C om m une, th at sphinx so tantalizing to the bourgeois m ind?
T h e proletarians of th e c ap ital, said the C entral C om m ittee in its m anifesto of the 18th M arch, have, in the m idst of the failures a n d treasons o f th e ru lin g classes, u n d e rsto o d th a t fo r them th e h o u r has struck to save th e situation by taking into th eir own h ands th e direction of public affairs.,.. T h ey have u n d e rsto o d th at it is th e ir im perious d u ty a n d th e ir absolute rig h t to take into th e ir own han d s th eir ow n destinies by seizing the political pow er. = >

B ut the w orking class cannot, as the rival factions of the ap p ro p riatin g class have done in th eir ho u rs of triu m p h , simply lay hold of the ready-m ade state m achinery, an d wield it fo r its own purposes. T h e centralized state pow er, with its ubiquitous organs of stan d in g arm y, police, bureaucracy, clergy a n d m agistrature, organs w rought after the plan of a systematic an d hierarchic division of labour, dates from th e days of absolute m onarchy when it served nascent m iddleclass society as a m ighty w eapon in its struggles fo r em ancipation from feudalism . T h e F rench Revolu tion of th e 18th cen tu ry swept away the rubbish of seigniorial, local, townish and provincial privileges, thus clearing the social soil of its last m edieval obstacles to the final su p erstru ctu re of the state. It received its final shape u n d e r th e First Em pire, the o ffsp rin g of the C oalition wars of old, sem ifeudal E u ro p e against m o d ern France. U n d e r th e following parliam entary regim es, the hold of th e governm ental pow er, with its irresistible allurem ents of place, pelf, and patronage, becam e no t only the bone of contention betw een the rival factions of th e ru lin g classes. Its political ch aracter changed sim ultaneously with the econom ic changes of society. A t the same pace th at the progress of industry developed, w idened an d intensified the class antagonism between capital a n d labour, the governm ental pow er assum ed m ore and m ore th e ch aracter of the national pow er of capital over labour, of a political force organized to enforce social enslavem ent, of a m ere engine of class despotism . O n the heels of every p o p u lar revolution, m arking a new progressive phase in the m arch (developm ent) (course) of the struggle of classes, (class struggle), the repressive character of the state pow er comes out m ore pitiless an d m ore divested of disguise. T h e R evolution of July, by tran sferrin g the m anagem ent of the state m achinery from the
La R evolution d u 18 m a rs , Le Petit Journal, No. 3002, M arch 22, 1871. <i.

lan d lo rd to th e capitalist, tran sfers it from th e d istant to the im m ediate antagonist of th e w orking m en. H ence th e state pow er assum es a m ore clearly defin ed attitu d e of hostility a n d repression in re g ard of th e w orking class. T h e R evolution of F ebruary hoists the colours of th e social R epublic , thus proving at its outset th at the tru e m ean in g of state pow er is revealed, th at its p reten ce of being the arm ed force of public welfare, th e em b o d im en t of the general interests of societies rising above an d keeping in th eir respective spheres th e w arring private interests, is exploded, th at its secret as an in stru m en t of class despotism is laid open, th at the w orkm en do w ant th e republic, no lo n g er as a political m odifica tion of the old system of class rule, b u t as th e revolutionary m eans of breaking dow n class ru le itself. In view of th e m enaces of the Social R epublic th e ru lin g class feels instinctively th at the anonym ous reig n of th e p arliam entary republic can be tu rn e d into a jointstock com pany of th eir conflicting factions, while th e past m onarchies by th eir very title signify the victory of one faction and th e defeat of th e o th er, the prevalence of o ne sections interests of th at class over th at of th e o th er, land over capital o r capital over land. In opposition to th e w orking class th e h ith erto ru lin g class, in w hatever specific form s it m ay ap p ro p ria te th e lab o u r of the masses, has one an d th e sam e economic interest, to m aintain the enslavem ent of labour an d reap its fruits directly as lan d lo rd and capitalist, indirecdy as th e state parasites of th e lan d lo rd a n d the capitalist, to enforce th a t o rd e r of things which m akes the p ro d u cin g m u ltitude, a vile m u ltitu d e serving as a m ere source of w ealth an d dom inion to th eir betters. H ence Legitimists, O rleanists, B ourgeois R epublicans an d th e B onapartist a d v e n tu r ers, eager to qualify them selves as d efen d ers of p ro p erty by first pilfering it, club to g eth er an d m erg e into th e Party of O rder, the practical u p sh o t of th at revolution m ade by the p ro letariat u n d e r enthusiastic shouts of th e Social Republic. T h e parliam entary republic of th e Party of O rd e r is not only the reig n of te rro r of the ruling class. T h e state pow er becom es in th eir h a n d the avowed instrument of the civil war in the h an d of th e capitalist and the landlord, no t th eir state parasites, against revolutionary aspirations of the produ cer. U n d e r the m onarchical regim es th e repressive m easures a n d the confessed principles of th e days gov ern m en t are d en o u n ced to the people by the fractions of th e ru lin g classes th at are o u t of power, the oppositions ranks of th e ru lin g class in terest the people in th eir party feuds, by appealing to its own interests, by th eir atd tu d es of tribunes of th e people, by th e revindication of p o p u lar

550

Karl M arx

Second D raft. Fragm ents

551

liberties. B ut in the anonym ous reign of the republic, while am algam ating the m odes of repression of old past regim es (taking o u t of th e arsenals of all past regim es the arm s of repression), and w ielding them pitilessly, the d iffe ren t fractions of the ruling class celebrate an orgy of renegation. W ith cynical effro n tery they deny th e professions of th eir past, tram ple u n d e r foot th eir socalled principles, curse the revolutions they have provoked in their nam e, an d curse the nam e of the republic itself, although only its anonym ous reig n is wide en o u g h to adm it them into a com m on crusade against the people. T h u s this m ost cruel is at the sam e tim e the m ost odious and revolting form of class rule. W ielding the state pow er only as an in stru m en t of civil war, it can only hold it by p erp etu atin g civil war. W ith p arliam entary anarchy at its head, crow ned by the u n in te rru p te d intrigues of each of the fractions of the o rd e r p arty fo r th e restoration of each own pet regim e, in op en war against the whole body of society ou t of its own narrow circle, the p arty of o rd e r ru le becom es the m ost intolerable rule of disorder. H aving in its w ar against the mass of the people broken all its m eans of resistance an d laid it helplessly u n d e r the sword of the Executive, the p arty of o rd e r itself a n d its parliam entary regim e are w arned o ff th e stage by the sword of the Executive. T h a t p arliam entary p arty of o rd e r republic can th ere fo re only be an in terreign. Its n atu ra l u p sh o t is Imperialism, w hatever the n u m b er of th e E m pire. U n d e r th e form of im perialism , the state pow er with the sword fo r its scepter, professes to rest u p o n the peasantry, th at large mass of pro d u cers apparently outside the class struggle of labour an d capital, professes to save the w orking class by break in g dow n parliam entarism an d th ere fo re the direct subserviency of the state pow er to the ruling classes, professes to save th e ru lin g classes them selves by subduing the w orking classes w ithout insulting them , professes, if n o t public w elfare, at least national glory. It is th ere fo re proclaim ed as the saviour of o rd e r . H ow ever galling to the political p rid e of the ru lin g class a n d its state parasites, it proves itself to be the really adequate regim e of th e bourgeois o rd e r by giving full scope to all the orgies of its industry, tu rp itu d es of its speculation, an d all the m eretricious splendours of its life. T h e state thus seem ingly lifted above civil society, becomes at the sam e tim e itself the hotbed of all th e co rru p tio ns of th at society. Its own u tte r rottenness, and th e ro tten n ess of the society to be saved of it, was laid bare by the bayonet of Prussia, bu t so m uch is this Im perialism th e unavoida ble political form of o rd e r , that is, the o rd e r of bourgeois

society, th at Prussia herself seem ed only to reverse its central seat at Paris in o rd e r to tran sfer it to Berlin. T h e E m pire is not, like its predecessors, the legitim ate m onarchy, the constitutional m onarchy a n d th e parliam entary republic, one of th e political form s of bourgeois society, it is at the sam e tim e its m ost prostitute, its m ost com plete, an d its ultim ate political form . It is the state pow er of m o d ern class rule, at least on the E uropean continent.

552

R obert Reid, E x -C o rresp o n d e n t of The Daily Telegraph

553

Frederick Engels
R O B ER T REID, EX -CO R R ESPO N D EN T O F T H E D A I L Y T E L E G R A P H ^^^

places in the [Louvre] M useum . In like m a n n e r the L u x em b u rg was benefitted.^* It was I w ho preserv ed a n d a rra n g e d all th e w orks of a rt rem oved from th e house of M. T h iers. I am accused of having destroyed the C olum n V endom e w hen the fact is on re co rd th a t the decree fo r its d estruction was passed 14th A pril a n d I was elected to th e C om m une on th e 20, six days afterw ards. I warm ly u rg e d th e p reservation of the bas-reliefs a n d p ro p o se d to form a M useum of them in the C o u rt of th e Invalides. K now ing the p u rity of th e m otives by w hich I have been actuated, I also know the difficulties one inherits in com ing a fte r a regim e such as the Em pire.* G reetings a n d fratern ity G. Courbet H otel de Ville 20
M
ay

7 1.

July 1, 1871 Ju st after th e arrest at P eters restau ran t. Bower, the co rresp o n d e n t of The M orning Advertiser, an d the o ther, the Tim es c o rresp o n d en t Dallas, and a Russian attache w ere released, but Bower w ent back inside to fetch his (English) lady friend, w ho had already taken u p with an o th e r gendem an, so t h a t h e p i t c h e d i n t o
HIM , ASSAULTED HIM, WAS TAKEN IN T O CUSTODY, AND LOCKED UP FOR T H A T .

T h ese 3 published a letter, which was in reality a fake. 1) th at it was th e m em bers of the C om m une w ho h ad been in the cafe with re d an d gold sashes a n d also w hores, who showed th eir cards in the cafe, and 2) th at Bower was arrested w ithout reason (it was only the police com m issars who w ere w earing red sashes b u t w ithout gold fringes).

In
On
I 8T H

T h e T e l e g r a p h R e i d s r e p o r t s o f t e n a l t e r e d . '

v e ry im p o rta n t l e t t e r

WAS s u p p r e s s e d b y t h e m . 20TH

M ay,

Reid h ad the new spaper. In The Telegraph of th e

i? o r

M ay

V e r s a ille s c o rre s p o n d e n t s ta t e d t h a t C o u r b e t h a d w ith a ham m er

T his letter was sent to The Telegraph by Reid b u t was not p rin ted . See P a p e r s for ab out A pril 10.12. Tolain. T h e Tim es co rresp o n d en t wished to know w hat the G eneral Council w ould say to it The Tim es su ppressed o u r resolution.^ Reid was engaged by The Telegraph to send tielegrams an d is ready to swear th at they w ere am en d ed in p rin tin g to show the C om m une in a b ad light. A dolphus Sm ith, E x -co rrespondent of The Daily News to lecture on the C om m une, C h arin g Cross T h ea tre, 3.7.71.^* P resent at the dem o n stratio n on Rue de la Paix.'^ In th e Place V endom e the rifles of th e N ational G u ard w ere stacked to g eth er in piles, an d one E nglishm an, w hom h e re fe rre d to as (Leatham ?) an d who was in th e fro n t row of th e procession, ru sh e d o u t to seize a pile of rifles. Jo u rd e was in th e b u rn in g M inistry of Finance until the very last an d saved books and m oney. A nd he is alleged to have set it afire! An Englishm an, who lives opposite, w hom h e can nam e, saw 2 bom bs strike th e roof, explode, an d soon th ere after sm oke, then flam e, then gradually th e whole building in flames.
W ritten dow n by Engels o n July 1, 1871 First published, in Russian, in the m agazine Kommunisl, No. 2, Moscow, 1971 P rin ted according to th e m a n u script

d e s tro y e d o b je c ts o f a r t

in L o u v r e . ^ O n the 20th, Reid show ed this telegram to C ourbet. Below follows C o u rb ets letter to the editor of

The Telegraph:
* Sir, N ot only have I not destroyed any w orks of a rt in the L ouvre, b u t on the contrary it was u n d e r my care th a t all those which h a d been dispersed by various m inisters in d iffe re n t buildings th ro u g h o u t the capital w ere collected, a n d re sto red to th e ir p ro p e r ^ E. Bower, A m onsieur le re d a c te u r d e La Verite", La Verile, No. 225, May 19, 1871. d. T h e Civil W ar a ro u n d Paris , The Daily Telegraph, No. 4971, May 20, 1871. d.

^ T h e m useum in the L u x em b u rg Palace in Paris. Ed. b Reid sent the letter to The Times, w here it was p rin te d u n d e r th e title M. C ourbet, the p a in te r in its issue No. 27100 on J u n e 27, 1871. Ed. ^ O n M arch 22, 1871 (see this volum e, pp. 324-25, 511-12, 528-30). Ed.

554

N otes from the G eneral C ouncils M inutes, 1869-1871

555

12 October, 1869. Proposition to establish an English section of the

In tern atio n al carried.

Karl Marx and Frederick Engels

[N O TES FROM T H E M IN U TES O F T H E GENERAL C O U N C IL, 1869-1871]

19 October, 1869. 2 6 October, 1869. M ottershead elected.

Resolved th at a resolution be d raw n u p asking for th e release of the (Irish) political prisoners and stating th e opinion of the C ouncil .
2 November.

Hales: O n the previous Wednesday {27 Oct.) th e L and and Labour League h ad been established, m any C ouncil m em bers were on the executive of th at league, it was n o t necessary to go any fa rth e r (with English Section) at present. 1869
(SINCE BASLE CONGRESS)

1869. J u n g stated the receipt of a letter from G eneral C luseret of New York. It was addressed to the C ongress b u t h ad arrived too late. P rinting of Basle C ongress Report.^" A letter from the P aper-stainers New Y ork requesting the C ouncil to use its influence to prevent an im portation of m en to defeat the m en now on strike. Action taken th e re u p o n . (later letter from M anchester, E dinburgh etc T rad es Councils re ceived, which h ad got letters from the G eneral Council.) 5 October 1869. L etter from V arlin of Paris stating th at a m eeting of th e C ongress delegates h ad been held an d th at they had ag reed to u rg e the affiliation of th eir societies.^ L atham a n d L am pbord proposed in one of the fo rm er sittings by O dger. Postponed. Hales (seconded by L ucraft). T h a t the C ouncil proceed to establish an English Section of the In tern atio n al W orking Men Association, with a platform based u p o n the Congressional Resolutions, to be called The N ational Labour League and British Section o f I. W .A . . Weston announces that a conference w ould be held on O ctober 13, at Bell In n , to establish an Association for the agitation of the land-question an d o th er w orkingm ens m easures. September 28,
^ Report of the Fourth A nnual Congress of the International Working M en s Association, held at Basle, in Switzerland. From the 6th to the 11th September, 1869. L ondon [1869]. Ed. See the appeal A toutes les sections de IAssociation In tern a tio n a le des T rav a illeu rs , L Internationale, No, 38, O ctober 3, 1869. Ed.

9 November. 16 November. Article against th e Council in Egalite!' {O pening of Irish question by Marx.) Resolutions proposed by M arx on Irish Political prisoners. 2 3 November. (Irish Debate.) 30 November. (The Resolutions on the Irish prisoners passed.)^ 7 December. 14 December. Ju n g reads strictures from th e Egalite against the Irish Resolutions of th e C ouncil {Schweitzer, Liebknecht etc.) [Monthly Reports.]''

1870 [ 1 January. Private Circular on Egalite etc. Irish Question etc. Reports etc.]'* 4 January. R obert H u m e ap p o in ted C o rre sp o n d en t {of L ong Island United States) (3000 C ards sent to th e G erm an C om m ittee.
{Brunswick)).

C om plaints of Progres (L ode) an d Egalite (Geneve) against Zurich m ovem ent {Tagwacht) as too political.^^^ 11 January. A letter from th e G eneva C om m ittee stated th at the section did not ap prove of th e proceedings of th e Egalite. [T he Editorial C om m ittee resigned, th eir resignation ac cepted.]
See LO rganisation de Iln te rn a tio n a le , L Egalile, No. 43, N ovem ber 13, 1869. d. b See D raft R esolution of the G eneral Council on the Policy of the B ritish G o v ern m en t T ow ards the Irish P risoners (p resen t edition. Vol. 21, p. S3). Ed. R eflexions , L Egalite, No. 47, D ecem ber 11, 1869. Ed. K. M arx, T h e G eneral C ouncil to the F ederal C ouncil of Rom ance Sw itzerland (present edition, Vol. 21, p. 84), Ed.

556

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557

18 January. 2 5 January. D upont s m otion: th at any society in F rance n o m in at

ing a co rresp o n d in g secretary with G eneral C ouncil should be held as de facto affiliation. (Carried.) 1 February. T h e C entral Council of Switzerland h ad ap pointed a new staff fo r E galite\ Serraillier received letter from Brussels, the Belgian G eneral Council approved the answ er of th e G eneral C ouncil to the attack in the Egalite.' 8 February. A pplication of Proletaires Positivistes Society.^^^ 15 February. D upont com m unicates on difference betw een the elder an d y o u nger branches at Lyons.^^'* (handed over to SubCom m ittee.) 2 2 February. A t Naples search m ade at the m eeting place of the International for papers, w ithout a search-w arrant being p ro duced by the police officer. P resident, secretary a n d a lawyer who had protested against it as illegal, had been arrested. L e Reveil contained p arag ra p h from a Spanish p ap e r according to which the governm ents of A ustria, Italy, and France are going to take rigorous m easures against the
International. 8 March. R eport of th e Sub-C om m ittee on the Lyons A ffa ir} (Richard etc.) 15 March. L etter of the Proletaires Positivistes at Paris. [They had

themselves. J u n g instructed to w rite to b oth parties fo r full particulars. 19 A pril. Discrepancies (says Ju ng) betw een th e statem ents of the two Swiss parties. T h e new com m ittee n u m b ere d ab out 600, the old 2000 m em bers. 2 6 A pril. (L etter from G uillaum e to Ju ng.)^ 3 May. R esolution on p re te n d ed Conspiracy against Badinguet (plebiscite) [arrest of m any m em bers of Paris an d Lyons sections].^ 10 May. R esolution against th e London French branch.^ (10 May ) Ju n g propo sed th at in fu tu re all the nam es o f th e C ouncil m em bers should be signed to official docum ents w h eth er th e m em bers w ere p resen t o r not.
17 May. Resolution: C onsidering: T h a t by the Basle C ongress Paris was

been asked by D u p o n t fo r th eir rules a n d by-laws.] A dm itted b u t no t as sect and the discrepancy betw een their own p ro g ram m e an d th at of the In tern atio n al pointed o u t to them . 2 2 March. Russian Section in G eneva founded. D esired M arx to becom e th eir representative.
2 9 March. 4, 5, 6 A pril. C ongress at La C haux-de-fonds. 5 A pril. 12 A pril. J u n g letter from L a Chaux-de-fonds. Split at the Congress.

In consequence of a m ajority having voted fo r the adm ission of th e G eneva Alliance the G eneva an d La C haux-de-fonds delegates h ad w ithdraw n an d continued the C ongress by

ap pointed as th e m eeting place of this years C ongress of th e I.W .A.; th at th e p resen t F rench regim e co n tin u in g the C ongress will not be able to m eet at Paris; th at nevertheless th e prep aratio n s fo r th e m eeting re n d e r an im m ediate resolution necessary; th at art. 3 of th e Statutes obliges th e C ouncil to change, in case of n eed, the place of m eeting ap p o in ted by th e C ongress; th at th e C entral C om m ittee of th e G erm an Social Dem ocratic W o rkingm ens Party has invited th e G eneral Council to tra n sfe r this y ears C ongress to G erm any; th e G eneral Council has in its sitting of th e 17 of May unanim ously resolved th at this years C ongress of th e I.W .A. be o p en ed on th e 5th Septem ber n ex t a n d m eet at M ayence. De Paepe, in letter to Serraillier, asked th e opinion of the Council on the affairs of Switzerland. J u n g letter from P erret (Geneva) who wished th e Council to decide u p o n the Swiss question. 2 4 May. (Row over th e Beehive Resolutions.)'^ 31 May. Parisians against the tran sfer to M ayence. Q uestion C luseret. O sborne W ard in tro d u ced by Ju n g . J u n g in tro d uced D uval as delegate from th e Paris iro n -fo u n d ers on strike.

K. M arx, T h e G eneral C ouncil to the F ederal C ouncil o f Rom ance Sw itzerland (present edition, Vol. 21, p. 84). Ed. K. M arx, C oncern in g the Conflict in the Lyons Section (p resen t edition. Vol. 21, p. 108). Ed. T h is line is w ritten in pencil. Ed.

^ K. M arx, C oncern in g the P ersecution of the M em bers of th e F rench Sections. D eclaration of the G eneral C ouncil of the In tern a tio n a l W orking M ens A ssociation (p resen t edition. Vol. 21, p. 127). Ed. K. M arx, D raft Resolution of the G eneral C ouncil on the F rench Federal Section in L o n d o n (present edition. Vol. 21, p. 131). Ed. < ' K. M arx, Resolution of the G eneral Council on The Bee-H ive" (present edition, Vol. 2 L P- 126). Ed.

558

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N otes fro m the G eneral C ouncils M inutes, 1869-1871

559

Council appoints dep u tatio n (Jung an d Hales) to in tro d u ce him to th e trad e societies. C redentials voted to H um e at New York. 7 June.
14 June. New lockout at G eneva (building trades). 21 June. Address to the Trades Societies etc. on the Geneva affair.^' 2 8 June. Regional C ongress at R ouen suppressed.

L etter from G eneva asked the C ouncil to com e to a decision as soon as possible. (Discussion over this affaire.) (O n the Alliance. See W estons S t a t e m e n t . ) (Proposition adopted th at G eneva C om m ittee rem ains in its old faction; the new com m ittee m ay choose a local name.)*" M arx p roposed th at the G eneral C ouncil be tran sferre d from L o ndon to Brussels, (this to be proposed to n ext Congress) (and th at this proposition, to consider th e rem oval of Council, be com m unicated to all Sections). Carried. H ales gave notice of m otion to reconsider the question. 5 July. Parisians w ant refu tatio n of the false statem ents of Aulois,^* th e public prosecutor, bu t they h ad sent no papers etc. to th e Council. D u p o n t com plains of receiving no reply. 12 July. F rench branch. Lemaitre.^ Positivist bran ch send their co n tribution. M oney (voted by the A m algam ated Engineers to the Paris iron-m oulders). T h e proposition (M arx stated) was; to write to the sections to ask them to consider th e advisability of rem oving the C ouncil from L ondon. If they w ere favourable to a rem oval, then Brussels should be proposed etc.^
Programme fo r Mayence Congress.'^ 19 July. G eneva C om m ittee thanks fo r th e resolution of the

Council. Ju n g w ritten to La-C haux-de-Fonds against their political abstentionism . A nti-W ar A ddress of Paris Section. M arx to draw u p A n ti-W a r Address.*^ 2 6 July. Bebel and Liebknecht on G erm an W ar Loan. (North German Reichstag. Berlin) (In th eir w ritten declaration

K. M arx. T h e Lock-out of the B uilding T ra d e s in G eneva (p resen t edition, Vol. 21, pp. 137-39). i. K. M arx, G eneral C ouncil Resolution on the F ederal C om m ittee o f Rom ance Sw itzerland. T h e G eneral C ouncil to th e R om ance F ederal C om m ittee (present edition. Vol. 21, p. \36). Ed. K. M arx, C onfidential C om m unication to All Sections (present edition, Vol. 21, p. 142). Ed. K. M arx, P ro g ram m e fo r th e M ainz C ongress of th e In te rn a tio n a l (present edition, Vol. 21, p. 143). Ed. See this volum e, pp. 3-8, Ed.

(why they abstain from voting) declare them selves m em bers of the In tern atio n al.)'' First W ar Address of July 23 read.' 2 August. Serraillier reads letter from B elgium : C ouncil to be left at L ondon; b u t gives notice th at Belgium C ongress Delegates will ask why C ouncil in terfe red in th e Swiss affair. M arx states th at p ro test against W ar has been issued in B arm en, M unich, B reslau etc. Ju n g on Swiss affair. Article in Solidarite'". G uil laum es party has n o t sent a p ro p e r reply. T h e Parisians asked fo r a p ro m p t settlem ent of this affair. R eferred to SubC om m ittee. M arx proposes to ask sections to agree to p o stp o n e m en t of Congress. C arried. 9 A ugust. Ju n g [received] letter from N aples ab out C aporusso having bertrayed them . 16 A ugust. T h ird 1,000 of W ar A ddress p rin ted . L etters from Switzerland an d G erm any (C entral Com m ittee) to leave Council at L ondon an d to em pow er it to postpone C ongress to any time an d place. 23 A ugust. 15,000 G erm an a n d 15,000 F rench copies of A ddress o rd e re d to be p rin ted at Geneva. Belgian C ouncils letter w ithdraw ing observations on Swiss affair (see 2 A ugust) and agreeing to po stp o n em en t of Congress. R om ance C ouncil of G eneva also fo r p o stp o n em en t a n d C ouncil to rem ain in London. R esolution passed to postpone Congress. A ugust 30th. F rench Section fo rm ed at New York. O sborne W ard atten d ed an d spoke. September 6. M arx h ad co rresp o n d en ce w ith G erm an Social D em ocratic Party** who bay they will d o th eir duty. Second W ar A ddress resolved u p o n .' September 9. A ddress carried. September 13. Serraillier o ff to Paris. September 20. A rrest of B raunschw eigers. Expulsion from May e n c e . P r o t e s t s against an nexation in B erlin, M unchen, A ugsburg, N iirn b erg etc. D eputation of 5 to act with the A ru n d el Hall C om m ittee in fitting u p a dem o n stratio n fo r the F rench R epublic an d against annexation.
^ See M otiviertes V otum d e r R eichstagsabgeordneten L iebknecht u n d Bebel in Sachen d e r 120 M illionen K riegsanleihe , Der Volksstaat, No. 59, July 29, m o . Ed. B eginning from h e re th e notes a re in E ngels h a n d . Ed. Le Conseil general d e L o n d res... , La Solidarite, No. 16, July 23, 1870. Ed. See this volum e, pp. 260-62. Ed. ^ Ibid., pp. 263-70. <i.
2 0 -1 2 3 2

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561

September 27. Stated th at a dep u tatio n to G ladstone h ad been

ag reed u p o n fo r recognition of F rench R epublic (by the joint Committee).^''"

October 4. October 11. M eetings at B erlin an d M unich against the Prussian

w ar policy. L etter about B akounin at Lyons 28 Sept.^' R eport of Finance Com m ittee. October 18. B irm ingham T ra d es C ouncil joins. O bjection taken to Belgian In tern atio n al pap ers no t having published 2nd W ar A ddress. Financial Secretary appointed. October 25. T h e Belgian Internationale at last prints the beginning of th e 2-d W ar Address."* H e in em an n s M eeting. P rotest of the [G erm an] W orkers E ducational Society.^''^ Resolved th a t when questions o f an internal adm inistration are discussed none bu t m em bers of C ouncil be allowed to be present. November 1. L etters from P atterson N. J. and New York that F rench a n d G erm ans th e re h ad issued a jo in t address against the war.^^ L etter from A ubrey (R ouen) about the B onapartists still in pow er th ere an d th eir doings. November 8. M eeting of In tervention C om m ittee atten d e d by Secretary.^^^ November 15. Mass M eeting in New Y ork on the W ar announced as impending.^ November 22. L etter from Brest, th at all th e 12 m em bers of the C om m ittee th ere h ad been arrested 2/10 O ctober, a n d tried 27 O ctober fo r conspiring against safety of State, 2 got 2 years, one 1 year (m erely fo r holding a D efence m eeting). From the B o n ap arte papers published it a p p e are d th at on the eve of the plebiscite th e h u n tin g dow n of th e In tern atio n al was purposely organised. November 29. T h e T ra d es C ouncil of M anchester prom ises its moral support. D up o n t ap p o in ted R epresentative fo r Lancashire.'" 6 December. M arx proposed th at the secretary should m ake o u t a list of th e attendance of the m em bers fo r the last 3 m onths. C arried. 13 December. Secretary read a list of th e m em bers a n d th e n u m b er
[K. M arx,] D euxiem e adresse d u Conseil general d e IAssociation Inter nationale des T ravailleurs au sujet de la g u e rre , L Intemationale, No. 93, O ctober 23, m o . Ed. T h e n follows M arxs n o te in pencil; T h e R om ance F ederal C om m ittee in G eneva d u rin g the 1869-70 re fu sed [the Alliance] affiliation to th e Rom ance F ederation of the In tern a tio n a l Association. T h e section was recognized by the G eneral C ouncil. B eginning from h e re th e notes a re w ritten by M arx. Ed.

of times they h ad been absent since S eptem ber. T o be en tered into th e m inutes, a n d in fu tu re th e absent m em bers to be n o ted dow n as well as those present. 2 0 December. A n n o u n cem en t of fo rm ation of C entral C om m ittee at New York."* (See list of attendance) (after the last sitting of December). (From Sept.-December 1870 and from January-end of
March, 1871.)

1871
3 January. 17 January. B irm ingham T ra d e s C ouncil joins. Felleisen to be

asked in w hat position tow ards th e In tern atio n al (T hese fellows fo r annexation.) M arx speaks against O d g e rs ra n t at St. Jam ess Hall. (Favre et Co.)^"* (against o u r Second Address). 24 January. Form ation of C entral C om m ittee fo r th e U n ited States at New York. 31 January. Swiss (Geneva R om ance C onfederation) w rite th at they h ad received letter from Spain to e n te r into close com m unica tion, b u t befo re do in g so they desired to know w h eth er the Spanish section was in relation with th e Council; otherw ise they would no t com m unicate with them . Engels app o in ted Spanish Secretary. Engels resolution on th e w ar (Franco-G erm an) (and attitu d e of English G overnm ent).'' 7 February. Discussion of F ranco-G erm an W ar. A ttitu d e of English governm ent.
14 February. (C ontinuation of that discussion.) 21 February. L and Tenure Reform Association^*^ m eeting the w orkingm ens p arty half ways in re g ard to th e nationalisation of land. (M ill) H arris th o u g h t it was a m ove to b reak u p th e L and

a n d L abour League.^
2 8 February. Discussion of L and Tenure Reform Association. (Resolu

tion to discuss th eir program m e.)

Report of C itizen Serraillier. (Federal Paris Council during the siege.) 7 March. (Discussion on N ew York Central Committee) (M arx on Paris declaration of 1856)?^^ 14 March: Robin (C onference of delegates from all th e sections to be convocated to L ondon). (Rejected.) (Debate on declaration of 1856) (Irish Question).
See this volum e, pp. 263-70. Ed.
20*

J.

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N otes fro m th e G eneral C ouncils M inutes, 1869-1871

563

21 March. M arx stated; w hen the w ar broke o u t letters sent to all

th e continental Sections th at the congress could no t be held at M ayence o r Paris; all the sections th at h ad answ ered h ad left it to th e C ouncil to choose tim e an d place w hen an d w here the C ouncil should m eet. Robin said th at letter h ad never been received at Paris. Declaration to be sent to the English papers against the false resolution (of excluding the G erm ans) attributed to the
Paris Federal Council.'" (Revolution o f March 18.) Section in the East o f London. 2 8 March. Serraillier sent to Paris. 5 voted fo r his wife. O u r German friends only prosecuted as Internationals

13 June. (1 2 June. Reply to Favre s circular sent to Times."") Address on C iv il W ar issued. (Citizen Baudry tu rn s up.) 2 0 June. Odger and Lucraft leave (Scandal-sitting) (Holyoake-

(all

scandal).' Declarations against the false Paris (International) m anifestoes.*" 27th June. Refugee Committee on Saturdays formed. D eclarations about O dger, L ucraft, Holyoake etc.** L etter of M arx in Daily News ab o u t A ddress. First Edition'' exhausted. 4 July. M e Donnell elected.
Correspondence o f Cafiero?^^ Robert R eid sent with Address as lecturer on the Commune to th e Provinces. M ajor W olff {T ibaldi etc.) M arx and Pall M a ll! 11 July. Assi-B igot affair, (Lum ley, barrister, p resent) Address on Washbume.^ Rutson (Bruce) applies fo r th e published docum ents of the

o th e r charges d ro p p ed ).
Central Republican M eeting at W ellington M usic H all (to establish a R epublican Club).^ W ade m oved th e addition of social an d dem ocratic (26 for, 50 against). Resolutions for fo u n d in g branches in the East E nd o f London. 4 A pril. San Francisco (line) branch. Bethnal Green branch. 11 A p ril. (Antwerp, etc. Cigarmakers (strike) lockout) (Action taken by Council).^ 18 A pril. (Tolain affair first b ro u g h t before the Council.) 25 A pril. Expulsion of T olain. Confirm ed.^ 2 May. A p p leg arth a n d O d g e r (Eccarius m oved th at the rule of

In ternational.
18 July. Richard A ffa ir (not ad m itted as m em ber) Elliot (rejected). H erm an elected as Belgian secretary. Refugee money question. 25 July. New O rleans branch. ( L a C om m une, th eir organ.) P o p e'' a n d Mazzini against th e International'

a p p e n d in g all nam es to A ddresses should be suspended with re g a rd to them . M ottershead against. Ju n g to speak about it with A p p leg arth, Eccarius with O dger). 9 May. Eccarius resignes General Secretaryship (A pplegarth left to the C ouncil th e a p p e n d in g of his nam e. O d g e r should like to see th e ad d ress b eforehand). N ew Zealand correspondence.^*
16 May. Hales elected General Secretary. 23 May. T h e English shall convoke m eeting to u rg e th e English

R obin brings Swiss affair forw ard. R eferred to a C o n fer ence.

Private Conference Resolved upon (for 17 September)) 1 A ugust. Bishop of Malines,'^ Catholic W orkingm en s International Association. W ashington section. Rochat s Proposition as to fo rm atio n of E nquiry (th ro u g h and

from the R efugees) on th e H istory of th e C om m une (Cohn.)

8 A ugust. Deputation of Newcastle and London Engineers on the Newcastle Lockout. D eputation sent by G eneral C ouncil to
See this volum e, p. 361. Ed. Ibid., pp. 367-68. <i. Ibid., p. 369. d. Ibid., pp. 372-73. Ed. O f The C ivil W ar in France. Ed. See this volum e, p. 378. Ed. 8 Ibid., pp. 379-82. Ed. h Pius IX. Ed. See this volum e, pp. 607-08. Ed. > Ibid., p. 609. Ed. V. A. D echam ps. Ed. b ' d ' f

G o vernm ent no t to act against the F rench Refugees. T his was d o n e an d d iffe ren t m eetings took place on th at point. 3 0 May. M arx read A ddress O n C iv il W a r (Accepted)."^ 6 June. C om m une. English press. Mazzini. (A ttem pts of Internation al Democratic Association^^'* to play a role.) (Citizen Cadiot ap p ears on the scene.)
See this volum e, pp. 286-87.- -E d . > > Ibid., p. 294. Ed. ^ Ibid., p. 297. Ed. d Ibid., pp. 307-59. Ed.

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Belgium etc. W arning to all international branches against im p o rtatio n of m en into Newcastle-on-Tyne. Applegarths letter. Visitors to be excluded in future. 15 A ugust. Branches at Liverpool an d Loughborough in Leicestershire.
Conference to be confined to questions o f organisation and policy. 2 2 August. (Canada C om m unard Exportation Scheme.) 2 9 A ugust. D eputation from R efugees Society. Quarrel.* 5 September. M arx, Engels, Hales, J u n g resign as m em bers of

Frederick Engels
M E E T IN G O F SU B -C O M M ITT EE

R efugees Com m ittee. Propositions as to C onference.

W ritten presum ably in S eptem ber 1871 First published, in Russian, in th e book The Hague Congress of the First Internation al, September 2-7, 1872. Minutes and Docu ments, Moscow, 1970 R ep ro d u ced fro m th e m an u scrip t

9th September, 8 oclock

L onguet in th e Chair. M arx proposes th at as to Landeck the G eneral C ouncil has n o th in g to do with the question [w hether] he still belongs to the In tern atio n al o r not, an d th at he be re fe rre d to th e F rench Internationals in L o ndon to setde this. L. has, on the trial o f th e Internationals in Paris, eaten hum ble pie an d prom ised n o t to belay to the In tern atio n al in fu tu re ; b u t such questions can n o t be settled by the Council. M ottershead seconds. C arried unanim ously. The C onferences^ M arx: a C onference is n o t com posed of delegates of branches b u t of delegates of countries which com e to confer with the C ouncil u n d e r ex trao rd in ary circum stances an d th e re fo re 'v e ry d iffe ren t from a C ongress a n d has quite d iffe ren t powers. T his has n o t to be forgotten. T h e first question will be 1) the money questions, the contributions have n o t com e in as they o u g h t to do. T h e C onference has n o pow er to change the Statutes bu t it can enforce them . T h e re fo re proposal No. 1 branches to pay b efo re adm ittance. Ju n g seconds. A d o p ted unanim ously. M arx: 2) (C ountries w here th e In tern atio n al is suppressed to propose th eir own plans, an d to be allowed o th er nam es b u t not
secret.)

Eccarius seconds. A dopted unanim ously. M arx: 3) T h a t som e m em bers be ap p o in ted to draw u p the R eport of C ouncil to be subm itted to C onference fo r last 2 years. A dopted as a m atter of course.

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Ju n g proposes, Eccarius seconds M arx to draw u p the R eport. M arx: 4) T o enforce th e resolution of C ongress of Basel, that th e C entral C ouncil to be called Federal Council, etc., etc.'^''^ Serraillier seconds. A dopted unanim ously. M arx; 5) Reply to be issued to d iffe re n t governm ents to be d raw n u p afterw ards. Engels seconds. A dopted unanim ously. [M arx;] 6) In regularly organized countries re g u la r re p o rts of local an d district taxation to be sent in. T his is w ithdraw n by M arx himself. M arx; 7) All delegates of G eneral C ouncil to have the rig h t to atten d an d be h ea rd at m eetings of district councils a n d local branches. Serraillier seconds. A dopted unanim ously. M arx; 8) G eneral C ouncil to issue fresh edition of Statutes and auth en tic F rench a n d G erm an version, p rin ted side by side; and all o th e r countries to have th eir translations approved by G eneral C ouncil befo re publishing. J u n g seconds. A dopted unanim ously. Mottershead: T h a t the C onference be asked to charge the G eneral C ouncil with enforcing A rt. V. of th e Statutes relative to a general statistics of the W orking Classes a n d th e resolution of the C ongress of G eneva on the sam e subject.^ T o carry this o u t it m ight be resolved th at trades unions etc w ho refuse to give the info rm atio n req u ired , shall no t be su p p o rted by the G eneral C ouncil in case of strike. M cDonnell seconds. A dopted unanim ously! M arx; T h a t the Sub-C om m ittee m eets at 8 at M arxs on M onday evening. A dopted.
First published in p a rt, in Russian, in the book The London Conference of the First International, Moscow, 1936, a n d in full in The General Council of the First International, 1870-1871, Moscow, 1965 R ep ro d u ced from th e m anuscript

Frederick Engels
M E E T IN G O F SU B -C O M M ITT EE

Monday 7 7* September 1871 at 1 M aitland Park

Serraillier in the C hair. Engels ap p o in ted Secretary. Proposed by Engels, seconded by H ales th at th e Bill of Mr. T ru e lo v e 2 5 11.6 be passed, reserving th e question of the price of the handbills an d th e 5th T h o u san d copies.^ A dopted unanim ously. P roposed by Engels, seconded by Eccarius; th at Mr. T ru elo v e be paid 1 0 . on account an d th e paym ent of th e rest be delayed until he shall have h a n d e d in an account of copies sold. A dopted unanim ously. P roposed by M arx, seconded by L onguet; th at the G eneral C ouncil be requested, to avoid all m isunderstandings, to declare at the op en in g of th e C onference; th at a C onference is n o th in g b u t a m eeting of delegates from various countries called to consult and decide to g eth er with th e G eneral Council, on adm inistrative m easures re n d e re d necessary by ex trao rd in ary circumstances.*' Hales proposed, L onguet seconded; th at the G eneral C ouncil recom m end the fo rm ation of an English F ederal Council. W ith draw n to be subm itted to G eneral C ouncil tom orrow . M arx proposes, Ju n g seconds; th at the fo rm ation of w orking w om ens sections be reco m m en d ed .'
First published, in Russian, in the book The London Conference of the First Interna tional, Moscow, 1936 R ep ro d u ced from th e m anuscript

K. M arx, Rules and Administrative Regulations of the International Working M en s Association (p resen t edition. Vol. 20, A ppendices); Resolutions of the Congress of Geneva, 1866, and the Congress of Brussels, 1868. The International Working M en s Association. Office of General Council, L ondon [1869]. Ed.

O f the th ird edition of The C ivil War in France. Ed. See this volum e, p. 613. Ed. ^ Ibid., p. 424. <i.

APPENDICES

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571

[RECORD O F M ARXS SPEECH O N T H E G O V E R N M EN T OF N A T IO N A L DEFENCE]

[FROM T H E M IN U T E S O F T H E G EN ERA L C O U N C IL M E E T IN G O F JA N U A R Y 17, 1871]

Cit. M arx said as th ere w ere several English m em bers p resen t he h ad a very im p o rtan t statem ent to m ake. A t th e last m eeting at St. Jam ess H all O d g e r spoke of th e F rench G o vernm ent co n trary to tru th . In o u r second address we said th e b ra n d of infam y attaches to som e of the m em bers of th e provisional go v ern m en t from the R evolution of 1848. O d g er said th ere was n o t a blam e attached to them . Favre can only be received as th e rep resentative of th e Republic, not as th e spotless p atrio t Jules Favre. T h e way th at is now talked ab out him p u t Favre in th e fo reg ro u n d an d th e R epublic alm ost o u t of sight. O n e exam ple of F avres doings. A fter the R evolution of 1848 Favre becam e Secretary of th e In terio r; on account of Flocon being ill, Ledru-R ollin chose Favre. O ne of the firk things he did was to b rin g back the arm y to Paris, which afterw ards enabled th e bourgeoisie to shoot th e w ork-people dow n. Later, w hen the people becam e convinced th at the Assembly consisted of micldle-class m en, th e people m ade a dem onstration in favour of Poland on which occasion th e people ra n into th e assem bly.^' T h e p resid en t en tre ated Louis Blanc to speak to them an d pacify them , which he did. A w ar with Russia w ould have saved th e Republic. T h e first th in g Jules Favre did a few days afte r was to ask fo r au th o rity to prosecute Louis Blanc as an accomplice of th e invaders. T h e Assembly th o u g h t he was instructed by th e G overnm ent to do b u t all th e o th er m em bers of the G overnm ent d en o u n ced [this m easure] as th e private affair of Favre. T h e provisional g o v ern m en t conspired to provoke the insurrection of Ju n e. A fter th e people w ere shot dow n Favre
See this volum e, p. 269. Ed.

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pro p o sed th at the Executive C om m ittee should be a b o l i s h e d . O n the 27th he drew u p the decree to tra n sp o rt the prisoners w ithout trial; 15,000 w ere tran sp o rted . In N ovem ber th e Assembly was com pelled to exam ine some no t yet tran sp o rted . In B rest alone 1,000 h ad to be liberated. O f the m ost d an gerous who w ere tried by a m ilitary com m ission m any h ad to be liberated, others were only sentenced to sh o rt term s of im prisonm ent. A fterw ards m otions w ere m ade fo r an am nesty, Favre always opposed. H e was one of th e m en w ho insisted fo r a com m ission of inquiry of the whole revolution except F ebruary. H e was instrum ental in the passing of th e m ost infam ous press laws th at ever existed a n d of which N apoleon m ade good use. Favre h ad certain relations with th e B onapartists u n d e r the July m onarchy a n d h e used all his influence to get N apoleon into th e N ational Assembly. H e in terested him self to b rin g about the expedition to R o m e,'^ which was th e first step fo r the establishm ent of the Em pire.
T h e account of th e speech (w ithout any m ention of the a u th o r) was published in The Eastern Post No. 121, Ja n u a ry 21, 1871. T h is variant of the reco rd was first published in: K. M arx a n d F. Engels, Works, Second Russian E dition, Vol. 17, Moscow, 1960 R ep ro d u ced fro m th e C ouncils M inute Book G eneral

[RECORDS O F M ARXS A N D ENGELS SPEECHES O N T H E P O S IT IO N O F T H E EN G LISH W O R K IN G CLASS IN T H E FRA N CO -PRU SSIA N W A R ] ^

[FROM T H E M IN U T E S O F T H E G E N E R A L C O U N C IL M E E TIN G S]

January 24, 1871

Cit. Engels inq u ired w h eth er any of th e m em bers h ad been at the m eeting of th e previous evening b u t th e re was no reply. H e th en stated as th e re was a d ifferen ce of opinion am ongst the m em bers it w ould be advisable to discuss th e question as to the attitu d e of th e English w orking class on th e p resen t phase of the w ar at the m eeting. H e m oved th at th e question be p u t on the o rd e r of th e day. Cit. M arx seconded th e proposition, which was ag reed to.
January 31, 1871

Cit. Engels said: following the advice of th e C h airm an of th e last m eetin g '' an d com plying with an English custom , I have d raw n u p som e resolutions principally as a basis fo r th e debate. I am not particu lar as re g ard s carrying them exactly as they are. T hese are th e resolutions I have draw n up: L T h a t the working-class m ovem ent in su p p o rt of th e F rench R epublic o u g h t to have co n cen trated its efforts, at th e beginning, u p o n the en fo rcem en t of th e recognition of th e R epublic by the B ritish G overnm ent. 2. T h a t the m ilitary in tervention of E ngland in favour of France, as u n d ersto o d by those p ro posing it, could have been of any use w hatever at a certain m o m en t only, which has long since passed away. 3. T h a t E ngland rem ains incapable, n o t only of in terfe rin g with effect in C ontinental affairs, b u t also of d efen d in g herself against
T h e re co rd has C ouncil , w hich was subsequently crossed ou t. Ed. b B. L ucraft. ti.

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th e C ontinental m ilitary despotism so long as she does no t recover th e liberty of using h e r real w ar p o w er th at is to say, h e r naval pow er, which she can only recover by the renunciation of the D eclaration of Paris.' T h e policy ad o p ted by the C ouncil was laid in the second address." O n the 4th o f S eptem ber the R epublic was declared, on th e 9th o f S eptem ber o u r address was issued in which it was said: T h e English w orkm en have already taken m easures to overcom e by a wholesom e pressure from w ithout, the reluctance o f th eir G o vernm ent to recognise th e F rench R epublic. H ad the m ove m en t been confined to th at it m ight have succeeded, o th er countries w ould have followed a n d it w ould have given F rance a standm g which Prussia could [not] have ignored. B ut th ere w ere oth ers who w ere no t satisfied with this. I m ean the Comtists, Professor Beesly a n d his friends. Professor Beesly has on several occasions stood u p bravely, fo r th e w orking class, h e braved the hostihty o f th e m iddle classes in the B roadhead affair,^ b u t the C om tists are n o t pro p erly a working-class party. T hey advocate a com prom ise to m ake w ages-labour tolerable to p e rp etu ate i f they belong to a political sect who believe th at F rance o u g h t to rule the w orld. In th eir last declaration, which was signed by several m em bers o f th e Council,^^ they d em an d ed th at F rance should be resto red to th e position it occupied before the war.* B efore the w ar F rance was a m ilitary power. T h e Com tists asked for in tervention a n d as soon as it was d o n e th e working-class m ovem ent split up. T h e opposition said th a t h ith erto w ar h ad p o stp o n ed everything in the shape of social a n d political progress a n d every w ar h ad given the aristocracy a new lease of life T h e re IS a g reat deal of tru th in that. B ut on the o th e r h a n d how could peoi^e, who w ere n o t able to com pel the G overnm ent to recognise th e Republic, force th e sam e G overnm ent to go [to] w ar fo r the Republic? S upposing E ngland h ad gone to war. By w ithdraw ing all arm ed forces from Scotland, by depriving every o th e r place of soldiers a n d leaving only 10,000 in Irelan d , som e 30,000 m en could have been started a n d they would have been useful at a certain m om ent. A t one tim e th e F rench a n d G erm an forces were ab o u t equal an d M oltke was going to raise the siege, an d at that m o m en t an English arm y m ight have tu rn e d the scales against the G erm ans. B ut th at m om ent h ad long since passed away; it was
See this volum e, p. 269. Ed. Ludlow a n d o th ers, [R em onstrance fo rw a rd ed to Mr. G ladstone! The Times, No. 26947, D ecem ber 30, 1870.__Ed.

w hen th ere was a sort of revival befo re O rleans, w hen A urelle de Paladines gained his successes. A n English force th en w ould have h ad a good effect u p o n th e F ren ch soldiers, it w ould have im proved [their spirit]; th en th e G erm ans have been largely reinforced, a n d th e Prussians have such a b ad opinion of th e arm y of this country th at the English, had they gone over, w ould have been laughed at; all they could have d o n e would have been to m ake C hanzys retreat a litde m o re orderly. A n English arm y on land can only act in alliance with o th er arm ies. T h is was d o n e in th e P eninsular W ar an d it was d o n e in the Crimea. E ngland can best carry on w ar by supplying h er allies with the m aterials of war. In th e C rim ea they h ad [to] borrow F rench soldiers to fill th eir trenches. It has always been fo u n d im possible to carry on a w ar fa r from h om e with a large arm y. Owing to th e m ilitary system th e absence of conscription, the slow process of voluntary recru itin g , th e system of drill, the length of tim e it takes to m ake an English soldier efficient the English arm y is based on long service, it is im possible to m aintain a large arm y by th e necessary reinforcem ents. If an arm y had been sent to F rance it could n o t have been kept u p if it h ad m et with any losses. T h e only th in g E ngland could have d o n e to assist F rance w ould have been to declare w ar at th e m o m en t w hen Russia re p u d ia ted th e T re aty of Paris. T h a t p o in t too was alluded to in o u r addresses. In th e first th e following is said: In the background of this suicidal strife looms th e d ark fig u re of Russia. It is an om inous sign th at th e signal fo r th e p re sen t w ar should have been given at th e m o m en t w hen the Moscovite G overnm ent h ad ju st finished its strategical lines of railway an d was already m assing troops in th e direction of th e P ru th . " In th e second: As in 1865 prom ises w ere exchanged betw een Louis B o n ap arte an d Bism arck, so in 1870 prom ises have been exchanged betw een G orchakov an d B ism arck. B ut nobody has taken any notice of that. No sooner h ad Russia declared against th e T re aty of Paris th a n B ism arck re p u d ia ted th e L u x em b o u rg Treaty.' T his proved the secret u n d erstan d in g . Prussia has never been anything else b u t the tool of Russia. T h a t was th e o p p o rtu n ity fo r E ngland to step in. T h e F rench w ere n o t quite so low dow n as they have been since, a n d if E ngland h ad declared w ar Prussia an d Russia would have gone to g eth er a n d th e rest of E u ro p e w ould have gone to g eth er an d F rance w ould have been relieved. A ustria, Italy and
^ See this volum e, p. 7. Ed. h Ibid., p. 267. Ed.

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T u rk ey w ere ready, an d if the T u rk s h ad n o t been in terfe red with as in th e war, if they h ad been allowed to d efen d them selves in th eir own way, they w ould have been able to hold th eir own while th e oth ers h elp ed th e F rench to drive ou t the Prussians. But, w hen this o p p o rtu n ity arose, the gentlem en who w ere going to help F rance had n o th in g to say. Now, the way in which Jules Favre has throw n u p th e sponge for th e whole of France, a th in g he h ad n o business to do, th ere is no doubt, with the help of th e F rench m iddle class, F rance will have to subm it a n d peace will be m ade. T h e n we shall see what Russia will do. Russia a n d Prussia re q u ire w ar as m uch [as] N apoleon to stem the p o p u lar m ovem ent at hom e, to preserve th eir prestige an d keep th eir positions. T h e navy is the m ain pow er of E ngland b u t by the D eclaration of 1856 a new naval code was established; it was laid dow n that priv ateerin g should be d o n e away with. T h e rig h t of search was aban d o n ed , enem ys goods w ere m ade safe in n eu tra l bottom s an d n eu tra l goods in enem ys bottom s. T h e re was a sim ilar attem p t m ade once before by the Em press C atherine of Russia b u t E ngland refused till afte r the C rim ean war.' At the C onference of Paris, by one stroke of the pen. C larendon signed away E n g lan d s pow er to h u rt Russia at sea. By whose instructions o r au th o rity [he] d id so has never com e out. W hen it was b ro u g h t b efo re th e H ouse of C om m ons Disraeli blinked at it, the question was shirked. T o cripple Russia it is necessary to stop h e r export, h e r ex p o rt trade. If the Russian aristocracy could no t sell th eir corn, th eir flax, in one w ord, th eir agricultural produce, to foreign countries, Russia could n o t hold o u t fo r a year, an d the bulk of h e r tra d e is carried on in foreign bottom s. T o m ake w ar on Russia E ngland m ust regain h e r hold of this power. It was ab an d o n ed on the p reten ce of m aking private p ro p e rty as safe at sea as it was on land. We have seen how th e Prussians have respected private p ro p e rty in France. T h e w orking class has n o private p ro p e rty to lose, it has th ere fo re n o interest in m aking [it] safe. B ut the w orking class has interest in resum ing the hold of this pow er an d to keep [it] intact till the Russian E m pire is dissolved. T h e English E m pire like all o th er em pires based u p o n will have to be dissolved in d u e tim e but with th at we have noth in g to do at p resen t an d th at will proceed m ore peaceably perhaps. No o th er country can oppose Russia the sam e as E ngland can and she m ust
A p parently the w ords in the C rim e a are o m ittid . Ed. A blank space in the re co rd . Ed.

keep this pow er at least till P oland is restored. H ad w ar been declared against Russia it w ould have been th e salvation of France, an d Poland could have been restored. Now Russia will e n te r on a w ar of conquest, p erh ap s befo re a year is over, an d E u ro p e will have to fight m inus France.
February 7, 1871

Cit. Engels. W hen I m entioned Irelan d I only supposed th at 10,000 would be th e smallest force th e G o vernm ent w ould leave in Ireland. I did no t take th e sentim ents of th e Irish into account at all.
February 14, 1871

Cit. M arx. T h e recognition of th e R epublic was th e first condition for all th e rest; if th at did n o t succeed all th e rest m ust fail. F rance was internationally paralysed an d at hom e, too, while Prussia h ad Russia at h e r back. T h e m o m en t th e R epublic was proclaim ed everybody in F rance becam e enthusiastically rep u b li can. H ad the R epublic been recognised th en it w ould have h ad a chance to succeed. B ut w hen no recognition cam e they tu rn e d back. T h e p ro p e rtie d class h ad an in terest ra th e r to see Prussia victorious th a n th e Republic. T h ey are well aw are th at so oner o r later th e R epublic m ust have becom e socialistic an d th ere fo re they intrigued against it, a n d these intrigues have d o n e m ore for Prussia th an M oltke an d his generals. Well, no one has shown in this discussion th at the recognition of th e R epublic was n o t the first point. N ext, th e C annon S treet m e e tin g was n o t a m eeting of the wealthy citizens of L ondon, it was th e small m iddle class who never h ad any influence. T h ey may eith er su p p o rt th e great capitalists against the people o r join th e w orking class; they cannot do anything by them selves, b u t w hen they join th e w orking class they m ust not be p erm itted to lead, because they are d an gerous leaders. T hey hate th e R epublic an d w ould n o t recognise it, b u t they w ere afraid of Prussia, th ere fo re they w ere fo r war. Cit. Eccarius talked ab o u t p ro testing against the d ism em b erm en t of France; w ithout th rea ten in g w ar [it] w ould have been useless; th at h ad n o thing to do with it. W e pro tested in o u r address an d the G erm ans protested b u t th at was only a m oral protest; th e B ritish G overnm ent could n o t p ro test until Prussia h ad been victorious a n d form ally d em an d e d those provinces, an d it was im possible to believe th at this G o vernm ent w ould seriously oppose th e dism em berm ent.
3 See this volum e, pp. 263-70. Ed.

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T h e n Cit. C ohn seems to en tertain strange notions about the w orking m e n s agitation. W hen the w orkm en go to G ladstone to h e a r his opinion they m ust take th at as an ultim ate decision an d give up. H e also thinks th at m ore could have been do n e if P arliam ent h ad been sitting. T h a t was the best thing that P arliam ent was not sitting. T h e recognition of th e R epublic was a sim ple executive act. H ad P arliam ent been sitting G ladstone would have shoved [it] off his own shoulders on to those o f the m ajority an d th e re would have been a th o u san d reasons to su p p o rt him to one against it. A change o f g o v ernm ent m ight have necessitated an election a n d th e Liberals d o n t care about buying the free electors too often. I am quite sure, if th e w orking m en h ad persevered an d n o t allowed d octrinary m iddle-class speakers to m eddle, they m ight have succeeded. T h e re was not half th e energy throw n into this m ovem ent th at th ere was som e tim e since in a b eer row.* All things in E ngland are carried by p ressu re from w ithout. Cit M ilner spoke as if the G erm ans w ould be o ffen d ed if the English insisted on th e recognition of th e F rench Republic. Q uite the contrary: they believe the English have not gone fa r enough. H u n d re d s have been im prisoned a n d th e only people they could look to fo r m oral su p p o rt w ere the English w ork-people b u t they did n o t get in the way they o u g h t to have done. As to m onarchy against republic, th ere was one m onarchical arm y against an o th er in th e beginning; th ere was n o th in g about republic, a n d the F rench arm y was supposed to be the stronger. W hen all the F rench standing arm y disap p eared everybody th o u g h t the F rench would have to give in, in a few days no m onarchy could have assisted [against] th e Prussians. It was the absence of a m onarch alone, th e Republic, th at has do n e it fo r five m onths, an d if th ere [had] been n o treason a n d no in trig u in g they w ould have k ept up longer. ^ T h e th ird p o int th at has com e o u t is th at middle-class republics have becom e im possible in E urope. A middle-class governm ent d are n o t in terfe re so fa r as to take the p ro p e r revolutionary m easures fo r defence. It is only a poliucal form to develop the pow er of th e w orking class. T h e last elections in F rance a n d the proceedings o f th e m iddle class in G erm any prove th at they ra th e r have a m ilitary despotism th an a republic. In E ngland th ere is the sam e fear. Republicanism a n d middle-class gov ern m en t can no lo n g er go together. I now com e to the w ar itself. A fter the capitulation of S edan"
O n S eptem ber 2, 1870. Ed.

Bism arck was in a difficulty. T h e king=> h ad told th e G erm an P arliam ent an d th e F rench people, th at he only m ade w ar against N apoleon in self-defence. B ut after Sedan it was no [longer] m ore fo r defence th an th e F rench h ad been. I know th at Bism arck w orked as h a rd to b rin g ab out the w ar as N apoleon, the defence was only a pretex t. B ut afte r Sedan he w anted a new pretext. T h e G erm an m iddle class was d o u b tfu l w h eth er it was n o t tim e to stop bu t B ism arck fo u n d th at th ere was no recognised go v ern m en t to m ake peace with, th ere fo re h e m ust go to Paris to m ake peace. It was th e height of im p u d en ce fo r him [to] say w hat governm ent the F rench w ould recognise an d w hat they w ould n o t b u t it answ ered his pu rp o se. M oney-m akers are always w orshippers of success, a n d the G erm an m iddle class being afraid of th e Republic, [he] secured th eir su p p o rt, th at of th e aristocracy he was su re of befo reh an d . It was B ism arcks in terest th at E ngland should not recognise the R epublic because E ngland was th e only pow er th at could oppose him , b u t he reckoned on G ladstone an d th e C o u rt relations. T o be m other-in-law of th e E m p ero r of G e r m a n y w a s no small thing, so E ngland followed in th e footsteps of th e Holy Alliance. W hen G ladstone was taxed by the w orking m en s d ep u tatio n ab o u t th e haste with which N apoleon had been recognised, h e baffled them by m ixing u p dates an d co n fo u n d in g the recognition afte r th e co u p d etat by Palm erston with th at of D erby afte r th e plebiscite. H e told th e w orking m en he h ad gone as fa r as h e could, an d h e m ade a m erit of n o t having b ro k en off diplom atic relations. H e could have gone as fa r as A m erica. His colleagues, B ruce, Lowe an d Cardw ell, m ade hostile d em o n stra tions against the Republic^* by stating th at E ngland could only em ploy m oral force w ithout. T h e only place w here E ngland can em ploy physical force is Irelan d . T h e n th e G erm an press was o rd e re d to insult E ngland ab o u t selling stores to th e French. W hen B ern sto rff called Granville to account h e equivocated and said h e w ould in q u ire an d th en fo u n d it was all rig h t an d legal. H e knew th at before, only he h ad n o t th e pluck to say so. T h e n the British G overnm ent, at th e instance of B ernstorff, confiscated th e F rench cable, which an English ju d g e afterw ards p ro n o u n ced to be illegal. '* A fter th e capitulation of Metz Russia th o u g h t it was tim e to show h e r p artn e rsh ip which was shown in the renunciation of th e T re aty of Paris. Im m ediately afte r [this] cam e th e re p u d iatio n of th e T re aty of L u x em b o u rg an d th e settlem ent of
William I. Fd. A h in t at the Q u e en V ictoria. Ed.

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R um ania in the p rin c ip a litie s,w h ic h w ere all insults to E ngland. A nd w hat did G ladstone do? H e sent a plenipotentiary ex tra o r dinary* to B ism arck to ask his advice. B ism arck advised a conference in L o ndon an d even G ladstone felt th at it w ould be no use w ithout F rance because w ithout F rance the treaty breakers w ould be in the m ajority. B ut F rance could no t be adm itted w ithout recognising the Republic, an d th e re fo re B ism arck h ad to p rev en t it. W hen A uberon H e rb e rt asked G ladstone in the H ouse he again shuffled o u t an d falsified the facts an d ignored the m ost im p o rtan t part.*" Pious people always do a deal of sinning. From th e Blue Book it appears [that] w hen the English G overnm ent asked fo r a pass fo r Favre, Bism arck answ ered th at F rance was internationally incapable of acting, before th at was rem oved it w ould be useless to take any steps to adm it h e r to C onference. N on-recognition was th e m eans of isolating the English G overn m ent.
February 21, 1871

Cit. M arx th en called the attention of the C ouncil to th e re p o rt of his speech in The Eastern Postd an d the slovenly way in which it was p u t to g ether. If his nam e h ad not been m isprinted he should have considered it his du ty to w rite to the editor. T h e re p o rt stated th e m o m ent the R epublic was proclaim ed everybody in F rance was enthusiastically republican, b u t no recognition came an d a reaction set in . T h e re was n o sense w hatever in it. H e h ad o n the con trary stated th at the R epublic h ad been recognised by Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Belgium a n d o th e r countries an d that th e enthusiasm of the people h ad been so g reat th at the opponents h ad been obliged to p re te n d to be in favour of it; a n d h e had particularly m en tioned th at the ju d g e of the H igh C o u rt of Blois h ad played th e R epublican. T h e re p o rt w ent on: the bourgeoisie h ad n o in terest in m aking the R epublic succeed, they are well aw are th at sooner o r later th e social question m ust be dealt w ith. T his was alto g ether d iffe ren t from w hat he h ad said, which was th at th e R epublic m ust becom e socialistic. T h e n the re p o rt w ent
3 T h e e n try is n o t exact. The Eastern Post re p o rt of this m eeting, F eb ru ary 19, 1871, gives this passage as follows: In quick succession follow ed th e ren u n ciatio n of the T re a ty o f L u x em b o u rg a n d th e stipulations ab o u t the principalities by Bism arck a n d th e Prince of R u m an ia . Ed. L o rd O d o Russell. Ed. c See the speeches of A. H e rb e rt a n d W. G ladstone in the H ouse of C om m ons on F ebruary 10, 1871, The Times, No. 26984, F eb ru ary 11, 1871. d. See T h e In tern a tio n a l W orking M ens A ssociation , The Eastern Fast, No. 125, F ebruary 19, 1871. Ed.

on: none of th e advocates of" w ar have show n th at the recognition of th e R epublic was th e first condition to all th e re st , which o u g h t [to be] not th e first co n d itio n . A bout his rem ark s u p o n w hat o th e r speakers h ad said the re p o rte r h ad no t taken the tro u b le to say w ho spoke, so th at it was difficult to distinguish who h ad spoken. T h e re m a rk attrib u ted to him about Cit. C ohn was tan tam o u n t to an insult. F u rth e r the re p o rt said th at it was the absence of a m o n arch th at in spired the p eo p le ; h e h ad distinctly stated th e absence of m o n arch y , w hich was quite a d iffe re n t affair. T h e devil should u n d e rsta n d such reports. T h e n th at E ngland use m o re fo rce w ithout, which m ight be a m isprint of m oral fo rce . A gain it was re p o rte d th at B ism arck h ad said, th e F rench had n o t recognised th at G o vernm ent a n d it was th e h eig h t of im p u d en ce fo r him to say w hat G o vernm ent should be recognised by the F ren c h . N o m ention was m ade th a t he [M arx] h ad said th at everybody in France h ad recognised a n d obeyed th e G overnm ent an d th a t it was th e h eig h t of im p u d en ce fo r Bism arck to say they h ad not. T h e n it is re p o rte d th at the adm ission of F rance to the C onference would be tan tam o u n t to recognition. T his was a penny-a-liners rem ark , n o t his [M arxs]; th e conclusion was altogether falsified. It was because th e G o v ern m en t was not recognised th a t it was internationally incapable. T h e re p o rt differs also fro m the M inutes. Such re p o rts could only do in ju ry , an d it any m ore of th at sort w ere published h e should m ove th at no m ore be p rinted.
March 7, 1871

Cit. M arx th en re c u rre d to th e question of th e D eclaration of P aris.^ ' H e said if th e English w orking people did n o t speak out, th at D eclaration m ight be m ade an article of a treaty an d the people of E ngland m ust not be disarm ed in th eir foreign policy, an d th ere was n o tim e to be lost: an English com m ittee o u g h t to be form ed at once. F or a m aritim e pow er th e only way to m ake w ar was to m ake w ar against th e foreign com m erce of th e enem y A m erica h ad n o t consented to th at D eclaration b u t the F rench had observed it an d th at was th e reason th e F rench fleet h ad d o n e so litde. H olland was now p u t forw ard to ask th at th at w hat was form erly only a declaration be m ade a p a rt of th e treaty. O n the sea only goods could be destroyed b u t in a w ar in th e in terio r an am o u n t of fixed capital, such [as] bridges, buildings, etc., were
T h e follow ing w ords, the in te rv en tio n , are crossed o u t m the MS.- -Ed.

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March 14, 1871

p H . s

r r;|

m /L i [ foreign com m erce m a few weeks an d th en the G erm an T h ^ ^^ass would no t be quite so warlike, as it h ad lately been

to E ngland, you m ust m ake w ar m o u r way, not in yours T h e r e frnr, c / privateers bu t they w ere as good as / ancs tireurs and req u ired less g o v ernm ent pow er W hen B u d er

th at pow er o r no t bu t they w ould no t always ru le a n d r S was

ISiH^SSS^
9 4
K Engels said it was hardly w orthw hile to go on as Cit W eston " p - n t an s d eclaratio n , Cit. M arx had already pointed ou t that if haH only been a private agreem ent. It had never been acknowlede-ed tr.

-L " x

b L in r r 6 ? r '' W ndSI' In 18fi7 t 7 s arl M l

Y '" '!

If ^ f binding in a wav bu t that e f-defence overaw ed all com pacts. It h ad never been ratified and

h a d T a id 'c ta fa" >al i, was no, ?'*> I' '' la'-'d i" answer

only rested on the au th o rity of a private letter o f a m inister; no one was b o u n d by it. T his was clear from th e fact th at at every w ar the belligerent pow ers them selves h ad, by special agreem ents b o u n d them selves. B ut the C onference h ad signed a protocol th at hen cefo rth treaties an d stipulations should be b in d in g until they w ere relinquished by com m on consent." T h e w ar betw een F rance h ad p roved th at the p resen t fortresses were insufficiently p ro tected against b o m b ard m en t an d th at by d e tached forts th e fortresses them selves could be saved, an d th ere w ere to be som e forts erected in Poland. T h e Russian arm am ents w ere continued with unab ated zeal an d w ere on th e last step from a peace to a w ar footing. T h e teleg rap h an d sanitary com panies w ere being organised. T h e re was a Russian loan in th e English m ark et fo r 12,000,000, which was already oversubscribed and was probably th e last English m oney Russia w ould get. W e m ight have w ar befo re th e su m m er was o v er it did n o t look very peaceful R eferrin g to w hat h ad been said d u rin g th e discussion he said th e only p o in t th at h ad been disp u ted was th at an English arm y would n o t have been sufficient fo r intervention. T h e stro n g language of which Cit. W eston h ad spoken had n o t been used by him . H e then showed again th at E ngland could only b rin g o u t a force of 30,000; only at th e b atd e o f th e A lm a th e English had n u m b ere d 33,000 a n d th at fig u re they h ad n ever reached again d u rin g the C rim ean war. T his was only equal to Prussian arm y corps, an d [to] suppose th at such a force could have tu rn e d th e scales was absurd. T h e English w ere as brave as any an d th e re was individual bravery in every country b u t the m en h ad d iffe ren t qualifications a n d th e m ode they exercised th em was d iffe ren t Som e w ere best fo r attack, oth ers best fo r defence. T h e Irish were the best m en fo r light infantry, th e English fo r ...*> b u t the m ilitary a u th o ritip h ere treated th e English like th e Irish a n d th e Irish like the Enghsh. T h e English system of train in g was so incom plete and antiquated th at n ever until th e p resen t w ar h ad m en been train ed m outpost du ty at A ldershot. It h ad been said th at 100 000 E nglishm en would n o t have p u t u p with being locked u p in Paris. W hat could soldiers like o u r volunteers have d o n e to p rev en t it? T h e F rench h ad h ad en o u g h of such soldiers, an d if 400,000 E nglishm en of the sam e class h ad been locked u p as th e F rench
revision des stipulations du 17 p v t T s v T ln n l - E T " ' Mer Noire, seance du > A gap in the MS. T h e n ew spaper re p o rt fu rth e r has heavy in fa n try . <i.

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J| 0 s
LONDON, SA TUKDAY. M A R C H 25. L871.

l
ONE PEITNY.

w ere in Paris an d led by the sam e jackasses an d traitors they w ould have d o n e the sam e as the F rench had done. In conclusion he said E ngland could no t wage w ar on equal term s with the C ontinental powers, n o r was it desirable th at she should. A n English soldier costs 1 0 0 a year, a Prussian only 30, th ere fo re Prussia could keep th ree soldiers w here E ngland could only keep one; hence she could never com pete with the m ilitary pow ers an d he h o p ed she never w ould try to do it. T h e first an d the second point of th e proposition with which the discussion com m enced w ere w ithdraw n a n d the th ird : T h a t E ngland rem ains incapable, not only of in terfe rin g with effect in C ontinental affairs, bu t also of d efen d in g herself against the C ontinental m ilitary despotism , so long as she does not recover the liberty of using h e r real w ar pow er, th at is to say, h e r naval pow er, which she can recover only by the renunciation of th e D eclaration of Paris was carried unanim ously.
First published, in R ussian, in the book The General Council of the First Internation al, 1870-1871, Moscow, 1965 R e p ro d u ce d from th e C ouncils M inute Book G eneral

FRECORD O F ENGELS SPEECH O N T H E R E V O L U T IO N O F M ARCH 18 IN P A R IS ]'

[FROM T H E M IN U T E S O F T H E G EN ERA L C O U N C IL M E E T IN G O F M A RCH 21, 1871]

Cit. Engels th e n gave a description of th e state of things in Paris. H e said th e letters received d u rin g th e week from Paris, which Serraillier had already m entioned, had cleared u p w hat h ad been incom prehensible before. It h ad a p p e are d as if a few m en had suddenly seized a n u m b er of can n o n a n d k ep t them . T h e whole of the press an d every one of the co rresp o n d en ts had w ritten th at these m en m ust be [put] dow n b u t the F rench G overnm ent h ad tem porised. T h e info rm atio n received from o u r Paris C om m ittee was [that] the N ational G u ard s paid for the m aking of these guns an d liked to keep them . A fter the election they h ad fo u n d th a t the R epublic was anything b u t safe u n d e r such an Assembly as h ad b een elected.^ W hen th e Prussians h ad en tered Paris th e guns had been taken away to an o th e r p a rt of the town to keep th em o u t of th eir reach. T h e n the G o vernm ent had laid claim to th em an d en d eav o u red to take th em away from th e N ational G uards. A urelle de Paladines h ad b een ap p o m ted C o m m an d er in C hief of th e N ational G u ard s an d prefect of the police.^ U n d e r N apoleon he h ad been C o m m an d er in C hief of the G en d arm erie an d he was a partisan of th e priests. A t the bidding of D upanloup, the bishop of O rleans, he h ad do n e five h o u rs penance at C h u rch while his arm y h ad been d efeated in an action with the G erm ans. T his h ad left no d o u b t as to th e intentions of the G overnm ent.
A t th e n e x t m eeting on M arch 28, 1871, Engels p o in ted o u t to th e m istake m ad e in th e re co rd of his speech on M arch 21: T w o G enerals, A urelle de Paladines a n d V alentin, w ere m ade into one. It was th e latter w ho h a d been a p p o in ted Prefect of th e Police . Ed.

I " "
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T h e N ational G uard h ad th en p re p a re d fo r resistance. O u t of 260 battalions 215 h ad organised a C entral C om m ittee, m en and officers com bined. A delegate h ad been elected by each C om pany o u t o f w hom the local C om m ittees of the arrondissem ents, or wards, had been form ed, an d they h ad elected the C entral C om m ittee. O u t of tw enty arrondissem ents only five h ad not elected any delegates. W hen the Assembly h ad rem oved to Versailles the G overnm ent h ad tried to clear Paris o f the revolutionists a n d take th e guns from them . T h e troops only just arrived in Paris h ad been m ean t to be em ployed u n d e r the com m and of Vinoy who h ad com m anded the soldiers th at shot dow n the people on the boulevards d u rin g the coup d etat in 1851. T hey had partly succeeded early in the m o rn in g bu t w hen the N ational G uards h ad discovered what h ad been do n e they h ad set to w ork to retake th e guns and the soldiers h ad fratern ised with the people. T h e town was now in the h an d s of the people, the troops th at had not gone over h ad been w ithdraw n to Marseilles an d th e Assembly did n o t know w hat to do. N one of th e m en of th e C entral C om m ittee w ere know n to fam e, th ere w ere no Felix Pyats an d m en of th at stam p in it, bu t they w ere well know n am ong the w orking class. T h e re w ere fo u r m em bers of the In tern atio n al in the Committee.^ T h e C om m une was to be elected the n ext day. T h ey had an n o u n ced th at the liberty of the press should be respected bu t not th e ro tten B onapartist press. T h e m ost im p o rtan t resolution passed was th at the prelim inaries o f peace should be respected. T h e Prussians w ere still n e a r an d if they could be kept ou t of the q u arrel th e chances o f success w ere increased.
T h e account of the speech was p rin te d , w ithout the a u th o rs nam e, in The Eastern Post, No. 130, M arch 25, 1871 T h is v ariant of th e re co rd was first published, in R ussian, in the n ew spaper Pravda, No. 77, M arch 18, 1932 R e p ro d u ce d from the C ouncils M inute Book G eneral

[RECORD O F M ARXS AND ENGELS SPEECHES ON T H E R EPU B LIC A N M O V EM EN T IN ENGLAND]

[FROM T H E M IN U T E S O F T H E G EN ERA L C O U N C IL M E E T IN G O F M A RCH 28, 1871]

Cit. Engels said th e question was n o t w h eth er we su p p o rt a republican m ovem ent b u t w h eth er u n d e r p re sen t circum stances it w ould drive into o u r path. T h e re w ere m en like P eter T ay lo r and others who w ere simply fo r th e R epublic b u t it m ust be considered th at the abolition of m onarchy w ould involve th e abolition of th e State C hurch, th e H ouse of L ords an d m any o th er things. No republican m ovem ent could go on h ere w ithout ex p an d in g into a w orking class m ovem ent an d if such a m ovem ent was to take place it w ould be as well to know how it w ent on. B efore o u r ideas could be carried into practice we m ust have th e Republic. W e m ust watch it an d [it] was rig h t fo r o u r m em bers to take p a rt in it and try to shape it. If it tu rn e d into a m iddle class affair it would becom e a clique. T h e w orking [class] could n o t b u t b reak with all established form s. Cit. Engels said th e re was as m uch oppression in A m erica as here, bu t the republic gave a fair field fo r th e w orking classes to agitate. In the densely p o p u lated states th e labor m ovem ent was organised b u t the ex ten t of unoccupied land p rev en ted [it from ] getting stro n g er th an it was. Cit. M arx was convinced th at no R epublican m ovem ent could becom e serious w ithout becom ing socia . T h e wire pullers of the p re sen t move of course in ten d ed n o such thing.
First published, in Russian, in the book The First International during the Paris Commune, 1941 R ep ro d u ced from the C ouncils M inute Book G eneral

A. Alavoine, J.-L. D u ra n d , L.-E. V arlin, J.-L. Pindy.

588

589

[RECORD O F EN G ELS SPEECH ON T H E PARIS COM M UNE]

[RECORD O F M ARXS SPEECH ON T H E PARIS COM M UNE]

[FROM T H E M IN U T E S O F T H E G EN ERA L C O U N C IL M E E T IN G O F A P R IL 11, 1871]

[FROM T H E M IN U T E S O F T H E G EN ERA L C O U N C IL M E E T IN G O F A P R IL 25, 1871]

Cit. Engels said h e h ad a n o th e r fact to com m unicate. T h e press h ad lately been full o f the w onders do n e by the Association, bu t th e last stated in a Paris p a p e r was th at M arx had been private secretary to B ism arck in 18 5 7 / H e fu rth e r said it would not be well to allow the Paris affair to go on w ithout saying som ething about it. As long as th e C entral C om m ittee of th e N ational G uards h ad m anaged th e affair it had gone on well b u t afte r th e election th ere h ad been talk a n d no action. T h e tim e fo r action against Versailles h ad been w hen it was weak b u t th at o p p o rtu n ity h ad been lost an d now it seem ed th at Versailles was getting the u p p e r h an d an d driving the Parisians back. People w ould n o t p u t u p long with being led into defeat. T h ey lost g ro u n d , th eir am m unition was spent to littie purpose an d they w ere eating u p th eir provisions. T hey could n o t be starved into subm ission as long as one side of Paris was open. Eavre declined to take Prussian help.^''^ In Ju n e 1848 th e fight had been over in fo u r days bu t th en the w orkpeople h ad h ad no cannon. It w ould no t be over so quick now. Louis N apoleon had m ade th e streets wide th at they m ight be swept with cannon against th e w orkpeople b u t now it was in th eir favor; they would sweep th e streets with cannon against the o th er party. T h e w orkpeople 200,000 m en fa r b etter organised th an at any fo rm er insurrection. T h e ir case was a bad one b u t the chances w ere not so good as a fo rtn ig h t ago.
First published, in Russian, in the new s p a p e r Pravda, No. 77, M arch 18, 1932 R ep ro d u ced fro m th e C ouncils M inute Book G eneral

Cit. M arx re ad a letter from th e Secretary of th e New York C om m ittee giving th e following list of Sections re p resen te d by delegates in the Committee.^ 1. G eneral G erm an W ork in g m en s Society (L abor U nion No. 5). 2. F rench Section of th e I.W .A. New York. 3. Czechian W o rkingm ens Society New York. 4. Social Political W ork in g m en s Society 1 Chicago G erm an 5. Ditto 2 Chicago 6. Social D em ocratic W orkingm ens Society New York 7. Irish section of th e I.W .A. New York. 8. Social D em ocratic Society W illiam sburgh N.Y. (G erm an). T h e Sections w ere re p o rte d as doing good w ork, the Irish is rapidly increasing a n d try in g to e n te r into com bination with the Irish C onfederatio n of th e U n ited States. Progress has been m ade to establish a weekly G erm an new spaper. T h e W ork in g m en s U nion had decided th at only delegates re p resen tin g Labor,*" n o t capital should be adm itted. T h e N ational L abor U nion was losing g ro u n d am ong the New York Societies; several h ad refu sed to send delegates to th e n ext Congress. T h e W orking m en s Assembly of th e State of New Y ork h ad held its annual session at Albany an d passed a resolution ap p ro v in g an d en d o rsin g the principles of th e I.W .A. concluding W orkingm en of all C ountries, u n ite ! An address to th e w orkingm ens Societies a n d T ra d e s U nion was in course of p re p ara tio n an d co rresp o n d en ce h ad been established with the M iners B enevolent Association of Pennsylvania. T h e
^ F. A. Serge. Ed. T h e n follows th e tex t of the m issing page from th e M inute Book. Ed.

See Nouvelles d hier. Paris, 2 avril . La Province, No. 428, A pril 5, 1871. See also M arxs letter to Karl L iebknecht, a bout A pril 10, 1871, p re sen t edition Vol. 4 4 Ed.

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organised political labor p arty h ad overthrow n the R epublican ascendancy in New H am pshire in the recen t election. A native A m erican Section h ad been fo u n d ed a n d sent a delegate [to the New Y ork Com m ittee], A bill of exchange fo r two pou n d s sterling was rem itted as contribution fo r 293 m em bers an d paym ent for C ongress R eports. Cit. M arx an nounced th at letters h ad been received from Paris, one o f th e 12th an d one o f 1 5 th b u t they had only arrived on Saturday. A F renchm an from the C om m une who h ad com e to L o ndon to transact business with the Stock Exchange h ad paid him [Marx] a visit to obtain his assistance. T h e expulsion of T olain was authentic,'" in consequence of which he p ro posed th e following resolution: C onsidering the R esolution of the F ederal C ouncil of the Paris Sections expelling Citizen T olain from the Association because, afte r having been elected to the N ational Assembly as a rep resentative o f the W orking Classes, h e has d eserted th eir cause in th e m ost cow ardly m anner, which resolution the G eneral C ouncil is called u p o n to confirm ; C onsidering th at the place of every F rench m em ber of the In tern atio n al W orkingm ens Association is u ndoubtedly on the side of th e C om m une of Paris an d no t in the u su rp ato ry and counter-revolutionary Assembly of Versailles; T h e G eneral C ouncil of th e In tern atio n al W orkingm ens Associ ation confirm s th e resolution of the Paris F ederal C ouncil and declares th at Citizen T olain is expelled from th e In tern atio n al W orkingm ens Association. Eccarius seconded th e resolution, it was carried unanim ously. Cit. M arx continued. H e said h e h ad p ointed o u t to the delegate of th e C om m une th at it was a g reat b lu n d e r to leave us w ithout eith er letters'^ o r papers. T his w ould be rectified in fu tu re as the com m ercial com m unications betw een the C om m une an d L ondon would be k ep t u p by a travelling agent w ho w ould also take charge of o u r com m unications. S erraillier an d D u p o n t h ad been elected to fill u p vacancies in th e 17th arro n dissem ent, Serraillier h ad w ritten th at Dupont** was sure to be elected b u t he h ad no t w ritten since the election; he m ight have w ritten to Manchester.^ It ap p eared th at m ore letters h ad been w ritten th an h ad arrived.
A. S errailliers letters w ere received on A pril 23. Ed. See this volum e, p. 297. Ed. = T h e e n d o f th e m issing page from th e M inute Book. Ed. J. M. A. D u p o n t. Ed.

Felix Pyat an d V esinier w ere calum niating Serraillier an d D u p o n t in Paris an d w hen S erraillier h ad th rea ten ed to prosecute they h ad denied it. It was u rg e n t to w rite at once to Paris to state the reasons why Pyat calum niated Serraillier a n d D u p o n t, and u p o n the m otion of Citizen M ottershead Citizen M arx was instructed to write. T h e letters h ad been posted outside th e line by Lafargue,* they h ad th e re fo re been delayed by rail, both th e F rench a n d th e Prussian G overnm ents sifted th e letters. Most of th e in form ation they contained was old b u t th ere w ere a few facts which the jap ers h ad n o t given. It was stated th at th e provinces knew as itde w hat was going on in Paris as d u rin g th e Siege. Except w here th e fighting was going on it h ad never been so quiet. A g reat p art of th e m iddle class h ad jo in ed th e N ational G u ard s of Belleville. T h e g reat Capitalists h ad ru n away an d th e small trad es people w ent with the w orking class.*" N o o n e could have an idea of the enthusiasm of th e people, a n d th e N ational G uards an d th e people at Versailles m ust be fools if they believed th at they could e n ter Paris. Paris did no t believe in a rising in th e provinces an d knew th at su p erio r forces w ere b ro u g h t against it b u t th ere was n o fear on th at account, b u t th ere w^s fear of Prussian in tervention an d w ant of provisions. T h e decrees ab out re n t an d com m ercial bills w ere two m aster strokes: w ithout them 3/4 of th e trades people w ould have becom e b an k ru p t. T h e m u rd e r of Duval an d Flourens h ad excited a sentim ent of vengeance. T h e family of F lourens and the C om m une h ad sent a legal officer to have th e cause of th eir d eath certain, b u t in vain.'" Flourens h ad been killed in a house.** A bout the fabrication of telegram s th ere was som e inform ation. W hen P rotot h ad gone th ro u g h th e accounts of th e G overnm ent of N ational D efence he h ad discovered th at m oney h ad been paid fo r th e construction of an im proved portable guillotine.' T h e
E ug en e D u p o n t. Ed. In th e re p o rt published in The Eastern Post this sentence ends as follows: a n d th e shopkeepers have little love to r th e V ersailles g o v e rn m e n t . Ed. The Eastern Post has: for an a u th e n tic ate d statem en t of th e cause of d e ath , w hich w ould have involved an inquest, b u t th e V ersaillese flatly re fu s e d , Ed. The Eastern Post has: F lourens did n o t fall in any en co u n ter, he was literally assassinated in a h o m e . Ed. The Eastern Post has: O n e of th e first things th e officers of th e C om m une did was to exam ine th e p a p ers a n d books o f th e ir predecessors. In the accounts o f the H om e D e p artm en t o f th e G o v ern m en t o f N ational D efence, th e re was an e n try fo u n d of m oney having been paid fo r th e construction of an im proved portable guillotine. T h is new in stru m e n t fo r th e slau g h ter o f th e Paris w orkm en was con stru cted while th e patriots now con sp irin g at Versailles, p re te n d e d to d e fe n d Paris from P russians.: Ed.
2 1 -1 2 3 2

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guillotine h ad been fo u n d and publicly b u rn e d by o rd e r o f the C o m m u n e / T h e Gas C om pany h ad owed the m unicipality m ore th an a mill, b u t h ad no t shown any willingness to re fu n d till their goods h ad been seized; th en a bill to the am o u n t h ad been given on th e B ank of France. T h e telegram s an d co rresp o n d en ts gave alto g eth er d iffe ren t versions of these things.'^ T h e greatest eyesore was th at th e C om m une governed so cheap. T h e highest officials only received at the ra te of 6000 fr.[per] year, the others only w orkm an s wages. T h e Address'* was to be ready at the n ext m eeting.
First published in p a rt in The Eastern Post, No. 135, A pril 29, 1871 First published in full in: M arx a n d Engels, Works, Second R ussian Edition, Vol. 44, Moscow, 1977 R e p ro d u ce d from th e G eneral C ouncils M inute B ook, verified with The Eastern Post

[RECORD O F ENGELS SPEECHES O N T H E PARIS CO M M U N E AND IN C O N N E C T IO N W IT H T H E C E N T E N N IA L AN N IVERSARY O F R O B E R T O W E N S B IR T H ]

[FROM T H E M IN U T E S O F T H E G EN ERA L C O U N C IL M E E T IN G O F MAY 9, 1871]

Cit. Engels th en stated th at th e address was n o t ready yet. Cit. M arx h ad been seriously unwell a n d draw ing u p th e address h ad m ade him worse. B ut it w ould be ready on S aturday a n d the ubcom m ittee could m eet at M arxs any tim e afte r five o clock in the aftern o o n . A delegate from th e C om m une h ad been h ere the rep o rts w ere good. Strictness h ad to be em ployed n o t to let people pass w ithout passports. It h ad been discovered th at spies f r L TV, -f T h e m ain attack h ad S n J ? * " Versailles arm y had tried to get in betw een the N ational G uards an d th e ram p arts b u t now they could only attack m one place a n d th at was w here they h ad failed before. T h e defence was gettm g stro n g er. T h e C om m une h ad lost a litde g ro u n d [but] h ad reg ain ed C lam art. Even if th e arm y succeeded at the ram p arts th e re w ere th e barricades afterw ards a n d th ere h ad never been such a struggle befo re as th e one im pending. F o r the irst tim e barricades would be d efen d ed by cannon, by m ilitary guns, an d by regularly organised forces. T h e co n ten d in g arm ies co^mtr"^Th^ get no troops from the ountry, they h ad to send som e away to keep th e towns in o rd e r T h iers could not even allow th e T ow n Councils to m eet at B ordeaux and talk politics,^* h e h ad to use N apo leo n s Law to

has fu rth e r: T h e telegram s a n d th e co rre sp o n d e n ts h a d it th a t the p eople b u rn e d them to save th e ir head s against th e C om m une. a n o th ? " lifre T t Th C om pany being robbed is a n o th e r little bit. T h e m unicipal account show ed th a t the Gas C om pany had received up w ard s o f a m ilhon o u t o f th e rates levied on th e inhabitants o f Paris The tK a '^ rance W hen n o resp o n se was m ad e to re fu n d , the C o m m u n e sent I. o ? F France. th e brokers, a n d w hen the C om pany fo u n d th a t m atters h a d becom e serious, th at ^ the B ank of F rance

-y
Post has: T h e pay of o rd in a ry fu nctionaries is only equal to m o a T r 'T T " them fa 2 4 o T y e a ? ! - r ^ at the ra te of hey can n o t have any g entlem en am ong m inisterial parties a n d L o rd M ayors d in n e r on

Cit. Engels seconded th e proposition.^ H e said h e knew too ttle of the prom o ters of th e affair b u t th ere was no d o u b t about
K. M arx, The C ivil War in France (pp. 307-59).__ Ed. 21*

K. M arx, The C ivtl War in France (this volum e, pp. 307-59).__ Ed.

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R obert Owen. T h e re w ere things to be fo u n d in his w ritings that h ad n o t been superseded yet. H e h ad started from his own ideas, h ad b een originally a m a n u fa ctu rer him self an d the first th at had stood u p against his class to p u t a stop to th e sham eful system in which w om en an d children had been em ployed in factories. H e th o u g h t th e In tern atio n al o u g h t to be represented.

[RECORD O F M ARXS SPEECH O N T H E PARIS COM M UNE] 39'

Cit. Engels objected to M ottershead th at Locke h ad been a deist b u t O wen a m aterialist. Lockes philosophy h ad led the F rench to m aterialism . H e d o u b ted th at Ow en had been ac q u ain ted with the o ld er F rench w riters. H e d iffered entirely from M ottershead. O w ens m ovem ent h ad com m enced as early as 1809 a n d h ad been in d e p e n d e n t o f anything previously w ritten. In 1812 h e h ad published his book on m arriage a n d 1818 h e h ad gone to th e K ings C ongress at Aix-la-Chapelle to induce them to proclaim C om m unism . T h a t later the m ovem ent h ad been m o re in the direction of religion was tru e to a certain extent b u t m uch had been said ab out social reform . M ost of th e Owenites h ad gone over to th e m iddle classes. T hey h ad been C hartists b u t forced into th e position of professional agitators a n d th en they had becom e less reliable a n d n o t stuck [to] th eir principles. H e should re g re t if th e festival cam e off in such a way th at we could no t take p a rt in it.

[FROM T H E M IN U T E S O F T H E G E N E R A L C O U N C IL M E E T IN G O F MAY 23, 1871]

Cit. Engels said he h ad not m eant th at all the socialists were C hartists b u t some h e h ad know n h ad been.
First published, in R ussian, in th e book The First International during the Paris Commune, Moscow, 1941 a n d in the book The General Council of the First Internation al, 1870-1871, Moscow, 1965 R e p ro d u ce d from the C ouncils M inute Book G eneral

Citizen M arx explained th at h e h ad been ill, a n d h ad n o t been able to finish th e address u p o n which he was engaged, b u t he hoped to have it ready by T uesday next. In referen ce to th e struggle in Paris h e said. H e was afraid th e en d was n ear, b u t if the C om m une was b eaten, th e struggle would only be d eferre d . T h e principles of th e C om m une w ere etern al an d could n o t be crushed; they w ould assert them selves again a n d again until th e w orking classes w ere em ancipated. T h e C om m une o f Paris was being crushed by th e aid of th e Prussians, they w ere acting as gendarm es fo r T hiers. T h e plot fo r its d estruction was concocted betw een Bism arck, T h iers an d Favre; B ism arck stated at F ran k fo rt th at T h iers an d Favre h ad asked him to in terfe re. T h e result showed th at he was willing to do any th in g he could to assist them , short of risking th e lives of G erm an soldiers n o t th at he valued life w hen th ere was anything to be g o t b u t he wished to see France sink still low er so th at he m ight be able to exact the m ore. H e h ad allowed T h iers to have m ore soldiers th an was stipulated in the Convention," a n d h ad only allowed food to go into Paris in lim ited quantities. It was only th e old story. T h e u p p e r classes always u n ited to keep dow n th e w orking class. In th e 11th century th ere was a w ar betw'een some F rench K nights a n d N orm an Knights, a n d th e Peasants rose in insurrection; th e K nights im m ediately forg o t th eir differences an d coalesced to crush the m ovem ent of th e Peasants. T o show how th e Prussians have been
^ K. M arx, The C ivil War in France (pp. 307-59). Ed. R e p o rt from G erm any in the colum n R evelations , La Situation, No. 156, M arch 21, 1871 .~ Ed.

E vidently a m istake in the date. T h e re fe re n ce is to O w ens book The Marriage System of the New Moral World..., Leeds, 1838. Ed.

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do in g Police work, it m ight be m entioned th at 500 w ere arrested at R ouen which is occupied by the P russians u p o n the plea th at they belonged to th e International. T h e In tern atio n al was feared. In th e F rench Assembly the o th e r day, C o u n t J a u b e rt a d ried u p m u m m y a m inister of 3 4 a m an no ted fo r supp o rtin g m easures against the P r e s s ma d e a speech in which he said th at afte r o rd e r was restored, the first du ty of the G overnm ent m ust be to en q u ire into the w orking of the International, an d p u t it do w n .
First published in The No. 139, May 27, 1871 Eastern Post, R e p ro d u ce d from th e G eneral C ouncils M inute B ook, verified with The Eastern Post

[RECORD O F M ARXS SPEECH A G A IN ST T H E CALUM NY IN V E N T E D BY T H E B O U R G E O IS PRESS T O SLANDER T H E IN T E R N A T IO N A L AN D T H E PARIS COM M UNE]

[FROM T H E M IN U T E S O F T H E G EN ERA L C O U N C IL M E E T IN G O F JU N E 6 , 1871]

Citizen M arx said th e C ouncil m ust disclaim all connection with the so-called In tern atio n al D em ocratic Association as it was started in opposition to th e In tern atio n al W o rkingm ens Association which h ad to b ear th e responsibilities of acts ab surd as they som etim es were."* A n o th er th in g to which h e wished to call the attention of th e C ouncil was th e infam ous lies circulated ab o u t the C om m une by th e English Press. T h ey w ere lies fabricated by the F rench an d Prussian police. T h ey w ere afraid lest th e tru th should be know n. It was asserted th at M illiere was one of th e m ost furious m em bers of th e C om m une. Now it was a fact th at he never was a m em b er of th e C om m une, b u t as h e h ad been a d ep u ty fo r Paris it was necessary to have an excuse for shooting him . T h e English press acted as police an d blo o d h o u n d s for T hiers. Slanders against th e C o m m u n e an d against the In te rn a tional w ere invented to serve his bloody policy. T h e press knew full well th e objects an d principles of th e In tern atio n al. It had given rep o rts of th e prosecutions against it in Paris u n d e r the Em pire. It h ad h ad representatives at th e various C ongresses held by th e Association, an d had re p o rte d th eir proceedings, an d yet it circulated re p o rts to th e effect th at th e Association included the Fenian B ro th erh o o d , the C arbonari, ceased to exist 1830, the M arianne, Ditto 1854^^ a n d o th e r secret Societies, an d asked if Colonel H e n d erso n knew of th e w hereabouts of th e G eneral Council which was said to sit in L ondon. T h ese things w ere simply
See H . F. Ja u b e rts speech in the N ational Assembly, May 12, 1871, Journal officiel (Versailles), No. 133, May 13, 1871. Ed. ^ T h e first sentence P ost.~E d. is om itted in the re p o rt published in The Eastern

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invented to justify any action taken against the International. T h e u p p e r classes w ere afraid of the principles of th e International. H e wished also to call attention to the fact th at Mazzini had w ritten in The Contemporary Review den o u n cin g th e C om m une. It was n o t so well know n as it o u g h t to be, bu t Mazzini h ad always b een o pposed to the W orkm ens m ovem ents. H e d en o u n ced the insurgents of Ju n e 1848 w hen Louis Blanc, who th en had m ore courage th an he has now answ ered him .' W hen P ierre L ero u x who had a large fam ily obtained em ploym ent in L ondon Mazzini was the m an to denounce him. T h e fact was, Mazzini, with his old-fashioned R epublicanism knew no th in g an d accom plished nothing. In Italy he h ad created a m ilitary despotism by his cry fo r Nationality. W ith him the S tate which was an im aginary thing, was everything, and Society which was a reality was nothing. T h e sooner the People re p u d ia ted such m en the better.
First published in The No. 141, J u n e 10, 1871 Eastern Post, R e p ro d u ce d from the G eneral C ouncils M inute Book, verified w ith The Eastern Post

[RECORD O F M ARXS SPEECH O N T H E PARIS COM M UNE]

[FROM T H E NEW SPA PER R E PO R T O N T H E G E N E R A L C O U N C IL M E E T IN G O F JU N E 20, 1871]

Citizen M arx said th at h e was glad to observe th at th e w orkm en on th e co n tin en t w ere th o ro u g h ly o u tspoken u p o n the subject of the C om m une. M eetings h ad been held in Geneva, Brussels, M unich, V ienna, a n d B erlin, d en o u n cin g th e T hiers-F avre m as sacres. H e also called atten tio n to th e fact th at a n u m b e r of so-called m anifestoes h ad a p p e are d in th e F rench p apers, p u rp o rt ing to be issued by th e Paris section of th e Intern atio n al. T h ey w ere all forgeries issued by th e F rench police for th e p u rp o se of e n tra p p in g th e unw ary, it shew ed th e dirty actions to which a despicable g o v ern m en t could descend.
First published in The No. 143, J u n e 24, 1871 Eastern Post, R ep ro d u ced fro m th e n ew spaper

G. Mazzini, T h e C om m une in Paris , The Contemporary Review, Ju n e 1871. Ed. L. Blanc, Des socialistes fran^ais a M. M azzini, Brussels, 1852. Ed.

^ See this volum e, pp. 364-66. Ed.

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stuff of w hich conspirators a re m ade. Besides, a secret sh a red by a m illion m en w ould be n o secret a t all. B u t w hat if these w ere only the in stru m en ts in th e han d s of a bold, a n d I h o p e you will forgive m e fo r a dding, not over-scrupulous conclave.

[RECORD O F M ARXS IN T E R V IE W W IT H T H E W O R L D CO RRESPO N D EN T]

Dr. M. T h e re is n o th in g to prove it.

R. T h e last Paris insurrection?

j)i- M. I d em an d firstly th e p ro o f th at th ere was any plot at all th at anything h ap p e n ed th at was n o t th e legitim ate effect of the circum stances of th e m om ent; o r th e plot g ran ted , I d em an d the proofs of th e participation in it of th e In tern atio n al Association.
R.__T h e association. p resence in th e com m unal body of so m any m em bers of the

L ondon, July 3 [1871]

1 w ent straig h t to m y business. T h e w orld, I said, seem ed to be in the d a rk about th e In tern a tio n a l, h atin g it very m uch, b u t not able to say d e a rly w hat th in g it hated. Som e, w ho p rofessed to have p e e re d f u r th e r into th e gloom th a n th eir neighbors, declared th a t they h a d m ade o u t a sort o f Ja n u s fig u re with a fair, honest w orkm ans smile o n one of its faces, a n d o n th e o th e r a m u rd e ro u s, c o n sp irato rs scowl. W ould h e [M arx] light u p th e case of m ystery in w hich the th eo ry dwelt? T h e pro fesso r laughed, chuckled a litde I fancied, a t th e th o u g h t th a t we w ere so frig h te n e d o f him.

Dr. M. T h e n it was a plot of th e Freem asons, too, fo r th eir share in the w ork as individuals was by no m eans a slight one. I should n o t be su rprised, in d eed , to find th e Pope^ setting down the whole insurrectio n to th eir account. B ut try a n o th er ex p lan a tion. T h e insurrectio n in Paris was m ade by th e w orkm en of Paris. T h e ablest of th e w orkm en m ust necessarily have b een its leaders and adm inistrators; b u t th e ablest of th e w orkm en h ap p e n also to be m em bers of th e In tern atio n al Association. Yet th e association as such m ay be in no way responsible fo r th eir action.
R . _ I t will still seem otherw ise to th e w orld. People talk of secret instructions from L on d o n , a n d even g rants of m oney. C an it be a ffirm ed th a t the alleged openness o f th e associations proceedings precludes all secrecy o f com m unication?

T h e re is no m ystery to clear up, d e a r sir, he began, in a very polished form of the H ans B reitm ann dialect,^ except perh ap s th e m ystery of h u m an stupidity in those who perpetually ignore th e fact th at o u r association is a public one a n d th at the fullest re p o rts of its proceedings are published fo r all w ho care to read them . You m ay buy o u r rules* fo r a penny, an d a shilling laid ou t in pam phlets will teach you alm ost as m uch about us as we know ourselves.
R- A lm ost yes, p e rh a p s so; b u t will n o t th e som ething I shall n o t know constitute th e all-im p o rtan t reservation? T o be q uite fra n k with you, a n d to p u t the case as it strikes an outside observer, this general claim o f dep reciatio n of you m ust m ean som ething m o re th a n the ig n o ran t ill-will of th e m ultitude. A n d it is still p e rtin e n t to ask even a fte r w hat you have told m e, w hat is th e In tern a tio n a l Society?

Dr. M. W hat association ever fo rm ed carried on its w ork w ithout private as well as public agencies? B u t to talk of secret instruction from L ondon, as of decrees in th e m atter of faith and m orals from som e cen tre of Papal dom ination a n d in trig u e is wholly to misconceive th e n a tu re of th e Intern atio n al. T his w ould imply a centralized form of go v ern m en t fo r th e In tern atio n al, w hereas th e real form is designedly th at which gives th e greatest play to local energ y a n d ind ep en d en ce. In fact th e In tern atio n al is n o t pro p erly a go v ern m en t fo r th e w orking class at all. It is a bond of union ra th e r th a n a controlling force.
R. A n d o f u n io n to w hat end?

Dr. M. You have only to look at the individuals of which it is com p o sed w orkm en.
R- Yes, b u t the soldier n e ed be n o e x p o n e n t of th e statecraft th at sets him in m otion. I know som e o f y our m em bers, a n d I can believe th a t they a re n o t o f the R. L an d e r. Ed. I See K. M arx, Rules and Administrative Regulations of the International Working M en s Association (p resen t edition, Vol. 20, A ppendices). Ed.

Dr. M. T h e econom ical em ancipation of th e w orking class by the conquest of political pow er. T h e use of th at political pow er to the attainm ent of social ends. It is necessary th at o u r aim s should be thus com prehensive to include every form of w orking class activity. T o have m ade them of a special ch aracter w ould have been to ad a p t th em to th e needs of one section o ne n ation of
= > Pius IX . d.

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w orkm en alone. B ut how could all m en be asked to u n ite to fu rth e r th e objects of a few. T o have d o n e th at the association m ust have forfeited its tide of International. T h e association does n o t dictate th e form of political m ovem ents; it only requires a pledge as to th eir end. It is a netw ork of affiliated societies sp read in g all over the w orld of labor. In each p a rt of th e world som e special aspect o f th e problem presents itself, a n d the w orkm en th ere address them selves to its consideration in their own way. C om binations am ong w orkm en cannot be absolutely identical in detail in Newcasde an d in B arcelona, in L ondon and in B erlin. In E ngland, fo r instance, the way to show political pow er lies o p en to the w orking class. In su rrectio n w ould be m adness w here peaceful agitation would m ore swifdy an d surely do th e work. In F rance a h u n d re d laws of repression an d a m ortal antagonism betw een classes seem to necessitate the violent solution of social war. T h e choice of th at solution is the affair of the w orking classes of th at country. T h e In tern atio n al does not presu m e to dictate in the m atter a n d hardly to advise. B ut to every m ovem ent it accords its sym pathy an d its aid within th e limits assigned by its own laws.
R- A n d w hat is th e n a tu re o f th a t aid?

cannot rely on oth ers fo r a rem edy. It has becom e th en with them an im perative necessity to take th eir own case in han d . T h ey m ust revise the relations betw een them selves an d th e capitalists and landlords, a n d th at m eans they m ust tran sfo rm society. T his is th e general e n d of every know n w orkm ens organization; land and labor l e a g u e s , t r a d e an d friendly societies, co-operative stores and co-operative p ro d u ctio n are b u t m eans tow ards it. T o establish a perfect solidarity betw een these organizations is th e business of the In tern atio n al Association. Its influence is beg in n in g to be felt everyw here. Tw o pap ers sp read its views in Spain, th ree in G erm any, the sam e n u m b er in A ustria a n d in H olland, six in Belgium , an d six in Switzerland. A nd now th at I have told you what the In tern atio n al is you may, p erh ap s, be in a position to form your own opinion as to its p re te n d ed plots.
R. I d o n o t q uite u n d e rsta n d you.

Dr. M. Do you n o t see th at th e old society, w anting the stren g th to m eet it with its own w eapons of discussion and com bination, is obliged to re so rt to th e frau d of fixing u p o n it th e im putation of conspiracy?
R. B u t the F ren ch police declare th a t they a re in a position to prove its com plicity in the late affair, to say n o th in g of p re ce d in g attem pts.

Dr. M. T o give an exam ple, one of th e com m onest form s of th e m ovem ent fo r em ancipation is th at of strikes. Form erly, when a strike took place in o n e country, it was defeated by the im p o rtatio n of w orkm en from another. T h e In tern atio n al has nearly stopped all that. It receives inform ation of the in ten d ed strike, it spreads th at inform ation am ong its m em bers, w ho at once see th at fo r them th e seat of the struggle m ust be forbidden g ro u n d . T h e m asters are thus left alone to reckon with th eir m en. In m ost cases th e m en req u ire n o o th e r aid th an that. T h e ir own subscriptions o r those o f the societies to which they are m ore im m ediately affiliated supply them with funds, b u t should the pressu re u p o n them becom e too heavy a n d the strike be one of which th e association approves, th eir necessities are supplied ou t of th e com m on purse. By these m eans a strike of the cigar-m akers of B arcelona was b ro u g h t to a victorious issue the o th e r day.* B ut th e society has n o interest in strikes, th o u g h it su p p o rts them u n d e r certain conditions. It cannot possibly gain by them in a pecuniary p o in t of view, b u t it m ay easily lose. Let us sum it all u p in a word. T h e w orking classes rem ain p o o r am id the increase of wealth, w retched am id the increase o f luxury. T h e ir m aterial privation dw arfs th eir m oral as well as th eir physical stature. T hey

Dr. M. B ut we will say som ething of those attem pts, if you please, because they best serve to test th e gravity of all th e charges of conspiracy b ro u g h t against th e Intern atio n al. You rem em b er the last p lo t b u t one. A plebiscite h ad been announced.^ M any of th e electors w ere know n to be wavering. T h ey had no lo n g er a keen sense of th e value of th e im perial rule, having com e to disbelieve in those th rea ten ed d an g ers of society from which it was supposed to have saved them . A new b u g b ear was w anted. T h e police u n d erto o k to find one. All com binations of w orkm en being hateful to them , they naturally owed th e In tern atio n al an ill-turn. A happy th o u g h t inspired them . W hat if they should select th e In tern atio n al fo r th e ir b u gbear, a n d th u s at o ne stroke discredit th at society an d cu rry favor fo r th e im perial cause? O u t of th at happy th o u g h t cam e th e ridiculous p lo t against th e E m p ero rs life as if we w anted to kill th e w retched old fellow. T h ey seized the leading m em bers of th e Intern atio n al. T h ey m an u factu red evidence. T h ey p re p a re d th eir case for trial, an d in the m eantim e they h ad th eir plebiscite. B ut the in ten d ed com edy was too obviously b u t a b ro ad , coarse farce. Intelligent E u ro p e, which witnessed the spectacle, was n o t deceived for a m o m en t as to its character, a n d only th e F rench peasant elector was befooled. Y our

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English p ap ers re p o rte d the beginnings o f th e m iserable affair; they fo rg o t to notice the end. T h e F rench judges adm itting the existence of th e plot by official courtesy w ere obliged to declare th at th ere was n o th in g to show the com plicity o f th e In ternational. Believe m e, the second plot is like the first. T h e F rench functionary is again in business. H e is called in to account fo r the biggest civil m ovem ent the w orld has ever seen. A h u n d re d signs of th e times o u g h t to suggest the rig h t ex p lan atio n th e grow th of intelligence am ong the w orkm en, of luxury an d incom petence am ong th eir rulers, the historical process now going on of that final tra n sfe r of pow er from a class to the people, the ap p a re n t fitness of time, place, an d circum stance fo r th e g reat m ovem ent of em ancipation. B ut to have seen these th e functionary m ust have been a philosopher, an d he is only a mouchard.^ By the law of his being, th erefo re, he has fallen back u p o n the mouchards ex p lan atio n a conspiracy . His old portfolio of forged docu m ents will supply him with the proofs, an d this tim e E u ro p e in its scare will believe th e tale.
R. E u ro p e can scarcely h e lp itself, seeing th a t every F rench n ew spaper spreads th e re p o rt.

m ention th at in one of th em I saw Felix Pyat set dow n as a m em ber of th e Intern atio n al.
R. A n d h e is n o t so?

Dr. M arx T h e association could hard ly have fo u n d room fo r such a wild m an. H e was once p resu m p tu o u s en o u g h to issue a rash proclam ation in o u r nam e, b u t it was instantly disavowed,* though, to do them justice, the press of course ig n o red the disavowal.
R. A n d Mazzini, is h e a m em b e r of y o u r body?

Dr. M arx (laughing) A h, no. W e should have m ade b u t little progress if we h ad n o t got beyond th e ran g e of his ideas.
R. You su rp rise m e. I should certainly have th o u g h t th a t h e re p re se n te d the m ost advanced views.

Dr. M. Every F rench new spaper! See, h ere is one of them (taking u p L a Situation), an d ju d g e fo r yourself of the value o f its evidence as to a m atter of fact. CReadsO Dr. Karl M arx, of the In tern atio n al, has been arrested in Belgium , trying to m ake his way to France. T h e police of L ondon have long h ad th e ir eye on th e society with which h e is connected, an d are now taking active m easures fo r its su ppression. T w o sentences a n d two lies. You can test the tru th of one story by th e evidence of your own senses. You see th at instead of being in prison in Belgium I am at hom e in E ngland. You m ust also know th a t th e police in E ngland are as powerless to in terfe re with th e In tern atio n al Society as th e society with them . Yet w hat is m ost re g u la r in all this is th at the re p o rt will go the ro u n d of the continental press w ithout a contradiction, an d could continue to do so if I w ere to circularize every jo u rn al in E urope from this place.
R. H ave you a tte m p ted to co n trad ict m any o f these false reports?

Dr. M. H e rep resen ts n o th in g b etter th an th e old idea of a m iddle-class republic. W e seek no p a rt with th e m iddle class. H e has fallen as fa r to th e re a r of th e m o d ern m ovem ent as the G erm an professors, who, nevertheless, are still considered in E urope as th e apostles of th e cu ltu re d dem ocratism of th e fu tu re. T h ey w ere so at one tim e b efo re 48, p erh ap s, w hen th e G erm an m iddle class, in th e English sense, h ad scarcely attained its p ro p e r developm ent. B ut now they have gone over bodily to th e reaction, an d the p roletariat knows th em no m ore.
R. Som e people have th o u g h t they saw signs of a positivist elem en t in y our organization.

D r. M. N o such thing. W e have positivists am ong us, and others no t of o u r body who w ork as well. B u t this is n o t by virtue of th e ir philosophy, which will have n o th in g to do with p o p u lar governm ent, as we u n d ersta n d it, a n d which seeks only to p u t a new hierarch y in place of th e old o ne.
R. It seem s to m e, th en , th a t th e leaders of th e new in tern atio n al m ovem ent have h a d to fo rm a philosophy as well as a n association fo r them selves.

D r. M. Precisely. It is hard ly likely, fo r instance, th at we could hope to p ro sp e r in o u r w ar against capital if we derive o u r tactics, say from the political econom y of Mill. H e has traced o ne kind of relationship betw een labor an d capital. We ho p e to show th at it is possible to establish an o th er.
R. A n d as to religion?

Dr. M. I have d o n e so till I have grow n weary of th e labor. T o show th e gross carelessness with which they are concocted I may
Police agent. Ed. b R e p o rt in th e colum n D epeches T e leg ra p h iq u es , La Situation, No. 240, J u n e 28, 1871 Ed.

D r. M. O n th at p oint I cannot speak in the nam e of the society! I myself am an atheist. It is startling, no doubt, to h ear such an avowal in E ngland, b u t th ere is some com fort in the
^ See this volum e, pp. 498, 504-05. Ed.

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th o u g h t th at it need no t be m ade in a w hisper in eith er G erm any o r France? ^

you m ake y o u r h e ad q u a rte rs in this country?

reasons; th e rig h t of association is h e re an estabhshed thm g. It exists, indeed, in G erm any, b u t it is beset with m n u m erab le difficulties; in F rance fo r m any years it has not existed at all. ^
R- A n d th e U nited States?

[A C C O U N T O F ENGELS SPEECH ON M A ZZIN IS A T T IT U D E TO W A R D S T H E IN T E R N A T IO N A L ]

Dr. M. T h e chief centres of o u r activity are fo r the p resen t am o n g th e old societies of E urope. M any circum stances have H prev en t the labor problem from assum ing an all-absorbm g im portance in the U nited States. B ut they are r a ^ d ly disappearing, an d it is rapidly com ing to the fro n t th e re with the grow th as in E u ro p e of a laboring class distinct from the rest of th e com m unity a n d divorced from capital.
be 'Whatever it m ay be, wJI be attam ed w ithout the violent m eans o f revolution. T h e English system of X o p X l s ig j c onverted into m ajorities is

[FROM T H E NEW SPA PER R E PO R T O N T H E G EN ERA L C O U N C IL M E E T IN G O F JU LY 25, 1871]

sanguine on th at point as you. T h e English m iddle class has always shown itself willing en o u g h to accept the verdict of th e m ajority so long as it enjoyed the m onopoly of the votm g pow er. B ut m ark m e, as soon as it finds itself outvoted on w hat It considers vital questions we shall see h e re a new slave-owner s w ar. ^
First published in 1871 The World luiv 18 ^ R ep ro d u ced from th e n ew spaper

Citizen Engels said afte r th e Pope" should com e th e AntiPope h e h ad to re p o rt th at Joseph M azzini h ad b een attacking the In tern atio n al in th e colum ns of his Jo u rn al. A fter stating th at he knew th e Italian people loved him an d h e loved them , he proceeded:
A n association has arisen w hich th rea te n s to subvert all o rd e r (the sam e w ords as used by th e Pope) started m any years ago, I re fu sed fro m th e first it It is controlled by a C ouncil sitting in L o ndon, th e soul o f w hich is K arl M ara, a m an of acute intellect, b u t like th a t of P ro u d h o n of a dissolving ch aracter, a n d of d o m in e e rin g tem p e r, w ho is jealous of o th e r p eoples influence. T h e C ouncil itself, com posed of m en of d iffe re n t nationahties, can have n o unity o f p u rp o se e ith e r to discuss th e evils w hich afflict society, n o r th e unity o f sen tim en t necessary to a m e n d th em . T h ese a re th e reasons why I re tire d fro m th e A ssociation, a n d why the Italian b ra n c h of th e D em ocratic A lliance (L ondon) re tire d fro m it ^so_ T h e th ree fu n d a m e n ta l principles of th e In tern a tio n a l a r e ; - 1st N egation of G od, th a t is ot all m orality. 2 n d N egation of C ountry, w hich it dissolves in to a C onglom eration of C om m unes, w hose inevitable fate it m ust be to q u a rre l am o n g them selves, 3 rd N egation o f P ro p erty , thereb y dep riv in g every w orkm g-m an o f th e fru its o t his l a b w r fo r th e rig h t to individual p ro p e rty is n o th in g b u t th e rig h t of every m an to th a t w hich he has p ro d u c e d .

A fter descanting at length u p o n these points, he concluded by advising the Italian W orking Class to organise them selves strongly u n d e r his b a n n e r in a counter-league against th e In ternationals, to have faith in the fu tu re of Italy, an d to w ork fo r its fu tu re and glory, an d to form am ong them selves C o-operative Stores (not
b G ^M a^zini, Agli o p e rai italiani . La Roma del popolo. No. 20, July 13, 1871; see also this volum e, pp. 385-87. Ed.

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C o-operative W orkshops) so th at all m ay get as m uch profit as possible. It will be seen th at u p o n one im p o rtan t point Mazzini contradicts him self, in one place h e says h e refused to belong to th e In tern atio n al from th e first, a n d afterw ards says h e retired. How a m an can re tire from th at to which he n ever belonged, the public m ust im agine. T h e fact is Mazzini never was a m em ber of th e In tern atio n al bu t h e tried to tu rn it into a tool of his own. H e drew u p a p ro g ram m e which was subm itted to th e provisional C ouncil b u t it was rejected, an d afte r som e fu rth e r attem pts m ade th ro u g h M ajor W olff, since discovered to be a police spy, tow ards th e sam e en d h ad failed,^* Mazzini refrain ed from all in terferen ce with th e In tern atio n al until lately. As to th e charges against the In tern atio n al, they are either u n tru e o r absurd, with re g ard to th e first th at it wants to m ake atheism com pulsory, that is u n tru e , an d was re fu ted in the S ecretarys letter in reply to Jules Favres circular.* T h e second is absurd, fo r while the In tern atio n al recognises n o country, it desires to unite, not dissolve. It is opposed to the cry for Nationality, because it tends to separate people from people, and is used by tyrants to create prejudices an d antagonism,^ the jealousy existing betw een the Latin an d T e u to n races led to the late disastrous war, a n d was equally used by N apoleon an d Bism arck. T h e th ird charge only betrays M azzinis ignorance of th e very elem ents of political econom y. T h a t individual p ro p erty which assures to everyone th e fruits of his own labour, the In tern atio n al does n o t in ten d to abolish, b u t on the contrary to establish. At p resen t the fruits of the lab o u r of the masses goes into th e pockets o f the few, an d this system of capitalist p ro d u ctio n is w hat Mazzini proposes to leave u n altered , b u t which th e In tern atio n al w ould destroy. It desires everyone to have the p ro d u ce of his o r h e r labour. T h e letters received from Italy prove th at the Italian W orkm en are with the In ternational, and are n o t to be m isguided by M azzinis shallow sophistry.
First published in The No. 148, July 29, 1871 Eastern Post, R ep ro d u ced from th e new spaper, verified with the G eneral C ouncils M inute Book

[RECORD O F ENGELS SPEECH O N T H E C O N V O C A T IO N O F T H E LO N D O N C O N FER EN C E O F 1871]^*

[FROM T H E M IN U T E S O F T H E G E N E R A L C O U N C IL M E E T IN G O F JU LY 25, 1871]

Citizen Engels pro p o sed T h a t a private C onference of the Association be called in L o n d o n to m eet on th e th ird S unday in S eptem ber . H e said th at last year th e Sections gave th e G eneral C ouncil pow er to postpone th e A nnual C o n g ress because of the circum stances created by th e w a r an d things w ere n o t m uch b etter now. It was im possible to hold a C ongress in France. In G erm any th e Association was subject to prosecution an d any m em ber th at h ad th e courage to atten d a C ongress w ould do so at the risk of im p risonm ent. In Spain th e Association was being persecuted, a n d in Belgium th ere was no freedom . So taking things altogether th e re w ere only two places w here it w ould be possible to m eet, E ngland an d Switzerland, a n d Citizen Robin h ad told them how in th e latter country the m em bers w ere divided am ong them selves. T h e position too was such, th at if a C ongress was sum m oned scarcely any of th e sections could send delegates, at the sam e tim e it was necessary fo r th e G eneral C ouncil to take counsel with the sections, as to th e fu tu re policy, an d to get its powers ratified, an d such could only be do n e by h o ld in g a private C onference as h e proposed.
First published, in Russian, in th e book The London Conference of the First Interna tional, 1936 R ep ro d u ced from th e C ouncils M inute Book G eneral

J. H ales. b See this volum e, pp. 361-63. Ed.

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[A C C O U N T O F M ARXS SPEECH A G A IN ST O D G ER ]'

[FROM T H E NEW SPA PER R E PO R T O N T H E G E N E R A L C O U N C IL M E E T IN G O F A U G U S T 1, 1871]

Rome in 49; he was th e m an w ho obtained th e expulsion of Louis Blanc from France, an d was o ne of th e m en who b ro u g h t back B onaparte; an d yet Mr. O d g er unblushingly stood u p and said N othing could be said against th e ch aracter of Jules F avre . Why, if M r. O dger, who claim ed to have been o ne of th e forem ost m en of the In tern atio n al, had atten d ed to his duties as a m em ber, he m ust have know n, such a statem ent h ad no g ro u n d w hatever to rest upon. It was eith er m ade with a know ledge th at it was false, or it betrayed an inexcusable ignorance. Mr. O d g er knew n o th in g of the In tern atio n al fo r th e last five years, as he h ad never atten d ed to the duties, th e O ffice of P resid en t was abolished by the C ongress,"^ because it was fo u n d to be a sham . M r. O d g er was the first an d only P resid en t of th e Intern atio n al: h e never atten d ed to his d u ties th e Council got on quite as well w ithout th ere fo re th e office was abolished.
First published in The No. 149, A ugust 5, 1871 Eastern Post, R ep ro d u ced from th e new spaper, verified with the G eneral C ouncils M inute B ook

Citizen M arx said th ere was one o th e r subject to which he wished to allude. It ap p eared th at at a m eeting of th e L and an d L ab o u r L eague a Mr. S h ip to n w hom h e did n o t know but who h ad th e re p u tatio n of being Mr. O d g e rs L ieu ten an t had been criticising the address on the Civil W ar in F ran ce an d had said th at h e (Dr M arx) h ad re p u d ia ted th e Council. Such a rem ark only shewed Mr. S hiptons ignorance an d d id n t speak m uch for his percep tio n even th o u g h h e m ight be a dum m y in th e h ands of O d g er. Because h e h ad avowed him self the a u th o r of the charges contained in the address, h e h ad re p u d ia ted th e C o u n cil ! W hy, th at avowal was m ade by the sanction of the Council, so th a t m en like Mr. O d g e r w ho w ere apologists fo r M. T h iers an d F avre should n o longer have the pow er to say they did no t know w h eth er the charges w ere tru e o r n o t th at w ere m ade in the address. In the letter o f avowal the m en charged w ere distinctly challenged to indict him fo r libel so th at the m atter m ight be tested in a co u rt o f law.^* b u t it did no t serve th eir p u rp o se to do so, as they knew well w hat the result w ould be. O f course it was to be easily u n d ersto o d why Mr. O d g e r was no t satisfied. H e had exhibited an am o u n t of ignorance in dealing with foreign politics th at w ould n o t have been creditable to any o rd in ary re a d e r of new spapers. H e had said T h e ch aracter o f Jules Favre was irre p ro ac h ab le : Why, it was well know n th at he h ad been all his life th e b itter o p p o n en t of the F rench W orking Class, an d of all L ab o u r m ovem ents, he was the principal instigator of the m assacres of J u n e 4 8 ; h e was the au th o r of the expedition to
See this volum e, p. 370. Ed.

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[RECORD O F ENGELS SPEECH ON T H E S IT U A T IO N IN SPAIN]

[RECORD O F M ARXS SPEECH IN T H E O P E N IN G O F T H E L O N D O N C ONFERENCE]

[FROM T H E NEW SPA PER R E P O R T O N T H E G EN ERA L C O U N C IL M E E T IN G O F A U G U S T 22, 1871]

[FROM T H E M IN U T E S O F T H E SESSION O F T H E L O N D O N C O N FE R E N C E OF- T H E IN T E R N A T IO N A L W O R K IN G M EN S A S S O C IA T IO N O N SEPTEM B ER 17, 1871]

Citizen Engels re p o rte d th at the m em bers o f the Spanish F ederal C ouncil h ad great hopes from the change of M inistry w hich h ad ju st taken place in Spain. It was expected th at the prosecutions against the In tern atio n al w ould cease, a n d th en the Association w ould soon ex ten d its ram ifications th ro u g h o u t the len g th an d b re ad th of th e peninsula. A g reat change h ad taken place in th e ranks of th e R epublican party. O n the establishm ent o f th e C om m une in Paris, the leaders o f th e R epublican party in S p ain n o t know ing the social principles involved w ent in fo r it. B ut as soon as they fo u n d o u t th at it m ean t a struggle fo r m ore th an m unicipal governm ent they tu rn e d ro u n d an d den o u n ced it. T h is shocked th e Spanish working-class, which fo rm ed the bulk of th e R epublican party. H aving had th eir eyes open ed , the people n ot w ishing to be used as tools, h ad tu rn e d to the In ternational. Citizen Engels also re p o rte d th at Citizen Paul L afargue, son-in-law to Dr. M arx, an d form erly a m em ber of the G eneral Council, had been arrested in Spain a n d sent u n d e r an escort of gendarm es to M adrid. T h e governm ent, how ever, finding noth in g against him, h ad since liberated him .
First published in The No. 152, A ugust 26, 1871 Eastern Post, R ep ro d u ced from th e n ew spaper

M arx; T h e G eneral C ouncil has called a conference to consult the delegates of th e various countries ab out th e m easures to be taken to g u ard against th e risks which th e Association is ru n n in g in a large n u m b er of countries, an d to set u p a new organisation to m eet the needs of th e situation. Secondly, to draw u p a response to th e various governm ents th at are w orking unceasingly to destroy th e Association by every m eans at th eir disposal. A nd finally to reach a definitive solution to th e Swiss conflict. O th er secondary questions will certainly be raised d u rin g the course of th e co nference an d should be resolved. Citizen M arx adds th a t it will be necessary to m ake a public declaration to th e R ussian governm ent, which is try in g to im plicate the Association in a certain affair relating to a secret society whose m ain leaders are com pletely un co n n ected with o r hostile to th e Association.'*^ T his conference is private, b u t w hen all th e delegates have re tu rn e d to th eir countries, th e G eneral C ouncil will publish those resolutions which th e C onference deem s it necessary to publish.
First published, in R ussian, in the book The London Conference of the First Interna tional, 1936 P rin ted according to th e m inutes subm itted by Rochat, verified with his ro u g h notes T ran sla te d fro m th e F rench Pubhshed in E nglish fo r th e first tim e

614

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[RECORDS O F M ARXS SPEECHES ON TR A D E U N IO N S ]'

the U nited States they have rem ain ed outside th e largest revolutionary m ovem ent in E ngland Since th e In tern atio n al has been in existence it has been d iffe re n t if they wish to em ploy th eir s t r e n g t h - w it h o u r a i d - t h e y can achieve every th in g they h ad a clause in th eir Rules pro h ib itin g them from settin g involved in p o litic s - th e only political moves they have m ade were u n d e r th e influence of th e In tern atio n al T h e G eneral Council has fo r several years been in contact with th e t r a d e s ^^.nions th e re existed a committee^' at p resen t it is still in c,ontact
with th ree b ig cities M an ch ester B irm in g h a m Sh effield.
P rin ted a ccording to M artins m in utes, verified w ith th e ro u g h notes by M artin a n d R ochat T ran sla te d from th e F rench Published in E nglish fo r th e first

[FROM T H E M IN U T E S O F T H E SESSIO N O F T H E L O N D O N C O N FE R E N C E O F T H E IN T E R N A T IO N A L W O R K IN G M E N S A S S O C IA T IO N O N SEPTEM B ER 20, 1871]

First published, in Russian, in the book The London Conference of the First Interna tional, 1936

M arx believes th at these resolutions w ere no t taken at the C ongress of B asle afte r verification he recognises th at some decisions w ere taken in this s e n s e it was a pious w ish h e also th o u g h t at th at tim e th e th in g possible now h e is persu ad ed th at th e t r a d e s u n i o n s will n o t accept this fe d e ra tio n T h e t r a d e s UN IONS, he says, are an aristocratic m inority th e p o o r w orkers cannot belong to them : the g reat mass of w orkers whom econom ic d ev elopm ent is driving from th e countryside into th e towns every d ay has long been outside the t r a d e s u n i o n s an d the m ost w retched mass has never belonged; th e sam e goes fo r th e w orkers b o rn in th e East E nd of L ondon; one in 10 belongs to t r a d e s u n i o n s peasants, day labourers never belong to these societies. T h e t r a d e s u n i o n s can do noth in g by them selves they will rem ain a m in ority they have n o pow er over the mass of p ro letarian s w hereas th e In tern atio n al works directly on these m e n it does n o t n eed th eir organisation in o rd e r to carry along th e w o rkers th e in ternational idea appeals to them im m ediate ly It is th e only society to inspire com plete confidence in the w orkers. L anguage also stands in the way of an international association with th e T R A D E S u n i o n s .

u n io n s

M arx does not share Steens fe ars with re g ard to th e T R A D E S ."* T h ey have never been able to do anything w ithout tu rn in g to u s even the best o rg an ised those with branches in

616

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[R E C O R D O F M A R X S S P E E C H O N T H E P O L IT IC A L A C T IO N O F T H E W O R K IN G C L A SS ]

[FROM T H E M IN U T E S O F T H E SESSIO N O F T H E L O N D O N C O N FE R EN C E O F T H E IN T E R N A T IO N A L W O R K IN G M E N S A S S O C IA T IO N O N SEPTEM B ER 20, 1871]

Citizen L o ren zo h as called on us to observe the R egulations, and Citizen B astelica h as follow ed him in this co u rse. I take the origin al R ules an d the In a u g u ra l A d d ress, an d I re ad in the two that the G en eral C ouncil will be resp on sib le fo r p resen tin g a p ro g ra m m e fo r discussion at the congresses.^ T h e p ro g ra m m e which the G en eral C ouncil is p resen tin g to the con feren ce fo r discussion co m p rises* the organ isation o f the A ssociation ; an d the V aillant m otion relates to this p o in t the claim o f L o ren zo an d B astelica is th e refo re u n fo u n d e d __ In alm ost all coun tries som e m em b ers o f the In tern ation al, basin g them selves on the m utilated fo rm u lation o f the R ules p assed by the C o n gress o f G e n e v a , h a v e in d u lg ed in p ro p a g a n d a in fa v o u r o f abstention fro m politics, which the gov ern m en ts have taken g reat care not to in terru p t. Even in G erm an y, Schw eitzer an d oth ers in the pay o f B ism arck tried to rally the sections ro u n d the policies o f the govern m en t. In Fran ce this cu lpable abstention had allow ed Fayre, Picard an d oth ers to seize pow er on 4 S e p te m b e r this abstention en abled a dictatorial com m ittee to set itself u p in Paris on 18 M arch, co m p o sed largely o f B o n ap artists an d in trigu ers who know ingly w asted the first days o f the R evolution in inaction, when they sh ould have sp en t them con solid atin g it.^ In A m erica a co n gress h eld recently an d co m p o sed o f w orkers has resolved to d eal seriously with the political question
K. M arx, Rules^ and Administrative Regulations of the International Working M en s Association, L on d o n , 1867 (p resen t edition. Vol. 20, A ppendices); K. M arx, Inaugural Address of the Working M en s International Association, L ondon, 1864 (p resen t edition Vol. 20). Ed. * > See this volum e, p. 613. Ed.

and to substitute w orkers like them selves td re p re sen t them , entrusted with d e fe n d in g the in terests o f their class, fo r these personalities who m ake a caree r ou t o f b ein g politicians. In E n g lan d it is less easy fo r a w orker to enter Parliam ent. T h e M em bers receiving no subsidy, an d the w orker h avin g n othing bu t the p ro ceed s o f his lab o u r to live on. P arliam en t is closed to him , and the B o u rg eo isie, stubbornly re fu sin g to pay an allow ance to M em bers, knows full well th at this is the way to p rev ent the w orking class fro m b ein g represen ted . B u t it m ust not be th o u g h t that it is o f m in or im portan ce to have w orkers in parliam en t. If their voices are stifled, like those o f De Potter an d C astiau , if they a re ejected like M an u el the effect o f this severity an d intolerance on the peop le is p r o fo u n d W hereas if, like B ebel an d Liebkn ech t, they are able to sp eak fro m this platform , the entire w orld can h ear th e m in on e way o r the oth er it m ean s con siderable publicity fo r o u r p rin cip les T o m ention only on e e x a m p le W hen, d u rin g the w ar takin g place in Fran ce B ebel an d L iebknech t em b ark ed on the stru g g le again st it, an d to disclaim all responsibility on b eh alf o f the w orkm g class with re g a rd to w hat was h a p p e n in g the whole o f G erm an y was shaken, an d even M unich, this city w here no-one w ould co n tem p late revolution un less it involved the price o f b eer, w as the scene of g rea t dem o n stration s d e m a n d in g an en d to the war. T h e govern m en ts are hostile to u s. W e m ust answ er them by u sin g every possible m eans at o u r disposal, gettin g w orkers into p arliam en t is so m uch gain in g over them , bu t we m ust choose the righ t m en an d watch ou t fo r the T olain s. H e su p p o rts Citizen V aillants m otion with the Fran kel a m e n d m ent, which consists in p refac in g it with a p ream ble e xp lain in g m e reaso n fo r this declaration , that is statin g that it is n o t ju st today that the A ssociation asks the w orkers to e n g a g e in politics, but all the time.
First published, in R ussian, in the m agazine The Communist International, No. 29, 1934 P rin ted according to th e R ochat s m inutes, verified w ith the ro u g h notes of M artin a n d R ochat T ra n sla te d fro m th e F ren ch Published in E nglish fo r th e first

a T h e p a ra g ra p h in the d ra ft notes by M artin begins as follows: Smce th e Ju y Revolution th e bourgeoisie has always m ade every e ffo rt obstacles, in the w orkers way. O u r new spapers are n o t re ac h m g th e masses sp eak ers p latfo rm is th e best m eans of pubhcity. d. i> See this volym e, p. 297. Ed.

618

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[RECORD O F M ARXS SPEECH O N T H E P O L IT IC A L A C T IO N O F T H E W O R K IN G CLASS]

[FROM T H E M IN U T E S O F T H E SESSIO N O F T H E L O N D O N C O N FE R E N C E O F T H E IN T E R N A T IO N A L W O R K IN G M EN S A S S O C IA T IO N O N SEPTEM BER 21, 1871]

[RECORD O F M ARXS SPEECH O N T H E P O S IT IO N O F T H E IN T E R N A T IO N A L W O R K IN G M ENS A SSO C IA TIO N IN GERM ANY AND ENGLAND]^'

M arx will n o t speak against V aillants m otion because yesterday he spoke fo r it h e replies to Bastelica th at from the beginning of th e conference it had been decided th at this question was entirely one of organisation an d n o t of prin cip le as fo r the regulation in voked h e recalls [that it is necessary] to read the Rules a n d the In a u g u ral A ddress to g e th e r which h e reads once again. H e outlines the history of ab stention we m ust no t get annoyed, he says, over th e issue th e people who p ro p ag ated this doctrine w ere sincere U topians b u t those who are resum ing the sam e p ath today are n o t by ad jo u rn in g politics until afte r the violent struggle they are h u rlin g the people into th e form alist, bourgeois o p p o sition which it is o u r du ty to com bat, as well as th e pow ers-that-be W e m ust expose G am betta, so th at the people are n o t deceived all over again. H e is of the sam e opinion as V aillant we m ust throw dow n a challenge to all the governm ents in response to th eir persecution o f th e In te rn a tio n a l which (...) Reaction exists th ro u g h o u t the C ontinent, it is general and p e rm a n e n t a n d even in the U nited States an d in E ngland in a n o th e r fo rm W e m ust tell th e m we know th at you are th e arm ed force opposing th e p ro leta riat we shall act against you peacefully w herever possible an d take u p arm s w hen th at is necessary he believes th at changes m ust be m ade in the fram ing of V aillants m o tio n which is why he is su p p o rtin g U tin s motion.^'
First published, in R ussian, in the m agazine The Communist International No. 29, 1934 P rin ted according to M artin s m in utes, verified with his ro u g h notes T ran sla te d from th e F rench Published in E nglish fo r the first tim e O n e of th e d ra fts continues as follows; H e com bats the abstentionists, saying th a t they are sectarians. Ed.

[FROM T H E M IN U T E S O F T H E SESSION O F T H E L O N D O N C O N FE R E N C E O F T H E IN T E R N A T IO N A L W O R K IN G M E N S A S S O C IA T IO N O N SEPTEM BER 22, 1871]

You know th at in G erm any th e organisation of th e Association is unable to exist u n d e r its own nam e, th e laws n o t p erm ittm g any local society to affiliate with a foreig n society, b u t th e Association exists nevertheless a n d has ex p erienced trem en d o u s developm ent u n d e r th e nam e of th e Socialist D em ocratic Party, whose m em bership of th e Association already dates back a long way. B ut this m em bership was reaffirm ed with great eclat at th e C ongress of Dresden.^* So th ere is no n eed to propose any m easure or declaration fo r this counti 7 com parable to those ap p ro v ed for countries w here th e Association is persecuted. If he [M arx] has spoken badly of th e G erm an students, he has no criticism to m ake of th e w orkers; d u rin g th e last war, which had becom e a m atter of contention betw een the classes, th e attitu d e of the G erm an w orkers was quite beyond praise, m oreover, the Socialist Democratic Party fully realised th at this w ar h ad been u n d erta k en by B o n ap arte an d W ilhelm m ore to stifle m o d ern ideas th an fo r ideas of co n q u est th e C om m ittee of Brunswick had all been arrested and taken to a fortress on th e Russian bo rd er, an d m ost of its m em bers are still p risoners today, charged with th e crim e of h igh treason. In the R eichstag itself, Bebel and Liebknecht, the representatives of th e G erm an w orking class, w ere no t afraid to declare th at they w ere m em bers of th e In tern atio n al Association an d th at they w ere pro testin g against th e w ar for which they refused to vote any subsidy th e g o v ern m en t did not d are to have them arrested while the H ouse was sitting, only w hen
See this volum e, p. 271. Ed.

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they em erg ed did th e police seize them an d carry them off to prison. D u rin g the C om m une th e G erm an w orkers did not cease, at m eetings an d th ro u g h the new spapers th at belong to them , to affirm th eir solidarity with the Revo utionaries of Paris. A nd when the C om m une was crushed they held a m eeting at B reslau which th e Prussian police tried in vain to prevent; at this m eeting, an d at others in various towns in G erm any, they acclaim ed the Paris C o m m u n e Eventually, w hen K aiser W ilhelm a n d his arm y staged th eir triu m p h al entry into B erlin, these conquering heroes were g reeted by th e populace with cries o f Long Live the C om m une! * W hen speaking about E ngland Citizen M arx h ad forgotten to m ake th e following statem ent. You will know th at betw een the English w orkers a n d the Irish w orkers th ere has existed of old very considerable antagonism the causes of which are actually very easy to enum erate. T his antegonism has its origin in th e differences of language an d relig io n s; an d in the com petition betw een Irish w orkers and English w orkers over wages. In E ngland this antagonism is the d am th at holds back the flood of Revolution, hence it is skilfully exploited by the governm ent a n d th e u p p e r classes, w ho are convinced th a t no bond w ould be able to unite th e English and Irish w orkers. It is tru e th at in the political field n o union would be possible; b u t it is n o t the sam e in the econom ic field, a n d on eith er side sections of th e In tern atio n al are being fo rm ed which in this capacity o u g h t to m arch sim ultaneously tow ards the same goal. B efore long the Irish sections will be very num erous.
First published, in Russian, in th e book The London Conference of the First International, 1936 P rin ted according to R ochats m inutes, verified w ith R ochats a n d M artin s ro u g h notes T ran sla te d fro m th e F rench P ublished in E nglish fo r th e first tim e

[RECORD O F M ARXS SPEECH O N SECRET SO C IETIES]

[FROM T H E M IN U T E S O F T H E SESSION O F T H E L O N D O N C O N FE R E N C E O F T H E IN T E R N A T IO N A L W O R K IN G M ENS A S S O C IA T IO N O N SEPTEM B ER 22, 1871]

M arx reads o u t th e following m otion. In countries w here th e re g u la r organisation of th e In tern atio n al Association has becom e tem porarily im practicable in consequence of governm ent intervention, th e Association an d its local g ro u p s may reconstitute them selves u n d e r various designations, b u t any secret society in the strict sense is form ally prohibited.^ By secret organisation we do n o t m ean secret societies in the strict sense, which, on the contrary, m ust be fo u g h t against. In F rance an d Italy, w here th e political situation is such th at th e rig h t of assembly is an offence, th ere will be strong tendencies fo r m en to becom e involved in secret societies, th e results of which are always negative. M oreover, this type of organisation is opposed to the developm ent of th e p ro letarian m ovem ent because, instead of instructing the w orkers, these societies subject th em to a u th o ritarian , mystical laws w hich cram p th eir in d ep en d en ce and distort th eir pow ers of re aso n H e seeks acceptance of th e m otion.
First published, in Russian, in the book The London Conference of the First Interna tional^ 1936 P rin ted according to R ochats m in utes, verified w ith R ochats a n d M artin s ro u g h notes T ra n sla te d from th e F ren ch Published in E nglish fo r the first tim e See this volum e, pp. 427-28. Ed. * > T h e ro u g h notes by M artin con tin u e as follows; Secret societies w ould an nihilate th e spirit of th e In tern a tio n a l Association. T h is is good fo r th e carbonari. T h ey cannot suit the p ro letaria n m o v em en t. Ed.

See this volum e, pp. 274-75. Ed. > > T h e ro u g h notes by M artin con tin u e as follows: T h e w orkers have show n that they a re the only p arty with socialist aspirations in G erm any T h e ro u g h notes by M artin have long oppression o f Ire la n d a fte r the w ord relig io n . Ed.

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[JENNY M ARXS L E T T E R T O T H E E D IT O R O F W O O D H U L L & C L A F L I N S W E E K L Y Y ^^

Madame:

T h e following private letter (originally w ritten to a friend) may serve th e public interest, if by m eans of it som e light is throw n u p o n th e arb itrary proceedings of the p resen t F rench G overn m ent, who, with suprem e contem pt fo r personal security and liberty, do not scruple to arrest foreigners, as well as natives, on alto g eth er false pretenses: *** M onsieur L afargue, my brother-in-law , his wife" an d chil d re n , my youngest sister' an d myself, h ad sp en t the m onths of Ju n e an d July at B agneres d e L uchon, w here we in ten d ed rem ain in g until th e en d of S eptem ber. I hoped, by a prolonged stay in th e Pyrenees, a n d by a daily use o f th e m ineral w aters fo r which L uchon is fam ous, to recover from th e effects o f a severe attack of pleurisy. M ais dans la Republique-Thiers Ihomme propose et la police dispose.'" O n the first o r second day in A ugust, M. L afargue was in fo rm ed by a frien d th at h e m ight daily expect a dom iciliary visit of th e police, w hen, if found, he w ould surely be arrested , on the p re te x t th at he h ad paid a short visit to Paris d u rin g th e tim e of th e C om m une, had acted as em issary of the In tern atio n al in the Pyrenees, and last, b u t not least, because h e is the husb an d of his wife, consequently the son-in-law of Karl M arx. K nowing th at u n d e r the p resen t governm ent of lawyers the law is a dead letter, th at persons are continually locked u p , no reason w hatever being assigned fo r th eir arrest, Mr. L afargue follows th e advice given him , crosses the frontier, an d settles down
^ L au ra L afarg u e. Ed. E leanor M arx. Ed. B ut in T h ie rs Republic m an proposes a n d tlie police dispose. Ed.

at Bosost, a small Spanish town. Several days afte r his d e p a rtu re , on the 6th of A ugust, M ad. L afargue, h e r sister E leanor an d I visit M. L afargue at Bosost. M ad. L afargue, fin d in g th at h e r little b o y is no t well en o u g h to leave Bosost on th e sam e day (she was very anxious on the childs account, having lost his b ro th e r a few days before), resolved to rem ain with h er h u sb an d fo r a day o r two. My sister E leanor a n d I th ere fo re re tu rn e d alone to Luchon. W ithout accident we succeeded in getting along th e ru g g ed Spanish roads, a n d safely reached Fos. T h e re th e F rench custom house officials ask us th e usual questions a n d look into o u r carriage to see w h eth er th e re are any co n trab an d goods. As we have n o th in g b u t o u r cloaks with us, I tell th e coachm an to drive on, w hen an individual n o o th e r th an th e P ro cu reu r de la Repuiblique* M. le B aron D esag arre steps fo rw ard saying in the nam e of th e Republic, follow m e. W e leave o u r carriage an d e n te r a small room , w here we find a forbidding-looking c re a tu re a m ost unw om anly w om an waiting to search us. N ot w ishing to let this coarse-looking p erson touch us, we o ffer to take off o u r dresses ourselves. O f this th e w om an will n o t hear. She rushes o u t of the room , w hither she soon re tu rn s, followed by th e P ro cu reu r d e la R epublique, who in th e m ost u n g endem anly m an n er th u s apos trophizes my sister: If you will n o t allow this w om an to search you, I shall do so. My sister replies: You have no rig h t to come n ea r a B ritish subject. I have an English p assp o rt. Seeing, however, that an English p assport does n o t co u n t fo r m uch, th at the b e a re r of such a passp o rt does not inspire M. le B aron D esagarre with m uch respect, fo r h e looks as th o u g h he w ere in good earnest, ready to suit his actions to his w ords, we allow the w om an to have h e r way. She unpicks th e very seams of o u r dresses, m akes us take o ff even o u r stockings. I fancy I can still feel h e r spider-like fingers ru n n in g th ro u g h m y hair. H aving only fo u n d a new spaper on m e a n d a to rn letter on my sister, she ru n s with these to h e r frien d an d ally, M. le B aron D esagarre. W e are reconducted to o u r ca rriag e o u r own coachm an, who h ad acted as o u r gu id e d u rin g o u r whole stay in th e Pyrenees, an d had grow n m uch attached to us, is forced away, replaced by an o th er coachm an, two officers are installed in th e carriage opposite us, an d thus we are driven off, a cart-full of custom -house officers a n d police agents following us. A fter a tim e, finding, no doubt, th at after all we are n o t such very d an g ero u s characters, th at we
C harles E tienne L afargue. Ed. ^ A ttorney of th e Republic (of th e local court). Ed.
2 2 -1 2 3 2

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do n o t m ake any attem pts to m u rd e r o u r sentinels, o u r escort is left beh in d an d we rem ain in the charge of the two officers in the carriage. T h u s g u ard ed , we are driven th ro u g h village after village, th ro u g h St. Beat, the inhabitants of which com paratively large town collect in crowds, evidendy taking us to be thieves, or, at least, sm ugglers. At 8 o clock, thoroughly tired out, we arrive at L uchon, cross the Quinconces,^ w here h u n d re d s of people are assem bled to listen to the band, it being Sunday an d th e h eig h t of th e season. O u r carriage stops before th e hotel of the Prefect, M. le C om te de K eratry. T h a t personage no t being at hom e, still g u ard ed , we are k ept waiting before his d o o r fo r at least half an ho u r. At length o rd ers are given fo r us to be taken back to o u r house, which we find su rro u n d e d by gendarm es. We at once go upstairs, wishing to refresh ourselves by w ashing o u r faces (we had been o u t since five o clock in the m orning), bu t as a g en d arm e and an ag en t in plain clothes follow us even into o u r bedroom , we re tu rn to th e draw ing-room , u n re fresh e d , to await the arrival of th e Prefect. T h e clock strikes nine, ten; M. de K eratry has no t com e he is listening to th e b an d on the Quinconces, and, we hear, IS d eterm in ed to stay until the last ch o rd of the m usic has died away. M eanwhile, quantities of mouchards^ d ro p in; they walk into the room as if it w ere th eir own an d m ake them selves quite at hom e, setding dow n on o u r chairs an d sofa. Soon we are s u rro u n d e d by a m odey crowd of police agents, which devoted servants of the Republic, it is easy to see, have served th eir term of ap p ren ticeship u n d e r the E m p ire they are m asters of th eir h onorable calling. T h ey have recourse to im possible tricks an d dodges to inveigle us into a conversation, but, finding all th eir efforts to do so are vain, they stare at us as only professionals can stare, until, at half-past ten, the P refect puts in an appearance, flanked by the P ro cu reu r G eneral, M. Delpech, the Juge d In stru ctio n, Juge de Paix, the Com m issaires of T oulouse and L uchon, etc. My sister is told to step into an adjoining room ; the C om m issaire of T oulouse a n d a g en d arm e accom pany her. My in terro g ato ry com m ences. I refuse to give any inform ation concerning my brother-in-law an d o th er relatives an d friends. W ith re g ard to myself, I declare I am u n d e r m edical treatm ent, an d have com e to L uchon to take the waters. For m ore th an two ho u rs M. de K eratry by tu rn s exhorts, persuades and at length
A p a rk with schem e. Ed. b Spies. <i. trees planted in dum ps of five according to a certain

threatens m e, th at if I choose to persist in my refusal to act as a ivitness, I shall be looked u p o n as an accomplice. T o -m o rro w , he says, the law will compel you to give y o u r deposition on oath; for, let m e tell you, M. L afargue an d his wife have been arrested . At this I felt alarm ed, because of my sisters sick child. At length my sister E leanors tu rn comes. I am o rd e re d to tu rn iny back while she speaks. An officer is placed in fro n t of m e lest I sh o u ld attem p t to m ake som e sign. T o my annoyance I h ea r my sister is being led by degrees to say yes o r no to th e num berless questions p u t to h er. A fterw ard I fo u n d o u t by w hat m eans she had been m ade to speak. P ointing to my w ritten declaration, M. de K eratry (I could n o t see his gestures, my back being tu rn ed ,) affirm ed the con trary of w hat I h ad really said. T h erefo re, anxious no t to contradict m e, my sister h ad n o t re fu ted the statem ents said to have been m ade by me. It was half-past two before h e r exam ination was en d ed . A young girl of 16, who h ad been u p since five A.M., had traveled nine h o u rs on an intensely hot day in A ugust, an d only taken food quite early at Bosost, cross-exam ined until half-past two in th e m orning! For the rest of th at n ig h t the C om m issaire of T o u lo u se and several gendarm es rem ain ed in o u r house. We w ent to bed, b u t not to sleep, fo r we puzzled o u r heads as how to get a m essenger to go to Bosost to w arn M. Laf argue, in case he h ad n o t yet been arrested. W e looked o u t of th e window. G endarm es w ere walking about in the g ard en . It was im possible to get o u t of th e house. We w ere close p riso n ers n o t even allowed to see o u r m aid and landlady. O n the following day, landlady an d servants were exam ined on oath. I was again questioned fo r m o re th an an h o u r by the P ro cu reu r G eneral, M. D elpech, and th e P ro cu reu r de la R epublique. T h a t tongue-valiant h ero, M. le B aron D esagarre, read long extracts to m e, p ointing o u t th e penalties I am liable to incur by persisting in my refusal to act as witness. T h e eloquence of these g end em en was, however, lost on m e. I quietly b u t firm ly declared my resolution n o t to take th e oath, an d rem ained unshaken. My sisters exam ination only lasted a few m inutes this time. She also resolutely refu sed to take the oath. B efore the P ro cu reu r G eneral left us, we asked for perm ission to write a few lines to o u r m o th er, fearin g th e news of o u r arrest m ight get into th e pap ers an d alarm o u r parents. W e o ffered to write the letter in F rench, u n d e r th e very eyes of M. D elpech. It was only to consist of a few sentences, such as we are well, etc. T h e P ro cu reu r refused o u r request, on the p re te x t th at we m ight
22*

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have a language of o u r own; th at the w ords we are w e ll m ight convey som e h id d en m eaning. T h ese m agistrates o u td id D ogberry an d Verges. T h e following is a n o th er instance of th eir u tte r imbecility. H aving found, as o u r m aid told us, a quantity of com m ercial letters belonging to M. L afargue in which reference was m ade to the exportation of sheep an d oxen, they exclaim ed: O xen, sheep, intrigues, in trigues; sh ee p C om m unists; o x e n In tern atio n als. F or th e re m a in d er of th at day an d n ight we w ere again com m itted to th e care of several gendarm es, one of w hom ever sat opposite us while we w ere dining. O n the following day, the 8th, we had a visit from the Prefect an d a person w hom we supposed to be his Secretary. O f this interview a m ost inaccurate an d fantastical account ap p eared in the France,"^ an d was from thence tra n sfe rre d into a g reat n u m b er of o th e r papers. B ut to re tu rn to the Prefect. M. de K eratry, afte r m aking a very lengthy preface, inform ed us m ost blandly th at the authorities h ad been m istaken; th at it had been fo u n d th at th ere was no fou n d atio n fo r the charge m ade against M. L afargue, who was innocent, an d th ere fo re at liberty to re tu rn to France. As fo r your sister and yourself, said M. de K eratry, thinking, I suppose, th at a bird in the h an d is w orth two in th e bush, th ere is m uch m ore against you than against M. L afarg u e (thus we w ere being suddenly tran sfo rm ed from witnesses into the accused), and in all likelihood you will be expelled from France. How ever, an o rd e r from governm ent for your liberation will com e in the course of the d ay. T h en , assum ing a paternal tone, he said, Anyhow, let m e advise you to m o d erate y o u r zeal in the fu tu re, pas trop de zele! U pon which the supposed secretary said abrupdy, A nd th e In tern atio n al is the association pow erful in E ngland? Yes, I answ ered, m ost pow erful, and so it is in all o th e r co u n tries. A h , exclaim ed M. de K eratry, the In tern atio n al is a religion! B efore h e m ade his exit, M. de K eratry once m ore assured us, on his w ord of honor, th at Paul L afargue was free, and asked us at once to w rite to Bosost to tell him so, an d to invite him to re tu rn to France. Now, I fancied I could see the re d ribbon of the Legion d H o n n e u r a d o rn m g th e b uttonhole of De K eratry, and as I have a notion th at th e h o n o r of th e K nights of the Legion d H o n n e u r m ust be som ething very d iffe ren t to the h o n o r of com m on m ortals, I th o u g h t it best to be p ru d e n t, an d so instead of advising
L uchon, 8 ao u t 1871 , La France, No. 213, A ugust 12, 1871.

]V l. L afargue to re tu rn to L uchon, I in ten d ed to do th e contrary, .id begged of a frien d to send him th e m eans w herew ith to travel fu rth er into Spain. Followed about by o u r shadows, the gendarm es, we waited in vain for the prom ised o rd e r fo r o u r release. At 11 o clock at night, the P ro cu reu r de la R epublique walked into o u r room ; b u t instead of bringing us the o rd e r fo r o u r liberation, M. D esagarre asked us U) get ready a tru n k an d to follow him into une maison parliculiere. I knew this pro ceed in g was illegal b u t what could we do? T h e re w ere only a few w om en in the house with us, whereas the P ro cu reu r was accom panied by several gendarm es, rh e re fo re , not w ishing to affo rd the cowardly bully, M. D esagar re, the satisfaction of using b ru te force, we gave o rd ers to o u r weeping m aid to get ready o u r dresses, etc., an d having attem p ted ID console the d a u g h te r of o u r landlady by telling h e r we should soon re tu rn , we got into a carriage occupied by two gendarm es, in the dead of night, in a strange country, to be taken w hither we knew not. T h e gendarmerie barracks proved to be o u r destination; a bedroom having been shown us, o u r d o o r having been duly barricaded outside, we w ere left alone. In this place we rem ained the following day until past five o clock, w hen, d eterm in ed to know w hat all this m eant, I desired to have an interview with the Prefect. M. de K eratry came. I asked him how it was we h ad been taken to the gendarmerie after he h ad prom ised us o u r liberty. T hanks to my intercession, answ ered he, you have been allowed to spend th e n ig h t at the gendarmerie. T h e governm ent (M. T hiers) would have sent you to th e prison of St. Godins, n ear I'oulouse. T h e n M. de K eratry h an d ed me a letter containing 2,000 francs, which h ad been sent to M. L afargue by his b an k er at B ordeaux, and which he, M. de K eratry, h ad h ith erto detained; declared we w ere free, w ere not to be expelled from France, but, like Mr. L afargue, at liberty to rem ain in the country. T his tim e we w ere im p ru d e n t en o u g h to inform M ad. L afargue of what M. de K eratry h ad said with reg ard to h er husband. O n the 10th we received a laissez-passer to go over to Spain, but o u r English passport was not re tu rn e d us. D u rin g ten days we applied fo r it in vain. M. de K eratry w rote he h ad sent it to Paris, and could no t get it back, th o u g h he had repeatedly w ritten for it. We now saw we had only been tu rn ed o u t of the small gendarmerie of Luchon to be locked u p in th at great gendarmerie,
T o a special place. Ed.

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the R epublic-Thiers. We w ere still prisoners. W ithout a passport th ere was no getting o u t of France, in which country we were evidently to be kept, until som e event o r o th er should affo rd a p re te x t for again arresting us. T h e police organs of T oulouse w ere daily accusing us of acting as em issaries of the In tern atio n al on the F rench and Spanish frontiers. B u t, ad d ed they, the Prefect is taking energetic m easures in o rd e r to reassure (pour rassurer) the inhabitants of the H au te G a ro n n e. Now, it is true, a laissez-passer to go over into Spain had been given us, b u t the experience of M ad. L afargue in that country was no t of a n a tu re to encourage us to seek a refu g e in the land of El Cid. T h e facts we learned from M adam e Laf arg u e carry us back to th e 6th of A ugust. I m en tio n ed above th at o u r coachm an had been com pelled to leave us at Fos. W h ereu p o n M. D esagarre, the P ro cu reu r de la R epublique, an d several g en tlem en of th e police, attem pted to p ersu ad e him , in the m ost plausible m anner, to re tu rn to Bosost, and on false pretenses to get M. L afargue to go to Fos. F ortunately an honest m an is m ore th an a m atch fo r half a dozen police agents. T h e shrew d young fellow guessed th ere was some trick at the bottom of all this glib talk, an d flatly refused to fetch M. L afargue; consequently gendarm es an d douaniers, with the P ro cu reu r at th eir head, set out on an expedition to Bosost. M. le B aron D esagarre, whose discretion is the b etter p art of his valor, h ad previously declared he w ould no t go to Fos to capture M. L afargue w ithout a sufficient escort; th at he could do nothing with one o r two gendarm es against a m an like M. L afargue, m ost likely given to th e use of firearm s. M. D esagarre was m istaken not a bullet, bu t kicks an d cuffs w ere reserved for him . O n his re tu rn from Bosost he attem p ted to in terfe re with peasants celebrating th eir village feast. T h e brave m ountaineers, who love th eir freedom as m uch as th eir own m ountain air, gave the noble B aron a sound thrashing, an d sent him about his business, a sad d er if n o t a wiser m an! B ut I am anticipating. I was saying th at M. D esagarre an d his followers started for Bosost. T h ey soon reached th at town, an d soon found ou t the hotel at which the Lafargues w ere staying, for the inhabitants of Bosost only possess two hotels, o r ra th e r inns. T hey are not yet sufficiently civilized to have the o rth o d o x n u m b er of public houses. Now, while M. D esagarre is standing before the fro n t
W. Shakespeare, K ing Henry IV , Part I, Act 5, Scene 4. Ed.

d o o r of the H otel Masse, M. L afargue, aided by his good friends,

jhe peasants, gets o u t of the house by the back gate, climbs th e n io u n ta in s an d escapes along paths know n only to guides, goats and English to u rists all th e re g u la r roads being g u ard ed by S panish carabiniers. T h e Spanish police h ad enthusiastically taken up the cause of th eir F rench b re th ren . M adam e L afarg u e is m ade to feel all the blessings arising from th e In tern atio n al Association of the police. At 3 oclock in th e m o rn in g h e r bed ro o m is suddenly brcjken into, and in ru sh fo u r Spanish officers, with th eir carbines p o in ted to the bed in which she an d h e r child are sleeping. T h e p oor sick baby, suddenly aw akened, fr ig h te n e d , begins to scream ; but th at d oesnt p rev en t th e Spanish officers from looking in every hole and cranny of th e room fo r M. L afargue. Finally, convinced that th eir prey has escaped them , they declare they will carry off M adam e L afargue. A t this th e m aster of th e h o tel a m ost w orthy m a n interferes, saying he is sure th e Spanish gov ern m en t will not accord the ex trad itio n of a lady. H e was right. M adam e L afargue was allowed to rem ain at Bosost, b u t was ever after subjected to the annoyance of being followed ab out by police agents. At the hotel a tro o p of spies established th eir h e a d q u a r ters. O ne S unday even the P refect an d th e P ro cu reu r de la R epublique took th e tro u b le to travel all th e way from Luchon to Bosost fo r the pu rp o se of seeing M adam e L afargue. As, however, they did no t succeed in satisfying th eir curiosity, they consoled them selves by playing at rouge et noir, which, to g eth er with baccarat, form s the only serious occupation of th e petits grass from Versailles, now staying at th e Pyrenees. But I m ust no t fo rg et to explain how it was th at M. de K eratry had no t succeeded in seeing M adam e L afargue. T h e fact is, th at a French peasant from Luchon h ad in fo rm ed some Spanish friends of his at Bosost of M. de K eratrys in ten d ed visit, an d they, of course, at once w arned M adam e L afargue. T h e F rench a n d Spanish p o pulation of th e Pyrenees form a league, offensive an d defensive, against th eir respective g o v ern m ents. In o u r case they acted as spies u p o n the official spies of the P refect th o u g h repeatedly stopped at the F rench fro ntiers, they were u n tirin g in th eir attem pts to b rin g us news. At length M. de K eratry gave o rd e rs to th e effect th at no one, not even guides, should be allowed to cross over to Bosost, unless provided with a p ro p e r pass. T his m easure, of course, did not p rev en t o u r having messages b ro u g h t us as h ereto fo re; it only served to em bitter still
Y oung loafers a n d sp e n d th rifts. Ed.

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m ore th e peasants of the Pyrenees, already so hostile to the rurals of V ersailles.' In o th er parts of F rance I have since h ea rd th at the peasants are quite as m uch opposed to th eir so-called representatives, the governing rurals. M. T h iers fulfills a g reat revolutionary omission! By m eans of his prefects, priests, gardes champetres"' an d gendarm es he will befo re long provoke a general rising of the peasantry! O f M. L afargues escape M adam e L afargue h ad in fo rm ed us a few days after o u r release from the gendarmerie. L ater on, we h ea rd from a native of Bosost th at M. L afargue h ad been arrested at H uesca, an d th at the S paniards h ad m ade the o ffer of his ex trad itio n to th e F rench governm ent. O n the very day we received this news o u r English passport was re tu rn e d us by the Ju g e de Paix. So, in o rd e r to p u t an en d to the state of anxiety in which we knew M adam e L afargue m ust be placed, tied dow n as she was to Bosost by h e r sick child, not know ing w hat h ad becom e of h e r h usband, we at once m ade u p o u r m inds to travel to H uesca, in o rd e r to beg the G overnor of th at district to let us know th e real intentions of the Spanish governm ent with respect to M. L afargue. O n reaching St. Sebastian we h ea rd to o u r joy th at M. L afargue h ad been set at liberty. So we im m ediately re tu rn e d to E ngland. I cannot conclude this letter w ithout giving a sh o rt sketch of the trea tm e n t to which M adam e C , o u r landlady, an d th e servant were subjected on the 6th of A ugust, d u rin g o u r absence; for, co m pared with them , we h ad always been treated with great courtesy. At 11 oclock in the m orning, the Prefect, P ro cu reu r G eneral, P ro cu reu r de la R epublique, etc., m ade a raid u p o n o u r house. E nraged at no t being able to lay h ands on M. L afargue, they vented th eir w rath on M adam e C , an invalid, suffering from h e a rt disease in an advanced stage, an d u p o n o u r m aid. T h a t p o o r girl was trea ted m ost roughly, because she w ould not tell w here h e r m aster h ad gone. T his, th e Prefect, however, succeeded in learning from a boy, em ployed by M adam e C as g ard en er, an d whom he straightw ay sent u p to Fos, th ere to lay in wait fo r us behind a hedge, in o rd e r to give w arning of o u r arrival to the P ro cu reu r de la R epublique & Co. If, d u rin g his cam paign against the Prussians, M. de K eratry h ad em ployed the sam e a rt of protecting his flanks a n d re a r from surprise, of surprising detachm ents of the enem y by establishing
R ural police, Ed.

B ritta n y

idettes an d sending o u t scouts, things w ould have gone b etter in th at is to say, if one m ay ju d g e from th e success of De K eratrys tactics at Fosl O u r landlady was n o t allowed to light a fire in h e r own kitchen; was o rd e red , instead of sleeping in h e r bed, to lie dow n on the floor. W ith the latter order she, however, refused to comply. C atching hold of h e r son, a child not th ree years of age, the Prefect said he m ust be the son of M. L afargue. M adam e C repeatedly declared h e was m istak en b u t in vain; at length, really inxious to prove h e r childs identity (she feared he m ight be carried off), she exclaim ed: W hy, th e boy only speaks th e patois of the district. F or a m o m en t o r two th e Prefect looked as if even that arg u m e n t h ad failed to convince him . P erhaps M. de K eratry, believing as he does, th at the In tern atio n al is a religion, was po n d erin g on the m iracle of th e cloven tongues descending on the apostles.'' O ne of the reasons why M adam e C was so m uch ill-used, was because she h ad never in h e r life h e a rd of th e In tern atio n al, and th erefo re could n o t give an account of th e doings of th at m ysterious society at L uchon, which, by th e by, would have been an impossible task fo r th e best initiated m e m b e r at least previous to the period at which M. de K eratry com m enced at Luchon his active p ro p a g an d a fo r th e In tern atio n al Association. T h e n M adam e C h ad been guilty of speaking of h e r tenant, M. L afargue, in very high term s. B ut th e h ead an d fro n t of h er offending was in h e r inability to p oint o u t h id d en bom bs and petroleum . , , f Yes, it is a fact, bom bs an d petro leu m w ere searched for in o u r house. u u > T aking u p a small n ig h t lam p, used fo r w arm ing th e baby s milk, the assem bled m agistrates exam ined it; h an d lin g it with great caution, as if it w ere some diabolical m achine, by m eans of which petroleum m ight have been discharged into th e streets of P ari^ From L uchon to Paris. Even M iinchhausen never ind u lg ed in such a stretch of im agination. T h e F rench gov ern m en t are capable de tout}' T hey really believe in the tru th of the wild petroleum fables the coinage of th eir own distem p ered brains. T h ey do think the w om en of Paris are n eith er b ru te n o r h u m an , n eith er m an n o r w om an '' b u t p etro leu ses ' ' a species of th e Salam an der, delighting in th eir native elem e n t fire.
T h e Acts of th e A postles, 2:3.- -Ed. C apable of everything. Ed. E. A. Poe, The Bells, IV . Ed.

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T h ey alm ost com e u p to H e n ri de Pene of th e Paris-Journal, th eir p ro p h e t an d teacher, who, as I am told, now actually fancies th at the fam ous letters, m an u factu red by him self in my fa th e rs nam e, have no t been w ritten by H en ri d e Pene bu t by Karl M a rx / O n e could affo rd to trea t with silent contem pt a governm ent ru n m ad, an d to laugh at the farces in which the p o tterin g pantaloons em ployed by th at governm ent play th eir m ud d lin g an d m eddling parts, did not these farces tu rn o u t to be tragedies for th o usands of m en, w om en an d children. T h in k only of the petro leu ses before the court-m artial of Versailles, an d of the w om en who, fo r the last th ree m onths, are being slowly d o n e to d eath on the pontoons.
Jenny M arx

[RECORD O F M ARXS SPEECH ON T H E SEV EN TH ANN IV ERSARY OE T H E IN T E R N A T IO N A L ]

L ondon, Sept., 1871

First published in the weekly Woodhull 8c C laflin s Weekly, No. 23/75, O ctober 21, 1871 R ep ro d u ced from the weekly

[FROM T H E NEW SPA PER R E PO R T O N T H E A N N IV ERSA RY M E E T IN G IN L O N D O N O N SEPTEM BER 24, 1871]

See this volum e, pp. 364-66. Ed.

C oncerning th e In tern atio n al, he said th at th e g reat success which h ad h ith erto crow ned its efforts was d u e to circum stances over which the m em bers them selves h ad no control. T h e foundation of th e In tern atio n al itself was th e resu lt of these circum stances, an d by no m eans d u e to th e efforts of th e m en engaged in it. It was not the w ork of any set of clever politicians: all the politicians in the w orld could n o t have created th e situation and circum stances requisite fo r th e success of th e In tern atio n al. T h e In tern atio n al h ad n o t p u t fo rth any p articu lar creed. Its task was to organize th e forces of labor an d link th e various w orking-m ens m ovem ents an d com bine them . T h e circum stances which had given such a g reat developm ent to th e association were the conditions u n d e r which th e w ork-people w ere m ore an d m ore oppressed th ro u g h o u t th e world, and this was the secret of the success. T h e events of th e last few weeks h ad unm istakably shown that the w orking class m ust fight fo r its em ancipation. T h e persecutions of th e governm ents against the In tern atio n al w ere like the persecutions of ancient Rom e against th e prim itive Christians. T hey, too, h ad been few in n u m b ers at first, b u t the patricians of Rom e h ad instinctively felt th at if th e C hristians succeeded the R om an em p ire w ould be lost. T h e persecutions of Rome h ad not saved the em pire, an d th e persecutions of the p resen t day against the In tern atio n al would n o t save th e existing state of things. W hat was new in the In tern atio n al was th at it was established by the w orking m en them selves an d for them selves. B efore the foundation of the In tern atio n al all the d iffe ren t organizations h ad

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been societies fo u n d ed by some radicals am ong the ruling classes fo r the w orkm g classes, bu t the In tern atio n al was established by the w orkm g m en fo r them selves. T h e C hartist m o v e m e n t i n this country had been started with the consent an d assistance of middle-class radicals, though if it had been successful it could only have been fo r the advantage of the w orking class. E ngland was the only country w here the w orking class was sufficiently developed and organized to tu rn universal suffrage to its own p ro p e r account. H e then alluded to the revolution of F e b r u a r y ^ m ovem ent that had been favored by a portion of the bourgeoisie a p i n s t the ruling party. T h e revolution of F ebruary had only given prom ises to the w orking classes an d h ad replaced one set of m en of the ruling class by another. T h e insurrection of Ju n e had been a revolt against the whole ru lin g class, including the most radical p ortion. T h e w orking m en w ho had lifted the new m en into pow er in 1848 h ad instinctively felt th at they had only exchanged one set of oppressors fo r an o th er an d th at they were betrayed. ^ T h e last m ovem ent was the C om m une, the greatest th at had yet been m ade, an d th ere could no t be two opinions about it the C om m une was the conquest of the political pow er of the w orking dasses. T h e re was m uch m isu n d erstan d in g about the C om m une. T h e C om m une could no t fo u n d a new form of class governm ent. In destroying the existing conditions of oppression by tran sferrin g all th e m eans of labor to the productive laborer, an d thereby com pelhng every able-bodied individual to work fo r a living, the only base fo r class rule an d oppression .w ould be rem oved B ut before such a change could be effected a proletarian dictature w ould become necessary, and the first condition of th at was a pro letarian arm y. T h e w orking classes w ould have to co n q u er the rig h t to em ancipate them selves on the batdefield. T h e task of the In tern atio n al was to organize an d com bine the forces of labor for th e com ing struggle.
First published in The World, O ctober 15 1871 R ep ro d u ced from th e new spaper

NOTES AND INDEXES

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637

NOTES

1 T h e first A ddress (T he G eneral C ouncil of the In tern a tio n a l W ork in g m en s Association on the W ar ) was w ritten by M arx betw een July 19 a n d 23, 1870. O n July 19, 1870, w hen th e Franco-P russian w ar broke out, the G eneral C ouncil instructed M arx to d ra ft an address on th e war, of w hich M arx in fo rm ed Engels in his letter of July 20 (see p re sen t edition. Vol. 44). T h e A ddress was ad o p ted by th e S tanding C om m ittee of the G eneral C ouncil o n July 23, a n d th en unanim ously ap p ro v ed at th e Council m eeting on July 26, 1870. It was first published in English, in th e L ondon Pall Mall Gazette, No. 1702, July 28, 1870, a n d a few days later it a p p ea red as a leaflet in 1,000 copies. T h e A ddress was re p rin te d , in full o r in p a rt, by a n u m b e r of B ritish provincial new spapers. As th e first edition of th e A ddress was quickly sold out, on A ugust 2, 1870, the G eneral C ouncil resolved to have additional 1,000 copies p rin ted . In S eptem ber th a t year, the first A ddress was published in English again, to g eth e r with th e G eneral C ouncils second A ddress on the F ranco-P russian war. In this edition, M arx corrected th e m isprints th a t h a d occu rred in the first edition of the First A ddress. O n A ugust 9, the G eneral Council a p p o in te d a com m ission to have the first A ddress translated into G erm an a n d F rench a n d th en distributed. T h e com m ission included M arx, Ju n g , Serraillier a n d Eccarius. T h e first G erm an translation of the A ddress, m ade by W ilhelm L iebknecht, a p p ea red in Der Volksstaat (Leipzig), No. 63, A ugust 7, 1870. M arx edited it heavily and m ade a new translation of m ore th an half th e text. T h e new G erm an translation of the A ddress was published in Der Vorbote (Geneva), No. 8 , A ugust 1870, a n d as a leaflet. T h e n it a p p e a re d in the Arbeiter Union (New York), A ugust 12; Die Tagwacht (Zurich), No. 26, A ugust 13; th e Volkswille (V ienna), No. 26, A ugust 13, a n d the Proletarier (A ugsburg), No. 56, A ugust 21. By the tw entieth anniversary of th e Paris C om m une in 1891, Engels h a d the G eneral C ouncils first a n d second addresses published in the book K. M arx, Der Biirgerkrieg in Frankreich, 3 rd G erm an edition, B erlin, 1891, Vorwdrts Publishing H ouse. T h e translation of th e two addresses fo r this edition was m ade by Louise Kautsky a n d edited by Engels. T h e French translation of th e A ddress a p p ea red in L Egalite (Geneva), No. 28, A ugust 6 , 1870; L Internationale (Brussels), No. 82, A ugust 7, 1870,

638

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and Le Mirabeau (V erviers), No. 55, A ugust 7, 1870. T h e A ddress was also published as a leaflet in the F rench translation m ade by the G enera] C ouncils com m ission. T h e first Russian translation of th e first A ddress was published in Narodnoye Dyelo (Peoples Cause) (Geneva), No. 6-7, A ugust-S eptem ber 1870. In this volum e, th e first A ddress is re p ro d u c e d from th e first edition of the English leaflet, checked against its second edition a n d the text of th e G erm an 1870 au th o rised edition a n d th at of 1891. T h e m ost im p o rta n t textual differences are m ark e d by footnotes. p 3

3 A re fe re n ce

2 In May 1870, N apoleon I l l s g o v e rn m e n t held a plebiscite in an a tte m p t to

stre n g th e n the to tte rin g regim e of the Second E m pire. T h e issues p u t to the vote w ere form u lated in such a way th at disapproval of th e policy p u rsu e d by the Second E m pire could not be expressed w ithout o pposing dem ocratic reform s at the sam e tim e. D espite this dem agogic m anoeuvre, the plebiscite show ed th e grow ing opposition: 1.5 m illion voted against the go v ern m en t, 1.9 m illion abstained. D u rin g the p re p ara tio n s for th e plebiscite, th e go v ern m en t o rganised a b ro a d cam paign of repressions against the w orking class m ovem ent, scaring the m iddle-class sections with the th re a t o f a revolution. O n A pril 24, 1870, th e Paris F ederation of th e In tern a tio n a l a n d th e Federal C h am b er o f W orkers T ra d e s Associations in Paris issued a m anifesto exposing the B onapartist plebiscite m an o eu v re a n d called on the w orkers to abstain from voting. O n the eve o f th e plebiscite m any m em bers of the Paris Federation w ere arre ste d on a ch arg e faked by the police of plotting to assassinate N apoleon III (see p re se n t edition. Vol. 43, E ngels letter to M arx of May 8 , 1870). T h e g o v e rn m e n t used this ch arg e for o rg anising a bro ad cam paign of persecution a n d h arassm en t of th e In te rn a tio n a ls m em bers in various F rench towns. In this connection, the G eneral C o u n c il,a t its m eeting on May 3, 1870, a d o p te d the A ddress C oncerning the Persecution of th e M em bers o f th e F rench Sections , w ritten by M arx (see p re se n t edition, Vol. 21), which exposed the B onapartist polices libellous charges. A t the th ird trial of th e Paris F ederation m em bers, held from J u n e 22 to July 5, 1870, th e false ch aracter of these charges was fully disclosed. N evertheless, a n u m b e r of m em bers o f the In tern a tio n a l in France w ere sentenced to im p riso n m en t m erely fo r affiliation to th e In tern a tio n a l W orking M ens Association. Persecution of th e In tern a tio n a l in France caused mass protests by the w orking class. p p 3^ 273 A referen ce to th e coup d eta t of D ecem ber 2, 1851, which gave b irth to the Second E m pire. p ^ * A re fe re n ce to th e Society of December 10 (called so a fte r Louis B o n ap arte, the Societys p a tro n , who, on D ecem ber 10, 1848, was elected P resident o f the F rench R epublic) a secret B onapartist Society, fo u n d e d in 1848, m ainly of declassed elem ents, political adventurists, m ilitarists, etc. T h o u g h th e Society was form ally dissolved in N ovem ber 1850, its m em bers c o n tin u ed to conduct th e ir B on ap artist p ro p a g a n d a a n d w ere in stru m en tal in effecting the coup d etat of D ecem ber 2, 1851 (see N ote 3). A detailed description of this Society can be fo u n d in M arxs w ork The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte (see p re sen t edition. Vol. 11, pp. 148-51). A chauvinist d e m o n stra tio n in su p p o rt of Louis B o n a p arte s p re d ato ry plans took place on July 14, 1870. p 5

to B ism arcks policy d u rin g the p re p ara tio n s fo r a n d the u n leash in g of th e A ustro-P russian w ar of 1866. Bism arck used th e co n trad ic tions betw een A ustria a n d F rance to secure N apoleon I l l s n e u tra h ty in this w ar T h e w ar e n d ed in a victory for Prussia a n d led to th e fo rm atio n of the N o rth G erm an C o n fed eratio n (see N ote 9), u n d e r th e siiprem acy of m ilitarist Prussia. T h is was a m ajor step tow ards th e unification of G erm any u n d e r the auspices of th e Prussian m onarchy. t 1 9 iq a k T h e decisive battle of th e A ustro-P russian w ar was fo u g h t o n July 3, lbb, n o t fa r from the village of Sadowa, at th e tow n of K oniggratz (H rad ec Kralove). T h e A ustrian troops su ffe red a m ajo r d efeat. r , O n the course of the A ustro-P russian war, see E ngels series of articles N otes on th e W ar in G erm an y (p resen t edition. Vol. 20). p- 5

6 T h is refers to th e w ar w aged by th e G erm an people against N apoleon I s rule

in 1813-14. P' 7 T h e w orkers m eetings in B runsw ick a n d C hem nitz on July 16 a n d 17, 1870 respectively, w ere org an ised by th e leaders of th e G erm an Social-Democratic W o rk ers Party in p ro test against the p re d ato ry policy of th e ru lin g classes.^

8 Notes on the War is one of E ngels m ajor w orks o n the ^ a ^

w hich he analysed th e events of th e Franco-P russian w ar position of historical m aterialism . T h ese constitute a series of 59 closely connected articles, w ritten in th e fo rm of m ilitary surveys. Forty of th em are e n tid e d Notes on the W ar a n d are n u m b e re d correspondingly; th e rest have d iffe re n t titles. j j T h e im m ediate incentive to w rite these articles was p rovided by the proposal to send m ilitary reviews to The Pall Mall Gazette, m ade to M arx by T hieb lin (T aran), a c o n trib u to r to th e new spaper. In a letter of July 2 M arx passed on the proposal to E ngels (see p re sen t edition. Vol. 4 4 )^ Angels sent the first th ree articles to M arx, w ho read them a n d fo rw a rd ed th em to the editors. T o speed u p publication, Engels sent the subsequent articles directly to th e n ew spapers editorial board. -ri.. E ngels w rote th e articles im m ediately a fte r the events took place. As The Pall Mall Gazette a p p e a re d in th e evening, his articles, w ritten in the a n d posted fro m M anchester to L o ndon, w ere o ften published th e sam e day. E ngels m ad e a th o ro u g h study of all the m aterial available * e ilitary operations- re p o rts by E nglish, G erm an a n d F ren ch new spapers, th e latest te ig r a m s from F rance a n d G erm any. T h o u g h these re p o rts w ere incom plete and contradictory, h e succeeded in p re sen tin g th e real course of d espite inaccuracies in certain details, w hich a re inevitable in M arxs a n d E ngels letters fro m July to the e n d of S eptem ber 1870, w hen Engels m oved from M anchester to L ondon a n d th e ir re g u la r c o rresp o n d en ce stopped, contain in fo rm atio n on Engels w ork o n this series of articles. appraisals a n d forecasts c oncerning individual o perations, the ch ara cte r of th e w ar in general. T h e ideas E ngels e xpressed in his letters w ere developed in W hen E ngels beg an th e Notes on the War, h e in te n d e d w riting two articles a w eek A fter th e first th re e articles a ro u sed the re ad e rs keen interest an T t r L e d the atten tio n of the press, th e Pall Mall Gazette ed ito r G reenw ood pro p o se d th a t Engels send as m any articles as h e could; d u rin g m ost active m ilitary actions, Engels w rote th re e a n d even fo u r articles a week.

640

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G reenw ood repeatedly m ade changes in E ngels text w ithout his consent. As E ngels p ointed out, he arbitrarily changed various m ilitary term s in th e Notes on the War. I ll, w hich clearly show ed G reen w o o d s incom petence in m ilitary term inology (see E ngels letter to M arx of A ugust 3, 1870, p re sen t edition, Vol. 44), an d , besides, h e a d d ed a p a ra g ra p h at the e n d of the Notes on the War. X I I I (see N ote 45). Notes on the War a p p e a re d in The Pall Mall Gazette from July 29, 1870 to Feb ru ary 18, 1871; with the exception of th e first th re e articles, signed Z they w ere published unsigned, a n d E ngels a u th o rsh ip was know n to only a few people. M arx valued th e Notes highly. B oth y o u r last articles [II a n d III] a re sp le n d id , y o u r articles ... a re m asterfully w ritte n [X V I-X V II] he praised E ngels in his letters of A ugust 1 a n d S eptem ber 10, 1870. T h e articles w ere a g re at success M arx in fo rm e d Engels o n S ep tem b er 30, 1870 th a t The Spectator h a d d eclared his articles th e only significant ones in th e English p re ss A n u m b e r of new spapers re p ro d u c e d them in th e ir reviews. A m o n g E ngels frien d s the nicknam e G e n era l stuck with him. Franco-P russian w ar w ere not rep u b lish ed d u rin g Engels lifetim e. V ictor A dler, o n e of th e A ustrian Social-Dem ocratic leaders kept cuttings fro m The Pall M all Gazette with E ngels a u to g ra p h O nly in 1923 w ere Engels articles published in V ienna as a separate, lithographic, edition in English, u n d e r the general tide Notes on the War. In this volum e. Notes on the W ar are re p ro d u c e d from The Pall M all Gazette checked against the sources used by Engels. M inor m isprints a n d inaccuracies of transcriptions have been silently corrected. p g 9 T h e North German Confederation (N o rd d e u tsch e r B u n d ) a federative state fo rm ed in 1867 a fte r Prussias victory in the A ustro-P russian w ar (see N ote 5) to replace the disin teg rated G erm an C o n fed eratio n (see N ote 27) T h e N orth G erm an C on fed eratio n included 19 states a n d th re e free cities, w hich w ere form ally recognised as autonom ous. T h e C onstitution of th e N o rth G erm an C orifederation secured Prussias d o m ination w ithin it: th e K ing of Prussia was declared P resident o f the C o n fed eratio n a n d C o m m ander-in-C hief of the C o n fe d era te a rm e d forces; h e was also to direct its foreig n policy T h e egislative pow ers o f th e Reichstag, elected by so-called universal suffrage (wom en, soldiers a n d servants h a d n o vote), w ere very lim ited; th e laws it passed cam e into force only a fte r being ap p ro v ed by the B u n d e sra t, which was reactionary in its com position, and co n firm ed by the P resid en t (Engels described th e 1867 C onstitution in his T h e Role of Force in H istory see p re sen t edition. Vol. 26). Bavaria, B aden, W iirttem b erg a n d H esse-D arm s t adt, w hich initially re m a in e d outside th e C o n fe d era tio n , jo in ed it in 1870. T h e establishm ent of th e N o rth G erm an C o n fed eratio n was a m ajo r step tow ards th e national unification o f G erm any. T h e C o n fed eratio n ceased to exist in Ja n u a ry 1871, w hen th e G erm an E m pire was form ed. pp. n 302 Engels is h e re re fe rrin g to th e duchies of Schleswig a n d L au en b u rg , which ^ result of th e w ar betw een Prussia a n d D enm ark in 1864 (see N ote 64), a n d also th e K ingdom o f H anover, the E lectorate of Hesse-Cassel, the G ran d D uchy of N assau, th e free city of F ra n k fu rt am M ain, th e D uchy of H olstein a n d certain p arts of Bavaria a n d H esse-D arm stadt an n ex e d by Prussia a fte r h e r victory over A ustria in 1866 (see N ote 5). p. II " Landwehr a second line arm y reserve fo rm ed in Prussia d u rin g the struggle against N apoleonic rule. In th e 1870s, it con.sisted of m en u n d e r forty years of

at;e w ho h a d seen a c tiv e s e r v ic e a n d h a d been in the reserve of the fir s t line. In peacetim e, th e L an d w eh r u nits w ere called u p only fo r train in g fo r a certain period, while in w artim e they served in the re a r a n d in garrisons. D u rin g the F r a n c o - P r u s s ia n war of 1870-71, the L an d w eh r was used in m ilita r y a c tio n s on a p a r with the re g u la r troops. P- H
i> M itra ille u se a

m ulti-barrelled, high-speed g u n placed on a c a r r ia g e . T h e m itrailleuse used in the F rench arm y in 1870-71 h a d 25 b arrels th a t fired in a s u c cession with the help of a special m echanism . It could shoot in a m in u te u p to 175 shots with carbine cartridges. H ow ever the experience of the Franco-P russian war pro v ed it unsu ited to field conditions because of deficiencies in its construction. P'

11 T h e Zouaves (from th e nam e of an A lgerian trib e ) F ren ch light in fantry first fo rm ed in 1830 as colonial troops. T h ey w ere originally com posed of A lgerians and F rench colonists, b u t late r of F ren ch m en only, while A lgerians were fo rm ed into special regim ents of riflem en (see T u rco s below). T h re e Zouave regim ents of the M acM ahon corps took p a rt in the w ar of 1870-71. Xurcos F ren ch light in fantry fo rm ed in the early 1840s of native inhabitants of A lgeria, except the officers a n d p ardy non-com m issioned officers. P' ^ T h e garde mobile (m obile national g u a rd ) special a rm ed forces in tro d u c ed in France in 1848. From 1868 onw ards, it was m ade u p of m en w ho h a d reach ed a call-up age b u t w ere n o t enlisted fo r active service o r in th e reserve; it was assigned the defence of th e frontiers, service in th e re a r a n d garrison service. In w artim e, the sarde mobile was m ade u p of 20- to 40-year-olds. In 1870, it was called u p fo r active service fo r th e first tim e a n d fo rm ed the core of the F ren ch a rm e d forces a fte r the fall of th e E m pire. T h e garde mobile was abolished in 1872. p. 13 T h e F rench com m and in te n d e d to form a corps for lan d in g on G erm any s Baltic coast. T h e course of the m ilitary o p eratio n s fru stra te d this plan, how ever, a n d th e landing troops w ere used fo r o th e r o p eratio n s (see this volum e, pp. 37, 67). refe re n ce to th e A ustro-P russian w ar of 1866 (see N ote 5). P' p. 14

'7 T h is a n d m any o th e r forecasts m ade by Engels c o ncerning the possible course of m ilitary operatio n s pro v ed com pletely true. A t the b eginning of A ugust, the a rea h e re m entioned becam e th e scene of th e first m ajo r batdes of the Franco-P russian w ar (see this volum e, pp. 27-31). P- A t the Battle of Solferino (N o rth ern Italy), fo u g h t on Ju n e 24, 1859, d u rin g the w ar betw een th e K ingdom of S ardinia (Piedm ont) a n d France, on the one h a n d a n d A ustria, on the o th er, the F rench a n d Piedm ontese torches defeated th e A ustrian troops a n d this decided the outcom e of the w ar in th e ir favour, Engels analysed th e course of th e battle in his articles T h e B attle at Solferino H istorical Justice a n d T h e B attle of S olferino (see p re sen t edition. Vol. 16 pp. 392-403). PP'9 Engels obtained this in form ation th ro u g h his frien d E d u a rd G u m p e rt, a (ie rm a n physician, w ho lived in M anchester. His cousin was a com pany c o m m a n d er of th e 77th re g im en t in the v an g u ard of th e G erm an 7th A rm y C orps (see E ngels letter to M arx of July 31, 1870, p re sen t edition. Vol. 44)^

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A t the Battle of Wissembourg, on A ugust 4, 1870, th ree G erm an corps of th e T h ird A rm y u n d e r F rederick W illiam, C row n Prince o f Prussia, used the dispersal o f the = "'1 defeatin g the F rench division ^ o rp s , w hich was considerably in ferio r in F rederick W illiam s arm y to advance on p. 25 > T h e C hassepdt-a b reech-loading rifle n am ed a fte r its inventor, was ad o p te d by the F ren ch arm y in 1866. It h a d high com bat efficiency fo r th e tim e a n d was m uch su p e rio r to D reyse s need le-g u n used in the Prussian arm y. pp. 26, 120 f 22 T h e Battle of Woerth (Alsace) was one of the first m ajo r engagem ents o f the tran c o -P ru ssian war. It was fo u g h t on A ugust 6 , 1870 by M arshal M acM ahons th ^ L T c h T h ird A rm y, which was over th ree tim es stro n g e r th an ^ e French. T h e F rench troops w ere d e fea te d a n d re tre ate d to C halons-surunder stren g th A ls a c f

T h e d efeats of th e F rench arm y at Forbach a n d W oerth, w hich revealed the ro tten n ess of th e Second E m pire regim e, led to spontaneous p o p u lar an ti-governm ent d e m onstrations in Paris, Lyons, M arseilles a n d o th e r cities on A ugust 7 to 9, 1870. A g re at m anifestation took place in Paris on A ugust 9. N um erous crow ds, m ainly of w orkers, su rro u n d e d the prem ises of th e C orps Legislatif a n d d e m a n d ed a republic a n d a rm in g of the people. T h e g overnm ent m ade wide use of g en d arm es a n d re g u la r troops to disperse th e d e m o n stra tions. T o w ard o ff th e d a n g e r of a revolution, the O llivier C abinet was replaced by the Palikao governm ent, w hich d u b b ed itself the M inistry of N ational D efence a n d consisted of rabid B onapartists. T h e bourgeois republicans, L eft-wing dep u ties to th e C orps Legislatif (Ferri, G am betta a n d others), frig h te n ed by the pro sp ect of a p o p u la r revolution, refu sed to su p p o rt the masses and, in fact, h elp ed p reserve the B on ap artist regim e. p. 41 3'> Engels is re fe rrin g to th e reorganisation of th e F rench arm y, carried o u t by the revolutionary g o v e rn m e n t the C om m ittee of Public Safety (in w hich C a rn o t was responsible fo r the w ar a n d th e arm y) u n d e r th e Jacobin d ictatorship in 1793-94. A n im p o rta n t p a rt was played in this reorganisation by the C onventions com m issars sent to th e arm y. In k eeping with the C onventions d ecree of A ugust 23, 1793 calling fo r a general m obilisation, the stre n g th of th e revolutionary arm ies h a d increased g ready by th e e n d of th e y ear to exceed 600,000; volunteers battalions m erg ed w ith re g u la r troops; old-tim e officers w ere replaced by m en w ho enjoyed th e soldiers confidence. T h e Jacobin go v ern m en t o rganised the p ro d u c tio n of arm s a n d a m m unition o n a large scale. All these m easures enabled th e F rench arm y to win several victories a n d clear F rench territo ry of the interventionists by the sp rin g of 1794. p. 47 A refe re n ce to th e arm ies of th e first E u ro p ea n c o u nter-revolutionary coalition, w hich invaded F rance in 1793-94. T h e coalition included A ustria, Prussia, the K ingdom of Sardinia, G reat B ritain, the N eth erlan d s, Spain a n d th e K ingdom of N aples. P- 47 32 Engels m eans th e Battle of Colombey-Nouilly (also fo u g h t on A ugust 14, 1870 east of M etz by the u n d e r M arshal Bazaine a n d the troops of the Steinm etz. A detailed description of this battle is War. X I (see this volum e, pp. 61-62). called th e Battle of B om y), F rench A rm y of th e R hine G erm an First A rm y u n d e r to be fo u n d in Notes on the P- 49

E ffr^rth e stth^^
23 A t the Battfe o f Magenta (n ear Milan) on Ju n e 4, 1859, d u rin g the w ar betw een the K ingdom of S ardinia (Piedm ont) a n d France, on the o n e h a n d and A ustria on th e o th er, th e F ren ch troops d e fea te d th e A ustrian arm y, c ap tu red M agenta a n d th en e n te re d Milan; as a result, the A ustrians were forced ^o evacuate th e g re a te r p a rt o f L om bardy (see also N ote 18). Engels described this battle in his articles M ilitary E vents , T h e A ustrian Defeat" a n d T S a p t e r o f H istory (see p re se n t edition. Vol. 16, pp. 364-79). p 28 A ugust 6 , 1870, the G erm an troops of G eneral F r Steinm etz d e fea te d th e F rench 2 n d C orps u n d e r G eneral F rossard. T h e c a p tu re of Forbach secured d o m ination over the fo u n d T tsd f ff ^ "P L orraine. M acM ahons arm y fo u n d Itself cut o ff from th a t o f Bazaine. In historical lite ratu re this battle is also called th e battle of S picheren. L ater Engels uses this n am e too. pp. 29, 103 A ustro-P russian w ar of 1866 (see N ote 5). A fter being d efea te d at Sadowa on July 3, th e A ustrian troons re tre ate d to O lm iitz (Czech: O lom ouc) in o rd e r t^ d i e r t th e P ru s s ia arm ^ t r Z s e ff " I , " " P '" " because th e Prussian troops left a covering force at O lm iitz a n d advanced on the A ustrian capital. p 34 2fi A re fe re n ce to th e a nti-B onapartist dem o n stratio n s by the Paris garde mobile b au ah o n s consisting of w orkers a n d p etty bourgeoisie, which took place in the cam p of C halons at the b eg in n in g o f A ugust 1870. p. 35 unio n o f G erm an states fo rm ed by decision of fr^e c k k T l t h i d f'h originally consisting of 35 states a n d fo u r mafn featu res o f T h T f ^ n ^ n ces a n d re ta in e d all the W et e s o f feudal frag m en tatio n ; its only central b o d y - t h e Federal a '''^P-e^^ntative o f A ustria, h a d lim ited pow ers and served as a tool fo r th e reactionary forces in the struggle against the T h e G erm an C o n fed eratio n fell fp a rt d u rin g the 1848-49 revolution, was re sto red in 1850, a n d finally ceased to exist d u rin g the A ustro-P russian w ar of 1866 (see N ote 5) w hen the N o rth G erm an C o n fe d era tion was established (see N ote 9). '^onieaer^a^

(^sefNote ^ 5^ Aft h

'

33 T h e Battle o f Mars-la-Tour (below, o n p. 136, called th e Battle of Vionville) took place o n A ugust 16, 1870 betw een the F rench A rm y o f the R hine u n d e r Bazaine a n d th e troops of the G erm an First a n d Second arm ies. T h e losses on both sides w ere nearly equal, b u t strategically victory was on the G erm an side. H aving occupied the shortest ro u te to V e rd u n , the G erm ans m an ag ed to p re v en t the F rench A rm y o f th e Rhine from con tin u in g its re tre a t from Metz. T h e details of th e battle a re given in th e Notes on the War. X I (see this volum e, pp. 64-65). p. 53 3'* Francs-tireurs g uerrilla volunteers fo rm ed into small d etachm ents to d e fe n d France against the invaders. Such d etachm ents w ere first fo rm ed d u rin g the wars against the an ti-F rench coalitions in the late 18th a n d early 19th century. In 1867, in connection with th e grow ing th rea t of w ar with G erm any, societies of francs-tireurs w ere again set u p in th e country. W hen the F ranco-P russian w ar bro k e o u t a n d Prussian troops invaded F rench territo ry , fran cs-tireu rs w ere called to arm s by special decree. A fter th e F rench re g u la r troops w ere defeated and blockaded in fortresses, the n u m b e r of fran cs-tireu rs d etachm ents increased

fe rv e 7L

rf

2* A referen ce to the battle of Forbach (Spicheren) (see N ote 24).

p. S8

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N otes

645

sharply. T h ey m ainly attacked enem y tran sp o rts, weak d etachm ents, trains, and food depots a n d caused considerable d am age to the enem y. pp. 54 , 582 A t the Battle of Jena (T huringia) on O ctober 14, 1806, d u rin g the Russo-Prussian-French w ar o f 1806-07, the F rench troops u n d e r N apoleon I defeated a p a rt of the Prussian arm y. T h e sam e day, the troops of M arshal D avout ro u te d the m ain Prussian forces at A uerstadt. T h e F rench con tin u ed to p u rsu e th e enem y and th e overw helm ing m ajority o f Prussians w ere taken prisoner, which led to Prussias capitulation to N apoleonic France. pp. 57, 103, 167 Engels is q u o tin g K ing W illiam s telegram ab o u t the G erm an tro o p s victory over the F rench A rm y of th e R hine at G ravelotte on A ugust 18, 1870 according to th e re p o rt Bivouac n e a r Bezanville, A ug. 18, 9 p .m . in The Times, No. 26834, A ugust 20. A fte r th e Battle of G ravelotte (also know n in historical lite ratu re as th e battle of Saint Privat) th e A rm y of th e R hine was blockaded at Metz. Engels gives details of this battle in his Notes on the War. X I (see this volum e, p. 60). p jg A re fe re n ce to the battles of Colom bey-N ouilly-B orny (see N ote 32), V ionville-M ars-la-T our (see N ote 33) a n d G ravelotte-Saint Privat (see N ote 36). p. 61 Presum ably Engels has in m ind letters from a relative of his frien d E d u ard G u m p e rt (see N ote 19). T h e 7th A rm y C orps, in which he served, participated in th e B attle of Colom bey-Nouilly. p 52 39 In J u n e 1796, d u rin g B o n a p arte s Italian cam paign (1796-97), a p a rt of the F rench troops besieged M antua (N o rth e rn Italy), which was d e fe n d e d by an A ustrian garrison, while th e m ain F rench forces acted against the A ustrian troops th at w ere try in g to relieve th e blockaded fortress. In S eptem ber 1796, th e A ustrian arm y u n d e r W u rm ser was d e fea te d by B o n a p arte a n d took cover m M antua; in F ebruary 1797, a fte r a long siege a n d blockade, the troops in M antua w ere com pelled to s u rre n d e r ow ing to a lack of provisions. In O ctober 1805, d u rin g the w ar o f N apoleonic F rance against the th ird E u ro p ea n coalition, the A ustrian arm y u n d e r M ack in the U lm fortress was encircled, as a resu lt of N apoleon I s skilful m anoeuvring, a n d was com pelled to su rre n d e r. p 65 A fter w inning a victory at Je n a a n d A u e rstad t in O ctober 1806 (see N ote 35), th e v an g u ard of N apoleon Is troops forestalled th e re tre a tin g Prussian troops a n d p re v en ted th e ir taking Stettin (Polish nam e Szczecin) a n d forcing the O der; th e re m a in d e r of th e Prussian arm y ro u te d in the cam paign was com pelled to capitulate. p gg As E ngels foresaw , at Sedan, situated on the so u th e rn b o u n d a ry o f th e a rea he specified, the Prussian troops on S eptem ber 1 a n d 2, 1870 defeated the F rench arm y u n d e r M acM ahon, cut o ff its way of re tre a t and forced it to capitulate. Engels th u s n o t only forecast the possibility of the Sedan catastrophe, b u t also p o in ted q uite accurately to th e place w here it was to h a p p en . p. 69 *2 T h is IS a nam e used in F rance fo r generals a n d officers w ho m ade th eir m ilitary care er in the colonial wars against A lgerian tribes fighting for in d ep e n d en c e (see N ote 59). M acM ahon took an active p a rt in these wars in which th e French com m and practised barbaric raids on A lgerian tribes and brutally ex term in ated th e local populatio n , thereb y break in g treaties an d re fu sin g to recognise th e enem y as a belligerent party. p. 69

43 In M arch 1814, d u rin g th e w ar against the sixth E u ro p ea n coalition, a fte r

N apoleon I h a d lost the battles of L aon a n d A rcis-sur-A ube, a n d B liicher and Schw arzenberg h a d com bined th e ir arm ies against him , N apoleon resolved to attack the enem y from th e re a r a n d to halt th e ir advance on Paris, cuttin g th eir com m unication lines with the R hine with his m ain forces. T h e allies, how ever, w ho w ere fa r su p e rio r in stre n g th a n d aw are of th e grow ing d iscontent in Paris with N ap o leo n s regim e, kept advancing on th e F ren ch capital a n d occupied it on M arch 31, 1814, th u s accelerating the fall of th e E m pire. p. 72 As E ngels p redicted, the G erm an troops of the T h ird a n d F o u rth (Maas) arm ies m oved n o rth follow ing M acM ahons C halons arm y, w hich re tre a te d to Sedan a n d was forced to s u rre n d e r a fte r being encircled (see N ote 49). p. 73 * = > At the e n d of this article, th e Pall Mall Gazette editor, G reenw ood, a d d ed a p a ra g ra p h th a t is om itted in the p re sen t edition. It read: T h e re is every ap p ea ran c e th a t the siege of S trasbourg will soon be b ro u g h t to an e n d by the reduction of th e fortress. T h e G erm ans are clearly quite in e arn e st about it. T h e b o m b ard m en t h a d yesterday m o rn in g been kept u p from th e side of Kehl day a n d nig h t for th re e days. A t the sam e tim e th e Prussians h a d p u sh e d th eir advanced posts to w ithin 500 to 800 yards of th e fortress. T h e arsenal has been fired, and som e heavy guns ju st placed in position will be im m ediately b ro u g h t to b e ar on the place. In a letter to M arx on S eptem ber 4, 1870 Engels w rote that, in o rd e r to fill u p space, G reenw ood h a d a d d ed to th e article a few quite absurd lines about the siege o f S trasbourg. O n the first suitable occasion I ll w rite an article on this a n d express a q uite opposite view (see p re sen t edition. Vol. 44). Engels fulfilled his in tention in the Notes on the War. X V I I (see this volum e, pp. 91-94). P- 73 46 A t th e Battle of Dembe Wielkie, a village n e a r W arsaw, on M arch 18, 1831, d u rin g th e Polish national liberation in su rrectio n of 1830-31, th e in su rg e n t Poles w on a victory over the T sarist troops, w ho su ffe red considerable losses a n d w ere forced to re tre at. P- ^9 T h e Battle of Nouart was fo u g h t on M onday, A ugust 29, 1870, by th e v a n g u ard of the 12th N o rth G erm an a n d 5th F ren ch Corps. A t th e Battle of Beaumont on A ugust 30, 1870, the tro o p s of the 4th and 12th N o rth G erm an corps a n d the 1st B avarian C orps d e fea te d the F ren ch 5th C orps of G eneral d e Failly, which acted as p a rt of M acM ahons C halons A rm y. B oth batdes w ere stages in th e Prussian m ilitary o p e ratio n against M acM ahons A rm y of C halons, leading to th e la tte rs capitulation at Sedan. p. 79 Engels is re fe rrin g to the abortive a tte m p t m ade o n A ugust 31-Septem ber 1, 1870 by the A rm y of the R hine to b reak th ro u g h from Metz along the rig h t bank of th e Moselle in a n orth-easterly direction. As a result of th e batdes, know n as th e engagem ents at Noisseville, both parties rem ain ed at th e ir fo rm er positions. PO n S eptem ber 1, 1870,a final battle was fo u g h t betw een the T h ird a n d F o u rth Prussian arm ies a n d M acM ahons C halons A rm y, in w hich the F rench arm y was encircled by th e Prussians a n d defeated. T h e F rench in cu rre d heavy losses: 3,000 killed a n d 14,000 w ounded. O n S eptem ber 2, the F rench com m and signed an act of capitulation according to w hich over 80,000 soldiers, officers a n d generals, head ed by N apoleon III, su rre n d e re d .

646

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T h e Sedan c atastrophe speeded u p th e collapse o f the Second E m pire and th e p ro d a m a tio n of the republic in F rance on S eptem ber 4, 1870. W ith the d efeat o f the F rench re g u la r arm ies a n d the proclam ation of the republic, w hen the p re d ato ry aspirations o f th e Prussian m ilitary, Ju n k e rs a n d th e bourgeoisie becam e q uite obvious, the w ar com pletely lost its defensive ch ara cte r on Prussias p a rt. From th a t m o m en t on, one o f the m ajo r tasks of th e m tern atio n al p ro letaria t was to organise su p p o rt for F rance in h e r defensive w ar against the Prussian invaders. T h e chan g ed ch ara cte r of the w ar an d the tasks facing the p ro letariat in view o f this w ere considered by M arx in th e G eneral C ouncils Second A ddress on the Franco-P russian w ar (see this volum e, pp. 263-70). p p / g 2 , 300 G laas an artificial slope ru n n in g dow n fro m th e to p o f a co u n te rsc arp so as to expose attackers to firin g from ra m p a rts (see this volum e, p. 104). p. 87

r.7 Motional Guard an a rm ed civilian m ilitia, first fo rm ed in Paris at the beginning of th e F rench Revolution, w hich existed, with intervals, till A ugust 1871. In tim e of N apoleon I it was used as an auxiliary m ilitary force in his cam paigns of 1809 a n d 1814-15; from 1868, to distinguish it from g arde m obile (see N ote 14), it was som etim es called the S edentary N ational G u ard . It consisted of m en relieved from active service a n d o ld er reservists. T h e N ational G u a rd d e fen d e d Paris w hen it was besieged d u rin g th e Franco-P russian w ar of 1870-71. A fter the revolution of M arch 18, 1871 a C entral C om m ittee of th e G u a rd was elected to direct th e m ajo r p a rt of it; late r this function was p e rfo rm e d by the C om m une M ilitary D elegation. T h e N ational G u ard was d isb an d ed soon a fte r th e fall of the Paris C om m une. p. 92 . Engels has in m ind th e follow ing events: A ustrias victory over P iedm ontese forces in the A ustro-Italian w ar of 1848-49, d u rin g the Italian bourgeois revolution, a n d a n u m b e r of d efeats sustained bv A ustrian troops w hen suppressing th e H u n g a ria n bourgeois revolution of 1848-49; operatio n s o f the arm y sent by the T sarist go v ern m en t of Russia to su p p o rt the A ustrian H absburgs in H u n g ary in 1849; and Prussian intervention in S o u th ern G erm any to p u t dow n th e B aden-P alatinate u p risin g in 1849. p. 95 59 T h e re fe re n ce is to th e w ar of th e m ountain-dw ellers of th e N o rth e rn C aucasus against T sarist Russia which began at the e n d of the 1820s. It was caused by the T sarist colonisation policy a n d th e oppressive ru le of local feudal lords who w ere su p p o rte d by the T sarist governm ent. T h e w ar was very a rd u o u s a n d contin u ed fo r decades. T h e last stronghold of the m ountain-dw ellers fell in 1859. The Algerian people p u t u p a stubborn resistance to th e F ren ch colonialists; it took m ore th an two decades be fo re the country was co n q u ered , pp. 95, 193 so T h e system of substitutes was, fo r a long tim e, widely em ployed in th e F rench arm y; it was a privilege of the p ro p e rtie d classes, allowing th em to buy them selves substitutes for m ilitary service. T h e system was p ro h ib ited d u rin g th e F rench Revolution (1789-93), b u t was re sto red by N apoleon I. C ertain changes w ere in tro d u c ed into it in A pril 1855. A ccording to the new legislation, the substitutes, if they w ere n o t close relatives of th e m en called u p fo r m ilitary service, w ere ap p o in te d officially a n d th e m oney fo r them d o n a te d to a special arm y fu n d . T h e 1868 legislation legitim atised th e system of substitutes, used by approxim ately 20 th o u san d p eople every year. T h e system was abolished in 1872. P- ^6 ii Engels re fe rs to th e A ustro-Italo-F rench w ar betw een th e K ingdom of Sardinia (Piedm ont) a n d France, on the one h a n d , a n d A ustria, on th e o th e r (A pril 29 to July 8, 1859). It was launched by N apoleon III, who, u n d e r the b a n n e r of th e liberation of Italy , strove for ag g ran d izem en t a n d so u g h t to stre n g th e n the B onapartist regim e in F rance with th e help of a successful m ilitary cam paign. T h e Piedm ontese ru lin g circles h o p ed th a t F rench su p p o rt w ould enable them to u n ite Italy, w ithout the participation of th e masses, u n d e r the aegis of th e Savoy dynasty ru lin g in Piedm ont. T h e A ustrian arm y was d efeated at M agenta a n d S olferino (see N otes 18 a n d 23). H ow ever, N apoleon III, frig h te n ed by the scale of th e national liberation m ovem ent in Italy and not willing to p ro m o te its unification, abru p tly ceased hostilities. O n July 11, the F ren ch a n d the A ustrian e m p e ro r concluded a separate p relim inary peace in

^'D antzic (Gdansk) was besieged twice d u rin g N apoleon I s wars against the a n ti-rre n c h coalitions o f E u ro p ea n states. Prom M arch to May 1807, d u rin g N ap o leo n s w ar against the fo u rth E u ro p ea n coalition the city g arrison, consisting of Prussian troops a n d a Russian allied detach m en t, p u t u p a stubborn resistance to th e besieging French corps. T h e garrison was su p p o rte d by a n o th e r Russian d eta ch m e n t which atte m p ted to break th ro u g h th e blockade. D antzic su rre n d e re d because o f lack fo rtress^''^ condition th at its g arriso n could freely evacuate the In early 1813, the troops o f Russia a n d Prussia, m em bers of the sixth E u ro p ea n coalition, su rro u n d e d Dantzic, which was occupied by N apoleonic troops a n d was staunchly d e fen d e d . D antzic resisted fo r a bout a year and w ithstood th re e re g u la r sieges, b u t finally h a d to su rre n d e r. p. 88 52 T h e Quadrilateral a strongly fo rtified position fo rm ed by th e N orth Italian fortresses o f V erona, L egnago, M antua a n d Peschiera. T h e Q u a d rila te r al played an im p o rta n t role as a stro n g p o in t in the n in ete en th -ce n tu ry wars. D u rin g the 1848-49 bourgeois revolution in Italy, V erona, which occupied a favourable strategic position a n d covered th e way to A ustria, was th e m ain o p erational base o f R adetzkys coun ter-rev o lu tio n ary A ustrian arm y in its actions against th e Piedm ontese troops (see p re sen t edition, Vol. 16, p p 183-89 a n d 227-31). p. oo 53 T h e siege o f Sebastopol (d u rin g the C rim ean war, 1853-56) by the allied forces of France, B ritain, T u rk ey a n d Sardinia lasted from S eptem ber 25, 1854 to S eptem ber 8, 1855. p gg Demi-lune w orks to d e fe n d th e e n tra n ce to a fo rt a n d inside the line of the m am ditch. Curtain a wall o r ra m p a rt e x ten d in g betw een two n e ig h b o u rin g bastions (see also this volum e, p. 101). p gg 55 Hom-work a n d Crown-work auxiliary outw orks be fo re the m ain ra m p a rt of a fortress. p gg 56 At th e Battle of Waterloo (Belgium ) on J u n e 18, 1815 N apoleon I s arm y was ro u ted by the A nglo-D utch a n d Prussian arm ies u n d e r W ellington a n d B iacher a n d this decided the final victory of th e seventh anti-F rench coalition (B ritain Russia, A ustria, Prussia, Sw eden, Spain a n d o th e r states). pp. 92, 103

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V illafranca. As a result o f the war, F rance gained Savoy and Nice, L om bardy to 'T se e ^ " Sardinia, a n d A ustria was allowed to retain V enice (up p. 96 w T h e 1850 m obilisation of th e Prussian arm y was a result of the intensification of the struggle betw een A ustria a n d Prussia fo r d om ination in G erm any Prussia, how ever, was com pelled to a b an d o n the idea o f m ilitary operatio n s and capitulate (the A g reem en t of O lm utz o r O lom ouc of N ovem ber 2, 1850) owing ^ the serious shortcom ings in its m ilitary system, exposed d u rin g t h t m obilisation, a n d also its obsolete arm am ents, as well as vigorous opposition by Russia, which su p p o rte d A ustria in the conflict. of s p a r e s th e failure o f Prussian diplom acy with the defeat o f th e R om an legions at the C au d in e Forks, n e a r th e ancient R om an tow n of C audium , in 321 B.C., d u rin g the second Sam nite war. T h e Sam nites com pelled the R om ans to go u n d e r th e yoke, which was the greatest disgrace for a defeated arm y. H ence the expression to pass th ro u g h th e C audine yoke m ean in g to u n d e rg o ex trem e hum iliation. p gy In F ebruary 1860 the m ajority o f th e Second C h am b er (the c h am b er of representatives) m th e Prussian L an d tag re fu sed to a p p ro v e th e arm y

Engels re fe rs to th e follow ing events in th e wars of th e sixth a n d seventh coalitions of th e E u ro p ea n states against N apoleonic France: the capitulation of Paris on M arch 31, 1814 a fte r the d efeat of th e F rench troops d e fen d in g it against the Russian and Prussian arm ies, a n d also its su rre n d e r, w ithout struggle, to English a n d Prussian forces on July 3, 1815. p. 108 ii'i O n S eptem ber 19, 1870, th e 14th C orps of th e F rench A rm y, u n d e r the com m and of G eneral D ucrot, m ade a sally to p re v en t th e G erm an troops from seizing strategically im p o rta n t heights to th e south of Paris. T h e battle <jf C hatillon resulted in a d efeat fo r the F rench, w ho re tre a te d in confusion. Pans was su rro u n d e d by Prussians. For details see Notes on the War. X X I, p. 121 of this volum e. P7 T h e negotiations betw een Bism arck a n d Jules Favre, spokesm an of the G o v ern m en t of N ational D efence, took place in F errieres on S eptem ber 19-20, 1870 B ism arck laid dow n the follow ing arm istice term s: the s u rre n d e r of Bitche, T o u l a n d S trasbourg, while P a n s was to rem ain su rro u n d e d o r o n e of its forts was to su rre n d e r, and a c ontinuation of the hostilities at Metz. Bism arck also d e m a n d ed th at Alsace a n d p a rt of L o rrain e be ceded to G erm any. T h e negotiations cam e to a halt since Favre refused to accept the above term s. ' P' "1 D u rin g the Second E m pire, in peacetim e all the troops of a district were b ro u g h t u n d e r the com m and o f a single p erso n (the co m m a n d er of th e arm y corps), w ho could use them to su p p o rt the regim e a n d to suppress revolutionary actions of th e people. His pow ers on questions of the deploym ent, organisation a n d train in g of the troops w ere strictly lim ite^. P e rm an e n t arm y corps a n d arm ies w ere to be fo rm ed only in case ot war, the resu lt being a poorly organised arm y a n d p o o r battle training. p. 116 2 T h e M inie rifle a rifle firin g the M inie bullet; it played an im p o rta n t role in th e developm ent of rifled fire-arm s. T h e 1857 m odel was m uzzle-loaded but, m 1867, it becam e breech-loaded. P- 120 '3 A rm y of Lyons was th e nam e given by th e F rench press to the 24th C orps of the F rench arm y being fo rm ed in th at town. L ater the corps was in co rp o ra te d in B ourbakis E astern A rm y (First A rm y of th e Loire). P- 121 '4 A nation in arm s was th e nam e widely used in Prussian m ilitary lite ratu re and official docum ents of the tim e for the Prussian a rm ed forces. T h e Prussian arm y was by no m eans an a rm ed natitm , as Engels repeatedly noted; on the c ontrary, it opposed th e p o p u la r masses and was an in stru m e n t for th e Piussian bourgeois-Junker states aggressive m ilitary policy. T h e Prussian m ilitary system was th o ro u g h ly investigated by Engels in his w ork The l^ussian M ih ta ^ Question and the German Workers' Party (see p re sen t edition. Vol. pp. 37-79). P 5 T h e Ersatz Reserve in the Prussian arm y was a p a rt of th e reserve com posed of m en of call-up age who, for various reasons, w ere ex em p ted from active service in peacetim e; they w ere placed in the Ersatz Reserve fo r 12 years a n d called^iip in tim e of war. P' T h e referen ce is to the insu rrectio n of 1808 in Spain against N apoleonic rule, which m arked th e b eginning of the national liberation w ar by the Spanish people against F re n c h \ x c u p a tio n (1808-14). T h e Spanish m ade extensive use of guerrilla w arfare m ethods. P-

a p p o in ted Prim e M inister; th e new go v ern m en t dissolved th e L an d tag in r y '" o u t l 'a T ' ' parliam en tary approval o f the

war w aged by Prussia a n d A ustria against D enm ark in 1864 b ro u g h t G erm anys unification u n d e r the Prussian a u s p ic 4 n e a r ^ ^ B ism arck t betonged Schleswig, H olstein a n d L au e n b u rg , which P rl l n i^ flu e n rin ^ trln g th e n rru ss ia n m tluence in G erm any a n d to suppress the opposition of the liberal bourgeoisie. A iistria, which likewise in te n d e d to seize th e duchies also took n a rt m the war. T h e w ar e n d ed with a d efeat fo r D enm ark. T ^ e d u c h T e f w ere proclaim ed a condom inium a n d w ere to be ad m in istrated jointly by Prussia (Schleswig a n d L au en b u rg ) a n d A ustria (H olstein). A fter the A ustro-P russian w ar of ,866 (see N ote 5) the th re e duchies w ere an n ex e d to P ru s s l p 98 ' p r X ^ o f ^ h ^ ''s e ? n e P^ris, head ed by H aussm ann, ir^nrnvi f ^ ^ ^ ''tm e n t, took place in the 1850s-1860s. A p a rt from s t r L t s 3 hnnn" of the w orks was to w iden old f n r t L a iille f T r droops to m anoeuvre a n d th e artillery to fire in the event of p o p u la r uprisings. L arge sum s from the allocations w ere m isap p ro p riated by H aussm ann a n d his s u b o rrn ^ te s p. 98 N apoleon I was fond of, was also used before him by M arshal I u re n n e, V oltaire a n d F rederick of Prussia. p. ]()4 w T h is a n d the follow ing articles of the Notes on the War w ere w ritten bv Kneels in L ondon, having m oved from M anchester on S eptem ber 20, 1870. p. 108

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T h e re fe re n ce is to the line of old city fortifications; in the 18th c entury they w ere dem olished a n d boulevards set u p in th eir place. p. 131 T h e Palais de Justice is th e c o u rt building in Paris, occupying m ost of the w estern e n d of th e He d e la Cite. p 131 Sonderburg a. tow n in Schleswig which was a p o in t of the so-called Lines of D iippel, a cham o f D anish fortifications p ro tectin g the crossing to th e island of Alsen d u n n g the w ar of Prussia a n d A ustria against D enm ark in 1864 (see N ote 64), A fter a long siege, on A pril 18 Prussian troops seized th e Lines of D uppel a n d forced th e D anish arm y to re tre a t to Alsen. T hese battles d e m o n stra ted the m creased role of artillery in siege operations, pp. 132, 218 SO T h e referen ce is to th e Civil W ar in the U nited States of A m erica (1861-65). p. 142 T his refers to the m ilitary operatio n s of the arm y o f the N o rth to c ap tu re two strategically im p o rta n t points in th e South: V icksburg (Mississippi) and R ichm ond, the capital of the South (Virginia). D u rin g 1862-63, the N o rth e rn A rm y several tim es tried to seize V icksburg b u t succeeded in doin g so only w hen It h a d o rganised close co-operation of th e land forces a n d th e river fleet: V icksburg capitulated o n July 4, 1863 a fte r a 6 -week siege. N u m ero u s attem pts to c ap tu re R ichm ond fro m 1861 to 1864 failed; only on A pril 3, 1865, was it occupied by G eneral G ra n ts troops a fte r a stubborn blockade of nearly nine an d a half m onths. p j ^2 In the Battle of Tudela (N o rth ern Spain) on N ovem ber 23, 1808, d u rin g the Spanish national liberation w ar against N apoleonic rule, the F rench corps of M arshal L ann defeated the Spanish troops, taking advantage of th e ir scattered positions. T h e re m n a n ts of th e Spanish troops re tre ate d to Saragossa, p. 143 T h is refers to the A ustro-F rench w ar o f 1809, which com pelled N apoleon 1 to w ithdraw his g u a rd a n d cavalry from Spain. A ustria lost the w ar a fte r being d e fea te d at W agram on July 5-6, 1809. U n d e r the peace treaty of Sch 6 n b ru n n , co ncluded in O ctober 1809 betw een France a n d A ustria, the latter lost a considerable p a rt of its territo ry a n d was virtually d e prived of political in d ep en d en ce. p was set u p in in te rio r line of broke th ro u g h how ever, used. pp. 145, 232 * ^ 5 T h e referen ce is to the negotiations in S eptem ber a n d O ctober betw een B azaine a n d Bism arck on an arm istice, which w ere in te rru p te d on O ctober 24, 1870. A t approxim ately the sam e tim e, p re p ara tio n s w ere m ade fo r talks betw een the G overnm ent of N ational D efence a n d Bism arck, with B ritain p articip atin g as a negotiator. T h ese talks betw een T h ie rs a n d Bism arck took place a t Versailles betw een O ctober 1 a n d 6 , 1870 a n d w ere unsuccessful. p. 146 s T h is re fe rs to provinces th at w ere in co rp o ra te d into Prussia p rio r to the a nnexation o f new territo rie s in 1864-66: East a n d W est Prussia, B ra n d en b u rg , P om erania, Silesia, Posen, Saxony, W estphalia, a n d th e Rhine Province, p. 146 S'? T h is refers to th e D elegation of th e G o v ern m en t of N ational D efence, consisting of Glais-Bizoin, C rem ieux a n d Fourichon, sent to T o u rs in m idS'* A Com m ission of B arricad es, h e ad e d by H. R ochefort, m id-S eptem ber 1870. It o rganised th e construction o f a th ird , d e ie n c e barricades a n d ditch es in Paris in case the enem y th e forts a n d ra m p a rt; d u rin g the siege o f Paris they w ere not,

S eptem ber 1870 to organise resistance to G erm an invasion in the provinces a n d to establish foreig n relations. F rom th e b e g in n in g of O ctober till th e e n d f the war, the delegation was h e ad e d by G am betta, W ar M inister a n d M inister f H om e A ffairs. T h e delegation fo rm ed a n d eq u ip p ed new bodies of troops. At th e b eginning of D ecem ber 1870, it m oved to B ordeaux. pp. 147, 249 -s Wnter-polacks (W asserpolacken) was a nam e (used fro m the 17th cent.) for Poles native to U p p e r Silesia, w ho floated tim ber dow n the O d er. S ubsequent ly. all th e Poles of U p p e r Silesia, w ho had lived u n d e r Prussian ru le to r centuries, w ere called by this nicknam e. , , ^ ^ Masures w ere Poles in habiting N o rth -eastern Poland a n d the S o u th ern pa^r^ of fo rm e r East Prussia. P' S'l Baden Freischaaren w ere vo lu n teer units w hich, as p a rt f th e revolutionary B a d e n - P a l a tin a te arm y, fo u g h t against the Prussian invaders d u rin g th e 1849 u p risin g in defence of th e G erm an Im p erial C onstitution in S o u th e rn a n d VVVstern G erm any. T h ese units w e r e poorly organised disciplined a n d battle-trained. E ngels fo u g h t in W illichs d etach m en t, w hich was com posed oi w orkers a n d was conspicuous fo r its discipline a n d m ilitary efficiency, detailed description of th e B aden-P alatinate revolutionary arm y is given by Engels in his w ork The Campaign for the German Imperial Constitution (present T h e B ull Run, a river n e a r M anassas (southw est of W ashington), was the scene of the first m ajo r battle in th e U.S. Civil W ar. D u rin g this battle, on July 21, 1861, the C o n fe d era te forces d e fea te d th e N o rth e rn volunteers, w ho w ere num erically su p e rio r b u t badly train ed . , . d f British vo/untem territo ria l m ilitia organised m G reat B ritain from 159 to 1861. A ccording to th e 1863 V olu n teer Act, they w ere to have no less th a n 30 exercises a year a n d could be called u p only in the event of fo reig n invasion^ In his articles on volunteers (see p re sen t edition. Vol. 18), Engels bad organisation, th e p o o r train in g of com m issioned officers a n d inadequate drilling system. 80 T h e ffuides special sub-units in a n u m b e r of E u ro p ea n arm ies used fo r guiding troops. In the F ren ch arm y, d u rin g the N apoleonic w ars a n d th e Second E m pire, they g u a rd e d th e h e a d q u a rte rs a n d served as th e E m p e ro rs b odyguards. P' In the battle of Leipzig o n O ctober 16-19, 1813, N apoleons arm y was defeated by the arm ies of th e sixth E u ro p ea n coalition (Russia, A ustria, Prussia, B ritain, Sw eden, Spain a n d o th e r states). T h is led to G erm any s liberation from N apoleons rule. 92 A fter th e fall of the Second E m pire on S eptem ber 4, 1870, Bazaine, having ab an d o n e d his plans to b reak th e siege of Metz, started negotiations with Bism arck in S eptem ber of th e sam e year (see also N ote 85) to p u t ^ d to t e G erm an blockade, w ith a view to using the F ren ch troops in M z fo r the resto ratio n of th e em pire. H ow ever, Bism arck these plans w ould com e tru e. T h e negotiations w ere in te rru p te d o n O ctober ^4 a n d on O ctober 27 B azaine signed a capitulation. PT h e Mexican expedition was a n a rm e d intervention by F rance (mitially with Spain a n d B ritain) in M exico from 1862 to 1867 th e aim being suppress the revolution a n d tu rn th e c o untry into a colony of th e E u ro p ea n pow ers In 1862, B azaine was in com m and of the first d i v i s i t m of the Frenc arm y in Mexico; from O ctober 1863, h e was com m ander-in-chief. A lthough the

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F rench troops c a p tu re d th e M exican capital a n d an e m p ire was proclaim ed, with N apoleon I l l s h e n ch m an A rch d u k e M axim ilian of A ustria as em p ero r, th e F rench interventionists w ere d e fea te d as a resu lt of the liberation struggle of th e M exican people and, in 1867, w ere forced to w ithdraw . T h e M exican expedition proved a heavy financial loss to F rance a n d was greatly d etrim en tal to the Second E m pire. p. 15g T h e Arcadians a n ironical nicknam e fo r naive, happy-go-lucky people; it originates from th e n am e of a region in the ancient Peloponnese, A rcadia, w hose people, according to CTreek m ythology, w ere sim ple a n d inno cen t in th eir m anners. p, igQ Engels has in m ind the position of the English d u rin g the A m erican W ar of In d e p e n d e n c e (1775-83). In th e ir struggle, the A m ericans successfully com bined conventional w arfare with a b ro a d guerrilla m ovem ent. p. 165 s* O n N ovem ber 3, 1867, at Mentana, F ren ch troops a n d the Papal gu a rd s d efea te d G aribaldi, w ho h a d m arch ed on Rom e in te n d in g to liberate it from the P opes ru le a n d re u n ite it with th e rest of Italy. p. 166 9 T h e Sepoy mutiny th e In d ia n national liberation up risin g df 1857-59 against B ritish rule. It started in th e sp rin g of 1857 am o n g the Sepoy units (m ercenary troops re cru ite d from the In d ian p opulation) of th e B engal arm y a n d sp re ad to vast regions of N o rth e rn a n d C entral India. Peasants a n d p o o r artisans from the towns took an active p a rt in th e uprising, b u t the leaders w ere, as a rule, local feudal lords. T h e u p risin g was c ru sh ed because of In d ia s lack of unity a n d its religious a n d caste differences, a n d th e m ilitary a n d technical superiority of the B ritish. p. 166 T h e Battle of Coulniiers took place on N ovem ber 9, 1870 n e ar O rleans. T h e newly fo rm ed 15th a n d 16th corps of the A rm y of th e L oire, u n d e r the com m and of G eneral D A urelle d e Paladines, defeated th e m uch w eaker 1st Bavarian C orps o f G eneral von d e r T a n n . p. 168 99 A re fe re n ce to the Paris peace treaties of 1814 a n d 1815 signed by F rance and the m ain p articipants o f the sixth a n d seventh anti-F rench coalitions (Russia, B ritain, A ustria a n d Prussia) th a t defeated N apoleon. U n d e r the first treaty (T raite d e paix signe e n tre la F rance et IA utriche et ses allies a Paris le 30 mai 1814), F rance lost all the territo rie s won by h e r in the 1792-1814 wars, with the exception of several b o rd e r fortresses a n d W estern Savoy. U n d e r the second Paris T rea ty (T raite de paix d e Paris d u 20 nov. 1815, avec les conventions speciales), the territo ry of F rance was lim ited by the 1790 b o rd e rs a n d she was de prived of strategically im p o rta n t points on h e r E astern fro n tier, including the fo rtress L andau. p. 17, 458 O n July 15, 1840, B ritain, Russia, A ustria a n d Prussia, o n th e o n e h a n d , a n d T u rk ey , on the o th er, signed a convention to su p p o rt the S ultan of T u rk ey against the E gyptian ru le r M ehem et A li,w ho was su p p o rte d by France. T his im plied a th re a t of w ar betw een France a n d an an ti-F rench coalition, b u t Louis Philippe decided against w ar a n d d en ied his su p p o rt to M ehem et Ali. pp. 172, 316 D uring the Spanish national liberation w ar against N apoleonic ru le from 1808 to 1814 (see N ote 76) the B ritish expeditionary corps u n d e r Sir J o h n M oore, which lan d ed on the P eninsula in 1808, o p e rated in the c o untry alongside guerrilla detachm ents, which w ere th e m ain resistance force; the corps" was forced to leave Spain in Ja n u a ry 1809. A n o th e r corps u n d e r G eneral

\ r t h u r W ellesley (D uke of W ellington from 1814) lan d ed o n th e Peninsula in Anril 1809 a n d fo u g h t th e F rench until they w ere d riven o u t of th e country. ^ p. 173
ii)L > D is m o u n tin g batteries siege batteries used fo r destroying em brasures a n d guns

of a besieged fortress.

P- 175

11)3 Engels is re fe rrin g to th e diplom atic crisis th a t arose in N ovem ber 1870 because Russia d e n o u n ce d th e articles of th e Peace T re a ty of Paris (signed on M arch 30, 1856 by th e participants in the C rim ean war: France, Britain, Sardinia, T u rk ey , a n d also by A ustria a n d Prussia, o n th e one h a n d , a n d Russia, on the other), by which she h a d lost the rig h t to keep h e r fleet in the Black Sea. T h e R ussian policy was su p p o rte d by Bism arck, who co u n ted o n the I's a r to back Prussias term s fo r a peace treaty w ith France. B ritain and A ustria-H ungary, a lth o u g h p ro testin g against the revision of the P a n s T reaty , failed to resist R ussias d em ands. A convention annulling Arts. X I, X III a n d XIV of the Paris Peace T re a ty was signed on M arch 13 at the P ontus C onference, w hich was held in L ondon from Ja n u a ry to M arch 1871 with the participation of Russia, B ritain, A ustria-H ungary, G erm any, France, Italy a n d T urkev. T h u s, Russia a n d T u rk e y reg ain ed th eir rig h t to have fleets a n d 175 fortresses on the Black Sea. "W G iuseppe G aribaldi with his sons Ricciotti a n d M enotti c om m anded d e ta ch m ents of the N ational G u a rd a n d foreign volunteers who, from the a u tu m n of 1870, took p a rt in the Franco-P russian w ar on the side of the F rench Republic. G aribaldis troops w ere organised into the Vosges arm y a n d fo u g h t in E astern France. A d eta ch m e n t u n d e r Ricciotti G aribaldi defeated a L an d w eh r d eta ch m e n t m one of th e batdes at C hatillon, w hich w ere fo u g h t fo r two weeks from N ovem ber 19, 1870. P'05 In spite of official protests by Prussia, the USA a n d B ritain e x p o rte d a large quantity of rifles to France. H ow ever, the arm s w ere o ften of p o o r quahty smce the suppliers w anted to get rid of obsolete m odels. P- 185 T h e engagem ents n e a r Loigny a n d Patay took place from N ovem ber 29 to D ecem ber 1; they w ere of local im p ortance a n d of variable success. O n D ecem ber 2, how ever, in batd e at L oigny-Poupry som e 40 km north-w est of O rieans, the G erm an troops u n d e r th e G ran d D uke of M ecklenburg d efeated b oth the 16th a n d 17th corps of the A rm y of the I.oire u n d e r generals (.hanzy a n d Sonis, a n d th e u nits of th e 15th C orps u n d e r G eneral A urelle d e Paladm es which cam e to th e ir help. PT h is refers to the persecution of the participants in the opposition m ovetnent of intellectuals in G erm any follow ing the wars with N apoleonic France. M any m em bers of stu d e n t gym nastic clubs, w hich developed d u rin g , a n d w ere active in, the liberation struggle against N apoleonic rule, cam e o u t against the reactionary system of G erm an states a n d o rganised political d e m onstrations in su p p o rt of the unification of G erm any. T h e K arlsbad C onference of M inisters of the principal G erm an states in A ugust 1819 sanctioned m easures against he participants in this m ovem ent w ho w ere called dem agogues . PPapal Zouaves a reg im en t of the Papal G u ard organised a n d train ed like the Zouaves (see N ote 13) a n d consisting of young F rench aristocraru volunteers. W hen Rom e was occupied by Italian troops and the P opes secular pow er abolished in S eptem ber 1870, the Papal Zouaves w'ere sent to Ir.m cc,

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w here they w ere reorganised in to a vo lu n teer legion th e J irst a n d Second L oire arm ies, they particip ated G erm ans. A fter th e w ar, the legion h elped suppress was late r disbanded. pp.

o f th e W est . As p a rt of in operatio n s against the th e Paris C om m une and 204, 343 , 452, 513, 539

fro n tier having re tre a te d a fte r an unsuccessful battle at H e rico u rt o n Jan u ary 13-17, 1871 (see also N ote 110). O n F eb ru ary 1, it was com pelled to cross the fro n tier a n d s u rre n d e r (see also N ote 121). p. 242 iiT At the e n d of S eptem ber 1870, B ourbaki was sent by B azaine to C hislehurst in E ngland, w here the ex-E m press-R egent E ugenie lived in em igration. Bazaine, the C o m m ander-in-C hief of the F rench arm y in Metz, had by that lim e b eg u n negotiations with Bism arck with a view to resto rin g the E m pire with tlie help of the troops besieged in Metz (see also notes 85 a n d 92). B ourbakis trip was p ro m p te d by R egnier, a F rench adv en tu rist v/ho posed as E u g en ies representative a n d told Bism arck a n d Bazaine th a t she in te n d e d to hold talks. B ourbakis m ission e n d ed in failure because E ugenie disavowed Regnier. p. 246 T his refers to the Convention on the Armistice and Capitulation of Paris signed by Bism arck a n d Favre on Ja n u a ry 28, 1871. T h e G o v ern m en t of N ational D efence refu sed to continue th e struggle against the Prussian invaders and agreed to an ignom inious capitulation. By this act it b etrayed th e national interests of France, which w ere sacrificed to the ru lin g classes desire to suppress th e revolutionary m ovem ent in the c o u n try by all possible m eans. By signing th e C onvention, Favre accepted hum iliating d em an d s p u t forw ard by the Prussians: paym ent of an indem nity of 200 m illion francs w ithin a fo rtn ig h t, the im m ediate su rre n d e r of m ost of the Paris forts, the h a n d in g over of th e field guns a n d am m unition of th e Paris arm y, a n d th e d isbanding of the francs-tireurs (arm ed civilians). Yet B ism arck a n d Favre did n o t d a re to include a clause about the d isarm am en t of th e Paris N ational G u a rd , which mostly consisted of w orkers. T h e C onvention provided fo r u rg e n t electi<ms to the N ational Assembly, w hich was to decide the question of a peace treaty. pp. 248, 438, 519, 546, 595 ' Engels re fe rs to the in ten tio n of the Prussian Ju n k ers, bourgeoisie a n d m ilitary circles to ann ex F rench Alsace a n d L o rrain e and th eir d em a n d for a h u g e w ar indem nity. p. 251 The arm istice concluded by Bism arck and Favre on Ja n u a ry 28, 1871 (see also N ote 118) e x p ired on F eb ru ary 19. T h o u g h F ran ces m eans of resistance had not been e xhausted, operatio n s against the Prussians w ere not resum ed. A fter the N ational Assembly a p p o in ted T h ie rs C hief Executive, he im m ediately started peace talks, which concluded in a prelim inary peace treaty signed at V'ersailles on F ebruary 26, France being com pelled to accept all B ism arcks term s. O n May 10, 1871 the final Peace T rea ty was signed in F ra n k fu rt am M ain (see this volum e, pp. 346-47 a n d also notes 179 a n d 324). p. 251 T h e Convention of I.es Verrieres (Sw itzerland) was concluded on F ebruary 1, 1871, betw een G eneral C linchant, w ho replaced B ourbaki as C om m ander-inC hief of the A rm y of th e East, a n d the C o m m ander-in-C hief of the Swiss A rm y G eneral H erzog. T h e C onvention specified the term s for crossing the Swiss b o rd e r (see also N ote 116): the F rench Arm y was to lay dow n its arm s, e q u ip m e n t a n d am m unition. p. 257 Engels is re fe rrin g to th e A ugust 1870 cam paign of the French A rm y of C halons, which, ow ing to a lack of initiative on the p a rt of its com m ander, M arshal M acM ahon, was encircled at Sedan and had to capitulate (see notes 47 and 49). p. 258 T h e letter to the C om m ittee of the G erm an Social-Dem ocratic W orkers Parly
23-1232

In th e Battle of Villers-Bretonneux on N ovem ber 27, 1870 in N orm an d y (also called th e B attle of A m iens; u n d e r this n am e it was already m en tio n ed by Engels in his Notes on the War. X X I X , see this volum e, p. 185) the F ren ch A rm y o f th e N o n h was d e fea te d by the First G erm an A rm y u n d e r G eneral M anteuffel. p. 223 0 E ngels was proved com pletely rig h t in this supposition. A decisive battle betw een G eneral B ourbakis A rm y o f th e East a n d G erm an troops u n d e r G eneral W e rd e r took place on the river Lisaine in the vicinity o f B elfort from Ja n u a ry 15 to 17, 1871. T h e F rench, alth o u g h num erically superior, could not gam victory. A fter the battle they w ere com pelled to re tre a t a n d w ere finally ro u ted . E ngels gives a description of th e battle (also called th e Battle at H ericourt) a n d th e subsequent re tre a t in his articles Notes on the War B ourbakis D isaster (see this volum e, pp. 236-39, 241-44, 255-58, 259-62). p 226 In the Battle at Le Mans (W estern France) on Ja n u a ry 10-12, 1871, the G erm an troops u n d e r Prince F rederick C harles defeated the re -fo rm e d Second A rm y of the Loire, com m anded by G eneral C hanzy, w hich was com pelled to re tre a t a fte r su fferin g heavy losses. p 229 2 Engels has in m ind th e tra n sfe r of the English a n d F rench troops d u rin g the C rim ean w ar from th e ir initial position in Gallipoli (T urkey) to V arna, to help th e T u rk ish arm y on the D anube fight th e Russians w ho h a d sta rte d o perations against Silistria in May 1854. T h e plan was n o t c arried o u t because Russia, fearful of A ustria, w hich was p re p a re d to jo in th e allies a n d h a d initiated m ilitary p rep aratio n s, was com pelled to lift th e siege o f Silistria a n d w ithdraw from the D anubian principalities. T h e allied troops, w hich by th a t tim e h a d been tra n sfe rre d to V arna, w ere subsequendy used against Sebastopol. p. 235 " 3 In the Battle of St. Quentin (N orth-E astern France) o n Ja n u a ry 19, 1871, the 1st G erm an A rm y u n d e r G eneral G oeben c ru sh ed th e F ren ch A rm y o f th e N orth u n d e r G eneral F aidherbe. T h e d efeat had a dem oralising effect on th e French arm y a n d m ark ed the e n d of its active o p eratio n s in th e region. p. 236 4 T h is refers to th e Royalist insu rrectio n d u rin g the F rench Revolution, which began in M arch 1793 in V endee a n d sp re ad to B rittany a n d N orm andy. T h e bulk of the insu rg en ts w ere local peasants, incited a n d organised by c o u n te r -1 evolutionary clergy a n d gentry. T h e in su rrectio n in V endee and B rittany was p u t dow n in 1795-96, a lth o u g h new attem p ts w ere m ade in 1799 a n d subsequent years. p 238 " 5 T h e Battle of Mont Valerien (also know n as th e B attle of M o n treto u t o r Buzenval) was fo u g h t on Ja n u a ry 19, 1871, fo u r m o n th s a fte r th e b eginning of the siege of Paris. It was the final sortie from besieged Paris, b u t it was not adequately p re p a re d . T h e re was no c oordination betw een the actions o f the attack troops, a n d th e necessary reserves w ere lacking. D espite the courage displayed by the French soldiers, the sortie was beaten back at every point. pp. 240, 437 T h e A rm y o f th e East, as E ngels h a d foreseen, fo u n d itself p u sh e d to th e Swiss

656

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was w ritten by M arx in the capacity of C o rre sp o n d in g Secretary fo r G erm any. O n A ugust 2, 1870, the G eneral C ouncil decided to d e fe r the re g u la r congress, d u e on S eptem ber 5, 1870 in M ainz (on th e p ro g ram m e of the congress see p re sen t edition, Vol. 21, pp. 143-44), ow ing to the o u tb rea k of the F ranco-P russian war. T h e G eneral Council decided to ask the sections of the In tern a tio n a l fo r approval of its decision. In its resolution, the C om m ittee of th e Social-Dem ocratic W orkers Party d eclared its su p p o rt. M arxs letter to the C om m ittee is extant, as it was published, with abbreviations, in C. Koch, Der Prozefi gegen den Ausschup der sociatdemokralischen Arbeiterpartei..., B raunschw eig, 1871, S. 51 a n d in W. Bracke, Der Braunschweiger Ausschufi der socialdemokratischen Arbeiter-Partei in Lotzen und vor dem Gericht, B raunschw eig, 1872, S. 154; a n d also in Leipziger Hochverrathsprozep. Aiisfiihrlicher Berichl iiber die Verhandlungen des Schwurgerichts zu Leipzig in dem Prozefi gegen Liebknecht, Bebel und Hepner wegen Vorbereitung zum Hockverrath vom 11-26 Mdrz 1872, Leipzig, 1872 1874, 1894. p. 259 '24 H e re M arx m eans th e req u est of th e leaders of th e G erm an Social-Dem ocratic W orkers Party, w hich was expressed in B o n h o rsts letter to M arx on O ctober 25, 1869, to explain the Social-Dem ocratic policy tow ards th e G erm an p easantry and give, in particu lar, instructions con cern in g th e applicability of the Basle C ongress (S eptem ber 6-11, 1869) resolution on social landow nership to G erm any. E ager to help the leaders of the Social-Dem ocratic W orkers Party to com e to th e right decision, M arx p lan n ed to w rite a detailed answ er, b u t the In te rn a tio n a ls c u rre n t affairs p re v en ted him from doin g so. E ngels p rovided an ex planation o f this question in F ebruary 1870 in his Preface to th e second G erm an edition o f The Peasant War in Germany (see p re sen t edition. Vol. 10, pp. 397-482) a n d in the A ddition to this Preface, w hich he w rote fo r th e th ird G erm an edition of the book in 1874 (see p re sen t edition. Vol. 23). p, 259 *25 T h e letter to th e C om m ittee of th e G erm an Social-Dem ocratic W orkers Party was w ritten in reply to a req u est from th e m em bers of th e B runsw ick C om m ittee th a t M arx elucidate the a ttitu d e of th e G erm an w orking class to the Franco-P russian war. M arx considered it necessary to express his opinion because th e editorial b o a rd of th e Volksstaat (L iebknecht a n d others), while, on the whole, taking an internationalist position, had, at the beginning, w hen the war, as fa r as Prussia was c oncerned, h a d a defensive ch aracter, show n a one-sided a ttitu d e to it a n d som ew hat ignored th e task o f national unification. Som e m em bers of the B runsw ick C om m ittee, o n the c ontrary, u n d e restim ated the expansionist tendencies of the Prussian ru lin g circles, w hich becam e obvious even in the inital stages of th e war. T h e c o rresp o n d en ce betw een M arx a n d Engels deals with this m atter in detail. T h u s, in a letter of A ugust 15, 1870, Engels d ra fte d the tactics for G erm an Social-Democracy; h e stressed th e need to com e o u t against the an n ex atio n of Alsace a n d L orraine, while participating in the m ovem ent for th e unification o f G erm any; to distinguish betw een th e G erm an national and Prussian dynastic interests; always to p u t forw ard the com m on interests of the G erm an a n d F rench w orkers (see p re sen t edition. Vol. 44). M arx considered the answ er to the leaders of the Social-Dem ocratic W orkers Party to be of exceptional im portance, as the question co ncerned the directives guiding the policy of the German workers (see M arxs letter to Engels of A ugust 17, 1870, p re sen t edition. Vol. 44). T h e final variant of th e reply was p re p a re d by M arx

a n d Engels d u rin g M arxs stay in M anchester from A ugust 22 to 30, 1870. T h e

"letter was signed by M arx a n d sent to G erm any. H e re p o rte d on it at the G e n e r a l C ouncil m eeting on S eptem ber 6 . Part of the letter to th e C om m ittee was included in the text of the M anifesto on the w ar issued by the C om m ittee as a leaflet on S eptem ber 5, 1870 (Manifest des Ausschusses der social-demokratischen Arbeiterpartei, Braunschw eig, 5. S eptem ber 1870). T h e Manifesto proclaim ed the G erm an w orking classs loyalty to th e cause of the intern atio n al solidarity of the proletariat a n d called on G erm an w orkers to organise mass m eetings against the Prussian g o v e rn m e n ts an nexationist plans. T h e Manifesto no ted th a t the text included in it had b een w ritten by one of o u r oldest a n d m ost w orthy com rades in L o n d o n . O nly the p a rt of th e letter re p ro d u c e d in the Manifesto has been preserved. T h e copy of the leaflet obtaining at the In stitu te of M arxism -Leninism in Moscow bears notes a n d corrections in E ngels h a n d , w hich testify th at M arx and Engels w orked to g eth e r on it. T h e Manifesto was published by m any new spapers in G erm an, a n d also in E nglish, F rench a n d Russian. It was also published in C. Koch, Der Prozefi gegen den Ausschufi der social-demokratischen Arbeiterpartei..., B raunschw eig, 1871; W. Bracke, Der Braunschweiger Ausschufi der socialdemokratischen Arbeiter-Partei..., B raunschw eig, 1872 as well as in Leipziger Hochverrathsprozefi..., Leipzig, 1872, 1874, a n d o th e r publications. It was first published in English in The Echo, O ctober 15, 1870. p. 260 I-* T h e treaties of Tilsit peace treaties signed on July 7 a n d 9, 1807 by N apoleonic France, a n d Russia a n d Prussia, m em bers of the fo u rth anti-F rench coalition. In an a tte m p t to split the d e fea te d pow ers, N apoleon m ade no territo rial claims on Russia a n d even succeeded in tra n s fe rrin g som e of the Prussian m o n arch y s eastern lands to Russia. T h e treaty im posed h arsh term s on Prussia, w hich lost nearly half its territo ry to th e G erm an states d e p e n d e n t on France, was m ade to pay indem nities a n d h a d its arm y re d u ced . How ever, Russia, like Prussia, had to break its alliance with B ritain and, to its disadvantage, join N ap o leo n s C ontinental System. N apoleon fo rm ed th e vassal D uchy of W arsaw on Polish territo ry seized by Prussia d u rin g the partitions of Poland at the e n d of th e 18th century, and p lan n ed to use it as a sp n n g b o a rd in the event of w ar with Russia. D ictated by N apoleon, the T rea ty of Tilsit caused dissatisfaction am o n g the (ie rm a n p opulation a n d paved the way fo r th e liberation m ovem ent th a t broke o u t against N apoleonic ru le in 1813. PP- 26, 266 National Liberals (Die N ationalliberale Partei) was th e p a rty of the G erm an, mostly Prussian, bourgeoisie, which em erg ed in the a u tu m n of 1866 as a result of the split in the Party of Progress. T h e policy of th e N ational Liberals reflected the rejection by a considerable section of th e liberal bourgeoisie of claims to b ro a d e r political rights a n d its capitulation before B ism arcks Ju n k e r go v ern m en t a fte r Prussias victory in the A ustro-P russian w ar (see N ote 5) and the establishm ent of h e r hegem ony in G erm any. The German People s Party (Die D eutsche V olkspartei) was established m the second half of th e 1860s, its m em bers being dem ocratically-m inded bourgeois, mostly from South G erm an states. In contrast to th e N ational Liberals, it opposed Prussias hegem ony in G erm any a n d su p p o rte d the plan fo r a so-called G reat G erm an y , including both Prussia a n d A ustria. W hile p u rsu in g an anti-Prussian policy a n d advancing general dem ocratic slogans, the G erm an Peoples Party voiced the p articularist aspirations of som e (ie rm a n states. It

658

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p ro p a g ated the idea of a federal G erm an state, but opposed G e rm an y s unification in the form of a centralised bourgeois-dem ocratic republic. P- 261 Second Address of the General Council of the International Working M en s Association on the Franco-Prussian War was w ritten by M arx betw een S eptem ber 6 and 9 1870. O n S eptem ber 6 , 1870, having exam ined the new situation th at had taken shape a fte r the collapse of th e Second E m pire a n d the sta rt of a new stage of the war, the G eneral C ouncil of the In tern a tio n a l decided to issue a second ad d ress on the F ranco-P russian w ar an d , fo r th a t p u rpose, a p p o in ted a com m ission including M arx, Ju n g , M ilner and Serraillier. In his w ork on the A ddress, M arx used th e m aterial h e received from Engels, w hich exposed the efforts to justify, on m ilitary-strategic g ro u n d s, the u rg e on the p a rt of the Prussian m ilitary clique, the Ju n k e rs and the bourgeoisie to ann ex F rench territo ry (see E ngels letter to M arx a n d M arxs reply of S eptem ber 4 and 10, 1870 respectively, p re sen t edition. Vol. 44). T h e A ddress was unanim ously ad o p te d by a special m eeting of th e G eneral Council on S eptem ber 9, 1870, and was circulated to all the bourgeois L ondon new spapers, which ignored it, with the exception of The Pall Mall Gazette which published an e x cerp t from the A ddress in its ussue No. 1745 o f S eptem ber 16, 1870. O n S eptem ber 11-13, it was issued as a leaflet in English (1,000 copies); a tiew edition containing the First a n d Second addresses a p p ea red in late Septem ber. T h e m isprints o f th e first edition w ere corrected a n d som e editorial changes m ade in it. T h e A ddress was published by the US lab o u r press: The Working M a n s Advocate, Chicago, No. 7, O ctober 8 , 1870; The National Standard, No. 1.573, N ovem ber 12, 1870. T h e Second A ddress was tran slated into G erm an by M arx, w ho add ed several sentences in te n d e d fo r the G erm an w orkers a n d deleted som e passages. T h is translation was published in the n ew spaper Der Volksstaat, No. 76, S eptem ber 21, 1870; in the jo u rn al Der Vorbote, No. 10-11, O ctober-N ovem ber 1870; Volkswille, W ien, No. 37, O ctober 8 , 1870; Die Tagewacht, Z urich, No. 33, O ctober 1, 1870; a n d also as a leaflet in G eneva. In 1891, Engels published the Second A ddress in a G erm an edition of The C ivil War in France; the translauon fo r th a t edition was m ade by Louise Kautsky u n d e r Engels supervision. T h e French translation of th e Second A ddress was published in the new spapers L lnternationale, Nos. 93 a n d 99, O ctober 23 a n d D ecem ber 4, 1870; in La Tribune de Bordeaux, S eptem ber 21, 1870; and, in an abrid g ed form , in L Egalite, No. 35, O ctober 4, 1870. It was also published in A ntw erp in Flemish by De Werker, Nos. 51 a n d 52, O ctober 16 a n d 24, 1870. In the presen t edition, the Second A ddress is published according to the second edition of the English leaflet checked against the 1870 leaflet, which was tran slated into G erm an by M arx. The m ajor differences in re ad in g a re given in footnotes. ^ p ^g 3 29 In 1618, the E lectorate of B ra n d e n b u rg was u nited with th e D uchy of Prussia (East Prussia), which had been fo rm ed from the possessions of th e T euttm ic O rd e r in the early 16th c entury a n d was a fief of Poland. In his capacity as the D uke of Prussia, the E lector of B ra n d e n b u rg continued to be a vassal of Poland until 1657, w hen, m aking use of Polands em b ro ilm en t in a w ar with Sw eden, he secured recognition of his sovereign rights to Prussian possessions. p. 264

! T h e refe re n ce is to th e Treaty of Basle concluded on A pril 5, 1795 separately by the F rench Republic a n d Prussia, the latter being a m em b er of th e first a n ti-F rench coalition. Its conclusion m arked th e begin n in g o f th e coalitions d isintegration. p. 265 D uring th e ir m eeting in B iarritz in O ctober 1865, B ism arck won N apoleon I l l s consent to an alliance betw een Prussia a n d Italy a n d to a w ar by Prussia against A ustria; in ag reein g to this, N apoleon III expected to be able to intervene in the conflict with benefit fo r him self, in the event of Prussias defeat. A t the start of th e Franco-P russian w ar of 1870-71, the T sarist Foreign M inister G orchakov declared, d u rin g his negotiations with Bism arck in B erlin, th a t in th e w ar Russia w ould m aintain a benevolent neu trality tow ards Prussia an d w ould e x ert diplom atic pre ssu re on A ustria; fo r its p a rt, th e Prussian go v ern m en t u n d e rto o k not to im pede T sarist Russia in h e r policy in th e East. p. 267 132 T h e re fe re n ce is to th e stre n g th e n in g of feudal reaction in G erm any a fte r the collapse o f N apoleonic rule. T h e go v ern m en ts of th e E u ro p ea n feudal absolutist states, su p p o rte d by the reactionary nobility, m ade use of th e results o f th e liberation w ar against th e d o m ination of N apoleon I. T h e G erm an C onfed eratio n (see N ote 27) did n o t elim inate feudal division; th e feudalabsolutist system was consolidated; all th e nobilitys privileges w ere preserved a n d sem i-feudal exploitation of the peasants intensified. p. 268 33 T h e referen ce is to th e June insurrection, the heroic insu rrectio n of Paris w orkers o n Ju n e 23-26, 1848. It was th e first civil w ar betw een the p ro letariat a n d th e bourgeoisie in history. M arx called it the first g re at battle betw een the two classes. H e assessed its historical im p o rtan ce in the Class Struggles in France, 1848 to 1850 (see p re se n t edition, Vol. 10, pp. 67-70). pp. 269, 316, 445, 521 '34 M arx is re fe rrin g h e re to th e m ovem ent o f B ritish w orkers fo r recognition of the F ren ch R epublic, w hich was established on S ep tem b er 4, 1870, a n d giving it diplom atic su p p o rt. From S ep tem b er 5, in L ondon, B irm ingham , Newcastle a n d o th e r big cities m eetings a n d dem o n stratio n s by large n u m b ers of w orkers took place, with som e tra d e unions taking an active p a rt. T h e ir participants e xpressed sym pathy fo r the F rench p eople a n d d e m a n d ed in th e ir resolutions a n d petitions th a t th e B ritish g overnm ent im m ediately recognise th e F rench Republic. T h e G eneral C ouncil o f th e In tern a tio n a l a n d M arx him self took an active p a rt in o rg anising the m ovem ent fo r recognition o f th e F ren ch R epublic (see M arxs letters to Engels o f S eptem ber 10 a n d 14, 1870, p re sen t edition, Vol. 44). p. 269 *3^ T h e allusion is to B ritains active p articipation in fo rm in g the coalition of feudal-absolutist states, which u nleashed a w ar against revolutionary F rance in 1792 (B ritain e n te re d the w ar in 1793); a n d also to th e fact th a t the B ritish ru lin g oligarchy was th e first in E u ro p e to recognise th e B onapartist regim e in France, established as a result of Louis B o n a p arte s coup d etat of D ecem ber 2, 1851. p. 269 '3'> D u rin g th e Civil W ar in the USA (1861-65), the B ritish press, which expressed th e views of the B ritish ru lin g q u a rte rs, actively su p p o rte d th e S outhern slave-owning states in an a tte m p t to split a n d w eaken the USA. p. 270

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>37 O n S eptem ber 9, 1870, Bracke, B onhorst, Spier, K iihn a n d G ralle, m em bers of th e B runsw ick C om m ittee of th e G erm an Social-Dem ocratic W orkers Party, as well as Ehlers, a m em b er of th e Party, a n d Sievers, a p rin te r, w ere a rre ste d fo r publishing the M anifesto on w ar (see N ote 125). By this m easure, the ru lin g circles tried to u n d e rm in e the w orkers m ovem ent a n d to p re v e n t any actions against the Prussian g o v e rn m e n ts m ilitarist plans. H aving received news of the a rre st of the B runsw ick C om m ittee from W ilhelm L iebknecht, M arx took im m ediate steps to give publicity to this act of ty ran n y on th e p a rt of the G erm an authorities, th e first in a series of o p e n police persecutions of Social-D em ocrats th ere. T h e in fo rm atio n was sent to The Pall Mall Gazette a n d The Echo, w here it was published on S eptem ber 15, a n d to a n u m b e r of o th er new spapers. O n S eptem ber 20, 1870, at a m eeting of the G eneral Council, M arx m ade a re p o rt on the a rre st of the m em bers of th e B runsw ick C om m ittee, stressing th a t th ere w ere absolutely n o legal g ro u n d s fo r it. In O ctober 1871, a fte r m any m o n th s of im prisonm ent, the m em bers of the B runsw ick C om m ittee w ere b ro u g h t to trial on th e tru m p e d -u p ch arg e of d istu rb in g peace. O n e of th e m ain charges was th e ir m em b ersh ip o f the in tern atio n al w orkers o rg an isatio n th e In tern a tio n a l, which was b a n n ed by Prussian laws. T h e c o u rt sentenced th e m em bers of th e B runsw ick C om m ittee to various term s of im prisonm ent. D espite repressive police m easures, the Social-Dem ocratic W orkers Party, led by A ugust Bebel a n d W ilhelm L iebk necht, sta rte d p ro p a g a n d a w ork against Prussias p re d a to ry plans a n d for an h o n o u rab le peace with France. p. 271 *38 E ngels w rote this letter on the instructions of th e G eneral C ouncil a fte r a discussion of th e question of th e B elgian Sections at the C ouncils m eeting on D ecem ber 20, 1870. W hen the letter was published for th e first tim e (L Intemationale, No. 103, Ja n u a ry 1, 1871), th e th re e last p a ra g ra p h s in Engels ro u g h m an u scrip t w ere om itted as being confidential in n a tu re . T h e 6 th re g u la r half-yearly C ongress of the B elgian F ederation of the In tern a tio n a l W orking M ens A ssociation took place on D ecem ber 25 a n d 26, 1870 in Brussels. T h e delegates h e a rd th e financial re p o rt a n d re p o rts o n the F e d e ratio n s press o rg an , L Intemationale, a n d on th e position of th e In te rn a tional W orking M ens Association in B elgium . p. 272 139 London Treaty on Neutrality of Luxembourg was signed on May 11, 1867 by A ustria, Belgium , France, G reat B ritain, Italy, the N eth erlan d s, L uxem bourg, Prussia a n d Russia. It e n d ed th e so-called L u x em b o u rg crisis th a t had been caused by N apoleon I l l s a tte m p t to m ake Prussia agree to F ran ces a nnexation of L ux em b o u rg in pay m en t fo r the latters neu trality in th e A ustro-P russian w ar of 1866. T h is treaty d eclared L u x em b o u rg a p e rm an en tly n e u tra l state, its n eutrality being g u a ran tee d by the signatory states. O n D ecem ber 9, 1870, Bism arck an n o u n ce d his in ten tio n not to abide by this treaty, considering th a t L ux em b o u rg h a d taken too friendly a position tow ards France, b u t already on D ecem ber 19 u n d e r p re ssu re from B ritain he a b an d o n e d his th rea t. pp. 275, 575

D em ocracy a n d trie d to take over lead ersh ip of the Spanish F ederal Council. D espite the B akuninists splitting activities, th e In te rn a tio n a ls ideas p e n etrate d am ong th e w orkers a n d new sections of the In tern a tio n a l W orking M en's Association w ere established in Spain. T h is letter was published in English for the first tim e in M arx a n d Engels, Selected Correspondence, F oreign L anguages Publishing H ouse, Moscow, 1955. p. 277 Ml T h e National Labour Union was fo u n d e d in the USA in A ugust 1866 at a congress in B altim ore, with the active participation of W illiam Sylvis, a p ro m in e n t figure in th e A m erican lab o u r m ovem ent. M arx th o u g h t highly of th e B altim ore congress. In O ctober 1866, th e N ational L ab o u r U nion established contacts with th e In tern a tio n a l W orking M ens Association. H ow ever, Trevellick, elected delegate to th e re g u la r congress of th e In tern a tio n a l at the C hicago congress of the U nion in A ugust 1867, could n o t com e to L ausanne. A t the last sessions of the Basle C ongress of th e In tern a tio n a l (S eptem ber 1869) the N ational L ab o u r U nion was re p re se n te d by A. C am eron. In A ugust 1870, at a congress in C incinnati, C am eron m ade a re p o rt on his participation in th e congress of the Intern atio n al. T h e U nion ad o p te d a resolution on ad h ere n ce to th e principles of the IW M A a n d a desire to join it. T h is decision was not im plem ented, how ever, as th e U nion leaders w ere soon carried away by the u to p ia n projects of cu rren cy reform . In 1870-71, m any trad es unions w ithdrew from the L abour U nion a n d in 1872 it virtually ceased to exist. pp. 280, 575 T h is article was occasioned by the floating on the L o n d o n Stock E xchange in M arch 1871 of R ussias loan of 1 2 million. T h is article, first published in The Pall Mall Gazette on M arch 16, 1871, was included in a lithographic edition of E ngels series of articles Notes on the War, which cam e o u t in V ienna in 1923, a n d was subsequently re p rin te d with the Notes an the War. p. 281 >'3 T h is re fe rs to January-M arch articles of th e Black Sea a n d th e L o n d o n C o n feren ce of several states, w hich took place in 1871 a n d discussed the question of Russias denun ciatio n of the Paris T re a ty of 1856 fo rb id d in g h e r to have w arships in the fortresses on its coasts (see N ote 103). p. 282

I'* Engels w rote this letter in his capacity as th e G eneral C ouncils C o rre sp o n d in g Secretary p ro tem for Spain in answ er to a letter from th e Spanish Federal C ouncil of D ecem ber 14, 1870. H aving established links with the Spanish sections of th e In tern a tio n a l, E ngels h elp ed th em in th e ir struggle against B akuninism , w hich developed in Spain, too. T h e re , w ithin the lim its o f the In tern a tio n a l B akuninists h a d set u p a n organisation of the Alliance of Socialist

T h is letter was d ra fte d by Engels on M arxs req u est in connection with a letter th a t was published in th e F rench police n ew spaper Paris-Joumal on M arch 19, 1871, w hich the editors d eclared to be M arxs letter to Serraillier. A ccording to th em it testified to th e contradictions betw een the F rench a n d G erm an m em bers of th e In tern a tio n a l. T h e fo rg ed letter was re p rin te d in th e bourgeois new spapers of various countries, which joined in the cam paign of slander against th e In tern a tio n a l. A t the m eeting of th e G eneral C ouncil of M arch 21, 1871, M arx exposed th e com m unication in the Paris-Joumal as a provocative forgery a n d said th a t h e h a d already sent a re fu ta tio n to th e e d ito r of The Times, which h a d re p rin te d th e com m unication fro m the Paris-Joumal. T h e item o n M arxs re fu ta tio n was published in The Times on M arch 22, 1871, b u t the new spaper, join in g the cam paign of sla n d er against the In tern a tio n a l, published an item by a c o rre sp o n d e n t of th e B onapartist n ew spaper La Liberte distorting M arxs letter of M arch 21. At th e m eeting of the G eneral C ouncil on M arch 28, 1871, M arx again exposed th e slanderers. H e inserted th e tex t of this piece into his letter to Paul L afarg u e of M arch 23, 1871 (see p re sen t edition. Vol. 44) in o rd e r to m ake it know n to the Paris m em bers of the In tern a tio n a l. P- ^^5

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'45 T h is statem en t was m ad e necessary by th e false allegations ab o u t th e expulsion o f G erm an s from th e In te rn a tio n a ls sections in Paris, which w ere dissem inated by th e reactionary n ew spaper Paris-Joumal. T hese allegations w ere re fu te d in a special letter from the Paris F ederal C ouncil in response to th e G eneral C ouncils request. T h e statem en t of th e G eneral C ouncil to th e e d ito r o f The Times a n d o th e r p a p ers was w ritten by M arx a n d unanim ously ap p ro v ed by the G eneral Council at its m eeting on M arch 21. T h e S tatem ent was published in The Times, No. 27018, M arch 23; in The Eastern Post, N o. 130, M arch 25; The Standard, No. 14555, M arch 27, 1871. T h e statem en t was included in M arxs letter to th e e d ito r o f Der Volksstaat of M arch 23, 1871 (see this volum e, p. 289), a n d in M arxs letter to L afarg u e of the sam e date. p. 286 1'* In the first h alf of M arch, the F rench bourgeois pap ers, particulary the Paris-Joumal a n d th e Caulois, w ere actively su p p o rtin g th e idea of fo u n d in g the so-called Anti-G erm an League. T h e L eague was supposed to fo ster in th e young p eople a spirit of revenge fo r th e d e fea t in th e w ar, to h e lp the F ren ch d e p a rt from Alsace a n d L orraine, which w ere occupied by th e G erm an arm y, a n d to sow discord betw een F rench a n d G erm an w orkers. p. 286 T h e Jockey Club an aristocratic club fo u n d e d in Paris in 1833. p. 286

Flemish w ith th e follow ing p a ra g ra p h ; It has been know n fo r a long tim e th at o u r o p p o n e n ts stop at n o th in g to achieve th e ir aims. D espite this we d id not believe they w ere so im p u d e n t as to w rite fo rg ed letters on behalf of the m em bers of the In tern a tio n a l. B ut this is w hat h a p p e n e d . Som e tim e ago a letter byK arl M arx o n th e co n d u ct of F ren ch w orkers could be re ad in all big new spapers. In connection w ith this, th e A n tw erp section asked K arl M arx fo r an explanation. H e re is w hat the m em b er of th e G eneral C ouncil of the In tern a tio n a l re p lie d . P- 291

152 A sim ilar letter was sent by M arx to The Daily News,v/hich published it o n A pril 6 , 1871. P- 292
15.'' M arx a n d E ngels lea rn ed a bout the strike of th e cigar-w orkers in A ntw erp from th e letter w ritten by Ph. C oenen, an o rg a n iser of th e In tern a tio n a ls sections in Belgium a n d .th e N eth erlan d s, on M arch 29, 1871. T hey im m ediately took steps to organise intern atio n al aid to th e strikers. A t the G eneral C ouncil m eeting of A pril 4, 1871 Engels m ade a re p o rt on the strike, a n d th e C ouncil resolved, on E ngels proposal, to send letters a n d delegations to th e B ritish trad es unions. O n A pril 5, 1871 the G eneral C ouncil issued an ad d ress to th e B ritish trad e s unions to give assistance to th e A ntw erp cigar-w orkers; it was p rin te d as a sep arate leaflet signed by Eccarius. T h a t very day, Engels in fo rm e d Ph. C oenen of this a n d sent a letter to L iebknecht asking him to provide assistance to th e A ntw erp cigar-w orkers, with th e given item for Der Volksstaat enclosed (see E ngels letter to C oenen a n d E ngels letter to L iebknecht of A pril 5, 1871, p re sen t edition. Vol. 44). In response to the G eneral C ouncils appeal, m aterial assistance to the A ntw erp cigar-w orkers was p rovided by a n u m b e r of B ritish trad e s unions a n d th e w orkers of Brussels, w here th e cigar-w orkers also w ent on strike. T h e aid p rovided by the G eneral C ouncil to th e A ntw erp cigar-w orkers, w ho cam e o u t in defence o f th e ir trad e s u n io n , enabled th em to h old o u t till S eptem ber 1871, w hen th e m an u fa ctu re rs h a d to accept th e ir term s. p. 294 >54 T h is O utline of an A ppeal was p re p a re d by Engels o n th e req u est of the M adrid Federal C ouncil to provide assistance to th e weavers a n d spinners of B arcelona w ho w ere on strike. Engels m ade a re p o rt on the subject at the m eeting o f the G eneral C ouncil on A pril 18, 1871. O n A pril 19 he sent the O u d in e to Eccarius, w ho was to appeal to th e w eavers a n d sp in n e rs trad es unions of M anchester to r do n atio n s fo r th e strikers. T h e o utline w as p reced ed by an ad d ress to Eccarius; D ear Eccarius, the follow ing o n th e strike ot the Barcelonese. T o save effo rt, I am giving it to you direct in E nglish. T h e O utline e n d ed with the w ords; T h e form of c o n trib u tio n donatio n o r lo a n should be left to th e m en s discretion. T h e C ouncil could take care of th e rem ittances, o r they can send in th e m oney direct, th e ad d ress is available. Best reg ard s, yours F. E . A t the G eneral C ouncil m eeting on A pril 25, 1871, Engels again touched u p o n the situation in th e Spanish textile industry. >55 T h e resolution of th e Federal C ouncil of th e Paris sections of th e In tern a tio n a l expelling T o lain from th e IW M A as a d e se rte r of th e working-class cause was published in the n ew spaper of o n e of the Paris sections. La Revolution politique et sociale. No. 3, A pril 16, 1871. T h e next day, this news a p p e a re d in The Times (No. 27039), The Standard (No. 14573) a n d o th e r new spapers. T olain, w ho was elected d e p u ty to th e N ational Assembly on F ebruary 8 , 1871 from th e P ans w orkers, a fte r th e proclam ation of the Paris C om m une rem a in e d m the

48 A m eeting o f G erm ans b elonging to th e p ro p e rtie d classes was held in Z urich in M arch 1871 to celebrate G erm anys victory in the Franco-P russian war. At th e m eeting, th e re was a clash betw een a g ro u p of F ren ch officers in te rn e d in Sw itzerland a n d th e G erm ans. T h e reactionary press blew u p a provocative cam paign in o rd e r to u n d e rm in e th e in tern atio n al ties betw een th e w orkers of d iffe re n t countries a n d accused th e In tern a tio n a l o f staging these events. T h e Swiss section of th e In tern a tio n a l exposed th e sla n d er of th e bourgeois press in a special statem ent. Several trad e s un io n s in Z urich likewise issued statem ents saying th a t m em bers of th e In tern a tio n a l h a d n o th in g to do w ith th e clash. p. 286 149 M arxs letter to th e e d ito r of Der Volksstaat contained (with m in o r changes in the G erm an translation) th e statem en t by the G eneral C ouncil to th e e d ito r of The Tims a n d o th e r pap ers, w ritten by him on M arch 21 (see this volum e, pp. 286-87). T h e letter to th e e d ito r of Der Volksstaat was published in G erm an in th a t p a p er. No. 26, M arch 29, 1871, in Die Tagwacht, No. 14, A pril 1, 1871 a n d in Der Vorbote, No. 4, A pril 23, 1871. It was published in F rench in L Egalite, No. 6 , M arch 31, 1871, with the first two p a ra g ra p h s in abrid g ed form . Besides th e press o rg an s of th e In tern a tio n a l, th e letter was published in Die Zukunft, No. 73, M arch 26, 1871. p. 288 '50 H aupt-Chef (T h e principal le a d e r ) th e nam e given by Stieber, a Prussian police officer, at th e C ologne C om m unist trial in 1852 to C herval, an a g ent-provocateur, try in g to ascribe to him , for provocative purposes, the leading role in th e C om m unist L eague a n d m ake it a p p e a r th a t C herval was closely connected with M arx a n d th e d e fen d a n ts (see K. M arxs Revelations Concerning the Communist Trial in Cologne, p re sen t edition. Vol. 11, pp. 407-19). p. 288 '5 ' T h is letter to De Werker was w ritten by M arx at th e req u est of th e editorial secretary Ph. Coenen to expose th e forgeries published in the Paris-Joumal a n d re p rin te d in the reactionary press of various countries in o rd e r to defam e the In tern a tio n a l. T h e ed ito r p refaced th e letter, translated from th e French into

jL

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Versailles Assembly the activity o f w hich was aim ed at su p pressing the revolution m Paris, a n d re fu sed to fulfil th e C o m m u n e s d e m a n d th a t th e w orkers deputies break with th a t reactionary body. Even b efore this, the G eneral C ouncil, acting on the stre n g th o f re p o rts in the L ondon press, had a prelim inary discussion on T o la in s treach ero u s b ehaviour at its m eeting on A pril 18 a n d decided th a t it should be publicly c ondem ned. A fter receiving the resolution on A pril 25, the G eneral C ouncil resum ed its exam ination of T olains case a n d resolved to expel him from the Intern atio n al. In the m an u scrip t of the G eneral C ouncils resolution on T o la in s expulsion w ritten by Engels, som e corrections are m ade by M arx. T h e resolution was published in English in The Eastern Post, No. 135, A pril 29; in French (translated by E ngels) in Llnternationale, No. 122, May 14; in G e rm a n in Der Volksstaat, No. 42, May 24 a n d Der Vorbole, No. 7, July 1871. T h e last p a rag ra p h of th e m anuscript is published only in Llnternationale, which p rin te d th e resolution over E ngels signature, as a c o rre sp o n d in g secretary p ro tem for Belgium . p 237 156 E ngels article O nce A gain H e r r V ogt is connected with M arxs Herr Vogt pubhshed m 1860 (see p re sen t edition, Vol. 17, pp. 21-329), in which M arx exposed the petty-bourgeois d em o crat Karl V ogt as a paid B onapartist agent a n d a dissem inator of slanderous inventions a bout pro letarian revolutionaries T h e direct reason fo r w riting the article was the a p p earan ce, in the a u tu m n o f 1870, a fte r th e collapse o f th e Second E m pire, o f V ogts new p am p h le t Kart Vogt's Politische Briefe an Friedrich Kolb, in which th e a u th o r trie d to cam ouflage his past ties with th e B onapartists. In his article, E ngels also used new ly-published d ata, co n firm in g M arxs conclusion, m ad e in 1860 th at V ogt was a paid ag en t of B o n ap arte. M arx w rote about this in his letter to W ilhelm L iebknecht on A pril 10, 1871 (see p re sen t edition. Vol. 44), th a t is before E ngels article a p p ea red . Der Volksstaat (No. 31, A pril 15) published the follow ing sh o rt m essage, w hich, in the m ain, re p ro d u c e d the text of M arxs letter to L iebknecht: In the official Papiers et correspondance de la famille imperiale, published m the re p o rt of the F rench governm ent, we find, on the alphabetic list ^of recipients of B onapartist m oney, u n d e r the letter V, literally th e following: Vogt; il lui est rem is e n aout 1859, 40,000 Fr. (Vogt received 40,000 francs in A ugust of 1859). T h e e d ito r of Der Volksstaat p rovided this in fo rm atio n , published on M arx s behalf, with the follow ing com m ent: T h e Party com rades who re p ro a c h ed us fo r ig n o rin g V ogts w ritings against the an n ex atio n o f Alsace an d L o rrain e a n d w ere not c o n te n t with o u r re fe rrin g them to th e well-known p am p h le t by M arx, will surely be satisfied now. B ut we re q u est o u r Paris frien d s to send us the com plete register. W e a re certain to find m any an old acquaintance on it w ho once dealt in B onapartism as fellow -rogues o f V ogts a n d now, fo r th e sam e m otives a n d with equal enthusiasm , p ed d le B ism arcks p a trio tism . E n ^ l s article was included in his collection Internationales alls dem "Volksstaat" (1871-75), B erlin, 1894 a n d re p rin te d in Der New Yorker Vo/fazeitone, S onntagsbl No. 19, May 12, 1895. >57 T h e Augsburg Campaign is th e ironical n am e M arx uses in his p a m p h le t Herr Vogt fo r V ogts action b ro u g h t against th e A ugsburg Allgemeine Zeitune in 1859 fo r re p rin tin g the leaflet Z u r W a rn u n g , which exposed V ogt as a B onapartist ag en t (see p re se n t edition. Vol. 17, pp. 111-32). W hen his com plaint was dism issed, he published a booklet M ein Prozess gegen die

Allgemeine Zeitung, in w hich he libelled p ro letaria n revolutionaires. M arxs p a m p h le t Herr Vogt was w ritten in response. p. 298 158 T h e Brimstone Gang (Schw efelbande) th e nam e of a stu d e n ts association at Je n a U niversity in the 1770s, whose m em bers w ere n o torious fo r th e ir brawls; later th e expression becam e w idespread. In his p am p h le t M ein Prozess gegen die Allgemeine Zeitung, V ogt applied it to M arxs su p p o rte rs (see p re sen t edition. Vol. 17, pp. 28-47). p. 298 159 Napoleon le Petit (N apoleon the L ittle) the nicknam e given to Louis B o n ap arte by V ictor H u g o in a speech he m ade in the F rench Legislative Assembly in 1851. It gained wide cu rren cy a fte r th e publication in 1852 of H u g o s Napoleon le Petit. P- 299

160 Engels ironically calls th e Schweizer Handels-Courier, w hich was th e m o uthpiece of

th e B onapartists in the I850s-1860s, V ogts Moniteur, by analogy with the F ren ch official o rg a n of th e sam e nam e. Vogt had close ties with this new spaper. p- 299 161 M arx described this book in his p am p h le t H en Vogt. Ch. V III (see p re sen t edition, Vol. 17, pp. 133-83). p. 299 162 M arx is ap p are n tly re fe rrin g h e re to Je a n Baptiste T ro p p m a n n , a m u rd e re r sentenced to d e ath in Paris in D ecem ber 1869. p. 301 163 The C ivil War in France, one of M arxs m ost im p o rta n t works, was w ritten as an ad d ress by the G eneral C ouncil of th e In tern a tio n a l to all Association m em bers in E u ro p e a n d the U n ited States. From th e earliest days of th e Paris C om m une M arx m ade a p o in t of collecting a n d studying all available in fo rm atio n a bout its activities. H e m ade clippings from all available F rench, English a n d G erm an new spapers of th e tim e. N ew spapers fro m Paris reach ed L o n d o n w ith g re at difficulty. M arx h a d at his disposal only individual issues o f Paris n ew spapers th a t su p p o rte d the C om m une. H e h a d to use E nglish a n d F rench bourgeois new spapers published in L on d o n , including ones o f B onapartist leanings, b u t succeeded in giving an objective pictu re of the developm ents in Paris. T h e notebook with n ew spaper excerpts from M arch 18 to May 1, 1871 is e x ta n t (it was published fo r th e first tim e in th e original languages in: Marx/Engels, Archives, Vol. I l l (V III), Moscow, 1934). M arx also drew valuable in fo rm atio n from th e letters of active participants a n d p ro m in e n t figures of th e Paris C om m une, such as Leo Frankel, E ugene V arlin, A uguste Serraillier, Yelisaveta T om anovskaya, as well as from th e letters of Paul L afargue, Pyotr Lavrov a n d others. O riginally he in te n d e d to w rite an ad d ress to th e w orkers of Paris, as he d eclared at th e m eeting of th e G eneral Council on M arch 28, 1871. His m otion was unanim ously approved. T h e fu rth e r developm ents in Paris led him, how ever, to th e conclusion th a t an appeal should be ad d ressed to pro letarian s of th e w orld. A t th e G eneral C ouncil m eeting on A pril 18, M arx suggested to issue an ad d ress to th e In tern a tio n a l generally a bout the g eneral tendency of the stru g g le . M arx was e n tru ste d with d ra ftin g the address. H e started his w ork a fte r A pril 18 a n d c o n tin u ed th ro u g h o u t May. O riginally he w rote th e First a n d Second d ra fts of The C ivil War in France as p re p a ra to ry variants for th e w ork (see thi^ volum e, pp. 433-51 a n d N ote 285), a n d th e n set a bout m aking u p the final tex t of the address.

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H e did m ost o f th e w ork o n the First a n d Second d ra fts a n d th e final version roughly betw een May 6 a n d 30. O n May 30, 1871, two days a fte r th e last barricade h a d fallen in Paris, the G eneral C ouncil unanim ously ap p ro v ed th e text ot The C ivil War tn France, which M arx h a d read out. The C ivil W ar in France was first published in L ondon on a bout Tune 13 1871 in E nglish, as a p am p h le t of 35 pages in 1,000 copies. Since th e first ^ second E nglish edition o f 2,000 copies was published at a low er price, fo r sale to w orkers. In this edition, M arx corrected som e o f the m isprints occu rrin g in th e first edition, a n d th e section N otes was su p p lem en ted with a n o th e r docum ent. C hanges w ere m ade in the list oi G eneral C ouncil m em bers w ho signed the A ddress: the nam es o f L ucraft a n d O d g e r w ere deleted, as they h a d e xpressed disagreem ent with th e A ddress in the bourgeois press a n d h a d w ithdraw n from th e G eneral Council, a n d the m em bers of th e G eneral C ouncil w ere ad d ed . In A ugust 1871, th e A ir d E nglish edition of The C ivil W ar in France cam e out, in which M arx elim inated th e inaccuracies o f th e previous editions. In 1871-72, The C ivil W ar in France was tran slated into F rench, G erm an, Russian, Italian Spanish, D utch, Flem ish, Serbo-C roat, D anish a n d Polish, a n d published in the periodical press a n d as sep arate pam p h lets in various years^ ^^ " countries a n d th e USA. It was repeatedly published in subsequent V translation was m ade by E ngels a n d published in Der V olksst^t 1 1 1 June-July 1871 (Nos. 52-61, J u n e 28 a n d July I, 5, 8 , 12 16 19 22, 26 a n d 29), and, m a b ridged form , in Der Vorbote (Nos. 8-10) in A ugust-O ctober 1871, a n d it also cam e o u t as a se p a ra te p am p h le t in Leipzig. Engels m ad e several insignificant alterations in the text. By th e fifth an niversary of the P a n s C om m une, in 1876, a new G erm an edition was p u t ou t, with m in o r corrections in tro d u c ed in the text. In 1891, w hen p re p a rin g a jubilee G erm an edition of The C ivil War in France to m ark the 20th anniversary of th e Paris C om m une. E ngels once again e dited th e tex t o f his translation. H e also w rote a n in tro d u c tio n to this edition r d ?rT rh e^ historical significance o f th e experience o f th e Paris C o m m u n e , a n d Its theoretical generalisation by M arx in The C ivil War in France, a n d also giving additional in fo rm atio n on the activities of th e C o m m u n a rd s from am ong th e Blanquists a n d Proudhonists. Engels included in this edition the First a n d Second addresses of th e G eneral C ouncil o f th e In tern a tio n a l W orking M e n s A ssociation on the Franco-P russian w ar, which w ere published in subsequent editions in d iffe re n t languages also to g e th e r with The C ivil War tn rratice. The C ivil War in France was published in F rench fo r th e first tim e in L Internationale in Brussels in July-S eptem ber 1871. A sep arate F rench edition a p p ea red in Brussels in 1872; it was edited by M arx, w ho m ade n u m ero u s changes in the p ro o fs a n d re tra n slate d m any passages. T h e first Russian edition o f The C ivil War in France, which served as the r H ^ b s e q u e n t p rin te d a n d h e cto g rap h e d publications, a p p ea red in Z urich m 1871. In 1905, The C ivil War in France cam e o u t in G erm an edition of 1891 (B urevestnik Publishers Odessa). T h e second edition was b ro u g h t o u t u n d e r th e edito rsh ip o t L enm by th e sam e publishing house, also in 1905 d u rin g th e first Russian revolution W hen editing th e translation of The C ivil War in France, at the request of the publishers, L enin in tro d u c ed precise econom ic a n d political term inology into the text, elim inated n u m ero u s m istakes a n d inaccuracies of

the previous edition of 1905 a n d re sto red those p arts of th e text d eleted by T sarist censorhip. In this volum e, The C ivil War in France is published according to the 3rd English edition of 1871, collated with the G erm an translations of 1871 and 1891. T h e m ost essential textual differences are given in the footnotes. T o esta blish M arxs sources, his notebook with excerpts from various new spapers was used. R eferences to th e sources q u o ted o r m entioned in the text a re given according to these excerpts. In a n u m b e r of cases con cern in g decrees a n d o th er docum ents of th e Paris C om m une, a re fe re n ce is also given to the publications of the official organs of the C om m une. p. 307 O n Ja n u a ry 28, 1871 Bism arck a n d Jules Favre, a rep resen tativ e of the G ov ern m en t of N ational D efence, signed a C onvention on the A rm istice and the C apitulation of Paris (see N ote 120). p. 313 Capitulards a scornful nicknam e for those who advocated th e capitulation of Paris d u rin g th e siege of 1870-71. It subsequently cam e to d e n o te capitulators in general. pp. 313, 438, 482, 517, 523, 538, 546 ii* Je a n Jules Pic a n d Je a n T aillefer stole large sum s of m oney from th e insurance society by fo rgery a n d used them to finance the B onapartist n ew spaper L E tendard In 1869 they w ere sentenced to h a rd labour, pp. 313, 475, 518 T h e Societe generale du Credit Mobilier a large F ren ch joint-stock bank fo u n d e d by the P ereire b ro th ers in 1852. It was closely associated with N apoleon I l l s g o v e rn m e n t a n d u n d e r the latters p rotection engaged in large-scale specula tion. It w ent b a n k ru p t in 1867 a n d was liquidated in 1871. M arx gave an all-out characteristic of th e C red it M obilier in a n u m b e r of articles published in the New-York Daily Tribune in 1856-58 (see p re sen t edition. Vol. 15). pp. 314, 439, 496, 518 ii> 8 ^ re fe re n ce to th e anti-L egitim ist a n d anti-clerical riots in Paris on F ebruary 14 an d 15, 1831, w hich w ere echoed in the provinces. In p ro test against the Legitim ist dem o n stratio n d u rin g th e requiem mass fo r the D uke d u B erry, the m ob p lu n d e re d th e ch u rch of Saint G erm ain IA uxerrois a n d th e palace of A rchbishop Q uelen, who was know n fo r his L egitim ist sym pathies. T h e O rleanist governm ent, which was striving to w eaken the hostile Legitim ist party, did n o th in g to stop th e crow d. T h ie rs, w ho was p re sen t w hen the church a n d palace w ere attacked, u rg e d the N ational G u ard s n o t to in terfere. In 1832, by o rd e r of T h ie rs, th en M inister of th e In te rio r, the D uchess de B erry, m o th e r of the C om te d e C h am b o rd , the L egitim ist p re te n d e r to the French th ro n e, was a rre ste d and subjected to a hum iliating m edical ex am in a tion to expose h e r secret m arriag e with a N eapolitan noblem an a n d pregnancy, an d in this way politically com prom ise h e r a n d h e r son. pp. 315, 454, 503, 520 A n allusion to th e unseem ly role played by T h ie rs in sup p ressin g the p o p u lar insu rrectio n in Paris on A pril 13-14, 1834, directed by the secret R epublican Society of the Rights of M an (Societe des D roits d e IH om m e). T h iers, th en M inister of the In terio r, organised the b ru tal persecution of the p articipants in the insurrecticm a n d was, in particular, responsible for the d e ath of the inhabitants of a house in R ue T ran sn o n ain . September Laws (1835) w ere issued by the F rench governm ent, which took advantage of an a tte m p t on the life of Louis Philippe on July 28 to restrict trial by ju ry a n d in tro d u c e harsh m easures against the press, including h ig h er

668

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669

securities fo r periodicals, a n d prison term s a n d large fines fo r statements against p ro p e rty a n d the existing political system. p p. 315, 446, 454, 520, 596 In Ja n u a ry 1841, T h ie rs cam e fo rw ard in the C h am b er of D eputies with a project, p re p a re d by M inister of W ar Soult, fo r b uilding fortifications a ro u n d P a ris a wall a n d several forts. R evolutionary a n d dem ocratic circles took it as a p re p a ra to ry step tow ards sup p ressin g any p o p u la r m ovem ent, th o u g h the p ro jec t was p re sen te d as a m easu re to stre n g th e n the citys defences. It was no ted th a t T h ie rs pro ject pro v id ed fo r the construction of especially strong a n d n u m ero u s forts n e a r the working-class q u a rte rs to th e east a n d n orth-east pp. 315, 454, 520 In Ja n u a ry 1848, the N eapolitan troops of K ing F e rd in an d II, subsequently nicknam ed K ing B om ba fo r his savage b o m b ard m en t of M essina in the a u tu m n of th a t year, shelled Palerm o in an e ffo rt to suppress a p o p u la r uprising, which sparked off the bourgeois revolution in the Italian states in 1848-49. pp. 315, 455, 520 * ^ 2 In A pril 1849, the F rench bourgeois go v ern m en t, in alliance with A ustria and Naples, in terv en ed against th e R om an R epublic fo r the p u rp o se o f suppressing It a n d re sto rin g the P o p e s secular pow er. As a result of the a rm ed intervention a n d th e siege of Rom e, which was subjected to fierce b o m b ard m en t by F rench troops, the R om an Republic, despite heroic resistance, was overthrow n a n d Rom e was occupied by F rench troops. pp. 315, 455, 510, 521, 572 T h e Party of Order a p arty of th e big reactionary bourgeoisie, which was fo rm ed m 1848 as a coalition of m onarchist groups: the Legitim ists (su p p o rters o f th e B o urbon dynasty), the O rleanists (su p p o rte rs o f th e O rleans dynasty) a n d th e B onapartists. From 1849 until th e coup d etat of D ecem ber 2, 1851, it held sway in the Legislative Assembly of th e Second Republic. pp. 316, 497, 503, 521 O n Ja n u a ry 11, 1864, T h ie rs spoke in the C orps legislatif a bout the g o v e rn m e n ts d uty to re tu rn th e necessary liberties to th e country, including free d o m o f the individual, the press, association, a n d elections to parliam ent (Le Moniteur universel, No. 12, Ja n u a ry 12, 1864). pp. 316, 443 , 453 Is T h ie rs asked Bism arck fo r perm ission to increase the n u m b e r of troops, which was n o t to exceed 40,000 according to A rt. 3 of th e prelim inary treaty signed by T h ie rs a n d Jules Favre, on th e one h and, a n d B ism arck a n d representatives o f th e South G erm an states, on th e o th er, in Versailles on F eb ru ary 26, 1871. T h ie rs go v ern m en t assured Bism arck th a t the troops w ould be used exclusively fo r sup p ressin g the in su rrectio n in Paris, a n d on M arch 28, 1871, according to th e R ouen C onvention, T h ie rs received perm ission to increase the size o f th e Versailles arm y to 80,000 and, som ew hat later, to 100,000 m en. A ccordingly, the G erm an C om m and re p a tria te d F rench prisoners of war, m ost of w hom h a d b een serving in the arm ies th a t su rre n d e re d in Sedan an d Metz. T h e Versailles go v ern m en t q u a rte re d these units in secret cam ps, w here they w ere train ed fo r action against the Paris C om m une. pp. 317, 452, 458, 483, 541

1830, a fte r th e dynasty was ov erth ro w n fo r the second tim e. D u rin g the Second R epublic, th e Legitim ists, to g eth e r w ith the o th e r m onarchist parties, fo rm ed th e Party of O rd e r (see N ote 173). U n d e r th e Second E m pire, failing to win any su p p o rt from the people, they confined them selves to m ark in g tim e and issuing critical pam phlets, a n d w ere galvanised into action only in 1871, w hen they jo in ed th e general c o unter-revolutionary onslau g h t against th e Paris C om m une. pp. 318, 465 177 chambre introuvable th e nam e given by K ing Louis X V III to th e C h am b er of D eputies in F rance which in 1815-16 consisted of ex trem e reactionaries. pp. 319, 340, 465, 476, 503, 524 )7S T h e Assembly of R urals a scornful nicknam e for the N ational Assembly, which m et on F eb ru ary 12, 1871 in B o rd e au x a n d consisted m ostly of reactionary m onarchists, such as provincial landow ners, civil servants, re n tiers a n d m erchants elected from ru ra l constituencies. pp. 319, 446, 492, 497, 520, 530, 538, 543, 629 >79 A ccording to th e term s of th e p relim inary peace treaty, signed on F eb ru ary 26, 1871 at Versailles, F rance ceded Alsace a n d East L o rrain e to G erm any and paid it 5 billion francs indem nity; until th e in dem nity was paid, a p a rt o f the F rench territo ry con tin u ed to be occupied by the G erm an troops. T h e final peace treaty was signed in F ra n k fu rt am M ain o n May 10, 1871 (see this volum e, pp. 346-47). p- 319 O n M arch 10, 1871, th e N ational Assembly ad o p te d a law o n ov erd u e bills. Accordingly, a seven-m onth m o rato riu m was set fo r paym ents on security m ade from A ugust 13 to N ovem ber 12, 1870; n o m o rato riu m was allowed for paym ents o n securities contracted a fte r N ovem ber 12. T h is m ea n t th a t the law gave virtually n o d e fe rm e n t to those in d eb t, the w orking class a n d the im pecunious sections of th e p opulation. It also caused th e ban k ru p tcy of m any small industrialists a n d m erchants. D u rin g the siege of Paris, the tim e for r e n t paym ent was tra n s fe rre d from o n e q u a rte r of a y ear to a n o th e r. A t th e e n d of M arch 1871 a n o th e r p aym ent cam e due. T h e p ro jec t advanced by T h ie rs a n d D u fa u re gave house-ow ners the rig h t, if th e re n t h a d n o t been paid fo r two years, to evict th e ten an ts and a p p ro p ria te th e ir fu rn itu re a n d personal belongings. T h e N ational Assembly re fu sed to consider the project. pp. 319, 441, 444, 474 Decembriseur particip an t in th e Society of D ecem ber 10 (see N ote 4). Vinoy was directly involved in the coup d eta t of D ecem ber 2, 1851, having used tro o p s to p u t dow n attem pts to start a republican u p risin g in one of the d e p a rtm e n ts of France. pp- 320, 441, 525, 543 182 A ccording to n ew spaper rep o rts, o u t of th e in te rn al loan th a t the go v ern m en t o f the T h ird R epublic h a d decided to float, its head T h ie rs a n d o th e r m i nisters w ere to receive m o re th an 300 m illion francs by way of com m ission. T h ie rs subsequendy a d m itte d th a t the m en re p re se n tin g th e financial circles with w hom the loan was being negotiated w ere d e m a n d in g swift suppression of th e revolution in Paris. T h e loan bill was passed on Ju n e 20, 1870, a fte r the Paris C om m une h a d been crushed. pp. 320, 442, 524 Cayenne tow n in F rench G uiana (South A m erica), a penal colony a n d place of exile for political prisoners a n d crim inals. pp. 321, 451, 522 O n O ctober 31, 1870, follow ing the re p o rts of the capitulation at Metz, the de fea t at L e-B ourget, a n d the negotiations with the Prussians started by T h iers

> 6 Legihmists the p arty of su p p o rte rs of the B o urbon dynasty, which was
overthrow n in F rance in 1792, re p re se n tin g the interests o f th e big landed aristocracy a n d to p clergy; it took shape as a p a rty a n d assum ed this nam e in

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on te h a lf of th e G o v ern m en t o f N ational D efence, Paris w orkers a n d the revolutionary section of th e N ational G u ard sta rte d an u p risin g a n d took the PuZ? ^ f ; revolutionary p o w e r the C om m ittee of Public Safety, h ead e d by A uguste Blanqui. U n d e r pre ssu re from th e w orkers the G o v ern m en t of N ational D efence was forced to prom ise to resign a n d set elections to th e C om m une fo r N ovem ber 1. B ut, taking ad vantage of th e loose organisation of the revolutionary forces in Paris a n d th e d ifferences betw een the B lanquists a n d th e petty-bourgeois Jacobin D em ocrats, w ho led the uprising, the g o v e rn m e n t w ent back on its prom ise to resign, threw th e loyal battalions of the N ational G u a rd against the T ow n Hall a n d re sto red its pow er. pp. 323, 447, 527 B r e to n s -th e B reton Mobile G u a rd , w hich T ro c h u used as a g e n d arm erie to suppress th e revolutionary m ovem ent in Paris. T h e B retons replaced the Corsicans who, u n d e r the Second E m pire, constituted a large section of the g e n d arm erie corps. pp. 323 , 446 , 431 513 537 , 532, 539 O n Ja n u a ry 22, 1871, the Blanquists initiated a new revolutionary action by the P a n s p ro letaria t a n d the N ational G u a rd , w ho d e m a n d e d the o v L h r o w o f the g o v e rn m e n t a n d th e establishm ent o f a com m une. O n o rd e rs o f the G o v ern m en t of N ational D efence, the B reto n Mobile G u ard , w ho w ere g u a rd in g the T ow n Hall, fired on them . M any o f th e particip an ts in the d em o n stratio n w ere a rre ste d , all the clubs in Paris w ere closed dow n, public gath erin g s w ere pro h ib ited a n d a n u m b e r o f new spapers b an n ed . O nce the revo utio n ary m ovem ent was su p p ressed by m eans o f terro rism , the go v ern m en t p ro ceed ed to p re p a re fo r the s u rre n d e r of Paris. p. 324 Sommation (a d e m a n d to d i s p e r s e ) - a form of w arn in g given while break in g u p A ccording to the 1831 law, th e d e m a n d was p eated th re e tim es, accom panied by d ru m m in g o r tru m p e ts (faire les trois som m ations), follow ing which th e a uthorities w ere e n tid e d to re so rt to force he Kiot A ct (an act fo r p re v en tin g tum ults a n d riotous assemblies, a n d fo r R ririh T a n d effectual p u n ish in g of rioters) was in tro d u c ed in the fn rL H u obliged the au th o rities to re ad p a rt of it to those unlaw fully assem bled a n d to open fire if th e latter re fu sed to disperse w ithin an h o u r. pp 325 ^ 539 T h is refers Uj the repressive laws initiated o r actively su p p o rte d by I. D u fa u re a s b an n ed . A fte r the d em o n stratio n t dispersed, a n u m b e r o f repressive laws w ere ad o p te d on J u n e 19, the law on associations, on J u n e 2 7 - t h e law on the press (loi su r la presse), on A ugust 9 - t h e law on th e state of siege (loi su r 1eta t de siege). A fte r D u fa u re becam e M inister o f Justice in F eb ru ary 1871, he ad o p te d a whole series o f repressive laws. T h e law on th e state o f siege o f A pril 28 " ^ - di ng pp. 325, 444, 512 D u rin g the O ctober 31 events (see N ote 184), w hen the m em bers of the G overnm ent of N ational D efence w ere d e ta in ed at the T ow n Hall, F lourens p re v en ted th e ir being shot, as o n e o f the insu rg en ts was d em an d in g , p. 326 By the term s of the E u ro p ea n C onvention signed at G eneva in 1864, subject to certain regulations, the w ounded and the official staff of am bulances a n d th e ir e q u ip m e n t w ere declared n eutral. pp 337 , 473 ^ 530 the l a w ' ^ ' l M g of T,

M l T he d ecree of the C om m une of A pril 5, 1871 on reprisals a n d hostages (M arx gives th e d a te according to the r e p o rt in The Daily News, No. 7781, A pril 7, 1871) was published in th e Journal officiel (Paris), No. 96, A pril 6 , 1871. U n d e r this decree, all p ersons ch arg ed with a n d proved to be m ain tain in g contacts with Versailles w ere d eclared to be hostages. By this m easure, the Paris C om m une trie d to p re v en t th e Versailles m en from shooting C om m unards. p. 327 I'i'J Girondins d u rin g the F rench Revolution th e p arty of the big com m ercial a n d industrial bourgeoisie a n d th e landow ning bourgeoisie which e m erg ed in the years of the revolution; n am ed a fte r the d e p a rtm e n t of G ironde, which was re p re se n te d in the Legislative Assembly a n d the C onvenrion by m any leaders of this party. T h e G iro n d in s stood fo r tu rn in g France into a fe d era tio n of republics a n d op p o sed th e Jacobin dictatorship. p. 333 i O n D ecem ber 21, 1870, P rofessor T h o m as H uxley suggested to the School B oard fo r L ondon th a t th e B oard S ecretarys salary should be 1,000. T h e School B oard decided on a salary of 80 0 . pp. 336, 488 O n A pril 12, 1871, th e C om m une su sp en d e d all kinds of p rosecution fo r delay of paym ents (D ecret su r la suspension des poursuites p o u r echeances) u n til the law on pay m en t term s was published. T h e Paris C om m une law of A pril 16, 1871 (Loi su r les echeances) p rovided fo r pay m en t of all debts in instalm ents over th re e years a n d the abolition of interest on them . T h e law greatly alleviated th e financial position o f th e petty bourgeoisie a n d was d isadvantage ous to the big capitalist creditors. pp- 336, 474 M arx is re fe rrin g to th e C o n stitu en t Assem blys rejection, on A ugust 22, 1848, of the bill o n am icable a g ree m e n ts (concordats a Iam iable ), pro v id in g fo r a m o rato riu m fo r deb to rs able to prove th a t they h a d gone b a n k ru p t as a result of th e d epression caused by th e revolution. T h is h a d ru in e d a considerable section of the petty bourgeoisie a n d left it in the clutches of big bourgeois creditors. PP- 336, 496 196 Fr'eres ignorantins o r ignorantines th e n am e of th e religious o rd e r Freres des ecoles chretiennes (Institute o f the B ro th ers o f th e C hristian Schools), which was fo u n d e d in R heim s in 1680 a n d w hose m em bers p ledged them selves to educate the ch ild ren of th e poor. M arx uses th e term to h in t at the low level a n d clerical n a tu re of prim ary education in France. p. 336 T h is re fe rs to th e Alliance republicaine des departements, a political association of petty-bourgeois residents in Paris who cam e from various regions of France. It was fo u n d e d in A pril 1871 a n d soon sided with the Paris C om m une. T h e Alliance cam e o u t against th e Versailles G ov ern m en t, o rganised solidarity m eetings in the provinces, a n d w orked o u t a p ro jec t for dem ocratic re fo rm s to stre n g th e n the R epublican system. pp- 337, 495 * 9 * ^ T h is ap p are n tly re fe rs to the Paris C om m une appeal T o th e W orking People of the Villages (A ux travailleurs des c am p ag n e s), published in A pril-early May 1871 in the C om m une new spapers a n d issued as a sep arate leaflet. p. 337 M arx is re fe rrin g to th e law passed by the g o v e rn m e n t of C harles X on A pril 27, 1825, a u th o risin g th e pay m en t of com pensation to fo rm e r em igres for the landed estates confiscated from th em d u rin g the French R evolution. Most of

sTcrerRenubr

*e

672

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N otes

673

this com pensation, which cam e to 1 billion francs a n d was paid as a th re e per cent state re n t, w ent to to p co u rtiers a n d big landow ners. pp. 337 , 492 A n additional tax of forty-five centimes o n the fran c of the direct tax was established by the Provisional G o v ern m en t of the Second Republic on M arch 16, 1848. T h e tax, the w hole b ru n t o f which fell on the shoulders of the peasants, a ro u sed intense re sen tm en t am o n g them , a n d this m ood was utilised by the big landow ners a n d C atholic priests fo r agitation against the dem ocrats a n d w orkers of Paris in o rd e r to tu rn th e p easantry into a reserve of the counter-revolution. pp 337 201 A re fe re n ce to the o rd in an ce dividing F rance into m ilitary districts and g ra n tm g alm ost unlim ited pow ers to th e ir com m anders; th e bill giving the P resident of the Republic the rig h t to rem ove o r a p p o in t m ayors; the law on village teachers, w ho w ere p u t u n d e r the supervision of th e prefects, a n d the education law which increased th e influence of the clergy on education. M arx gives a description of these laws in his w ork The Class Struggles in France, 1848 to 1850 (see p re sen t edition, Vol. 10, p. 123). pp. 338, 493

< 08 Francs-fileurs (literally;

free ab sco n d ers ) th e nam e given to th e Paris bourgeois w ho fled from th e city d u rin g the siege. It so u n d e d all th e m ore ironical being a p u n on francs-tireurs (see N ote 34). pp. 342, 350, 457, 543 p. 343

i 09 T h is re fe rs to th e T h e a tre de la Porte-Saint-M artin in Paris.

->i Coblenz 21 city in W estern G erm any, the c en tre of co unter-revolutionary em igration d u rin g the F rench Revolution. It was th e seat of the em igre go v ern m en t h e ad e d by de C alonne, fo rm e r m inister of Louis XVI. ^ pp. 343, 457, 543 '1 1 C/ioam p articipants in the c o unter-revolutionary insu rrectio n in N orth-W est France d u rin g the F rench Revolution. D u rin g the Paris C om m une, this nam e was given by the C o m m u n ard s to the d e ta ch m e n t of m onarchist-m inded Versailles soldiers re cru ite d in B rittany a n d used against the C om m une. pp. 343, 452

212 U n d e r th e im pact of the p ro letaria n revolution of M arch 18, 1871, which led to
the establishm ent of th e Paris C om m une, revolutionary mass actions were m o u n te d in Lyons, M arseilles a n d a n u m b e r of o th e r cities of France. O n M arch 22, the T ow n Hall in Lyons was seized by the N ational G u a rd a n d the citys w orking people, a n d a C om m une was proclaim ed. However, the provisional com m ission set u p to p re p a re elections to the C om m une abdicated its pow ers because it com m anded only a small m ilitary force a n d h a d no strong links with the p eople a n d th e N ational G u a rd . Fresh actions by th e w orking people o f Lyons on A pril 30 w ere fiercely suppressed by th e arm y a n d th e police. In M arseilles, th e in su rg e n t po p u latio n took the T ow n H all a n d a rre ste d the p re fe c t A com m ission o f the D e p artm en t was set u p in the city a n d elections to th e C om m une w ere scheduled fo r A pril 5. H ow ever, the revolutionary m ovem ent in M arseilles was p u t dow n o n A pril 4 by go v ern m en t troops, w ho shelled the city. P' I f 213 T h is re fe rs to D u fa u re s activities, aim ed at stre n g th e n in g th e regim e of the

202 T h e Vendome C o lu m n ~ a w ar m em orial erected in Paris betw een 1806 and

1810 as a trib u te to the m ilitary victories of N apoleon I. It was m ade of bronze fro m c a p tu re d enem y guns. O n May 16, 1871, by o rd e r o f the Paris C om m une the V endSm e C olum n was destroyed as a symbol of m ilitarism . pp. 339, 475, 501 203 In the 1850s a n d 1860s, G.E. H aussm ann, p refect o f th e Seine D ep artm en t, e a rn e d o u t considerable w ork on re building Paris. T h e old streets were w idened a n d new straight ones w ere laid to facilitate the use of artillery by troops m sup p ressin g p o p u la r uprisings. Big sum s of m oney allocated by the state fo r these w orks w ere m isap p ro p riated by H aussm ann a n d his subordip p. 339, 351 20"* In May 1871, facts exposing crim es com m itted in m onasteries becam e know n. In the Picpus n u n n e ry , in the St. A ntoine su b u rb of Paris, cases w ere established of n u n s being incarcerated in cells fo r m any years a n d in stru m en ts of to rtu re fo u n d ; in the C h u rc h o f Saint L au re n t, a secret cem etery was discovered attesting to th e m u rd e rs th a t h a d been com m itted th ere. See Les squelettes deco u v erts... in Le Mot d Ordre, No. 71, May 5, 1871; H . R ochefort, Les m ysteres d u C ouvent Picpus , Le Mot d Ordre, No. 72, May 6 , 1871, and also the p a m p h le t Les crimes des congregations religieuses. Mysteres de VEglise Saint Laurent, Paris, [1871]. p 340 205 Wilhelmshohe (near K assel) th e castle of th e Prussian kings, w here th e ex -E m p ero r N apoleon III, c a p tu re d by the Prussians, was re ta in e d from S eptem ber 5, 1870 to M arch 19, 1871. p. 340 206 T h is refers to Stanislas Pourille, elected to th e C om m une u n d e r th e false nam e of B lanchet. O n May 5, 1871 he was expelled from the C om m une a n d th en a rrested . p 340 207 Aiscnteei lan d lo rd s w ho ow ned estates in Irela n d b u t lived p e rm an en tly in E ngland. T h e ir estates w ere m anaged by agents w ho robbed the Irish peasants, o r w ere leased to speculator-m iddlem en, who subleased small plots to the peasants. p 34 j

I
> S r

Tuly m onarchy, d u rin g th e a rm e d action of th e secret conspiratorial Republican Society of th e Seasons (Societe des Saisons) in May 1839, a n d to D u fa u re s role in the struggle against the oppositional petty-bourgeois Party of th e M ountain d u rin g the Second Republic in J u n e 1849. T h e revolutionary action of th e Society of the Seasons on May 12, looy, h e ad e d by B lanqui a n d Barbes, was suppressed by go v ern m en t troops a n d the N ational G u ard . T o fight the revolutionary d a n g e r a new m inistry was form ed, of w hich D u fa u re becam e a m em ber. In Ju n e 1849, in a situation of m o u n tin g political crisis th a t resu lted from the oppositional moves of th e Party of th e M ountain against Louis B onaparte, P resid en t of the R epublic, D ufaure, w ho becam e M inister of the In terio r, initiated a n u m b e r of repressive laws aim ed against the revolutionary section of th e N ational G u ard , dem ocrats a n d socialists. P- 345 2i'i T h is re fe rs to th e law on the press, ad o p te d by the N ational Assembly on Ju n e 6 , 1871, which re in tro d u ce d provisions fro m the previous reactionary b w s on the press of 1819 a n d 1849: it provided for h arsh penalties, including the closure of periodicals, fo r statem ents against the authorities. Besides, a law was a d o p te d on the re in sta tem en t of officials of th e Second E m pire w ho h a d been dism issed a n d a special law on the p ro c ed u re s fo r the re tu rn of p ro p e rty

674

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confiscated by the C om m une and on the in tro d u c tio n of penalties fo r its confiscation, as a crim inal offence. pp. 345 ^ 467 ^ 479 T h e bill on sh o rte n in g the trial by courts-m artial (Projet de loi relatif a Iabreviation des p ro c ed u re s d evant les Conseils d e g u erre), m otioned by D u fa u re a n d a d o p te d by the N ational Assembly on A pril 6 , 1871, e x ten d ed the pow ers of the arm y co m m a n d er and the M inister of W ar. In particular, they were em pow ered to institute crim inal proceedings w ithout prelim inary investig ation a n d pass sentences w ithin 48 hours. p, 345

the Ju n k e rs a n d th e bourgeoisie. Bism arck, elected to th e second cham ber, was the lea d er of its ex trem e Right-w ing Ju n k e r g ro u p . p. 353 T h e statem ent issued by th e G eneral Council of th e In tern a tio n a l over Jules Favres circular o f Ju n e 6 , 1871, w ritten by M arx a n d Engels, was included in the second a n d th ird English editions of The C ivil War in France a n d its G erm an editions of 1871, 1876 a n d 1891. It was also published separately in a n u m b e r of new spapers (see this volum e pp. 361-63). p. 357 In 1841, Le National, the n ew spaper of m o d erate bourgeois R epublicans, ap p ro v ed T h ie rs plan fo r build in g fortifications ro u n d Paris, aim ed against the w orkers a n d dem ocratic m ovem ent (on th e plan see N ote 170). E. C abet strongly con d em n ed th e position of Le National. O n A pril 10, 1841, the n ew spaper published an article containing attacks of a personal n a tu re against C abet a n d p re sen tin g a d isto rte d pictu re of his position d u rin g th e July 1830 revolution Le National re fu sed to publish C abets refu tatio n . C abet prosecuted the n ew spaper fo r libel, a n d in May 1841 th e c o u rt com pelled it to publish the letter A fter new attacks by Le National in A ugust 1841, C abet obtain ed a c o u rt o rd e r obliging th e n ew spaper to publish his new letter. D u rin g th e su m m er of 1841, he published a n u m b e r of pam p h lets in which he exposed th e slanderous c h aracter of the n ew spapers publications. P- 357 W4 T h is statem ent, w ritten by M arx a n d Engels, was ap p ro v ed by th e G eneral Council of the In tern a tio n a l W orking M ens Association a t its m eeting o n Ju n e 13 1871. In his re p o rt on the issue, Engels no ted th at, o f all th e bourgeois dailies, only The Times in its issue No. 27088 on J u n e 13, 1871 pubhshed the full tex t of th e statem en t a n d The Pall Mall Gazette m its No. 1975, Ju n e 13. 1871 p rin te d it in p a rt. T h e statem ent subsequently a p p e a re d in several press o r g a n s of t h e In tern a tio n a l in 1871; The Eastern P o s t,m . 142, Ju n e l1 ,L a L ib e rte N o 57 Ju n e 17, VIntem ationale, No. 127, J u n e 18, Les Cahiers du Travail, No! 12! Ju n e , Der Volksstaat, No. 50, J u n e 21, Der Vorhote, No. 6 , Ju n e , La Emancipation, No. 2, J u n e 26, L Egalite, No. 11, Ju n e 27, etc. T h e statem en t was included in som e editions of The C ivil War in France (see this volum e, p. 357 a n d note 222). P-25 T h is statem ent, w ritten by M arx a n d edited by E ngels, was occasioned by the leading article of The Times o n Ju n e 19, which libelled th e P ans C om m une a n d th e In tern a tio n a l; it extolled Louis B o n a p arte s m erits in suppressing the revolutionary working-class m ovem ent. T h e e d ito r of The Times re fu sed to publish the statem ent. E ngels m ad e som e changes m th e d ra ft statem ent w ritten by M arx. , , i T h e statem en t was published in English for th e first tim e in The General Council of the First International. 1870-187L Minutes, Moscow, 1967, pp. 419-20 p. O n S eptem ber 24, 1867, the G eneral C ouncil resolved, on M arxs initiative, to abolish the p e rm a n e n t office of C h airm an a n d elect a C h airm an fo r each m eeting. P -2 T h e last p a ra g ra p h of M arxs d ra ft statem ent was edited by Engels. The Standard never published th e letter. , . r i. T h e statem en t was first published in English in: K ari M arx a n d F eeder c Engels, O n the Paris Commune, Progress Publishers, Moscow, 1971, pp. 228 T h is statem ent by the G eneral C ouncil was draw n u p by Engels in connection

21b A referen ce to the com m ercial treaty betw een B ritain a n d France, signed on
Ja n u a ry 23, 1860, u n d e r which France was conceded th e rig h t to e x p o rt m ost of its goods to E ngland duty-free. France ab an d o n e d h e r prohibitive tariff policy a n d replaced it with duties of no m ore th an 30 p e r cent of the value of the goods. T h e result was a sh a rp intensification of com petition on the French dom estic m arket, which was flooded with goods from B ritain, a n d this caused d iscontent am o n g F rench industrialists. M arx describes this treaty in his articles published in volum e 17 of th e p re sen t edition. pp. 346, 442 2'^ A referen ce to the reign of te rro r and bloody reprisals in A ncient Rom e in the period of intensified social a n d political struggle in the 1st c en tu ry B.C. T h e dictatorship of Sulla (82-79 B.C.), who was m ade dictator by the slave-owning nobility, was characterised by mass scale annihilation of m em bers o f th e oppositional slave-ow ners faction. The First and Second Triumvirates p e riods o f dictato rsh ip by the m ost influential R om an generals, w ho divided pow er betw een them selves. T h e First T riu m v irate (60-53 B.C.) th e p e rio d of the d ictatorship of Pom pey, C aesar a n d Crassus; th e Second T riu m v irate (43-36, form ally until 31 B.C.) o f O ctavianus, A ntonius a n d L epidus. p, 349 In A ugust 1814, d u rin g th e w ar betw een B ritain a n d th e U nited States (1812-14), the B ritish troops took W ashington a n d b u rn e d th e C apitol (the Congressional building), the W hite H ouse a n d o th e r public buildings. In O ctober 1860, d u rin g th e colonial w ar (1856-60) waged by B ritain a n d France against C hina, the A nglo-French troops p lu n d e re d a n d b u rn e d dow n the S u m m er Palace, a treasu re-h o u se of C hinese arch itectu re a n d a rt n ear p. 350 In 1812, Moscow becam e th e centre of the all-Russian resistance to the aggression of N ap o leo n s France. O n S eptem ber 7, a battle took place at the village of B o ro d in o n e a r Moscow, a n d this largely p re d e te rm in e d th e collapse of N apoleons aggressive plans. A t the begin n in g of the occupation of Moscow by the F rench arm y, a g re at fire began in the city a n d lasted a bout a week. p. 351 Praetorians privileged tro o p s in the R om an E m pire; originally the body g u a rd of th e m ilitary com m anders. T h e ir nam e has com e to symbolise m ercenary troops su p p o rtin g a tyranny. pp. 352 , 514 221 M arx gives the nam e C h am b re intro u v ab le (see N ote 177) to the Prussian Assembly elected in Ja n u ary -F eb ru ary 1849, on the basis of th e C onstitution g ra n te d by the Prussian K ing on D ecem ber 5, 1848, the day of the co unter-revolutionary coup d m t in Prussia. In accordance with the C onstitution, the Assembly consisted of two cham bers: the privileged, aristocratic ch am b er o f th e g e n try , a n d th e second cham ber, dom inated by

p. O D D

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letter by G eorge H olyoake, a leading figure in the co-operative m ovem ent, published in The Daily News o n Ju n e 20, 1871, w hich contained attacks on the G eneral Councils A ddress The C ivil War in France. George Holyoake* asserted th at the A ddress aided the reactionary forces; th a t it* a u th o rs w ere n o t tho ro u g h ly acquainted with the English working-class m ovem ent; th at the E nglish m em bers of th e G eneral C ouncil O d g e r and L ucraft n e ith e r saw n o r signed the statem ent. H e th u s e n co u rag ed th em to oppose it. A t the G eneral C ouncil m eeting of J u n e 20, 1871, which was to ap p ro v e this statem ent, O d g e r a n d L u cra ft expressed th e ir disapproval o f it a n d demanded th a t th e ir nam es should not be a p p en d e d . In com pliance with M arxs wishes th e G eneral C ouncil a n n o u n ce d in this statem ent th a t the A ddress The Civil War in France had been draw n u p by M arx, p. 367 229 Engels w rote this letter at M arxs suggestion because The Spectator a n d The ' Examiner re p rin te d th e re p o rts of th e reactionary F rench press o n the so-called ^ m anifestoes of the In tern a tio n a l, which w ere actually forged by the French police (see this volum e, pp. 364-66). M arxs proposal to send a re fu ta tio n to these p a p ers was ap p ro v ed by the G eneral C ouncil at its m eeting on J u n e 20, 1871. T h e editors of the new spapers did not, how ever, publish the letter. T h is letter was first published in E nglish in The General Council of the First International 1870-1871, Minutes, Moscow, 1967, p. 423. p. 369 230 M arx s letter to the ed ito r of The Daily News was occasioned by this n ew spapers publication on Ju n e 26, 1871 of letters by B ritish clergym an Jo h n Llewellyn Davies, B enjam in L ucraft, a n d G eorge Holyoake. G eorge Holyoake again slanderously attacked th e A ddress even a fte r the G eneral C ouncil had m ad e its statem ent on J u n e 21 (see this volum e, pp. 367-68). L ucraft expressed his disag reem en t with th e propositions of th e A ddress a n d d eclared his resignation from th e G eneral Council. Davies called u p o n the French G overnm ent to start legal proceedings against the G eneral C ouncil fo r the accusations contained in the A ddress against T h iers, Favre a n d others. M arx sent the letter to th e editors of The Daily News a n d The Pall Mall Gazette. T h e latter published an excerpt fro m the letter on Ju n e 27, 1871. As th e editors of The Daily News refu sed to publish the second p a rt of M arxs letter, in w hich he exposed th e B ritish bourgeois press, the letter was also sent to The Eastern Post, w hich published it in full on July 1, 1871. p. 370 2^* T h is re fe rs to articles a n d docum ents exposing P alm erstons foreign policy. T h ey w ere published in the 1830s a n d 1840s by the B ritish conservative jo u rn alist and politician David U rq u h a rt in The Portfolio, a collection of diplom atic docum ents p u t o u t by him , a n d in various periodicals. M arx, who persistently exposed th e diplom acy of th e ru lin g classes, in addition to o th er sources, m ade use of th e docum ents published by U rq u h a rt in his series of articles L ord P alm ersto n w ritten in 1853 (see p re sen t edition, Vol. 12, pp. 341-406). A t the sam e tim e, M arx criticised U rq u h a rts reactionary views. p. 371 232 T h is statem ent, draw n u p by Engels in connection with th e letters of Holyoake a n d L ucraft published in The Daily News on J u n e 26, 1871, was ap p ro v ed at the m eeting of the G eneral Council o n J u n e 27, 1871. T h e m eeting unanim ously censured L ucraft a n d O d g er, w ho refu sed to su p p o rt the A ddress of the G eneral Council The C ivil War in France a n d accepted th e ir resignation from the Council. p 372

with the

):i:i This re fe rs to articles a n d docum ents forged by the Paris reactionary press to slan d er the Paris C om m une a n d th e In tern a tio n a l; they resem bled the forgeries used in the struggle against the revolutionary m ovem ent by th e Prussian police u n d e r Stieber, one of th e chief organisers of the provocative C om m unist trial in Cologne (1852). P-

234 T h is letter was w ritten by M arx in reply to th e declaration of The Pall Mall
Gazette th a t the accusations levelled by M arx against the Versailles G overnm ent in th e G eneral C ouncils A ddress The C ivil War in France w ere libellous (see this volum e, pp. 307-59). O n July 3, The Pall Mall Gazette p rin te d M arxs letter in an editorial entitled T h e R e p n e r a to r R a m p a n t , b u t at th e sam e tim e m ade new attacks on him , arbitrarily q u o tin g from Section O n e of th e A ddress. O n July 4, M arx in fo rm ed the G eneral C ouncil a bout his letter a n d its publication in The Pall Mall Gazette. ? 235 T h is A ddress of th e G eneral C ouncil, d raw n u p by M arx, exposes the dem agogical a n d provocative p a rt played by bourgeois diplom acy m relation to th e Paris C om m une, citing as an exam ple th e activities of M r. W ashburne, A m erican A m bassador in Paris. M arx show ed th at, fro m th e start, the A m erican diplom ats jo in ed in tern atio n al reaction in its struggle against the C om m une. W ashburne, while expressing his sym pathy fo r th e C o m m u n ard s, in actual fact used his position in Paris to act against the C om m une. T h o u g h he stayed in Paris, h e m ain tain ed constant contacts w ith th e V ersailles G overnm ent a n d o ften w ent to V ersailles to convey info rm atio n a bout the situation in the city D u rin g th e days of th e C om m une, he co rre sp o n d e d with Bism arck a n d the latters representatives in Versailles, inciting them to a rm e d actions. A t the sam e tim e, in o rd e r to d isru p t the defence of Paris, A m erican diplom ats tried to m ake th e C o m m u n ard s e n te rta in hopes th a t Prussia w ould re m a in n e u tra l a n d act as m ediator. T h a t was th e prim ary aim p u rsu e d by W ashburne in suggesting th at contacts be established with the Prussian com m and. W hen w riting this A ddress, M arx used th e letter by Mr. Reid, th e P ans c o rre sp o n d e n t of The Daily Telegraph (Section I) a n d th e com m unication of Serraillier, a C o m m u n ard a n d m em ber of th e G eneral C ouncil (Section II). O n re tu rn in g to E ngland R eid delivered lectures in su p p o rt of th e P a n s C om m une, contacted M arx a n d m et him on July I, 1871 (see this volum e pp. 552-53). O n July 4, the G eneral C ouncil unanim ously passed a resolution to cooperate with Reid in dissem inating tru th fu l info rm atio n about the P ans C om m une a n d the G eneral C ouncils A ddress The C ivil War in France. O n July 7, the Sub-C om m ittee of the G eneral Council, having discussed W ash b u rn e s subver sive activities against the C om m une, ad o p te d a d ra ft A ddress w ritten by M arx. O n luly 11, th e A ddress was unanim ously ap p ro v ed by the G eneral Council a n d published in L ondon as a pam p h let. O n A ugust 1, the New Y ork C entral C om m ittee fo r th e U nited States Sections of the In tern a tio n a l h a d it published in the bourgeois New Y ork n ew spaper The Sun. Sorge a n d o th e r m em bers oi the New Y ork C om m ittee supplied th e A ddress with a preface explaining the significance of th e C om m une. C oncern in g W ashburne, it stated th a t he belongs to th a t large family of State parasites, feeding u p o n th e public crib... ; th e New Y ork C om m ittee called on the w orkers to give no cred en ce to the in form ation a bout the C om m une received th ro u g h the channel of its deadly ad v ersaries a subsidised p ress a n d to re m e m b e r th a t the C om m une was a w orkingm ens go v ern m en t, a n d as such was h ated , d re a d e d a n d calum niated by all th e privileged classes a n d th e ir ubiquitous m outhpieces a n d su te rd m a te s... . T h e A ddress Mr. W ashburne, the A m erican A m bassador in P a n s was

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published in 1871 in English in the A m erican new spapers The W orkingman. Advocate, A ugust 5, 1871, The National Standard, No. 7, S eptem ber 9 a n d i the Woodhull and C laflin s Weekly, No. 20/12, S ep tem b er 30; in G erm an in d Z Volk^taat, No. 60, July 26, 1871; in F rench in La Liberte, No. 88 , July iq lo71; in Spanish in La Emancipacion, No. 14, S eptem ber 18 1871 T h ie rs g o v e rn m e n t b a n n ed the publication o f the A ddress in France. p. 379 23S T h e A rchbishop of Paris, G eorges D arboy, was a rre ste d and, am o n g others kept hostage by the C om m une in a n a tte m p t to stop th e Versaillese shooting C o m m u n a rd s T h e C om m une repeatedly o ffere d th e Versailles Government ^ hostages fo r B lanqui alone, w ho was a rre ste d o n M arch 17 1871 (see this volum e, pp. 352, 400-02, 446-49). W ash b u rn e recommended T h ie rs to consent, h o p in g that, if B lanqui w ere released, the position of the Blanquists in the C om m une w ould becom e stro n g e r a n d th e contradictions that intensified in late A pril a n d early May w ithin the C om m une w ould be aggravated fu rth e r. T h ie rs did not agree. A fte r the A rchbishop h a d been executed, W ash b u rn e in his articles a n d at lectures slan d ered th e C om m une on the stre n g th of this m easure, which it h a d been forced to take. p. 381 237 T h is article by Engels was occasioned by the sla n d er cam paign against the In tern a tio n a l a n d th e P a n s C om m une being jo in ed by M azzini be fo re th e 12th w orkers societies, w hich took place o n N ovem ber 1-6 1871 Mazzini p lan n e d to p rev en t the sp read o f th e In te rn a tio n a ls influence on in Itafy " m ovem ent a n d th e stre n g th e n in g of th e ir class organisation C arlo C afiero, a lea d er o f the N eapolitan Section of th e In tern a tio n a l, sent Mazzini s A ddress T o th e Italian W o rk ers to Engels. T h e A ddress, published m L a Roma del Popolo, No. 20, July 13, 1871, disto rted the history o f the fo u n d a tio n of th e In tern a tio n a l, its p ro g ram m e a n d principles. E ngels m ade a speech c oncerning M azzinis a ttitu d e tow ards th e In tern a tio n a l at th e m eeting of th e G eneral C ouncil on July 25 (see this volum e, pp. 607-08). H e developed th e principal theses o f his speech in this article, which h e enclosed in a letter to C afiero o f July 28 1871. In his letter Engels stressed th a t the facts about Mazzmi s acuvities should be m ad e know n to th e w orkers a n d the tru e m eaning of his pro p ag arid a exposed. C afiero sent E ngels article to several new spapers a n d used it a n d an ex tract Engels sen t him from the m inutes o f the G eneral Council s m eeting in w riting his own article against Mazzini, b u t he was a rrested b efo re he could finish it; th e ro u g h d ra ft o f th e article was confiscated by the P 385 Sub-C om m ittee o f th e G eneral C ouncil on O ctober 8 , 1864, L uigi W olff p ro p o sed th at th e Rules o f th e Italian W orking M ens Association, w ritten by Mazzini a n d tran slated into E nglish by W olff, should be a d o p te d as th e Rules o f th e Intern atio n al. M azzinis Rules gave th e org an isatio n a sectarian a n d conspiratorial character. T h e Sub-Committee, o r the S tanding C om m ittee, of th e G eneral Council of th e In tern a tio n a l developed from a com m ittee set u p in th e early p eriod of the In tern a tio n a l W orking M ens Association in 1864 to draw u p its p ro g ram m e a n d Rules. T h e Sub-C om m ittee consisted o f c o rre sp o n d in g secretaries for various countries, the G eneral Secretary of th e G eneral C ouncil, a n d a trea su re r. T h e Sub-C om m ittee, which was n o t envisaged by the Rules of the In tern a tio n a l, was an execuuve body; u n d e r M arxs direction, it fulfilled a wide range of duties in th e day-to-day guidance of th e In tern a tio n a l a n d d ra ftin g its "

docum ents, which w ere subsequently subm itted to th e G eneral C ouncil for approval. PP- ^85, 556, 593, 608 T h is re fe rs to the w ithdraw al of th e Italian Mazzinists from th e G eneral Council in A pril 1865 follow ing th e discussion of th e conflict in the P ans section of th e In tern a tio n a l betw een jo u rn alist H e n ri L efort, o n th e o n e h a n d , an d the P ro u d h o n ists F rib o u rg a n d T olain, o n th e o th er; th e bourgeois elem ents trie d to use this conflict to th e ir own ends. T h e discussion e n d e d with th e a d o p tio n of resolutions w ritten by M arx (see p re sen t edition. Vol. 20, pp. 82-83). P-

2 I T h is re fe rs to J u n g s letter to the e d ito r of th e bourgeois-dem ocratic n ew spaper

L Echo de Verviers, in reply to th e libellous attacks m ade on th e In tern a tio n a ls leaders by th e petty-bourgeois republican V esinier in th e colurnns of th e p a p e r (H . Tung, LA ssociation In tern a tio n a le des T rav a illeu rs , LE cho de Verviers, No. 43, F eb ru ary 20, 1866). J u n g s letter was edited by M arx a n d d ated F ebruary 15, 1866 (see p re se n t edition, Vol. 20, pp. 392-400). p. 386 T h is covering letter to th e e d ito r of The Times of A ugust 7, 1871 attached to E ngels letter p rin te d below, was w ritten by M arx in connection with an article pu H ish ed in the n ew spaper on July 29, 1871. A long with th e appeals to prosecute th e leaders of th e Paris C om m une, the n ew spaper adm itted th a t a g re at m any citizens suspected of particip atin g in it w ere being k e p t u n d e r terrible conditions in th e Versailles prisons w ithout tn a l fo r two m o n th s and brutally treated . The Tim^s article a n d a n a tte m p t by T h ie rs Journal officul to re fu te it a ro u sed p rotests in th e press of various cou n tries against the b ru tal tre a tm e n t o f th e a rre ste d C o m m u n ard s. H ow ever, M arxs a n d Engels atte m p t to m ake use of th e polem ic betw een th e two p a p ers in o rd e r to d e fe n d th e victims of th e Versailles te r ro r in the colum ns of th e widely read B ritish n ew spaper failed. T h e ed ito r of The Times did n o t publish Engels T h is letter was first published in English in K arl M arx a n d F rederick Engels, O n the Paris Commune, Progress Publishers, Moscow, 1971, pp. 260-6L

p. ooo

242

N ote 241 First published in E nglish in K arl M arx a n d F rederick Engels, O n the Pans Commune, Progress Publishers, Moscow, 1971, pp. 260-61. p-

^43 T h is a n d o th e r re fu ta tio n s (see this volum e, pp. 393, 405) w ere w ritten by M arx in reply to th e libellous article a bout th e In tern a tio n a l W orking M en s Association p ublished in the B eriin National-Zeitung o n July 30, 1871. E xcerpts fro m it w ere re p rin te d in several bourgeois L ondon new spapers, including L lntemational, which also m ade new attacks o n M arx. . . , , T h e re fu ta tio n was published in full in Der Volksstaat in an item a bout the National-Zeitung libel on the In tern a tio n a l. T h e ro u g h d ra ft in F rench contains som e additions in E ngels h a n d . P' T h is private letter a n d an o p en letter to th e e d ito r o f Public Optnton (this volum e, pp. 393-94) w ere d ispatched by M arx to Engels with his letter ot A ugust 19, 1871 (see p re sen t edition, Vol. 44), in which h e asked Engels to m ake copies of th e letters a n d send th em to th e new spaper, because his own h a n d w ritin g m ight cause m isprints. , ^ . u T h is letter was first published in English in M arx/Engels, Gesamtausgabe (M E G A ). E rste A bteilung, Bd. 22, B erlin, 1978, S. 1090. P- ^92

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T h is o p en letter was sent to th e e d ito r of Public Opinion to g eth e r with a private letter (this volum e, p. 392). T h e e d ito r supplied M arxs letter with th e followino statem ent: In o u r last n u m b e r we published, u n d e r th e title A G erm an View of th e In tern a tio n a l" , an article from the B erlin Nationat-Zeitung, criticising the proceedm gs of the In tern a tio n a l Society. M. Karl M arx com plains of ! p a ra g ra p h m th at article as conveying an im putation of personal c o rru p tio n o r im p ro p riety against him self a n d his colleagues in the Society. We gladly publish his letter. We at once disclaim the in tention of m aking any such im putations as .th a t w hich h e has u n d e rsto o d to be conveyed by the p a ra g ra p h in questiona n d we a re sorry th a t a n ything has a p p e a re d in o u r colum ns capable o f such a m ea n in g . ^ A copy was sent by M arx to The E vening Standard, b u t it was n o t published th e re (see this volum e, p. 405). p ggg T h is letter was w ritten by M arx in connection with the re p rin t by Le Gaulois of extracts from the re p o rt of a conversation M arx h a d with a New York Herald c o rre sp o n d e n t on July 20, 1871, since the re p o rt, published in The New York Herald on A ugust 3, deliberately falsified the conversation (see also M arxs letter to F riedrich B olte of A ugust 25, 1871, p re sen t edition. Vol. 44). The New York Herald did n o t publish M arxs statem ent. p 395 T h is is M arxs reply to a letter from C harles D ana, a fo rm e r e d ito r o f the New-York Daily Tribune w hom M arx h a d know n since th e tim e h e had conti-ibuted to the p a p e r in 1851-62. In his capacity as ed ito r of The Sun, D ana asked M arx on July 6 , 1871, to w rite several articles o n the International. M arx decided to use this o p p o rtu n ity prim arily to expose th e T h ie rs go v ern m en t a n d th e regim e o f police te rro r in France. H e w anted, in public the facts revealing the persecution of his dau g h ters a n d Paul L afarg u e in F rance a n d Spain. L ater, to th e sam e end, M arx also d ispatched to th e A m erican press a letter w ritten by his d a u g h te r Jen n y (see this volum e, pp. 622-32). In replying to D ana, M arx expected D ana to publish, in one form o r a n o th e r, the m aterial contained in the letter on the persecution ol the m em bers o f his family by the F rench authorities. M arxs letter reached New York at th e sam e tim e as ru m o u rs of his d e ath , circulated by a B onapartist new spaper. T h is p ro m p te d D ana to publish in The Sun the w hole letter, with a sh o rt obituary, on S eptem ber 9, 1871. Subsequently M arx re fu te d th e ru m o u rs sp re ad in th e A m erican press a bout his denfh a n d p o in ted to th e ir source (see this volum e, p. 432). p ggg A t a m eeting of th e G eneral C ouncil of th e In tern a tio n a l on A ugust 22, 1871 E ngels p ro p o sed th a t an appeal be m ade by th e G eneral C ouncil to the w orkm en of A m erica on behalf of th e refugees. T h e G eneral Council instru cted M arx to w rite an appeal a n d dispatch it to th e A m erican section of t h e InternaU onal. M arx fo rw ard ed it to F riedrich Sorge on S eptem ber 5, 1871. T h e text o f th e appeal has not survived. p 395 249 T h e letter was one of th e n u m ero u s contrib u tio n s by M arx in defence of the P ans C om m une (see this volum e, pp. 360, 364-74, 378, 388-99, 403-05). M arx presum ably addressed it to th e e d ito r o f The Examiner because, as Engels p u t d ecently (see this volum e. P ;,, sla n d er cam paign initiated by the B ritish bourgeois press a fte r 1 he C ivil War in France h a d been published. T h e title T h e C om m une a n d A rchbishop D arboy was probably supplied by th e editors o f th e new spaper. p 40 Q

0- 1 ) T h o u g h not published in La Verite, this statem ent was widely circulated. It

' was published in 1871 in Le Soir, No. 862, S eptem ber 3, Paris-Joumal, N o 236, S eptem ber 4, Journal des Debats, S eptem ber 4, La Favilla, No. 210, S eptem ber 8 a n d also in the press o rg an s of the In tern a tio n a l; Llntem ationale, N o 139, S eptem ber 10, Der Volksstaat, No. 74, S eptem ber 13, It Proletario /(n/iano, No. 19, S eptem ber 14, Die Tagwacht, No. 38, S eptem ber 16 and L E g u a g l ia n z a , No. 10, S eptem ber 17. P- 403 '> 1 M arx spoke at the m eeting of th e G eneral C ouncil on July 11, 1871 a bout the fabrications p re sen te d as docum ents o f th e In tern a tio n a l. T h e re p o rt o n the m eeting a n d th e account of M arxs speech w ere published in The Eastern Post, No. 146, July 15, 1871. P- 403 2 T h ese propositions w ere subm itted by M arx to the G eneral C ouncil at its m eeting on S eptem ber 5, 1871 a n d ap p ro v ed by it. T h e available m anuscript, w ritten by Engels, has a correcrion in M arxs h a n d . T h e w ords Financial account at the b eg in n in g of th e m an u scrip t related to th e proposal th a t the G eneral C ouncil should p re p a re th e accounts for th e C onference. T h ey w ere published in E nglish fo r th e first tim e in The General Council of the First International. 1870-187L Minutes, Moscow, 1967. p. 406 Prelim inary d ra ft resolutions w ere subm itted by M arx to th e Sub-C om m ittee of the G eneral Council (see N ote 238) a n d ap p ro v ed by it on S eptem ber 9, 1871. L ater, the d ra fts w ere supplem en ted ; in particular, clauses w ere a d d ed on the fo rm atio n of w orking w om ens sections a n d on the general statistics of th e w orking class. O n S eptem ber 12, a fte r E ngels re p o rt, the resolutions w ere discussed a n d ap p ro v ed by the G eneral C ouncil. A t th e L o n d o n C onference, M arx m oved these resolutions on behalf of th e G eneral Council. Som e of them w ere e d ited a n d subsequendy included in th e official publication of the C onference resolutions (see resolutions of th e L ondon C onference II, III, IV a n d X, in this volum e, pp. 423, 424, 427). Engels m an u scrip t contains a dditions m ad e by M arx. T h ey w ere published in E nglish for th e first tim e in: The General Council of the First International. 1870-187L Minutes, M oscow, 1967. pp. 407, 565 254 T h e re fe re n ce to th e resolutions of th e C ongress of Basle is inaccurate. T h e C ongress of Basle (1869) ad o p te d a n u m b e r of resolutions en h an c in g the leading role of th e G eneral C ouncil, b u t it did n o t a d o p t a resolution on the designation of local b ranches of th e In tern a tio n a l. Such a resolution was ad o p te d at th e L o n d o n C o n feren ce (1871) and, a fte r its approval by the G eneral C ouncil, included in the A dm inistrative R egulations of th e In te rn a tio n al W orking M ens A ssociation (see p re sen t edition. Vol. 23) w ithout any re fe re n ce to th e C ongress of Basle. PP- 408, 565 25.^ T h e London Conference (Septem ber 17-23, 1871) m arked an im p o rta n t stage in the struggle w aged by M arx a n d E ngels fo r establishing a p ro letaria n party. In conform ity w ith a resolution of th e C ongress of Basle (1869), the next congress of the In tern a tio n a l W orking M ens Association was to be held m Paris. H ow ever, the p ersecution of th e In tern a tio n a ls sections by the police m France by o rd e rs of th e B onapartist go v ern m en t com pelled th e G eneral C ouncil to shift th e next congress to M ayence (G erm any) (see p re se n t edition, Vol 21 p 132). T h e o u tb rea k of th e Franco-P russian w ar m ade th e congress im possible; n o r was it possible to h old it in th e a tm o sp h ere of severe reprisals against the m em bers of th e In tern a tio n a l d u rin g th e civil w ar in France, especially a fte r the suppression of th e Paris C om m une. U n d e r these conditions,

a I

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the m ajority o f n ational fed eratio n s suggested th a t th e congress be postponed a n d th e G eneral C ouncil be em pow ered to convene it at its own discretion. At the sam e tim e, the n e ed to take account o f th e ex p erien ce o f th e Paris C om m une a n d a d o p t collective decisions so as to stre n g th e n th e ideological unity a n d organisation o f th e In tern a tio n a l, th e u rg e n t tasks o f the struggle against the B akuninists a n d o th e r sectarian elem ents, w ho h a d step p ed u p th eir splitting activities, as well as o th e r tasks, d e m a n d ed th e convocation o f o conference of rep resentatives of th e In tern a tio n a l from all countries At its m eetin g on July 25, 1871, the G eneral C ouncil, at E ngels suggestion, resolved to convene a closed co n feren ce o f th e In tern a tio n a l W orking M ens Association in L ondon on S ep tem b er 17. T h e m ajority o f the fed eratio n s a g ree d with this proposal. M arx a n d Engels carried o u t trem en d o u s p re p a ra to ry w ork A t the m eetings of th e G eneral C ouncil on A ugust 15 a n d S ep tem b er 5, 12 a n d 16 the questions co n cern in g th e organisation a n d th e ag en d a w ere discussed a n d the d ra ft resolutions w ere a d opted. T w enty-tw o delegates w ith votes a n d ten delegates with voice b u t no votes took p a rt in th e w ork o f th e C onference. T h e countries u n ab le to send delegates w ere re p re se n te d by th e c o rre sp o n d in g secretaries. M arx re p re se n ted G erm any, Engels, Italy. In all, th e re w ere n in e closed sessions. T h e m inutes o f th e C onference a n d th e o th e r related m aterial w ere first published, in Russian, in the book The London Conference of the First International 17-23 September, 1871, Moscow, 1936. In this volum e, th e C o n feren ce resolutions, along with th e accounts o f the statem ents by M arx a n d Engels, which have reach ed us as w ritten dow n by Engels, a re p ublished in the m ain text. M arxs speeches, re co rd e d by R ochat a n d M ardn, a re published in A ppendices (see pp. 613-21). p. 409 256 T h is speech was m ad e by M arx o n S eptem ber 18, 1871 at th e sitting o f the com m ission elected by th e L o n d o n C onference to consider the question of the B akuninists splitting activities in the In te rn a tio n a ls sections o f Rom ance Sw itzerland. B ak u n in s follow ers used several Swiss new spapers to attack the G eneral C ouncil a n d p ro p a g ate B a k u n in s ideas. A t the C ongress in La C haux-de-F onds, held in A pril 1870, the B akuninists won a n insignificant rnajority. T h e rep resentatives o f th e G eneva sections re fu sed to com ply with d ie decisions o f th e C ongress. T h e G eneral C ouncil re p u d ia te d the attem pts by th e B akuninist C ouncil to take over th e pow ers o f a central, leading body of the In tern a tio n a l in Sw itzerland. As a result o f th e sh a rp criticism of the B akuninists activities by M arx a n d Engels, w ho w ere su p p o rte d by a m ajority of th e In te rn a tio n a ls sections, the leaders o f the A lliance did n o t v e n tu re to com e out against the G eneral C ouncil openly and, som e weeks b efore the L o n d o n C onference, they d eclared the A lliance dissolved, b u t w anted to keen it secretly. M arx ancl E ngels considered th e unm ask in g o f the B akuninists activities a n d ideas, which in tro d u c ed disorganisation into th e working-class m ovem ent, to be an im p o rta n t task o f th e L o n d o n C onference. T h e C onference com m ission expressed its ag ree m e n t with M arxs conclusions a n d exposed the attem p ts on th e p a rt o f th e B akuninist R obin to justify the A lliances activities m Sw itzerland. T h e question of th e Alliance was subsequently discussed at the C onference which, on S ep tem b er 21, ap p ro v ed th e re p o rt m ade by M arx on behalf of th e com m ission a n d unanim ously passed th e resolutions m oved by him (see this volum e, pp. 419-22, 429-31). pp. 411 ^ 556 2 T h e re is a slip of th e p e n in the m anuscript: th e re fe re n ce is actually to the

O in g re ss of th e R om ance F ederation of th e In tern a tio n a l in La C haux-deFonds on A pril 4-6, 1870 (see N ote 256). Locle, m en tio n ed in th e m anuscript, was a c en tre of B akuninists activity. p. 412 -> r> s T h is d o cu m en t contains th e p relim in ary text of the resolutions on o rganisation al a n d tactical questions m oved by M arx on behalf of th e G eneral C ouncil and ad o p te d at its m eed n g on S eptem ber 12, 1871. T h e C onference unanim ously a d o p te d these resolutions on S eptem ber 18 a n d 19, 1871. T h e text was discussed at th e G eneral C ouncils m eeting o n O ctober 16, 1871 a n d finally edited by M arx. T h e text th a t is published in this volum e was w ritten by Engels in French, a n d does n o t fully coincide with the official edition of th e Resolutions of the Conference of Delegates of the International Working M en s Association Assembled at London from 17th to 23rd September 1871 (see this volum e, pp. 423-31). P- 413 T h e question of the political action of th e w orking class, w hich was th e m ain issue on th e ag en d a of th e L ondon C onference a n d was com prehensively analysed in the speeches by M arx a n d Engels, was discussed a t th e sixth a n d seventh sessions of th e C onference o n S eptem ber 20 a n d 21. T h e B akuninists Bastelica a n d R obin, as well as L orenzo, th e rep resen tativ e o f th e Spanish sections, trie d to have this question taken off the ag en d a d eclaring th a t the C onference was inco m p eten t to discuss it. By a m ajority vote, th e C onference in stru cted th e G eneral C ouncil to p re p a re th e final tex t of the resolution taking all m otions into account (see this volum e, pp. 426-27). In ad d itio n to this plan of E ngels speech on the political action of th e w orking class, w ritten in G erm an, th e re is his re co rd of this speech in French, w hich was a p p e n d e d to th e m inutes of th e C o nference on S eptem ber 21 (pp. 417-18). T h is speech has also survived as a b rief re co rd in th e m inutes. P- 415 See N ote 259. , 1 ti Published in English fo r the first tim e in Karl M arx a n d F red erick Engels, Selected Works, Moscow, 1968, p. 314. P- 417 -' > > T h is full tex t of th e resolution in F rench was m oved by M arx a t the C onference session on S eptem ber 21, 1871 a n d finally edited n o t later th an S eptem ber 26 In the official edition of th e R esolutions of the L ondon C onference, Clause 1 is abridged. T h e tex t of th e resolution published in L'Egahite was signed: P o u r copie conform e: Le se c retaire-co rresp o n d an t p o u r la Suisse H . J u n g . ^ . . . M arx also spoke on the conflicts in the R om ance F ederation a n d the splitting activities of th e B akuninists in the C onference com m ission on Septem ber 18, 1871 (see this volum e, pp. 411-12). P- 419 2f>2 T h is refers to th e General Council Resolution on the Federal Committee of Romance Switzerland, w ritten by M arx, w hich, d espite the B akuninists claims, h e lp e d to p reserve the com m ittees nam e a n d status as th e g u iding body of the In te rn a tio n a ls sections in R om ance Sw itzerland (see p re sen t edition. Vol. 21) pp. 420, 430 T h e resolutions of the L ondon C o n feren ce w ere m ainly d ra fte d a n d m oved at its sessions by M arx a n d Engels. Several resolutions w ere based on prelim inary d ra fts p re p a re d by th em (see this volum e, pp. 407-08), M arx s speeches at the Sub-C om m ittee m eeting on S eptem ber 9, 1871 (ibid., pp. 565-66) a n d also the speeches by M arx a n d Engels at th e C onference. M arxs a n d E ngels positions w ere also reflected in resolutions m oved by o th e r delegates at the C onterence. In

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his capacity as C onference Secretary fo r editin g a n d tran slatin g resolutions tn g e ls took a m ajo r p a rt in d ra ftin g a n d editin g them . M arx a n d Engels d eem ed it necessary to in fo rm th e m em bers o f the In tern a tio n a l a n d th e in tern atio n al working-class m ovem ent in general about the m ajo r decisions of th e C onference as quickly as possible. O n th e ir initiative the C o n feren ce com m issioned the delegates to m ake re p o rts in the sections of th e In tern a tio n a l a bout the ad o p te d resolutions. T h e G eneral C ouncil charged a special com m ission head ed by M arx with the official publication of the resolutions o f the L o n d o n C onference in E nglish, French a n d G erm an, M arx a n d Engels carried o u t th e final editin g o f th e C onference resolutions, which ^ e y received in ro u g h form . T h e translation of th e resolutions into F rench a n d G erm an was d o n e u n d e r th e ir direct supervision. In view o f th e fact th at the decisions of the I8 7 I L o n d o n C onference w hich was of a consultative n a tu re , w ere not, according to th e Rules, obligatory in contrast to th e decisions o f re g u la r congresses, its resolutions ap p ro v ed bv the G eneral Council a n d published as a circular letter o f th e G eneral Council w ere a ddressed to all th e federations a n d sections of th e In tern a tio n a l The resolutions w ere published in p am p h le t fo rm in E nglish a n d F ren ch a t the begin n in g o f N ovem ber 1871. T h e resolutions w ere published in G erm an in Der Volksstaat. No. 92, N ovem ber 15, 1871 a n d as a sep arate edition early in F eb ru ary 1872. In N o v e m b ^ -D e ce m b er 1871, on th e basis o f these th re e editions ap p ro v ed by the G eneral C ouncil, m any new spapers re p rin te d these resolutions in full o r in an a b ridged form T hey w ere tran slated into Italian, Spanish, Polish, SerboC roatian a n d Flem ish a n d widely circulated. p ublished in the principal organs o f th e In tern a tio n a l in 1871: L E g a lite .^ o . 22, N ovem ber 19, L'Intemationale,'No. 150, N ovem ber 26 Die Tagwacht, Nos. 48, 49 a n d 50, N ovem ber 25, D ecem ber 2 a n d 9 Vorbote. No^ 12, D ecem ber, La Emancipation, No. 24, N ovem ber 27 La Fe^racion, No. 119, N ovem ber 26, L E guaglianza, No. 21, D ecem ber 3 and Others. T h e decisions w ere su p p o rte d by m ost of th e sections a n d fed eratio n s o f the Intern atio n al. p ^ 2^ R esolution I C om position o f G eneral C ouncil was m oved by L au re n t V errycken a n d C esar De Paepe, a n d was ad o p te d at the e ig h th session of the L o n d o n C o n feren ce o n S eptem ber 22, a fte r a discussion in which M arx and E ngels took p a rt; o f the fo u r resolutions on the com position of th e G eneral C ouncil passed by the C onference, only the first (R esolution I) a n d the fo u rth ^ section X III Special Votes o f the C o n fe ren c e ) w ere puW ished. T h e second a n d th ird resolutions envisaged an extension o f the p robation p e rio d fo r c andidate m em bers o f the C ouncil to th re e weeks, a n d the rig h t of sections of d iffe re n t c ountries to nom inate candidates fo r the respective c o rre sp o n d in g secretaryships. T h ese resolutions have survived in the m inutes of th e L ondon C onference a n d in th e M inute Book of the G eneral C ouncil (m eeting o f O ctober 16, 1871, at which M arx read the fo u r resolutions). p.

th e G eneral C ouncil on S eptem ber 9, 1871 (see this volum e, pp. 407-08). T his point, with som e am endm ents, was included in the A dm inistrative R egulations as Point 1 of Section II, points 2-4 becam e points 2-4 of Section V (see p re sen t edition. Vol. 23). T h e resolution was d irected against th e attem p ts of the petty-bourgeois elem ents (R ight-w ing Proudhonists, B akuninists, Positivists, etc.) to im pose th e ir sectarian views on th e local organisations o f th e In tern a tio n a l in opposition to th e principles of th e G eneral Rules, w hich was reflected in the designations of local sections. p. 423

966 Resolution I I I Delegates of the G eneral C ouncil was m oved by M arx on

behalf of th e G eneral C ouncil a n d passed at the fo u rth session of C o nference on S eptem ber 19, 1871; its first version is fo u n d in th e d ra ft resolutions w ritten by M arx a n d E ngels (see this volum e, p. included in th e A dm inistrative R egulations as p o in t 8 of Section II edition. Vol. 23). the L ondon p relim inary 408); it was (see p re sen t P- 424

^ 6'' Resolution IV C ontrib u tio n of Id. p e r M em ber to th e G eneral C ouncil was m oved by Frankel, w ho m ad e a re p o rt on behalf of th e com m ission th at was to w ork o u t m easures fo r a m o re re g u la r inflow of individual contributions, a n d passed by th e L o n d o n C onference at its sixth session on S eptem ber 20. D u rin g th e p re p ara tio n s fo r th e C onference, M arx raised th e question o f the co ntributions at th e m eeting of th e Sub-C om m ittee o f th e G eneral C ouncil on S eptem ber 9, 1871 (see this volum e, p. 565). T h e resolution, w ith slight am endm ents, was included in th e A dm inistrative R egulations as Section I I I (see p re sen t edition. Vol. 23). P- 424 R esolution V F orm ation of W orking W om ens B ra n ch e s was m oved by M arx on behalf of the G eneral C ouncil a n d passed by th e L o n d o n C onference a t its th ird session on S eptem ber 19, 1871. D u rin g th e p re p ara tio n s fo r the C onference, th e question was raised at th e m eeting o f th e Sub-C om m ittee of th e G eneral C ouncil o n S eptem ber I I , 1871 (see this volum e, p. 567). M oving his m otion, M arx stressed th e n e ed to establish w om ens branches in cou n tries with a high ra te of fem ale em ploym ent in industry. T h e resolution was included in th e A dm inistrative R egulations as p o in t 6 of Section V (see p re sen t edition, Vol. 23). P- 424 R esolution V I G eneral Statistics of th e W orking C lass was m oved by M arx on behalf of th e G eneral C ouncil at th e th ird session of th e L ondon C onference on S eptem ber 19, 1871 a n d ad o p te d w ith a d d e n d a p roposed by U tin a n d Frankel. M oving the resolution, M arx stressed th a t general statistics w ere especially im p o rta n t in organising aid fo r strikers fro m th e w orkers of o th e r countries a n d fo r o th e r jo in t actions as a n expression of intern atio n al p ro letaria n solidarity. T h e resolution was included in the A dm inistrative R egulations as points 1-4 of Section V I (see p re sen t edition. Vol. 23). p. 425 T h is re fe rs to th e Rules o f th e In tern a tio n a l W orking M ens Association p ublished by th e G eneral C ouncil in L ondon in 1867. T h is edition reflected the changes in tro d u c ed in th e Rules at th e G eneva (1866) a n d L au san n e (1867) congresses. In th e Provisional Rules, published in 1864, this article, except the last sentence a d d ed later, was n u m b e re d 6 (see p re sen t edition. Vol. 20). T h e resolution passed by th e G eneva C ongress (its text is included in section V I of th e A dm inistrative R egulations, see p re se n t edition. Vol. 23), was based on Section 2 (c) of M arxs In structions fo r th e D elegates of the Provisional C entral C ouncil (see p re sen t edition. Vol. 20). p. 425

2 Resolution I I D esignations o f N ational Councils, e tc. was m oved by M arx

on behalf o f th e G eneral C ouncil, a n d passed at the second session o f the L ondon C onference on S eptem ber 18, 1871. Point 1 of this resolution had already been fo rm u la ted by M arx a n d Engels in the p relim inary d ra ft resolutions, which w ere subm itted to a n d ap p ro v ed by the Sub-C om m ittee of

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2'^' R esolution V I I In tern a tio n a l R elations of T ra d e s U n io n s was m oved by Frankel, Bastelica, U tin, Serraillier, L orenzo a n d De Paepe at th e fifth session of th e L ondon C onference on S eptem ber 20, 1871 in connection with the discussion of D elahayes proposal to organise in tern atio n al fed eratio n s o f trade unions according to trades, to direct th e working-class m ovem ent a n d to achieve adm inistrative decen tralisatio n a n d to create a real com m une of th e f u tu re . D elahayes proposal contained anarcho-syndicalist ideas th a t specifically d en ied th e significance of th e p ro letaria n p a rty .It was criticised by M arx and o th e r delegates (see N ote 406). T h e resolution was ad o p te d as edited by M arx a n d Engels. p, 435 Resolution V I I I A gricultural P ro d u c e rs was m oved by M arx a n d a dopted at th e e ig h th session of th e L o n d o n C onference on S eptem ber 22, 1871. In his speeches, M arx stressed th e need to carry on p ro p a g a n d a in the countryside a n d p ro p o sed th a t the question of securing th e alliance of th e w orking class a n d the peasants be discussed. p. 426 273 A t the sixth session of th e L o n d o n C onference on S eptem ber 20, 1871, Vaillant m oved a d ra ft resolution stressing th a t political a n d social questions were inseparable, a n d th a t th e political activities of th e w orking class w ere of prim e im portance. D u rin g th e discussion of V aillants resolution a n d Serrailliers and F rankels additions to it, M arx a n d Engels m ade speeches on th e political action of th e w orking class (see this volum e, pp. 409-10, 413-14 a n d N ote 259). T h e ir speeches fo rm ed th e basis of Resolution (IX) Political Action of th e W orking C lass which the G eneral C ouncil was ch arg ed w ith d ra ftin g by th e C onference. O n O ctober 7, 1871 a com m ission was set up; Engels was elected to the com m ission a n d M arx also took p a rt in its w ork. M arx a n d Engels d ra fte d an essentially new resolution fo rm u latin g a clear p roposition o n the political p a rty o f th e w orking class as indispensable fo r th e victory of a socialist revolution a n d the achievem ent of its final goal th e b uilding of a classless society. T h e 9th resolution of th e L ondon C o nference was ap p ro v ed by the H ague C ongress in S eptem ber 1872 a n d its m ain p a rt was included in Article 7^ o f the G eneral Rules. p 426 A t the e n d of 1864-beginning of 1865, the Paris section of th e Intern atio n al, h e ad e d by Proudhonists, published th e F ren ch translation o f th e Provisional Rules (Association Internationale des Travailleurs. Congres ouvrier. Reglement provisoire. [Paris, s.a.]) and, at the e n d of 1865, issued a new edition alm ost w ithout changes. T h e re w ere, however, a n u m b e r of inaccuracies and distortions of principle (see K. M arx, T h e G eneral C ouncil to th e Federal C ouncil o f R om ance S w itzerland , p re sen t edition, Vol. 21). p. 427 G eneral Resolution as to th e C ountries w here th e R egular O rganisation of the In tern a tio n a l is In te rfe re d with by the G o v ern m en ts (X) was m oved by M arx on behalf of th e G eneral C ouncil at the n in th session of the L ondon C onference on S eptem ber 22, 1871. Its contents w ere set fo rth in prelim inary d ra ft resolutions w orked o u t by M arx a n d Engels (see this volum e, p. 407) and also in M arxs speech at th e m eeting of th e Sub-C om m ittee o f th e G eneral C ouncil on S eptem ber 9, 1871 (see this volum e, p. 565). p. 427 2 Resolutions R elating to F ra n c e (XI) w ere in tro d u c ed by U tin at the eighth session of th e L ondon C o u feien ce on S eptem ber 22, 1871 d u rin g the discussion of the state o f th e In te rn a tio n a ls organisation in France. T h e resolutions w ere based on propositions e x p o u n d ed at this session by M arx. O f

the resolutions on this issue ad o p te d by th e C o nference only th e first two w ere oublished which are given in this volum e. T h e th ird resolution m ade the Belgian a n d Spanish federal councils a n d th e F ederal C ouncil of R om ance Sw itzerland e n su re contacts betw een the F rench sections a n d the G eneral C ouncil a n d ad m it sections fo rm ed by F rench refu g ees to th e respective federations. T h e fo u rth resolution p ro p o sed th a t the G eneral C ouncil publish an appeal to th e F ren ch w orkers, calling on them to wage an o p en struggle ,gainst th e counter-rev o lu tio n ary g o v e rn m e n t and, despite persecutions, to set u p organisations of th e In tern a tio n a l. At its m eeting on O ctober 24, how ever, th e G eneral Council resolved to abstain from publishing this appeal since it m ight do h a rm to th e im p riso n ed C o m m u n ard s. p- 428

277 Resolution R elating to E n g la n d ( X l l ) - w a s m oved by M arx at th e eighth

session of th e L o n d o n C onference on S eptem ber 22, 187L M ovm g his m otion, M arx n o ted th a t th e G eneral C ouncil h a d previously opposed the form ation of the F ederal C om m ittee o r C ouncil fo r E ngland, because the English w orkers w ere re p re se n te d on th e G eneral C ouncil, w hich pro m o ted th eir ed ucation in a spirit of p ro letaria n internationalism a n d socialism and p re v en ted th e bourgeoisie from taking over th e lead ersh ip of th e E ngl'sh working-class m ovem ent. T h e trem e n d o u s a m o u n t of w ork carried o u t by the G eneral C ouncil a fte r the establishm ent of th e Paris C om m une m ade, how ever, the fo rm atio n of a F ederal C ouncil in E ngland im perative. O n O ctober 21, 1871 a provisional L ondon F ederal C ouncil, w hich included rep resentatives ot th e L o n d o n Section of the In tern a tio n a l a n d som e trad e s unions, was set up^ 278 Special Votes of the C o n fe ren c e (X III). T h e first resolution was m oved by De Paepe a n d ad o p te d at the eighth session of the L o n d o n C onference on S eptem ber 22 T h e second, ad o p te d at the n in th session on S eptem ber was ba^ed on M arxs speech on the position of the In tern a tio n a l in G erm any a n d E ngland in which h e no ted the solidarity of th e G erm an w orkers with th e P ans C om m une, a n d also o n a proposal in tro d u c ed by U tin. T h e th ird o n e was ad o p te d a t the fifth session on S eptem ber 20, m connection with the m em o ran d u m of th e Spanish F ed eratio n on th e organisation of th e In te rn a tional in Spain. T h e fo u rth was m oved by De Paepe at th e n in th session, on S eptem ber 22, in connection w ith U tins re p o rt on N echayev s case. M arx who spoke on th e issue, n o ted th a t the bourgeois press used th e Nechayev conspiracy to slan d er th e In tern a tio n a l (see N ote 279). P- 428

2 T h e re fe re n ce is to th e activities of N echayev, w ho h a d established contacts

with B akunin a n d started setting u p a secret organisation called N aro d n ay a R asprava (Peoples Justice) in various cities in Russia. H aving received from B ak u n in th e credentials of the non-existent E u ro p ea n R evolutionary U nion, N echayev passed him self off as a re p resen tativ e of th e In tern a tio n a l a n d th u s m isled th e m em bers of th e organisation h e h a d created. W hen m em bers of N echayevs organisation w ere a rre ste d a n d p u t on trial m St P etersb u rg in the su m m er of 1871, his a d v en tu rist m ethods to achieve ms own ends w ere m ade public: blackm ail, intim idation, deception, etc T h e bourgeois press used N echayevs case to discredit the In tern a tio n a l. See D eclaration on N echayevs Misuse of th e N am e of th e In tern a tio n a l (Present edition. Vol. 23). P' R esolution X I V Instru ctio n to Citizen O u tin e was m oved by E d o u ard V aillant a n d ad o p te d at the n in th session of th e L ondon C onference on
2 4 -1 2 3 2

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S eptem ber 22, 1871, in connection with U tins com m unication a bout the Nechayev trial. M arx m oved th a t th e re p o rt o n th e N echayev trial should be subm itted to th e G eneral Council. U sing th e m aterial of the St P etersb u rg trial, U tin w rote a detailed re p o rt in F rench; its m ain points h e used in his speech at th e H ag u e C ongress in 1872. M arx a n d E ngels used U tins re p o rt while w orking on th e assignm ent of the H ag u e C ongress on The Alliance of Socialist Dermcracy and the International Working M en s Association, in C h ap ter V III T h e Alliance in R ussia (see p re sen t edition. Vol. 23). p. 429 R esolution X V Convocation of N ext C ongress was m oved, in a slightly d iffe re n t w ording, by De Paepe a n d E ugene Steens at th e n in th session o f the L ondon C onference on S eptem ber 22, 1871. p. 429 282 R esolution X V I Alliance d e la D em ocratic socialiste was m oved by M arx at the seventh session o f th e L ondon C onference on S eptem ber 21, 1871. A fter th e question had b een discussed in th e com m ission (see this volum e, pp. 411-12 a n d N ote 256), this session h e a rd M arxs re p o rt o n th e A lliance and B akuninists splitting activities in Sw itzerland a n d th en passed R esolutions XVI a n d X V II. p 429 283 Resolution X V II Split in the French-S peaking P art of Switzerlandwas m oved by M arx at th e seventh session of the L ondon C onference on S eptem ber 21, 1871. A n abrid g ed tex t o f this resolution was published in a sep arate edition o f th e L ondo n C onference resolutions. T h e resolution was published in full in LEgalite, No. 20, O ctober 21, 1871 (see this volum e, pp. 419-22). p. 430 284 T h is is M arxs covering letter to th a t of his d a u g h te r Je n n y (see this volum e, pp. 622-32). It was presum ably w ritten in reply to a req u est by the editors of Woodhull and C laflin s Weekly fo r a n ex planation o f th e ru m o u rs ab o u t M arxs d e ath circulated by the bourgeois press. p. 432 285 M arx w rote th e d ra fts o f The C ivil War in France, w hich a re p re p ara to ry versions of this w ork, betw een m id-A pril a n d May 23, 1871; a fte r this, he started w ork on the final version of The C ivil War in France as an A ddress of the In tern a tio n a l W orking M ens Association. N ew spaper clippings a n d excerpts in M arxs notebook relating to th e last w eek o f th e Paris C om m une w ere used n o t in th e second d ra ft, b u t in the final text o f th e A ddress itself. T h e in an u scrip t of th e first, m o re sizable d ra ft, w hich seem s to have survived in full, fills eleven sheets, 22 pages altogether. Ju d g in g by M arxs pagination (it is n o t on all sheets), th e Second D raft consisted o f 13 sheets, o f w hich only 11 have survived. T h e m issing sheets ap p aren tly contained item 4, w hich p re ce d ed e x ta n t item 5: O p e n in g of th e civil war. 18 M arch Revolution. C lem ent T hom as. Lecom te. T h e A ffaire V e n d o m e . T h e last th ree u n n u m b e re d pages (see this volum e, pp. 545-51) contain, in the m am , a new version of sep arate passages o f th e Second D raft. M arx m ark ed a large p a rt of th e tex t of th e First a n d Second D rafts with vertical a n d oblique Imes, by w hich h e usually indicated th e passages included in the final version of a text. W ords a n d sentences crossed o u t by M arx by horizontal lines are n o t re p ro d u c e d in this edition (in som e cases, th e crossed o u t passages th a t are o f im p ro rta n ce a re re p ro d u c e d in the footnotes). B oth m anuscripts have n u m e ro u s m arks in the m argins, p arentheses, square brackets, etc., th at M arx m ade fo r him self. T h ey a re not re p ro d u c e d in the p re sen t edition. W hen M arx quotes o r m entions th e decrees a n d proclam ations o f the

C om m une, h e o ften gives the dates according to th e ir publication o r re p o rts of them in L ondon new spapers. T h e d ra fts w ere n o t published in M arxs a n d E ngels lifetim e a n d fo r a long tim e a fte r th e ir d eath. Som e excerpts from th e First D raft w ere published first, in Russian, in th e USSR in Pravda, Nos. 72 a n d 76, M arch 14 a n d 18, 1933; b oth d ra fts w ere first published in full in the USSR in 1934 in th e language of the original (English), a n d in a Russian translation in Marx/Engels Archives, Vol. I l l (V III), by the In stitu te of M arxism -Leninism of the CC CPSU. p. 435 O n O ctober 5, 1870, a dem o n stratio n of the w orkers battalions of the N ational G u a rd took place in fro n t of th e T ow n Hall in Paris. T h e w orkers, led by Gustave F lourens, d e m a n d ed th a t the G overnm ent of N ational D efence hold elections to the C om m une, a n d take m easures to stre n g th e n th e R epublic a n d to fight resolutely against th e invaders. T h e g o v e rn m e n t rejected these d em ands a n d b a n n ed N ational G u ard assem blies a n d a rm ed dem onstrations. O n th e O ctober 31, 1870 up risin g see N ote 184. p. 433 - 8' T h is refers to the new electoral qualifications in tro d u c ed u n d e r th e law of May 31, 1850, w hich was passed by the Legislative Assembly o f th e F rench R epublic on the initiative of T h ie rs Party of O rd e r, frig h te n ed by the successes o f the D em ocrats a n d Socialists a t the by-elections to th e Assembly in M arch a n d A pril 1850. T h e new electoral law, d irected against the w orkers, agricultural labourers a n d p o o r peasants, in tro d u c ed personal tax a n d th ree-y ear residential qualification. As a result, the n u m b e r of voters fell by alm ost th ree million. Shortly a fte r th e adop tio n of th e 1850 electoral law, th e salary of the P resident o f th e R epublic, Louis B onaparte, paid from th e treasu ry , was raised by the Assembly from 600,000 to th ree m illion francs. p. 442

288 x h e attem pts by the N o rm a n d m illow ners to red u ce th e wages of textile

w orkers in o rd e r to com pete m o re effectively w ith B ritish m an u fa ctu re rs caused a big strike at Sotteville-les-R ouen in late 1868 a n d early 1869. M eeting th e strikers req u est fo r su p p o rt, th e G eneral Council of th e In tern a tio n a l organised collection of fu n d s fo r th e strikers th ro u g h th e L ondon a n d F rench trad es unions. As M arx no ted in the R e p o rt of th e G eneral C ouncil to the F o u rth A nnual C ongress of th e In tern a tio n a l W orking M ens A ssociation (see p re sen t edition, Vol. 21), th e strike, despite its d efeat, p ro m o te d the organisation a n d unity of the w orkers in the N o rm a n d textile industry a n d led to th e establishm ent of trad e s unions in R ouen, Elbeuf, D arnetal a n d o th e r towns. It also consolidated a n alliance betw een the English a n d F rench w orkers. p. 442 -89 T h e re fe re n ce is to th e actions of th e B lanquist Societe des Saisons on May 12, 1839 (see N ote 213). p. 444

_ S )o Yfijj re fe rs to th e Comite de la reunion de la rue de Poitiers, th e g u id in g body of

th e Party of O rd e r (see N ote 173). T h e Com ite was d o m in ated by the O rleanists, head ed by T h iers. pp. 444 , 456 ~ W hen speaking of th e Union liberate of 1847, M arx has in m ind a g ro u p of so-called progressive conservatives th a t took shape in the F rench C ham ber of D eputies a fte r the elections of 1846. Its leaders w ere th e O rleanists G irardin, Tocqueville, D u fau re a n d others. T h e Union liberate was a coalition of bourgeois R epublicans, O rleanists and a section of th e Legitim ists, form ed d u rin g the elections to th e C orps Legislatif in

24

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N otes

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1863, on the com m on platfo rm of opposition to th e E m pire. A n a tte m p t to revive th e Union liberate d u rin g the election cam paign of 1869 failed ow ing to d ifferences betw een the parties th a t fo rm ed the 1863 coalition. p. 445 292 T h is refers to th e B o napartist coup d etat of D ecem ber 2, 1851.
293 T f i g

Commission of Fifteen (Com m ission des Q uinze) was a p p o in te d by the N ational Assembly on M arch 20, 1871 to help T h ie rs go v ern m en t fight revolutionary Paris. It consisted m ainly of m onarchists a n d bourgeois re p u b li cans su p p o rtin g T h iers; a fte r the d e fea t of th e C om m une the Com m ission ceased to exist. pp. 447, 541

h e r possessions in the C aucasus a n d the rig h t to have h e r fleet a n d fortresses on the Azov Sea. T h e C ongress ad o p te d a decision to p u t an e n d to the occupation of M oldavia a n d W allachia by A ustria, which m ade A ustrias expansion in the B a lk a n s m uch m ore difficult. S peaking a bout the re fo rm s in Russia a fte r th e C rim ean war, M arx has in m ind th e 1861 R eform w hich abolished serfdom , the local g overnm ent reform s (the in tro d u c tio n of Zemstvos in 1864) a n d th e 1870 re fo rm of m unicipal adm inistration, the in tro d u c tio n of new judicial regulations in 1864 an d the financial refo rm . T h ese reform s w ere a step tow ards the tra n sfo rm a tion of Russia into a bourgeois m onarchy. p, 459 M arx gave a detailed description of the bourgeois republican faction rallied ro u n d Le National a n d re p re se n te d prim arily by A. M arrast, A. T . M aire, |. B astide and L. E. Cavaignac, in his The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte (see p re sen t edition. Vol. 11, pp. 112-13, 119-20). p. 461 T h e (Great) Unpaid an ironic nam e fo r m agistrates in B ritain, w ho w ere not paid for th e ir services. p. 464 T h e Ligue d'Union Republicaine pour les droits de Paris a bourgeois organisation set u p in Paris in early A pril 1871. It tried to stop th e Civil W ar, expecting that an ag ree m e n t betw een Versailles a n d Paris based on recognition of the Republic a n d m unicipal liberties of Paris w ould lead to a peaceful elim ination of the C om m une. T h e manifestation nf the freemasons was held on A pril 29, 1871: the fre e m asons m arc h ed to th e city fortifications to m ake th e Versailles tro o p s stop m ilitary operations. O n A pril 26 a n d 29, the C om m une organised m eetings with the freem asons in the Town Hall striving to win over the republican petty a n d m iddle bourgeoisie, whose views th e freem asons expressed. At these m eetings, th e freem asons, w hose arm istice proposals w ere rejected by T hiers, declared th e ir su p p o rt for th e C om m une. T h e m eeting o n A pril 29 was follow ed by the m anifestation already m entioned, the delegates of the C om m une taking p a rt in it. PP- '466, 543 M arx has in m ind th e law of suspects (Loi des suspects) passed by the C orps Legislatif on F ebruary 19, 1858; it gave th e g o v e rn m e n t a n d th e e m p e ro r unlim ited pow ers to d e p o rt to various p arts of France and A lgeria o r to exile from F rance all persons suspected of a hostile a ttitu d e to the Second Em pire. p. 467 39'* A n A ddress from the Lyons m unicipal council, subm itted to th e N ational Assembly by d e p u ty G rep p o , contained a d e m a n d to p u t a n e n d to th e Civil W ar a n d for a reconciliation betw een Versailles a n d Paris. It also p roposed th a t functions be clearly divided betw een the N ational Assembly a n d th e Pa ris C om m une, a n d th a t th e C o m m u n es activities be lim ited to m unicipal m atters, p. 468 :W 5 T h is refers to th e m unicipal councils elected in 1865, with the Im perial authorities ex ertin g strong pressure. p. 468

294 M arx presum ably in te n d e d to give exam ples of m onarchist intrigues in the Versailles N ational Assembly. T h e excerpts m ade by M arx from th e new spap ers of th e tim e contain in form ation a bout th e intrigues of th e D ue d A um ale a n d his b ro th e r Prince Joinville, ru m o u rs a bout a m e rg e r of th e B ourbons and the O rleans a n d plans to p u t the D ue d A um ale on th e F rench th ro n e. p. 450
295

X he municipals o r th e Municipal Guard (from 1871 th e R epublican G uard) m ilitarised foot a n d m o u n te d police in Paris, fo rm ed by the go v ern m en t o f the July m onarchy in 1830 to fight the revolutionary m ovem ent. In 1871, it becam e th e shock force of th e coun ter-rev o lu tio n ary Versailles arm y. p. 452

296 T h e L o n d o n C onvention, signed by Russia, B ritain, A ustria, Prussia a n d T u rk ey in 1840, provided for aid to the T u rk ish Sultan against the Egyptian ru le r M ehem et AH (see N ote 100). As F rance su p p o rte d M ehem et Ali, it faced political isolation a n d th e th re a t of a new an ti-F rench coalition of th e E u ro p ea n powers. By d enying su p p o rt to M ehem et Ali, which signified a m ajo r d e fea t of French fo reig n policy in the M iddle East, the F rench go v ern m en t secured its participation in th e signing of the L o n d o n C onvention on July 13, 1841. Russia, B ritain, France, A ustria a n d Prussia, on the one h and, a n d T u rk ey , on the o th er, ag reed to close th e Black Sea Straits fo r foreign m en of w ar in peacetim e. In th e th ird English edition of The C ivil W ar in France, M arx cites the I.o n d o n C onvention of 1840 as an exam ple of the d efeat of F rench diplom acy. pp. 453, 519 297 T h e Vienna Treaties w ere concluded at th e C ongress o f V ienna (1814-15) in May an d Ju n e 1815 by the states th a t h a d p articipated in the N apoleonic wars. U n d e r these treaties, the m ap of E u ro p e was re d ra w n with a view to resto rin g legitim ate m onarchies, con trary to th e interests of the unity a n d in d ep e n d en c e of nations. T h e Paris Treaty a prelim inary peace treaty signed by France and G erm any on F eb ru ary 26, 1871 (see N ote 179). p. 458
298

M arx has in m ind th e h a lf-h e arte d bourgeois refo rm s carried o u t in feudal Prussia from 1807 to 1811, a fte r its d efeat in the w ar against N apoleonic France in 1806. T h e personal b o ndage of serfs was abolished, b u t they still had to p e rfo rm all th e feudal services; th e ir re d em p tio n was allowed only with the consent of the landow ner; lim ited local self-governm ent was in tro d u c ed a n d the arm y a n d central g o v e rn m e n t institutions reorganised. p. 459

* '6 Ligue des villes (L eague of the Cities) (full nam e: Ligue patriotique des villes
repuhlicaines) an organisation w hich bourgeois republicans, fe arin g the restoration of th e m onarchy a fte r th e suppression of th e Paris C om m une, tried to set u p in A pril-M ay 1871. T h e provisional com m ittee of the L eague, with the active su p p o rt of the Ligue d Union Republicaine pour les droits de Pans (see N ote

299 At the Paris C ongress (F ebruary-M arch 1856) the R ussian diplom ats took advantage of th e contradictions betw een B ritain, A ustria a n d F rance to secure m uch m ilder peace term s for Russia which had lost the C rim ean war: the territo rial concessions to T u rk e y w ere considerably re d u ced , Russia retained

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302), in te n d e d to convene a congress of m unicipal council representatives in B o rd eau x o n May 9, 1871, with the aim of b rin g in g closer an e n d o f th e Civil W ar, consolidating the Republic a n d form alising th e L eague. T h e Versailles G o v ern m en t b a n n ed the C ongress a n d the provisional com m ittee soon ceased to exist. Le Rappel in its issue No. 692, May 6 , 1871 carried the p ro g ram m e of the p ro p o sed congress of the Ligue des villes. pp. 469, 593 T h e news of th e S edan disaster a n d the revolution in Paris, w hich b ro u g h t a bout th e fall o f th e E m pire o n S eptem ber 4, 1870, caused revolutionary actions of th e w orkers in m any towns of France. In Lyons, M arseilles a n d T o u lo u se organs of p o p u la r p o w er c o m m u n e s w ere set up. T h o u g h they w ere short-lived, provincial com m unes, especially in Lyons, im plem en ted a n u m b e r of im p o rta n t revolutionary m easures. T h e G o v ern m en t of N ational D efence brutally c ru sh ed th e provincial com m unes. pp. 480, 532 O n N ovem ber 3, 1870, the G o v ern m en t of N ational D efence held a plebiscite in Paris on the question of su p p o rt fo r th e governm ent, try in g in this way to consolidate its unstable position, which had b een d e m o n stra ted d u rin g the revolutionary events of O ctober 31, 1870 (see N ote 184). A lthough a considerable section of Parisians voted against th e g o v e rn m e n ts policy, it succeeded, at th e tim e of the actual state of siege, in w inning a m ajority vote by ex ertin g p re ssu re on the p opulation, carrying o n dem agogical p ro p a g an d a , etc. P- 480 309 Jiyofs h e red ita ry peasants. ten an ts of state-ow ned lands in India. H e re In d ian P- 494

to the bourgeoisie a n d rich peasants. D u rin g the R estoration perio d , th e unsold lands from th e national estates w ere re tu rn e d to th e ir fo rm e r ow ners; ow ners w hose lands h a d been sold received m onetary com pensation. p. 501 VAssociaticm generate des Defenseurs de la Republique (the G eneral Association of the D efenders of th e R epublic) a bourgeois-dem ocratic organisation fo u n d e d in Paris in F eb ru ary 1871; its aim was to struggle fo r th e R epublic. It su p p o rte d th e C om m une a n d co n d em n ed th e policy of th e Versailles G overnm ent. T h e q u o ted decision was published in th e Journal officiel (Paris), No. 129, May 9, 1871. P- 507 T h e C m stitution of 1793 was th e C onstitution of th e First F rench R epublic a d o n te d bv the C onvention d u rin g th e Jacobins revolutionary dictatorship. ^ p. 510 T h is re fe rs to the p articipants in the B onapartist coup d eta t of D ecem ber 2, 1851. P- 516 T h is re fe rs to th e convention on capitulation (see N ote 118), w hich cam e into force fo r Paris on January 28 a n d fo r d e p artm e n ts on Ja n u a ry 31, 1871. pp. 523, 525 S'S Oeil de Boeuf (Bulls eye) n am ed fro m its oval window, was th e a n te ro o m in the Palace of Versailles, w here the co u rtiers w aited fo r Louis X IV to wake u p a n d a p p ea r. P- ^^4 T h e refe re n ce is to th e invasion of F rance in 1814 a n d 1815 by th e troops of th e sixth a n d seventh an ti-F rench coalitions h e ad e d by B ritain, A ustria, Prussia a n d Russia, to overthrow N apoleon I s ru le a n d re sto re th e legitim ate B o urbon m onarchy. P' A re fe re n ce to th e influence on th e intern atio n al tra d e of th e discovery of gold in C alifornia a n d A ustralia in the m id-19th century. p. 536 M arx ironically h ints at the dictum Letat cest m o i ( I am th e state) ascribed to th e F ren ch K ing Louis X IV , which becam e th e m otto of absolutism . p. 538 S I T h is re fe rs to th e secession of th e S o u th e rn slave states from th e N o rth A m erican U nion in late 1860 a n d early 1861. T h e a rm ed rebellion o f the secessionist states in A pril 1861 m arked th e begin n in g of th e US Civil W ar (1861-65). PT h e Frankfort Peace Treaty, concluded on May 10, 1871, d e fin e d th e final term s of th e peace betw een F rance a n d G erm any, confirm ing th e concession of Alsace a n d E astern L o rrain e to G erm any as was envisaged by th e prelim inary peace treaty of F ebruary 26, 1871 (see N ote 179). U n d e r the F ra n k fo rt treaty, F rance was to pay indem nities o n m ore o n e ro u s term s a n d th e occupation of F rench territo ry by th e G erm an troops was p ro lo n g ed in exchange fo r help re n d e re d by Bism arck to th e Versailles G o v ern m en t in sup p ressin g the C om m une. T h e F ra n k fo rt Peace T re a ty m ade a fu tu re m ilitary clash betw een F rance and G erm any inevitable. P- ^^4 T h is presum ably refers to th e law on m unicipal organisation of 1831, which drastically curtailed th e rights of m unicipal councils, a n d also th e law on m unicipal organisation of 1855, which b a n n ed in terrelatio n s betw een councils. O n the plan for convening a congress of m unicipal delegates at B ordeaux see N ote 306. PP- ^45, 593

O n Ju n e 20, 1789, in resp o n se to Louis X V Is a tte m p t to fru stra te a re g u la r sitting of th e States-G eneral, w hich h a d proclaim ed itself the N ational Assembly, th e dep u ties of th ird estate w ho g a th e re d in the Salle des Paum es (T ennis C ourt) at Versailles took an oath to stay th e re till th e C onstitution was ado p ted . T h e T en n is C o u rt oath was one of th e events th a t m ark ed the p rologue to th e F rench R evolution. pp. 497, 538 A referen ce to the Paris Societe des proletaires positivistes. w hose p ro g ram m e was based on A uguste C om tes ideas. A t the begin n in g of 1870, the G eneral Council, taking into account the working-class com position of the society, adm itted it to the In tern a tio n a l as a section; at the sam e tim e, the societys p ro g ram m e was sharply criticised (see M arxs letter to Engels of M arch 19, 1870, p re sen t edition, Vol. 43). pp. 498, 556

^'2 Billingsgate was o n e of th e early gates into L ondon; th e fish-m arket situated
nearb y is n am ed a fte r it. U sed figuratively, it can m ean th e abusive language of th e m arket. p. 499 Phalanstere palaces in w hich, according to th e F rench u to p ian socialist, C harles F ourier, m em bers of p ro d u c e r a n d co n su m er associations w ere to live a n d w ork in an ideal socialist society. Icarie an u topian com m unist c o untry in E tienne C abets Voyage en Icarie (1840), subsequently th e nam e of com m unist colonies in Am erica. p. 499 National estates (Biens nationaux) real estate a n d m ovable p ro p e rty of the clergy, em igres a n d enem ies of th e revolution confiscated by the g overnm ent d u rin g the F rench R evolution. A considerable p a rt of national p ro p e rty passed

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326 E ngels re co rd e d in E nglish a n d G erm an the talk he a n d M arx had h a d with the B ritish dem ocratic jo u rn alist R obert Reid. O n Ju n e 30, Reid o ffere d M arx, fo r the d efence o f the C o m m u n ard s, the use of th e m aterial he h a d collected while in Paris d u rin g th e C o m m u n e as c o rre sp o n d e n t fo r the L ondon liberal n ew spaper The Daily Telegraph. M arx a n d Engels re p o rte d th e ir talk to the G eneral Council on July 4, 1871. Engels no ted th at Reid had m ade som e in terestin g statements w hich proved the villainous p a rt acted by the press of this c o u n try tow ards the C om m une . It was first published in th e languages of th e original (English a n d G erm an) in M arx/Engels, Gesamtausgahe (M E G A ), Vol. 1/22, pp. 244-45. p. 552 O n A pril 12, 1871, the F ederal C ouncil of th e Paris sections o f the In tern a tio n a l passed a resolution expelling T olain from th e In tern a tio n a l as a d e se rte r of the w orking class cause (see N ote 155). O n A pril 25, the G eneral Council en d o rsed this by a special resolution w hich was published only by the working-class press (see this volum e, p. 590). p. 553 As the E nglish new spapers declared, th e lectu re was d u e on July 1, 1871 (see The Daily Telegraph, No. 5006, Ju n e 30, 1871; The M orning Advertiser No. 24987, July 1, 1871). p, 553 T h e excerpts m ad e by M arx a n d partly by Engels from the M inute Books of the G eneral C ouncil fo r 1869-71, w hich have survived, e n d o n S eptem ber 5, 1871. T h ey w ere m ade d u rin g th e p re p ara tio n s fo r th e L o n d o n C onference of the In tern a tio n a l a n d w ere to serve as m aterial fo r the G eneral C ouncils re p o rt to th e C onference on the w ork of the In tern a tio n a l fro m 1869 to 1871. R elated to them are excerpts from the m inutes fo r J u n e 1870-April 1872, m ade by M arx a year later, at the e n d of A ugust 1872, on the eve of the H ague C ongress of th e In tern a tio n a l (see p re sen t edition, Vol. 23). M arkings in the m anuscripts testify th a t M arx a n d E ngels used th em in the course of th e ir work on the In te rn a tio n a ls docum ents. T h e square brackets a re M arxs. T h e abbreviated w ords a re w ritten in full, w ithout m en tio n in g it. Published in E nglish fo r th e first tim e in The Hague Congress of the First International, September 2-7, 1872. M inutes and Documents, Progress Publishers, Moscow, 1976, pp. 643-54. T h e m inutes a re published in full in The General Council of the First International. 1868-1870, Moscow, 1966 a n d The General Council of the First International. 1871-1872, Moscow, 1968. p. 554 In his letter of S eptem ber 3, 1869 G ustave C luseret expressed his re g re t th at h e could n o t a tte n d th e Basle C ongress a n d asked th e delegates to w ork o u t a specific p ro g ram m e of action fo r th e w orkers of all countries a n d to a d o p t an a d d ress to the A m erican w orkers calling fo r solidarity with the In tern atio n al. p. 554 T h is re fe rs to E ugene V arlins letter to J u n g of S eptem ber 29, 1869. As he in te n d e d to publish the Rules a n d A dm inistrative R egulations of the In tern a tio n a l W orking M ens Association, V arlin asked Ju n g to send him all the resolutions of the Basle C ongress co n cern in g th e relations of th e G eneral Council with federal councils, the p ro c e d u re fo r expelling sections, etc. T h e French translation of the Rules, with som e P ro u d h o n ist distortions, was published on S eptem ber 19, 1869 in La Commerce, a small n ew spaper of the com m ercial em ployees tra d e union. p. 554 332 O n D ecem ber 11, 1869, a specim en issue of Die Tagwacht, the o rg a n of the G erm an sections of the In tern a tio n a l in Sw itzerland, was published in Zurich. It

carried a p ro g ram m atic article c o ntaining the follow ing dem ands: separation of the c h u rch from the State a n d of th e school from the c h u rch , free tu ition in institutions of h ig h e r education, free m edical aid, nationalisation of railways, prohibition of child lab o u r in factories, a red u ctio n of w orking hours, a n d iTovernment supervision over factories. A B akuninist criticism of the p ro g ra m m e a p p e a re d in Le Progres, No. 28, D ecem ber 25, 1869 a n d L Egalite, No. 1, Ja n u a ry 1, 1870. p. 555 T h is re fe rs to th e letter sent by the Federal C ouncil of R om ance Sw itzerland to Ju n g o n Ja n u a ry 4, 1870. T h e C ouncil declared its d isa g ree m e n t with L 'E g a litfs attacks o n the G eneral C ouncil a n d stated th a t th e Alliance of Socialist D em ocracy h a d n o t been a d m itted to th e R om ance F ed eratio n , n o r h a d its aim s anyth in g to d o with those of the In tern a tio n a l. T h e private letter w ritten on th e sam e d a te by th e secretary of the Federal C ouncil, H e n ri P erret, in fo rm e d Ju n g ab o u t th e B akuninists w ithdraw al from th e ed itorial b o a rd of th e p a p er. T h e letters w ere posted fro m G eneva p rio r to th e receipt of the circular letter T h e G eneral C ouncil to the Federal C ouncil o f Rom ance S w itzerland (see p re se n t edition. Vol. 21). p. 555 34 T h is re fe rs to th e conflict betw een th e old Lyons section (Schettel a n d others), w hich sided w ith the F ren ch L eft R epublicans, a n d the g ro u p u n d e r the B akuninist R ichard. See M arxs letter to E ngels of F eb ru ary 19, 1870 (p resen t edition. Vol. 43). P- 556 335 T h e re fe re n ce is to G uillaum es letter to J u n g of A pril 21, 1870 in connection w ith th e split a t th e C ongress in La C haux-de-F onds (see N ote 256). p. 557 33 A t th e m eetin g of th e G eneral C ouncil on J u n e 28, 1870, W eston said th at, if th e Alliance of Socialist D em ocracy advised abstention from politics a n d acted u p o n th a t , th e G eneral Council w ould disqualify th em fro m acting as adm inistrators. T h e Alliance was only to lerated on condition of co n fo rm in g to th e R ules . P- 558 33 T h is re fe rs to th e th ird trial (June 22-July 5, 1870) of th e In tern a tio n a l m em bers a rre ste d in F rance fo r alleged participation in th e conspiracy against N apoleon III. T h e ch arg e fell th ro u g h a n d th e accused w ere trie d fo r being m em bers of th e In tern a tio n a l (see N ote 2). P- 558 33*^ T h is re fe rs to th e so-called French Section in London, fo u n d e d in th e a u tu m n of 1865 by a g ro u p of F ren ch petty-bourgeois refu g ees in L ondon, follow ers of Felix Pyat. H aving lost contact with th e In tern a tio n a l, they contin u ed to call them selves th e F rench section in L ondon a n d to issue docum ents in the nam e of the In tern a tio n a l W orking M ens A ssociation. W h en a th ird trial against m em bers of th e In tern a tio n a l was being p re p a re d in France, the in crim inating m aterial included docum ents of th e so-called F ren ch section in L ondon. T h e m eeting of th e G eneral C ouncil on May 10, 1870 ad o p te d a resolution th a t the F ren ch section had n o th in g in com m on with the In tern a tio n a l (see p re sen t edition, Vol. 21). A t th e G eneral C ouncil m eeting on July 12, 1870 L em aitre re g re tte d very m uch th a t th ere should exist a d ifferen ce betw een th e Council a n d the French branch... H e considered the differences only p e rso n al . p. 558 O n S eptem ber 9, 1870 five m em bers of the C om m ittee of th e G erm an Social-Dem ocratic W o rk ers Party, a m em b e r of th e Party a n d a p rin te r, w ere arre ste d in G erm any for publishing th e m anifesto on w ar (see this volum e, p. 271). Manifest des Ausschusses der socialdemokratischen Arbeiterpartei. A n alle

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deutschen Arbeiter! a p p e a re d as a leaflet on S eptem ber 5, 1870 a n d was also published m Der Volksstaal, No. 73, S eptem ber 11, 1870. F o u r ScKial-Democrats w ho took p a rt in th e dem o n stratio n p ro h ib ited by the police w ere expelled from M ayence as not being natives o r citizens o f the town. _ p. 559 T h e d ep u ta tio n of E nglish w orkers a n d dem ocratic organisations was received by the Prim e M inister G ladstone on S eptem ber 27, 1870. It included several tra d e u nion leaders (A pplegarth, C oulson, D odson a n d others) a n d p ro m in e n t bourgeois-dem ocratic leaders (Beesly, Congreve). T h ey asked fo r B ritain to recognise the F rench Republic a n d to p ro m o te peace. G ladstone got away with in d etin ite prom ises to facilitate th e term in atio n of th e war. p. 56 Q up risin g in Lyons on S eptem ber 4 1870. O n his arrival in Lyons o n S eptem ber 15, B akunin tried to h e ad the m ovem ent a n d im p lem en t his anarchist p ro g ram m e. O n S ep tem b er 28, the anarchists a tte m p ted a coup d etat, w hich was a com plete failure. T h e M inute p. 560 Book of th e G enera] C ouncil m istakenly has S eptem ber 2 7 . '2 M arx is re fe rrin g to th e m eetings o f O ctober 11 a n d 18, 1870, organised by Freundschaft (Friendship), a G erm an nationalistic society in L o n d o n T hese m eetings p u t forw ard, allegedly in the nam e of th e G erm an w orkers in L ondon, the d e m a n d th a t Alsace a n d L o rrain e be a nnexed. In reply th e G erm an W orkers E ducational Society in L o n d o n a n d th e T eu to n ia Society issued a jo in t ad d ress to the G erm an w orkers in L on d o n , exposing the p o u n d le s s arg u m e n ts o f those w ho advocated the a nnexation o f Alsace a n d L orraine. T h e ad d ress was published in Der Vorbote, Nos. 11 a n d 12, 1870 anc^ as a leaflet in G eneva Erkldrung des Londoner Arbeiter-Bildungs-Vereins und der Teutonia (1870). * p T h e jo in t m eeting of th e G erm an a n d F rench sections o f New York was held on O ctober 16, 1870. T h e ad d ress to th e w orkers o f E u ro p e, ad o p te d by these sections, was th e first jo in t d o cu m en t of th e New Y ork sections of the In tern atio n al. It was published in a n u m b e r of new spapers, a n d also issued in leaflet form in F rench a n d in English. p 550 T h e Anglo-French Intervention Committee was fo u n d e d in O ctober 1870 by the p etty-bourgeois leaders of th e In tern a tio n a l D em ocratic Association (see N ote .354) a n d tra d e unio n m em bers of th e L and a n d L ab o u r L eague (see N ote 350), with the leaders of th e B ritish Positivists playing a p ro m in e n t role. Its p ro g ram m e d e m a n d ed im m ediate recognition of th e F rench Republic by B ritain, cond em n atio n of Prussias aggressive policy a n d the conclusion o f a defensive treaty with France. T a k in g ad vantage of th e d iscontent with th e B ritish g o v e rn m e n ts proPrussian policy am o n g p a rt of the w orkers, the C om m ittees leaders trie d to head th e m ovem ent in su p p o rt o f th e F rench Republic a n d o rganised several m eetings in L o n d o n in O ctober-N ovem ber 1870. p, 56 O From Sorges letter, d a te d O ctober 30, 1870, M arx lea rn ed ab o u t the p re p ara tio n s for th e mass anti-w ar m eeting th a t was held in New Y ork on N ovem ber 19, 1870. It was organised by the In te rn a tio n a ls sections, trades unions, the Free T h in k e rs Society a n d o th e r associations. A tten d ed by nearly 2,000 people, the m eeting ad o p te d an ad d ress c o n d em n in g the c o n tin u ed w ar against the F rench Republic a n d the an n ex atio n o f Alsace a n d L orraine, and

called on the US G ov ern m en t to e x ert its influence to re n d e r assistance to the F rench Republic. p. 560 T h e Central Committee of the International Working Men's Association for the United States was fo rm ed o n D ecem ber 1, 1870 by delegates from several sections of the In tern a tio n a l: G erm an Section No. I, F rench Section No. 2 a n d Czech Section No. 3. p. 561 T h e G erm an w orkers educational societies in Sw itzerland, w hose press org an was the Swiss Felleisen, jo in ed th e In tern a tio n a l at th e ir congress in N euchatel in A ugust 1868. T h e grow ing nationalist tendencies in these societies a fte r G erm anys victory in the Franco-P russian w ar led to th e ir w ithdraw al from the In tern a tio n a l (see M arxs letter to J u n g of Ja n u a ry 18, 1871, p re sen t edition, Vol. 44). p. 561 O n Ja n u a ry 6 a n d 10, 1871, m eetings fo r the recognition of th e Republic by B ritain w ere held in St. Jam ess Hall. At these m eetings m oved a resolution extolling the G overnm ent of N ational D efence Foreign M inister Jules Favre. F rench O dger a n d its p. 561

349 x h e Land Tenure Reform Association was fo u n d e d in July 1869 u n d e r the auspices
of Jo h n S tuart Mill. Its aim was to revive the class of small farm ers by leasing small plots of waste lan d to the unem ployed. p. 561 T h e Land and Labour League was set u p in L ondon in O ctober 1869 with the participation of the G eneral Council. T h e L eagues p ro g ram m e was draw n u p by Eccarius with M arxs help (see Address of the Land and Labour League to the Working Men and Women of Great B ritain and Ireland, p re sen t edition. Vol. 21). M arx held th a t th e L eague could play a certain role in revolutionising the w orking class a n d re g a rd e d it as a m eans fo r establishing an in d e p e n d e n t p ro letaria n party in E ngland. pp. 561, 603, 610
351

refers to the Declaration reglant divers points de droit maritime, a codicil to th e Paris T re a ty of 1856 which concluded th e C rim ean w ar of 1853-56. T h e D eclaration set u p rules for w arfare at sea, envisaged th e abolition of privateering, im m unity of n e u tra l goods in enem y vessels a n d of enem y goods in n e u tra l vessels (with the exception of w ar co n trab an d ), a n d the recognition of a blockade only if actually effective. In th e ir speeches at the G eneral C ouncil m eetings of Ja n u a ry 31 and M arch 7, 1871, M arx a n d E ngels p u t forw ard the d e m a n d that, because of the intern atio n al situation, B ritain should ren o u n ce th e Paris D eclaration, and a rg u e d th a t this step w ould serve as a m eans o f p re v en tin g T sarist R ussia en te rin g the Franco-P russian w ar as Prussias ally. pp. 561, 574, 576, 581 In th e a u tu m n of 1870, the English republican m ovem ent gained stre n g th as a result of the cam paign fo r th e recognition of the F rench Republic by B ritain. In the sp rin g of 1871, u n d e r th e influence of th e Paris C om m une, a L eft wing began to take shape w hich p u t social c ontent into the republican slogans a n d actively su p p o rte d th e C om m une. T h e G eneral C ouncil of the In tern atio n al took advantage o f th e n u m ero u s republican m eetings to organise a cam paign in su p p o rt of the C om m une. O n e of the m eetings was held at W ellington Music Hall o n M arch 22, 1871. T his m eeting, chaired by O d g er, resolved to form a C entral R epublican

698

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Notes

699

Association a n d elected an E xecutive C om m ittee, w hich included O d g er E ccarius a n d others. p 502 M arx is re fe rrin g to th e letter from Jo h n Wallis, Secretary of the C an terb u ry W orking M ens M utual Protection Society, d ated F ebruary 16, 1871. Jo h n Wallis asked th at the English w orkers w ho w anted to em igrate to New Zealand be w arned th at th ere was un em p lo y m en t th ere a n d th a t the authorities and police com pelled im m igrants to w ork fo r scanty wages. T h e letter was included in the re p o rt on the G eneral C ouncil m eeting published in The Eastern Post No. 137, May 13, 1871. p. 562 ^54 T h e International Democratic Association consisted of petty-bourgeois F ren ch and G erm an im m igrants in L ondon a n d also included English Republicans. In A pril 1871, m em bers of the Association fo u n d e d th e U niversal Republican L eague. Its leaders a tte m p ted to involve th e G eneral Council o f the Iru ern atio n al in it, b u t th e ir p roposition was rejected unanim ously at the G eneral C ouncil m eeting on A pril 25, 1871 (see E ngels letter to W ilhelm L iebknecht of A pril 20, 1871, p re sen t edition. Vol. 44.) pp. 562, 597 letter of Ju n e 12, 1871, C afiero w rote about his contacts with w orkers societies in Italy. p 553 T h e Refugees Society, fo rm ed in L ondon in July 1871, tried to take over the rig h t to d istribute m oney collected by th e G enera! C ouncil fo r the refugees and to establish direct ties with th e In te rn a tio n a ls sections in o th e r countries in o rd e r, bypassing the G eneral C ouncil, to obtain m oney collected by them for th e refugees o r in fo rm atio n a bout th e sum s being sent to the G eneral Council. Early in 1872, this society was reo rg an ised in to a m u tu al aid society, p. 564 First published in English in The General Council of the First International. 1870-1871. Minutes, Moscow, 1967, pp. 317-19. p. 565 358 First published in English in The General Council of the First International. 1870-1871. Minutes, Moscow, 1967, p. 320. p 557 In a letter to M arx of A ugust 9, 1871, T ru elo v e in fo rm e d him th a t 200 copies of th e first edition of The C ivil War in France h a d not been sold out, of the second 600 copies, a n d all th e copies of th e th ird edition re m a in e d with him. In a letter of S eptem ber 4, T ru elo v e again requested paym ent of th e bill. p. 567 M arxs speech on the G overnm ent of N ational D efence at the G eneral Council m eeting on Ja n u a ry 17, 1871 was d irected against O d g e rs praising of the go v ern m en t a n d its Foreign M inister Jules Favre, w ho was expected in L ondon, at the m eeting in St. Jam ess Hall in L ondon on Ja n u a ry 10. O d g e r m oved a resolution th a t extolled the G ov ern m en t of N ational D efence a n d contradicted th e class ap p ro ac h taken tow ards it by the G eneral Council in its Second A ddress on the Franco-P russian w ar (see this volum e, pp. 267-75). In connection with M arxs criticism of O d g e rs speech, the G eneral Council discussed th e question of th e need for th e m em bers of the In tern a tio n a l to a d h e re to its principles at m eetings. T h is speech, like o th e r speeches by M arx a n d Engels at the G eneral Council m eetings, has survived as a record in the M inute Book. T h e records fo r the perio d covered by this volum e w ere m ade by Eccarius (up to May 1871) and later by Hales, they a re b rief a n d frag m en tary , a n d often contain serious inaccuracies. T h e sam e applies to the n ew spaper re p o rts of th e G eneral Council

m eetings m ade by Eccarius on th e ir basis a n d published in The Eastern Post. In som e cases, w hen the n ew spaper re p o rts are fuller th an th e m inutes, M arxs a n d E ngels speeches a re given according to the n ew spaper rep o rts. T h e m inutes, as was th e ru le in the G eneral C ouncil, w ere ap p ro v ed at each subsequent m eeting; on M arxs a n d E ngels d em and, notes w ere often m ade c o ncerning m istakes in the records. T h is record was first published in The General Council of the First International. 1870-1871. Minutes. Moscow, 1967, pp. 106-07. p. 571 H (ii Paris d em o n stratio n <m May 15, 1848 was o rganised by revolutionary clubs; nearly 150,000 people, m am ly w orkers, took p a rt ni it. T h e participants m arched to the C o n stitu e n t Assembly, which was to discuss th e Polish question th at day, e n te red the conference hall and d e m a n d ed m ilitary assistance to Poland in h e r struggle fo r in d ep en d en ce, as well as decisive m easures to com bat u nem ploym ent and poverty. Since th e ir d em an d s w ere rejected, they d eclared the dissolution of th e C onstituent Assembly a n d the form ation of a revolutionary governm ent. T h e d em o n stratio n was dispersed by troops and bourgeois d etachm ents of the N ational G uard. p- 571

2 T h e re fe re n ce is to the Executive Committee (Com m ission executive) the G o v ern m en t of th e F rench R epublic, set u p by the C onstituent Assembly on May 10, 1848, in place of th e Provisional G overnm ent, w hich h a d resigned. It existed until Tune 24, 1848, w hen Gavaignacs dictato rsh ip was established. p. 572 T h e referen ce is to th e reactionary press laws passed by the C o nstituent Assembly on A ugust 9 a n d 11, 1848. A ccording to these laws, the periodicals h a d to m ake large deposits of m oney, which m ea n t th a t progressive and w orkers new spapers a n d jo u rn als h a d to close dow n; th e laws also envisaged serious p u n ish m en t (fines a n d im prisonm ent) fo r th e p rin tin g of articles against th e governm ent, the existing o rd e r and private p ro p e rty . T h ey w ere based on sim ilar laws enacted d u rin g the R estoration a n d the July m onarchy, p. 572 T h e m inutes of th e G eneral C ouncil m eetings, extracts from w hich are given below, w ere first published in English in The General Council of the first International. 1870-1871. Minutes, Moscow, 1967, pp. 108-57. T h e re p o rts o f the m eetings w ere published in The Eastern Post, in January-M arch 1871. p. 573 '^'5 T h is mass m eeting was held in T ra fa lg a r Square on Ja n u a ry 23, 1871. It p u t forw ard a d e m an d , in the nam e of th e w orkers, th at the B ritish G overnm ent b rin g pressu re to b e a r on Prussia in o rd e r to m ake the latter e n d th e w ar against the F rench Republic. P- -'>73 T h is refers to excesses com m itted by trad e unionists against strike-breakers in Sheffield in the a u tu m n of 1866. T h e m atter was investigated by a special go v ern m en t com m ission over several m o n th s in 1867 a n d was widely used by the bourgeois p ap ers to discredit the trad e unions a n d the w orking-class m ovem ent in general. S peaking at a m eeting in L ondon on July 4, 1867, Beesly exposed the hypocrisy o f the bourgeoisie w ho c o n d em n ed the tra d e unionist excesses, but a p p la u d ed G eneral Eyre, w ho h a d savagely p u t dow n the Jam aica revolt of 1865. Beesly was ruthlessly p ersecuted by the bourgeois press for his speech. T h e L ondon trad e unions expressed th e ir g ra titu d e to Beesly in public. In July 1867, M arx w rote a letter of sym pathy to Beesly in view of th e cam paign against him. P-

700

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N otes

701

A refe re n ce to the re m o n stra n ce to G ladstone, published in The Times on D e cem ber 30, 1870; it was signed by Beesly a n d o th e r Positivists a n d also by some m em bers of th e G eneral C ouncil Eccarius, O d g e r a n d A p p leg arth . Its last po in t called on the B ritish G overnm ent to declare w ar on Prussia. p. 574 A nalysing the m ilitary position of th e F rench R epublic, Engels com pares the situation in O ctober-N ovem ber 1870 w hen the defence o f Paris engaged considerable Prussian forces, a n d th e A rm y of the L oire u n d e r th e command of G eneral A urelle d e Paladines carried o u t a successful op eratio n against the Prussian a rm y with th a t in Ja n u a ry 1871, a fte r the b atd e at Le M ans in W estern France, w here th e G erm an troops defeated th e newly fo rm ed A rm y of the Loire u n d e r th e com m and of G eneral Ghanzy, which su ffe red serious losses a n d had to re tre a t (see this volum e, pp. 236-39). p. 575 369 Peninsular War was the n am e given to th e jo in t m ilitary operatio n s by the B ritish, Spanish a n d P ortuguese arm ies against N ap o leo n s troops on the P eninsular from 1808 to 1814 (see also notes 76 a n d 101). T h e Crimean war (1853-56) was w aged by Russia against a coalition of B ritain, France a n d T u rk e y fo r suprem acy in the M iddle East. T h e course of m ilitary operatio n s a n d th e results of the w ar w ere analysed by M arx a n d Engels in the articles included in Vols. 13, 14 a n d 15 of the p re sen t edition. p. 575

from Ja n u a ry to M arch 1871, to discuss th e revision of th e Paris T re a ty of 1856. P7 T h is speech of E ngels begins a series of re p o rts by M arx a n d E ngels on the pro letarian revolution in Paris on M arch 18, 1871, which they m ade regularly at th e G eneral C ouncil m eetings. B asing his re p o rt on letters received from Paris E ngels re fu te s th e bourgeois press stories th a t gave a d istorted picture of th e events of M arch 18. T h e m inutes of this m eeting, with th e re co rd of Engels speech, w ere m istakenly d a te d M arch 14; M arx, w hen looking th ro u g h them , c o rrected th e d ate to M arch 21. First published in English in The General Council of the First International 1870-1871. Minutes, Moscow, 1967, pp. 160-61. P- 585 S78 Engels has in m ind th e N ational Assembly, extrem ely reactionary in ks com position, elected o n F eb ru ary 8 a n d o p e n ed on F eb ru ary 12, 1871 in B o rd e au x (see N ote 178). P' In th e ir speeches on the republican m ovem ent in E ngland, M arx a n d Engels sum m ed u p the discussion of this issue at the G eneral C ouncil m eeting on M arch 28 1871 in connection w ith the re p o rt of th e G eneral Council d e p u ta tio n to th e republican m eetings. T h e d e p u ta tio n included H ales, W eston, Tung a n d Serraillier; its re p o rt said th a t S errailliers speech at the m eeting m th e W ellington Music H all on M arch 22 (see N ote 352) was well received and th a t a resolution expressing su p p o rt for th e Paris w orkers was passed unanim ously. It was also n o ted th a t th e m eeting ad o p te d a very m oderate, bourgeois rep u b lican resolution m oved by O dger. . . . j . D u rin g th e discussion, th e G eneral C ouncil m em bers criticised the position taken by O d g e r a n d o th e r tra d e u n io n leaders, confining the p ro g ram m e of th e republican m ovem ent to th e slogan of a bourgeois rep u b h c in France. First published in English in The General Council of the First International. 1870-1871. Minutes, Moscow, 1967, pp. 165-66. P38 P ublished in E nglish fo r th e first tim e in The General Council of the First International. 1870-1871. Minutes, Moscow, 1967, pp. 170-71. p. 381 T h e elections to th e C om m une took place on M arch 26, 1871. A fter the victorious u p risin g of th e Paris people, on M arch 18-28, 1871, Powe: was held by the C entral C om m ittee of the N ational G u ard , which th en h a n d e d it over ^ ^ p . O oO to th e C om m une. ^ 382 T h is laconic re m a rk by Engels re fe rs to Favres speech in the N ational Assembly on A pril 10, 1871. Favre trie d to justify the V ersailles G overnm ent, w hich h a d actually concluded an alliance with B ism arck m o rd e r to suppress th e Paris C om m une, a n d hypocritically stated th a t the go v ern m en t h a d rejected th e help o ffere d by Bism arck. In a n u m b e r of articles a n d speeches, particularly in M arxs The C ivil War in France (see this volum e, pp. 346-55), M arx a n d E ngels exposed th e treach ero u s ag ree m e n t betw een the F rench c o u n te r revolutionary bourgeoisie a n d the c o u n try s enem ies for th e p u rp o se ot suppressing the working-class m ovem ent. P383 F or a long tim e, M arxs speech at the G eneral C ouncil m eeting of A pril 25, 1871 was n o t published in full because page 216 was m issing from the M inute Book. T h e tex t of this page fo u n d later was first published m English in Beitrdge zur Geschichte der Arbeiterbewegung (Berlin), 1978, No. 3, p. 402^

370 T h e m eeting on Ja n u a ry 5, 1871 in the hotel in C annon Street, chaired by the law yer J. M errim an, called on the B ritish G overnm ent to m ake efforts to end th e Franco-P russian w ar a n d to recognise th e F rench Republic. p. 577 T h is refers to th e m ass dem o n stratio n s in L ondon in J u n e a n d July 1855 as a consequence of P arliam ents decision to lim it the w orking ho u rs o f taverns and places of e n te rta in m e n t and to pro h ib it retail tra d e on Sundays. M arx p articipated in one of th e d e m onstrations (see p re sen t edition. Vol. 14, pp. 302-07, 323-27). p. 573 A referen ce is evidently to the follow ing speeches: by Lowe, C hancel lo r of the E xchequer, on S eptem ber 16, 1870 in Elgin; by B ruce, H om e Secretary, on S eptem ber 26 in Glasgow; a n d by Cardwell, M.P., on O ctober 14, in O xford. All the speakers d e m a n d ed th at B ritain observe strict neutrality. p. 579 W hat is m eant h e re is the exchange o f N otes betw een B ernstorff, Prussian A m bassador to L o ndon, a n d L o rd Granville, B ritish Foreign Secretary, that took place in A ugust to O ctober 1870 in connection with B ritish supplies of arm s a n d o th e r e q u ip m e n t to France. p. 579 T h is re fe rs to the B ritish ship International, d e ta in ed by custom s officials in the m o u th o f the T h am es on D ecem ber 21, 1870; it carried su bm arine cable fo r the line to be laid betw een D unkkirk a n d B ordeaux. O n Ja n u a ry 17, 1871, a B ritish co u rt fo u n d the actions of the custom s officials illegal. p. 579 T h e Holy Alliance an association of E u ro p ea n m onarchs, fo u n d e d in 1815, to suppress revolutionary m ovem ents a n d preserve feudal m onarchies in E u ro pean countries. L ater, the p h rase was often used to d e n o te a coalition of co u nter-revolutionary powers. p. 582 T h is re fe rs to the in tern atio n al c onference of representatives from Russia, Britain, A u stria-H u n g ary , G erm any, France, Italy a n d T u rk ey , held in L ondon

702

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Notes

703

police {The General Council of the First International. 1870-1871. Minutes, Moscow, 1967, p. 220). T h e letter w ritten by E ngels on behalf of th e G eneral C ouncil did n o t a p p e a r in the a fo re m en tio n ed new spapers a n d only a ro u g h d ra ft o f it has survived (see this volum e, p. 379). p. 599 G eneral Council, was also nom in ated , b u t he did n o t stand te c a T .s rh / 3 -'4 H ans B reitm anns Ballads by the A m erican h u m o ro u s a u th o r Ch. G. L eland were w ritten in a peculiar A nglo-G erm an dialect. p. 600 T h e c o rre sp o n d e n ts re co rd is inaccurate. It was the textile w orkers who w ent on strike in B arcelona in th e sp rin g of 1871, while th e cigar-m akers strike o ccu rred at the sam e tim e in A ntw erp (see this volum e, pp. 294-96). p. 602 petty-bourgeois d em o crat Felix Pyat (see p re sen t edition. Vol. 44) 37 Paul L afarg u e stayed in Paris from A pril 6 to 12, 1871 p p 59 j In an a tte m p t to stre n g th e n its w eakened positions, the g o v e rn m e n t of N apoleon III scheduled a plebiscite fo r th e sp rin g of 1871. T h e questions were fo rm u la ted in such a way th a t it was im possible to express disapproval of the Second E m p ires policy w ithout sim ultaneously o pposing all dem ocratic reforins. A long with this dem agogic ad d ress to th e p o p u la r (mostly peasant) masses, repressions w ere taken against the p ro letaria n a n d left-w ing republican m ovem ents (see p re se n t edition. Vol. 21, pp. 127-28). p. 603 39 T h e public m eeting to celebrate th e anniversary of th e J u n e 1848 insurrection of th e Paris w orkers was held on J u n e 29, 1868 at Cleveland H all in L ondon. T h e F rench petty-bourgeois dem o crat Felix Pyat delivered a speech a n d m oved a provocative resolution u rg in g terroristic acts against N apoleon III (the resolution was published in The Bee-Hive, No. 351, July 4, 1868). I h e Brussels LTspiegle, No. 25 on July 5, 1868 published a re p o rt on the m eeting describing it as a m eeting of In tern a tio n a l m em bers, with Pyat as one of its leaders. T his statem en t was re p ea te d in o th e r new spapers. T h e G eneral C ouncil held th at this m ight discredit the In tern a tio n a l in the eyes of the w orkers a n d serve the B o n ap artist go v ern m en t as a p re te x t fo r p ersecuting its m em bers in F rance a n d Belgium . C onsequendy, at its m eeting on July 7 th e C ouncil resolved, on M arxs proposal, to disavow Pyats beh av io u r in a resolution to this effect (see p re sen t edition, Vol. 21). Pyats g ro u p lost its ties with the In tern a tio n a l, b u t contin u ed to act in its nam e a n d repeated ly su p p o rte d a n tip ro letaria n gro u p s o pposing M arxs line in th e G eneral Council. O n May 10, 1870, the G eneral C ouncil officially dissociated itself from this g ro u p (see p re sen t edition, Vol. 21). p. 605 39 T h e interview e n d ed as follows: I have h e re given you as well as I can re m e m b e r them th e heads of my conversation with this rem ark ab le m an. I shall leave you to form y our own conclusions. W hatever m ay be said for o r against the probability of its com plicity with the m ovem ent of th e C om m une we m ay be assured th a t in th e In tern a tio n a l Association the civilized w orld has a new pow er in its m idst with w hich it m ust com e to a reck o n in g fo r good dv ill. p. 606 *99 B efore Engels took th e floor at th e G eneral Council m eeting, M arx m ade a re p o rt on Pope Pius IX s speech against th e In tern a tio n a l. p. 607
40 0

Owe7 S n ^ ^ r ' ' ^

th e celebrations on the g ro u n d s that

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391 M arxs speech at the G eneral C ouncil m eetin g on May 23 1871 starred fh

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L t t f i h e y x a m i l .r T n d T , I" " " should be th e Paris s e c t ^ r c T l h T t d e n o u n cm g the p re te n d e d m anifestoes of Pans section o f th e In tern a tio n a l; they w ere all forgeries of th e Versailles

Engels has in m ind the so-called principle of nationalities advanced by the ru lin g circles of the Second E m pire a n d used extensively by them as an ideological screen fo r th e ir aggressive plans a n d a d v en tu rist foreign policy. Posing as a d e fe n d e r of n a tio n s , N apoleon III m ade use of national interests

704

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o f th e op p ressed peoples to stre n g th e n F ran ces hegem ony a n d extend fro n tiers T h e p r.nciple o f n ationalities was desig^ned t l stir u p national h a tre d a n d to tu rn the national m ovem ent, especially th a t of small nations into a w eapon of counter-rev o lu tio n ary policy o f the rival pow ers. T h is p rin c ip e '? p am p h le t H err Vogt (present edition, Vol f t wfth P I Hp"*"*! ^ Engels m his w ork W hat H ave th e W orking Classes to Do W ith Poland? (p resen t edition, Vol. 20). P- o08 h e convocation o f th e L o n d o n c onfer ence the G eneral C ouncil at its m eeting o n July 25, 1871, instru cted the Sub-C om m ittee (see N ote 238) to work o u t its p ro g ram m e. It also resolved that I f S ^ b l i ? n '" d ' P' *"g activities o f th e B akuninist Alliance of Socialist D em ocracy in R om ance Sw itzerland (see N ote 256) Pubhshed English fo r th e first tim e in The General Council of the First International. 1870-1871. Minutes, Moscow, 1967, pp. 244-45, p 609 M arx spoke against O d g er, in connection with his shift to th e position of bourgeois republicanism , o p en ren u n ciatio n of th e In te rn a tio n a ls principles an d slanderous attacks o n th e G eneral C ouncil a n d th e Paris C om m une. T h e resolution abolishing the office of P resid en t of the G eneral c lu n c il b iT e V s r S eptem ber 24, 1867, was confirm ed by th e Basle C ongress of th e In tern a tio n a l (Septem ber 1869). p. 611 J^^sTons.^^"'* C o nference has reached us in two

federation of tra d e unions, (see "R e p o rt of th e F o u rth A nnual C ongress of the In tern a tio n a l W orking M ens A ssociation, held at Basle, in Sw itzerland. From the 6 th to the 11th S eptem ber 1869 , L ondon [1869] p. 30). p. 614 IIS D uring the discussion on th e intern atio n al contacts of tra d e unions, Steens, a delegate from Belgium , expressed an a p p reh e n sio n th a t in case of intern atio n al fed eratio n of tra d e u n io n s the national trad es unions m ight be absorbed by the E nglish ones. P- 614 to1 T h e re fe re n ce is to C hartism , the w orkers political m ovem ent in G reat B ritain from the 1830s to the early 1850s u n d e r the slogan of th e Peoples C h a rte r, which included the d e m a n d fo r universal suffrage a n d certain conditions to e n su re this rig h t to the w orkers. PP- 615, 634 H" T h is re fe rs to th e Executive C om m ittee of th e R eform L eague, set u p on the initiative a n d with the participation of th e C entral (G eneral) Council of the In tern a tio n a l in L ondon in th e sp rin g of 1865 as the political c en tre of the m ass m ovem ent fo r th e electoral refo rm . T h e L eagues leading b o d ies the C ouncil a n d th e E xecutive C o m m ittee included th e G eneral Council m em bers, m ainly trad e u n io n leaders a n d rep resentatives of bourgeois radicals. U nlike th e bourgeois parties, w hich confined th e ir d em an d s to suffrage for h ouseh o ld ers a n d tenants, the L eague d e m a n d ed suffrage for the e n tire adult m ale population. T h is revived C hartist slogan secured it the su p p o rt of th e trad es unions, h ith e rto in d iffe re n t to politics. T h e vacillations of th e radicals in its lead ersh ip a n d th e conciliatory b ehaviour of the trad e u n io n leaders prev en ted th e L eague, how ever, from follow ing the line c h arted by the G eneral C ouncil of th e In tern a tio n a l. T h e B ritish bourgeoisie succeeded in splitting th e m ovem ent an d a m o d era te re fo rm was carried o u t in 1867, g ra n tin g franchise only to the petty bourgeoisie a n d the u p p e r strata of the w orking class. p. 616 O n th e discussion at the L ondon C onference of th e political action by the w orking class, see notes 253 a n d 273. P- 616 T h e original tex t of th e Rules of the In tern a tio n a l W orking M ens Association was w ritten by M arx in English in O ctober 1864 a n d ap p ro v ed by the C entral Council on N ovem ber 1 of th a t year as th e Provisional- Rules (see p re sen t edition, Vol. 20, pp. 14-16). A t the G eneva C ongress in 1866, the Rules were c onfirm ed, with som e additions a n d am endm ents, to g eth e r with th e A dm inis trative R egulations a p p e n d e d to them . In the a u tu m n of 1866, the Rules and A dm inistrative R egulations w ere tran slated by M arx a n d L afarg u e into F rench and, late in N ovem ber, published in L ondon as a p am p h le t th a t included the basic changes in tro d u c ed at th e G eneva C ongress (see p re sen t edition. Vol. 20, pp, 441-46). In 1867, the E nghsh text of th e Rules a n d A dm inistrative R egulations was p rin te d in L ondon; it took account of the changes in tro d u c ed by the G eneva a n d L ausanne congresses since the a d o p tio n of the Provisional Rules in 1864. At th e next congresses in Brussels (1868) and Basle (1869) a n u m b e r of resolutions w ere a d o p te d th a t constituted a d d e n d a to th e Rules. H ow ever, the texts of the Rules w ithout these a d d e n d a a n d a m en d m en ts w ere c u rre n t at the tim e. T h e English editions published a fte r the G eneva and L ausanne congresses also contained som e substantial inaccuracies. Besides, th ere was no official edition of the Rules in d iffe re n t languages, w hich led to p o o r translations of th em circulating in a n u m b e r of countries. T h e F rench translation of 1866, p re p a re d by T olain, a Right-w ing P ro u d h o n ist, di.storted

th e speeches o f o th e r delegates, it was re co rd e d in F rench in the secretaries, M artin a n d Rochat.

T r E l S h mi T 1 ne English m inutes are n o t extant.

I o n n " " 'r '" ' Eccarius in his article on the L o n d o n C onference, published anonym ously in The Scotsman, No. 87, O ctober M arx said th a t the co n feren ce was a m eetin g o f delegates from d iffere n t A e ^ G e re rL ^ C e x tra o rd in a ry circum stances, to consult with the G eneral C ouncil a bout u rg e n t m atters arising o u t o f these e x tra o rd in a ry circum stances; b u t th a t this c onference could n o t a p p o in t a new G eneral S^e^of th e fu n d am en tal Rules of th e Association. Its provm ce was to decide u p o n tactics policy and ca ar?rrv "n c y in g ro ou ut t Th t h e s e r u le s m o r e e f f e c tu a lly .
p g j3

Note'27q> "'T T '"'' m em bers o f N echayevs organisation (see N ote 279), which took place in St. P etersb u rg from July 1, 1871 O n S eptem ber 22, 1871, th e L o n d o n C o n fe re n c i instru cted th e G eneral L d no h ? ' u In tern a tio n a l W orking M ens Association ad n o th in g in com m on with N echayevs activities. O n O ctober 16, the G eneral Council ad o p te d a relevant resolution d ra fte d by M arx (see p re sen t edition, p. 613

6 M arx spoke ab o u t th e trad e s unions d u rin g the discussion on th e d ra ft

resolution subm itted by D elahaye at the fifth session of th e L o n d o n C onference on S eptem ber 20, 1871 (see N ote 271). p 614 whose clauses instru cted C ongress resolution on the trad es unions, one of the G eneral C ouncil to p ro m o te international

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the m ost im p o rta n t p roposition of th e role of political struggle fo r the em ancipation of the w orking class. C onsidering all these circum stances, the L ondon C onference a d o p te d a resolution, d ra fte d by M arx, on the publication of a new, au th en tic edition of th e Rules and A dm inistrative R egulations in E nglish, G erm an a n d French. It also resolved th a t all translations into o th er languages should be ap p ro v ed by the G eneral Council. At the e n d of S eptem ber-O ctober 1871, M arx a n d Engels p re p a re d a new edition of the Rules a n d A dm inistrative R egulations, taking into account the resolutions of all the congresses of th e In tern a tio n a l a n d of the L ondon C onference. T h ey rew rote th e A p p en d ix th a t substantiated all the amendments an d a d d e n d a in detail. M arx a n d Engels directly supervised the translation of th e Rules a n d R egulations into G erm an a n d French. T h e official English e d itio n General Rules and Administrative Regulations of the International Working M en s Association a p p e a re d as a p am p h le t in L ondon early in N ovem ber, in F re n c h in D ecem ber 1871; in G erm an the Rules and R egulations were published in p am p h let form in L eipzig a n d also in the n ew spaper Der Volhsstaat, No. 12. F eb ru ary 10, 1872. Fo r lack of m oney, the G eneral Council failed to publish the official edition of th e Rules a n d Regulations, p re p are d with E ngels participation, in Italian. T h ey w ere issued in Italian in abridged form by La Plebe and L Eguaglianza publishers. p. 616 M arx has in m ind certain d ubious elem ents a n d traito rs w ho m ade th e ir way into the C entral C om m ittee of th e N ational G u a rd in Paris, which was o f a m ixed ch aracter (Blanquists, neo-Jacobins, P roudhonists, etc). Such p eople on the C entral C om m ittee fu n ctioning as the revolutionary go v ern m en t from M arch 18 to 28, 1871 (when the C om m une was proclaim ed), as well as absence of political unity am o n g them , w ere the m ain reasons fo r the serious m istakes it com m itted (see this volum e, pp. 509-10). p. 616 '*' * T h is re fe rs to th e congress of th e A m erican N ational I.a b o u r U nion, w hich took place from A ugust 7 to 10, 1871 (see N ote 141). p. 616 T h e referen ce is to U tin s m otion to in stru ct the G eneral C ouncil to draw u p the final text of the resolution Political Action of the W orking Class , taking into account V aillants proposal a n d Serrailliers a n d F ran k els a m en d m en ts m ade d u rin g the discussion of this question at the C onference. T h e L ondon C onference ad o p te d U tins m otion. p, 618

.19 PStroleuses was the nicknam e given by the reactionary press to the Paris w om en w orkers falsely accused by the Versailles courts of settm g fire to houses d u rm g street fighting in Paris in May 1871 Pr.o M arx m ade this speech at th e cerem onial m eeting on the occasion * e 7th anniversary of the In tern a tio n a l, held in L ondon on S eptem ber 24, 1871. T h e " i n ^ w ls ch aired by M arx a n d a tte n d e d by the delegates to the L ondon C onference, m em bers of th e G eneral C ouncil a n d refugee C om m unards. T h e ep o rt on this m eeting,, m istakenly dated S eptem ber 25 was published m The re^ Vorld- it gave a brief re n d e rin g of M arxs speech, w hich is re p ro d u c e d in this World 633 volum e. . 634 121 T h is re fe rs to the F ebruary 1848 revolution in France.

6 T h is is M arxs b rief re p o rt as C o rre sp o n d in g Secretary of th e G eneral Council

fo r G erm any; o th e r c o rre sp o n d in g secretaries and delegates also m ade reports. T h e p a rt of his speech dealing with E ngland is an addition to his speeches on trad e s unions (this volum e, pp. 614-15). p. 619 'I T h e congress of the U nion of G erm an W orkers Associations (V erband D eutscher A rbeitervereine) in N u re m b erg on S eptem ber 5-7, 1868, resolved to join the In tern atio n al. In 1869 in Eisenach, the U nion was reo rg an ised into the Social-Dem ocratic W orkers Party (Sozialdem okratische A rbeiterpartei). Its D res den C ongress (A ugust 12-15, 1871) decided to cam paign fo r a sh o rte r w orking day, a g en u in e universal suffrage, etc., a n d re affirm e d the decision to jo in the In tern a tio n a l by stating in its resolution on the p a rty organ, Der Volksstaat, that It m am tam ed the ideological ties betw een G erm an Social-Democracy a n d the In tern a tio n a l W orking M ens Association. p. 619 M arx sent his d a u g h te r Je n n y s letter to the editors of Woodhuli and CAaflin s Weekly^ it was published in the jo u rn al to g eth e r with M arxs covering letter (see this volum e, p. 432). p. 622

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NAM E IND EX

Arnold, Georges Leon (1837-1912) French architect; m em b e r of the C entral C om m ittee of th e N ational G u ard a n d of th e Paris C om m une and of its M ilitary C om m ission; was d e p o rte d to New C aledonia in 1872; a fte r th e am nesty of 1880 re tu rn e d to Paris. 381 Assi, Adolphe Alphonse (1841-1886) French m echanic; o rganised strike m ovem ent in C reusot (1870); one of the accused at the th ird Paris trial against th e In tern a tio n a l in 1870; m em b er of th e C entral C om m ittee of the N ational G u ard a n d of the Paris C om m une; h ead e d th e c a p tu re of H otel d e Ville o n M arch 18, 1871; was sentenced to exile to New C aledonia in 1871. 292, 365, 400, 403, 563 Aster, Ernst Ludwig von (1778-1855) Prussian general a n d m ilitary e n gineer, fortifications e x p ert. 88 Aubry, Hector Emile (1829-1900) F ren ch w orker, lith o g ra p h er; Proudhonist, m em b er of th e In te rn a tional; C o rre sp o n d in g Secretary of th e R ouen section a n d F ed eratio n of the In tern a tio n a l; delegate to the G eneva (1866), L ausanne (1867), Brussels (1868) a n d Basle (1869) con gresses of th e In tern a tio n a l; took p a rt in the Paris C om m une; in 1873 em i g rated to Belgium . 560 Augusta, Marie Luise Katharina (18111890) wife of W illiam I, K ing of Prussia. 80, 189 Aulois F ren ch pro secu to r. 558 Aumale, Henri Eugene Philippe Louis d Orleans, Due d (1822-1897) son of Louis Philippe, K ing of France; em i g ra te d to E ngland a fte r th e F ebruary 1848 revolution; d e p u ty to th e N a tional Assembly (1871). 450 Aurelle de Paladines, Louis Jean Baptiste d (1804-1877) F rench general; c om m anded th e A rm y of the L oire d u rin g the Franco-P russian war; C o m m a n d e r of the Paris N ational

G u a rd (M arch 1871); d e p u ty to the N ational Assembly (1871). 168, 169, 176-78, 181, 203-05, 210, 320, 322, 441, 508-10, 546, 575, 585

Bakunin, M ikhail Alexandrovich (18141876) R ussian revolutionary and journalist; p a rticip a n t in th e 1848-49 revolution in G erm any; subsequendy an ideologist of N arodism a n d anarchism ; opposed M arxism in the First In tern a tio n a l; was expelled from the In tern a tio n a l at th e H a g u e C o n gress (1872) fo r his splitting ac tivities. 376, 411 Balan, Hermann Ludwig von (18121874) G erm an diplom at, envoy to Brussels (1865-74). 275 Bamekow, Albert Christoph Gottlieb, Baron von (1809-1895) G erm an general; co m m an d ed th e 16th Division d u rin g th e Franco-P russian w ar. 32 Barral, Eugene (1808-1890) F rench general; d u rin g th e Franco-P russian w ar inspector-general of the arm y train in g cam ps. 203 Barthelemy Saint Hilaire, Jules (St. Hilaire) (1805-1895) F rench p h ilo so p h er a n d politician; m em ber of th e C onstituent a n d Legislative Assemblies d u rin g th e Second R ep u b lic; d e p u ty to th e N ational Assembly (1871); m em b er of th e Versailles C om m ission of th e Fifteen a n d m an a g er of T h ie rs office (1871-73). 390 Bastelica, Andre A ugustin (1845-1884) took p a rt in th e F ren ch a n d Spanish working-class m ovem ent, p rin te r; m em b er of th e In tern a tio n a l; B akuninist; p a rticip a n t in the revolutionary u p risin g in M arseilles in O ctober-N ovem ber 1870; m em b er of th e G eneral C ouncil of the In te rn a tional (1871), delegate to th e L ondon C o nference (1871). 616, 618 Bataille, Henri Jules (1816-1882) F rench general; com m anded a divi

Alexander I (1777-1825) E m p e ro r of Russia (1801-25). 7 Affre, Denis Auguste (1793-1848) A rchbishop o f Paris (1840-48); shot by the soldiers o f the go v ern m en t troops d u rin g th e J u n e 1848 up risin g in Paris w hen h e trie d to p e rsu ad e the in su rg e n t w orkers to lay dow n th e ir arm s. 352, 446, 528 Albert (1828-1902) Saxon C row n Prince, King of Saxony from 1873; G erm an general, field m arshalgeneral from 1871; c om m anded the 12th (Saxon) C orps a n d subsequently the F o u rth (M euse) A rm y d u rin g the Franco-P russian w ar. 74, 147, 155 Albrecht, Friedrich Heinrich (18091872) Prussian prince, G erm an g e n eral; com m anded the F o u rth Cavalry Division d u rin g the Franco-P russian war. 169 Albrecht, Friedrich Wilhelm Nikolaus (1837-1906) Prussian prince, son of the above; G erm an general, subse quently field m arshal-general; com m an d e d a cavalry brig ad e d u rin g the Franco-P russian w ar. 223 Alexander (1845-1894) Russian G rand D uke, son of A lexander II; h eir to th e Russian th ro n e from 1865; E m p e ro r A lex an d er I II from 1881. 282 Alexander I I (1818-1881) E m p e ro r of Russia (1855-81). 267, 276, 281, 282 Alexander of Macedon (Alexander the Great) (356-323 B.C.) general and statesm an of antiquity; K ing of Mace d o n (336-323 B.C.). 12 Alexandra (Alexandra Caroline Maria Charlotte Louisa Julia) (1844-1925) d a u g h te r of C hristian IX, K ing of D enm ark; in 1863 m arried Prince of W ales, w ho from 1901 reig n ed as E dw ard V II, K ing o f G reat Britain an d Irela n d . 324, 528 Alvensleben, Konstantin von (18091892) G erm an general; com m anded th e T h ird C orps d u rin g the FrancoPrussian w ar. 42 Applegarth, Robert (1833-1925) a lea d er of th e B ritish trad e unions, cabinet-m aker; G eneral Secretary of th e A m algam ated Society of C a rp e n ters a n d Jo in ers (1862-71), m em ber of the L o n d o n T ra d e s Council; m em ber of the G eneral Council of the In tern a tio n a l (1865, 1868-72); delegate to th e Basle C ongress of the In tern a tio n a l (1869); o n e of the Re form L eague leaders; subsequently left th e working-class m ovem ent. 7 , 270, 431, 562, 564

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sion o f the Second C orps at the begin n in g o f the Franco-P russian w ar . 22 Bazaine, Fran(ois Achille (1811-1888) French m arshal; m onarchist; head ed the F rench a rm ed in terv en tio n in Mexico (1863-67); c om m anded the T h ird C orps a n d th en the A rm y of the R hine d u rin g the Franco-P russian war; capitulated at Metz in O ctober 1 8 7 0 .-3 2 , 34, 38, 41, 42, 51, .53, .54, 57-59, 62, 65-73, 75, 76, 82, 87, 127, 129, 136, 150, 152, 154-56, 1.59-61 166, 182 Bebel, Ferdinand A ugust (1840-1913) a m ajo r figure in the intern atio n al and G erm an working-class m ovem ent; tu rn e r; P resident of th e L eague of G erm an W o rk ers U nions from 1867; m em b er o f th e First In tern atio n al from 1866; one of th e fo u n d e rs and leaders of the G erm an SocialD em ocratic W orkers Party; d e p u ty to th e R eichstag of th e N o rth G erm an C on fed eratio n in 1867-70; took a p ro letarian , internationalist stand d u rin g the Franco-P russian w ar of 1870-71; cam e o u t in su p p o rt of the Paris C om m une; frien d a n d associate o f M arx a n d Engels. 272 274 278 617, 619 Beesly, Edward Spencer (1831-1915) E nglish historian a n d politician. P ro fessor at L ondon University; radical, positivist philosopher; a lea d er of the cam paign fo r th e recognition of the F rench Republic by the B ritish gov e rn m e n t; su p p o rte d the Paris C om m u n e in the English press. 364 Benedek, Ludwig von (1804-1881) A ustrian general; C om m ander-inC hief of the A ustrian A rm y fighting against the Prussians d u rin g th e Austro-Prussian w ar o f 1866. 35 Bergeret, Jules Henri Marius (18301905) m em b er of th e C entral C om m ittee of the N ational G u ard a n d of the Paris C om m une; general of the N ational G u ard ; a fte r th e suppression of the C om m une em ig rated to E ng

land, a n d late r to the USA. 325 510, 511, 529 Berry, Marie Caroline Ferdinande Louise de Bourbon, duchesse de (1798-1870) m o th e r of C ount C ham bord, Legitim ist p re te n d e r to th e F rench th ro n e; in 1832 a tte m p ted to start an u p risin g in V endee with the aim of o v e rthrow ing Louis P hilippe. 315 454, 503, 520 Berryer, Pierre Antoine (1790-1868) F rench law yer and politician; d ep u ty to th e C onstitu en t a n d Legislative Assemblies d u rin g the Second R epub lic, Legitim ist. 524 Beslay, Charles Victor (1795-1878) F rench e n tre p re n e u r a n d politician; m em b e r of th e Intern atio n al; P rou d h o n ist; m em b er o f th e Paris C om m une a n d its Finance Com m is sion; its delegate at the B ank of France; p u rsu e d a policy o f n o n in te rfere n c e in the la tte rs internal affairs a n d abstention from its nationalisation; a fte r the suppression of the C om m une em ig rated to Swit z erlan d . 317, 453 Leon (1826-1872) French law yer and jo u rn alist. L eft re p u b li can; a fte r th e suppression of the C om m une becam e th e C o m m u n a rd s defence counsel b efore the Versailles c o u rt. 400 Bismarck-Schdnhausen, Otto, Prince von (1815-1898) statesm an of Prussia a n d G erm any, diplom at; Prussian re p resen tativ e in the Federal D iet in F ra n k fu rt am M ain (1851-59); am bas sad o r to St. P etersb u rg (1859-62) and Paris (1862); Prim e M inister of P ru s sia (1862-71) a n d C hancellor o f the G erm an E m pire (1871-90); carried th ro u g h the unification of G erm any by coun ter-rev o lu tio n ary m eans. 5, 112-14, 125, 134, 248, 249, 267, 274, 275, 303, 313, 314, 317, 318, 320, 321, 340, 343, 346, 347, 353, 358, 359, 362, 393, 438, 444, 450-53, 459, 467, 482, 483, 501, 505, 517, 523,

531, 539, 541, .544, 545, 546, 588, 595, 608, 616 Blanc, Jean Joseph Louis (1811-1882) French petty-bourgeois socialist, his torian; m em b er of the Provisional G overnm ent a n d P resident of the L ux em b o u rg C om m ission (1848); p u rsu e d a policy of conciliation with the bourgeoisie; em ig rated to E ng land (A ugust 1848) a n d becam e a leader of the petty-bourgeois refugees in L ondon; d e p u ty to the Naticmal As.sembly (1871); cam e o u t against the Paris C om m une. 386, 497, 503, 571, .598, 611 Blanqui, Louis Auguste (1805-1881) French revolutionary, u to p ian com m unist; o rganised several secret societies and plots; active particip an t in th e revolution of 1830; a d h e re d to th e ex trem e L eft of the dem ocratic an d pro letarian m ovem ent d u rin g the 1848 revolution; a lea d er of the u p risin g of O ctober 31, 1870 in Paris; was elected m em b er of th e C om m une in his absence while in prison, 292, 319, 323, 352, 399, 471, 478, 480, 527 Bliicher, Gebhard Leberecht von. Prince of Wahlstatt (1742-1819) Prussian field m arshal-general; took p a rt in wars against th e F rench R epublic and N apoleonic F rance. 72, 196 Bonaparte dynasty of F rench em p ero rs (1804-14, 1815 and 1852-70). 156, 451 Bonaparte see Napoleon I Bonaparte, Joseph (1768-1844) eldest b ro th e r of N apoleon I, K ing of N aples (1806-08) a n d Spain (180813). 160 Bonaparte, Louis see Napoleon I I I Bonaparte, Prince Napoleon Joseph Charles Paul (1822-1891) cousin of N a poleon III, nicknam ed Plon-Plon and th e R ed Prince. 301 Bonjean, Louis Bernard (1804-1871) French lawyer. R ight Republican;

com m anded th e L egion d h o n n e u r; rem ained in Paris d u rin g the Paris C om m une; was shot in La R oquette in A pril 1871. 401 Boon, M artin James p a rticip a n t in the B ritish working-class m ovem ent; m echanic; su p p o rte d the socialrefo rm ist views of th e C hartist Jam es O B rien; m em b er of th e G eneral C ouncil of the In tern a tio n a l (186972); Secretary of th e L and and L ab o u r L eague; m em b er of th e B rit ish F ederal C ouncil (1872). 7, 270, 355, 382, 431 Bora, Giovanni m em b er of th e G e n e r al C ouncil of the In tern a tio n a l and C o rre sp o n d in g Secretary fo r Italy in 1 8 7 0 .- 8 , 270 Bouis, Casimir Dominique (c. 18431916) F rench journalist; B lanquist; m em b er of the C entral C om m ittee of the N ational G u a rd a n d of the Paris C om m une; a fte r th e suppression of the C om m une was d e p o rte d to New C aledonia. 478 Bourbaki, Charles Denis Sauter (18161897) F rench general, G reek by b irth ; co m m an d ed th e G u a rd and late r the 18th C orps a n d th e A rm y of th e East d u rin g th e Franco-P russian w ar. 138, 187, 203, 207, 209, 210, 222, 226-30, 236-37, 241-49, 251, 252, 255-58. Bourbons roya] dynasty in France (1589-1792, 1814-15 a n d 1815-30). 459, 460, 540 Bower, Elyott Paris c o rre sp o n d e n t of The M orning Advertiser (1871). 552 Bradnick, Frederick m em ber of the G eneral Council of the In tern a tio n a l (1870-72); delegate to th e L ondon C o nference of 1871; follow ing the H ague C ongress (1872), to g eth e r with the reform ist wing of the British F ederal C ouncil opposed its decisions; expelled from the In tern a tio n a l by decision of th e G eneral Council in May 1 8 7 3 .- 7 , 270, 355, 382, 431

712

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Brass, A ugust (1818-1876) G erm an journalist; took p a rt in th e 1848-49 revolution in G erm any; e m ig rate d to Sw itzerland a fte r its d efeat; follow er of Bism arck from th e 1860s; editorin-chief of the Norddeusche Allgemeine Zeitung. 300 BressoUes, Antoine A ubin (1828-1891) French general, com m anded th e 24th C orps o f th e A rm y of the Loire d u rin g the Franco-P russian war. 241 Broadhead, W illiam (1815-1879) B ritish trade-unionist; secretary of th e U nion of K nife-M akers (184867). 574 Bruce, Henry A ustin, 1st Baron Aberdare (1815-1895) B ritish statesm an, Lib eral, H om e Secretary (1868-73). 563, 579 Brunei, Paul A ntoine Magloire (b. 1830) F rench officer, B lanquist; took p a n in the u p risin g o f O ctober 31, 1870; m em b er o f th e C entral C om m ittee of th e N ational G u ard a n d of th e Paris C om m une; was gravely w o unded by th e Versaillists in May 1871; em ig rated to E ngland a fte r th e suppression of th e C om m une; in his absence was sentenced to d e a th in Paris in 1871, which was com m uted to five years im p riso n m en t in 1872. 357 Butler, Benjamin Franklin (1818-1893) A m erican politician a n d general. D em ocrat; d u rin g th e US Civil W ar c om m anded th e exp ed itio n ary N o rth e rn A rm y w hich occupied New O r leans; m ilitary G ov ern o r of New O r leans. 582 Buttery, G. H . m em b er o f the G eneral C ouncil o f th e In tern a tio n a l (187172). 355, 382, 431

o n e o f th e organisers of com m unist com m unes in N o rth A m erica in 1848 5 6 . - 3 5 7 , 362 Cadiot (Cadrot) p a rticip a n t in th e Paris C om m une. 562 Cafiero, Carlo (1846-1892) Italian lawyer, m em b e r of th e First In tern a tional; p u rsu e d th e policy o f the G eneral C ouncil in Italy in 1871; from 1872, one o f th e fo u n d e rs o f the Italian anarchist organisations; aban d o n e d anarchism a t th e e n d o f the 1870s; in 1879 published a b rief sum m ary o f V olum e I o f Capital in the Italian language. 563 Caihill, Edward m em b e r o f th e G e n er al C ouncil of th e In tern a tio n a l (187071). 270, 355, 382 Calonne, Charles Alexandre de (17341802) F ren ch statesm an; controller of finances (1783-87); a lea d er of the coun ter-rev o lu tio n ary em igres d u rin g the F rench R evolution. 343, 457 543 Canrobert, Fran(ois Certain (18091895) F rench general. M arshal of F rance from 1856; Senator, Bonap artist; an active p a rticip a n t in the coup d etat of D ecem ber 2, 1851. 33, 38, 40, 41, 45, 54, 58, 62, 66 , 78, 154, 158-59 Caporusso, Stefano Italian w orker, tailor; follow er o f B akunin; one of th e fo u n d e rs of th e N aples section of th e In tern a tio n a l; expelled from the section in 1870. 559 Cardinal von W iddem, Georg (18411920) Prussian o fficer a n d m ilitary w riter, a u th o r o f works on strategy, tactics, m ilitary g eo g rap h y a n d his tory; p a rticip a n t in the FrancoPrussian w ar. 17, 18 Cordon, Emile. 398 Cardwell, Edward Cardwell, Viscount (1813-1886) B ritish statesm an, a Peelite leader, later L iberal; P resident of th e B oard o f T ra d e (1852-55), S ecretary fo r Irela n d (1859-61), Sec^

retary fo r th e C olonies (1864-66) and Secretary fo r W ar (1868-74). 579 Carnot, Lazare Nicolas Marguerite (17531823) F ren ch m athem atician; politi cal a n d m ilitary lea d er of th e F rench Revolution, Jacobin; m em b er of the D irectory (1795-97); W ar M inister d u rin g th e C onsulate. 47 Carrel, A rm and (1800-1836) F rench journalist; m o d era te republican; a fo u n d e r a n d e d ito r of Le National . 454, 456 Castagny, A rm and Alexandre de (18071900) F rench general; c om m anded the Second Division of the T h ird C orps of th e A rm y of th e R hine d u rin g the Franco-P russian w ar; was taken p riso n e r at Metz. 42 Castiau, Adelson Joseph Adolphe (18041879) B elgian law yer a n d politi cian; d em ocrat; m em b e r of the C h am b er of R epresentatives (184348). 617 Cathelineau (Cathelineau), Henri de (1813-1891) F ren ch general. Royal ist; d u rin g the Franco-P russian w ar a n d the suppression of th e Paris C om m une com m anded a legion of volunteers from th e W est. 452, 539, 541 Catherine H (1729-1796) E m press of Russia (1762-96). 576 Cavaignac, Louis Eugene (1802-1857) F ren ch general a n d politician, m o d e rate republican; took p a rt in the conquest of A lgeria; a fte r th e Feb ru a ry 1848 revolution. G overnor of A lgeria; from May 1848 W ar M inis te r o f France; directed the su p p re s sion of the Ju n e uprising; h e ad of the executive (June-D ecem ber 1848). 352, 444, 446, 461, 510, 521-22, 528 Chambord, Henri Charles Ferdinand Marie Dieudonne d Artois, due de Bor deaux, comte de (1820-1883) last rep resen tativ e of the e ld e r line of the B ourbons, g ra n d so n of C harles X, p re te n d e r to the F rench th ro n e

u n d e r th e nam e of H e n ri V. 301, 540 Changamier, Nicolas A nne Theodule (1793-1877) F rench general and politician, m onarchist; d e p u ty to the C o n stitu en t a n d Legislative A ssem blies (1848-51); c o m m a n d er of the Paris g arriso n a n d the N ational G u ard a fte r J u n e 1848; com m anded the troops th a t d ispersed th e d e m o n stra tio n of Ju n e 13, 1849 in Paris; was expelled fro m F rance a fte r the coup d eta t of D ecem ber 2, 1851 and re tu rn e d to F rance in 1859; a staff o fficer of th e A rm y of the R hine d u rin g th e Franco-P russian w ar; was tak en p riso n e r at Metz; d e p u ty to the N ational Assembly (1871). 325, 455, 512, 529 Chanzy, Antoine Alfred Eugene (18231883) F ren ch general; com m anded th e 16th C orps a n d th e n th e Second A rm y of th e L oire d u rin g the Franco-Prussian w ar; d e p u ty to th e N a tional Assembly (1871). 203, 206, 207, 208, 209, 210, 221, 222, 226, 228-30, 236-38, 249, 251, 253, 450, 478 Charette de la Contrie, Athanase, baron de (1832-1911) F rench general; com m an d e d th e Pontifical Zouaves and th e n a legion of v olunteers fro m the W est d u rin g the Franco-P russian w ar. 452, 513, 539, 549 Charmont, Jeanne (1812-1870) wife of V ernier, m istress of Jules Favre. 313, 439, 517 Chassepot, Antoine Alphonse (18331905) F rench m ilitary inventor. 26, 120 Clarendon, George W illiam Frederick Villiers, 4th Earl of, 4th Baron Hyde (1800-1870) B ritish statesm an. W hig, later L iberal; L ord L ieu ten an t of Irela n d (1847-52), F oreign Secre tary (1853-58, 1865-66, 1868-70). 576, 582 Clausewitz, Karl (1780-1831) Prussian general a n d m ilitary theoretician. 166

Cabet, Etienne ( 1 7 8 8 - 1 8 5 6 ) - French law yer a n d w riter, u to p ian com m u nist, a u th o r o f Voyage en Icarie (1840);

714

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Cluseret, Gustave Paul (1823-1900) F rench officer; m em ber of the First In tern a tio n a l; was close to the Bakuninists; took p a rt in the revolutionary uprisings in Lyons and M arseilles (1870); m em ber of the Paris C om m une a n d its m ilitary dele gate (April 1871); a refu g ee a fte r the suppression of th e Paris C om m u n e. 399, 470, 554, 557 Cobbett, W illiam (1762-1835) British politician a n d radical w riter. 370, 375 Coenen, Philip (Philippe) (1842-1892) took p a rt in the Belgian working-class m ovem ent, shoe-m aker; fo u n d e d the A ntw erp section of th e In tern atio n al in 1868; fo u n d e r a n d editor-in-chief of De Werker; delegate to th e Brussels C ongress (1868) a n d the L ondon C o nference (1871) of th e In te rn a tio n al; at the H ag u e C ongress (1872) su p p o rte d th e Bakuninists; subse quently one of th e organisers of the B elgian Socialist Party. 294 Co'Mogon, Louis Charles Emmanuel, comte de (1814-1886) F rench official, B onapartist; one of th e organisers of th e c o unter-revolutionary d e m o n stra tion in Paris on M arch 22, 1871. 327, 511, 529 Cohn (Cohen), James active in the B rit ish working-class m ovem ent; Presi d e n t of the L ondon Association of Cigar-M akers; m em b er of th e G e n er al C ouncil of th e In tern a tio n a l (186771), C o rre sp o n d in g Secretary for D enm ark (1870-71), delegate to the Brussels C ongress (1868) a n d the L ondon C o nference (1871) of the In tern a tio n a l. 8 , 270, 355, 382 578 581 Comte, Isidore Auguste Francois Marie (1 7 98-1857) F rench philo so p h er a n d sociologist, fo u n d e r of Positiv ism . 498, 504, 574 Conseil-Dumesnil, Gustave Antoine Marie (1813-1877) French general; com m an d ed a division of the Seventh C orps of the A rm y of the R hine

d u rin g the Franco-P russian war; was taken p riso n e r at Sedan. 40 Corbon, Claude A nthim e (1808-1891)__ F rench politician, republican; ViceP resident of th e C onstitu en t Assem bly (1848-49); a fte r th e fall of the Second E m pire, M ayor of the 15th a rro n d issem e n t of Paris; d e p u ty to th e N ational Assembly o f 1871; be longed to its L eft m inority. 312 516 Cormontaigne, Louis de (c. 1695-1752)__ French general, m ilitary engineer; a u th o r of works on fortification. 135 Courbet, Desire Jean Gustave (18191877) painter, fo u n d e r of the realistic tre n d in F rench painting; republican; Socialist, m em b er of the Paris C om m une; w orked in the Jour nal officiel de la Republique fran^aise; in 1873 em ig rated to Sw itzerland. 552, 553 Cousin-Montauban, Charles Guillaume Marie Apollinaire Antoine, comte de Palikao (1796-1878) F rench g e n e r al, B onapartist; W ar M inister and Prim e M inister (A ugust-S eptem ber 1870). 13, 44, 50, 120, 161, 320, 441 Cowley, Henry Richard Charles Wellesley, 1st Earl of (1804-1884) B ritish d ip lom at, am bassador to Paris (185267). 380 Cremer, Camille (1840-1876) French general; com m anded a divi.sion of the A rm y of th e East d u rin g the FrancoPrussian war. 224, 255, 258 Crouzat. Joseph Constant (1811-1879)^ F rench general; com m anded the 20th C orps d u rin g the F'rancoPrussian w ar. 203

u rit^ r. ab o litio n ist; an e d ito r (1848) t h e n m a n a g in g e d ito r (1849-62) t h e N ew -Y ork Tribune; a n e d ito r * th e N ew Am erican Cyclopaedia j.j57,63); e d ito r-in -c h ief of th e NewS u n (1868-97). 396 p,hoy, Oeorges (1813-1871) F re n c h jlic o lo g ia n . A rc h b ish o p of Paris fro m i^OS- s h o t by th e C o m m u n e a s a h o s ta g e in M a y 1871. 342, 352, " 4 0 0 , 4 01, 446, 448, 476, 477, 'oi Davies. John Llewellyn (1826-1916) a n d theo lo g ian ,

Delescluze, Louis Charles (1809-1871) F ren ch re volutionary, journalist; p a rticip a n t in th e revolutions of 1830 a n d 1848; fo u n d e r, e d ito r and pu b lish er of Le Reveil (1868-71); m em b er of th e Paris C om m une, and its m ilitary delegate; was killed on the barricad es d u rin g th e street fighting in Paris on May 25, 1871. 381, 398 Delescluze, Louise A zem ia (b. 1808) sister of C harles Dele.scluze. 398 Delpech F ren ch law yer, reactionary; g e n era l p ro se cu to r in T oulouse (1871). 397, 398, 624-25, 630 De Paepe, Cesar A im e Desire (18411890)' p ro m in e n t in the Belgian w orking-class a n d socialist m ovem ent; com positor, subsequently physician; a fo u n d e r of th e B elgian section of the In tern a tio n a l; m em b e r of th e Belgian F ederal Council; deleg ate to th e L on d o n C onference (1865), the L ausan n e (1867), Brussels (1868) a n d Basle (1869) congresses a n d to th e L ondon C o n fe ren c e (1871) of th e In te rn a tional; follow ing the H a g u e C ongress o f 1872 su p p o rte d th e B akuninists fo r som e tim e; o n e o f th e fo u n d e rs o f th e Belgian W o rk ers Party. 557 De Potter, Louis (1786-1859) B elgian publicist a n d politician, bourgeois d em o crat; m em b e r o f th e Provisional G o v e rn m en t d u rin g th e 1830 revolu tion in B elgium . 617 Derby, Edward Geoffrey Smith Stanley, Earl of (1799-1869) B ritish states m an, T o ry lead er; P rim e M inister (1852, 1858-59, 1866-68). 579, 582 Desagarre, baron F re n c h lawyer, public p ro se cu to r at a local law court of H a u te-G a ro n n e (1871). 621, 623, 625, 630 Desmarets F re n c h cap tain of the g e n d a rm e tro o p s at Versailles; killed G ustave F lo u ren s. 326, 447, 464, 530 Disraeli, Benjamin, Earl of Beaconsfield (1804-1881) B ritish statesm an and a u th o r, a T o ry lead er: one of the

E r ig lis h

c le rg y m a n

lib e ral. 370, 376 Uecnen, C laude Theodore (1811-1870) F re n c h g e n e ra l; co m m a n d ed a divi sion o f th e T h ir d C orps, a n d th e n the T h i r d C o rp s d u rin g the F rancoP ru s s ia n w ar; was m ortally w o u n d e d at t h e b a td e o f B o rn y in A ugust 1870. 6 2 , 154 Dechamps, Victor Auguste (1810-1883) B e lg ia n c ard in al; A rchbishop of M alin es fro m 1867, p rim a t d e B el g ique. 563 Deguerry, Gaspard (1797-1871) F re n c h c le rg y m a n ; C u re o f th e M adeleine C h u r c h in Paris; was shot by the C o m m u n e as a hostage in May 1 8 7 1 . - 4 4 8 , 476 Dejean, Pierre Charles, vicomte (18071872) F re n c h general. D ep u ty W ar M in iste r in th e O llivier c ab in et in A u g u s t 1870. 45, 46 Delahaye, Victor A lfred (1838-1897) F re n c h m echanic, m em b er o f the lirs t In te r n a tio n a l; m em b e r o f the laris C o m m u n e ; e m ig rate d to L o n don; m e m b e r o f th e G eneral C ouncil < f t h e In te rn a tio n a l a n d th e B ritish f e d e r a l C ouncil (1871-72); S ecretary t h e L o n d o n C o n feren ce (1871). 355, 4 3 1 ^elane, John Thadeus (1817-1879) E n g lish jo u rn a list, ed ito r-in -ch ief of rhe T im e s (1841-77). 285, 286, 287, ^ 92-93

Dallas Paris corresp<m dent Times (1871). 552, 553

of

The

Dana, Charles Anderson (1819-1897) A m erican journalist, follow er of

716

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717

fo u n d e rs a n d ideologists of the C on servative Party; C hancellor of the E x chequer (1852, 1858-59, 1866-68), Prim e M inister (1868, 1874-80). 576 Dombrowski, Jaroslaw (1836-1871) Polish revolutionary dem ocrat; took p a rt in the national liberation m ove m en t in Poland (1860s); general of th e Paris C om m une; com m ander-inchief of all its a rm e d forces from early May 1871; killed on the b a r ricades. 339 Douay, Charles Abel (1809-1870) F rench general; c om m anded a divi sion of the Second C orps d u rin g the F ranco-P russian war; killed in the battle of W issem bourg. 37 Dcmay, Felix Charles (1816-1879) F rench general; com m anded the Seventh C orps of the A rm y o f the R hine d u rin g the Franco-Prussian war; was taken p riso n e r at Sedan; o n e of the organisers o f reprisals against the Paris C om m une; com m an d ed the F o u rth C orps o f the Versailles A rm y. 34, 35, 38, 40, 41, 51, 54, 58, 66 , 67, 78, 109, 159, 3 4 8 Ducrot, Auguste Alexandre (18171882) F rench general, O rleanist; c om m anded a division of th e First C orps, th en th e First C orps a n d the Second Paris A rm y d u rin g the Franco-Prussian war; took p a rt in the b uilding u p of the Versailles A rm y fo r the suppression of the Paris C om m une; dep u ty to the N ational Assembly (1871). 108, 121, 169 177, 189-91, 193, 232, 506 Dufaure, Jules A rm and Stanislas (17981881) F rench law yer a n d politician, O rleanist; d e p u ty to th e C o nstituent Assembly (1848); M inister o f the In te rio r (O ctober-D ecem ber 1848, Ju n e -O c to b e r 1849); M inister of Ju s tice (F ebruary 1871-May 1873); in sp ire d the suppression of th e Paris C om m une. 319, 325, 344, 345, 441 443-45, 467-69, 497, 519, 544

Dumas, Alexandre (son) (1824-1895)__ F rench d ra m a tist a n d novelist 4 fid 478 Dupanloup, Felix Antoine Philibert (18021878) F rench theologian a n d politician; one of the leaders of the C atholic Party; B ishop o f O rieans from 1849; d e p u ty to th e N ational Assembly (1871). 198, 200, 585 Dupont, Eugene (c. 1831-1881) particip an t in the F rench a n d in te rn a tional working-class m ovem ent; m usical-instrum ent m aker; took p a rt in the Ju n e 1848 u p risin g in Paris; from 1862 lived in L on d o n , th en in M anchester; m em b er o f th e G e n er al C ouncil of th e In tern a tio n a l (N ovem ber 1864-72), C o rresp o n d in g Secretary fo r F rance (1865-71); p a r ticipant in all th e conferences and congresses o f th e In tern a tio n a l (except the Basle C ongress); co n trib u ted to Le Courrier franiais; fo rm ed the French b ran ch of th e In tern a tio n a l in M an chester (1870); in 1872 becam e a m em b er o f the B ritish F ederal Council o f th e In tern a tio n a l; in 1874 m oved to the USA; associate of M arx a n d E ngels. 8 . 270, 355, 382, 431, 556, 558, 560, 590-91 Duval, Emile Victoire (1840-1871) F rench iro n fo u n d er, B lanquist; m em b er o f th e In tern a tio n a l; m em ber of th e C entral C om m ittee of the N ational G u a rd a n d of th e Paris C om m une; general o f th e C om m une s N ational G u ard ; m em b er of th e Executive a n d M ilitary com m is sions; was shot by the Versailles troops on A pril 4, 1871. 326, 401, 447, 471, 530, 557, 591

of th e First In tern a tio n a l (1864-72) a n d th en its G eneral Sec retary (1867-71); C o rre sp o n d in g Sec retary fo r A m erica (1870-72), dele gate to all th e In tern a tio n a ls con gresses a n d conferences; until 1872 follow er of M arx; a fte r the H ague C ongress jo in ed the refo rm ist wing of the B ritish F ederal C ouncil. 8 , 270, 286, 287, 355, 382, 431, 562, 565-67, 577, 590
C ;o u n cil

th e C rim ea (1855); co m m an d ed the Fifth C orps d u rin g th e FrancoP iussian war; was tak en p riso n e r at Sedan. 33, 37, 38, 40, 51, 57, 66 , 67, 78, 109, 154, 158, 161 Falloux, Frederic Alfred Pierre, comte de (1811-1886) F rench politician a n d w riter; L egitim ist a n d clerical; in 1848 initiated the closure of the national w orkshops a n d in sp ired the suppression of th e Ju n e u p risin g of the Paris w orkers; d e p u ty to the C onstituent a n d Legislative A ssem blies d u rin g the Second Republic; M inister of E ducation (1848-49). 524 Favre, Claude Gabriel Jules (18091880) F rench law yer a n d politician; from the late 1850s, a lea d er of the bourgeois - rep u b lican opposition; Foreign M inister in the G overnm ent of N ational D efence a n d in T h ie rs go v ern m en t (1870-71); n egotiated th e capitulation of Paris a n d peace treaty with G erm any; to g eth e r with T h ie rs directed th e struggle against the First In tern a tio n a l. 4, 112, 114, 241, 248, 249, 304, 312, 313, 317, 320, 323, 340, 346, 357-62, 370, 376, 416, 417, 437-40, 442, 450, 454, 456, 466, 469, 475, 481, 482, 506, 509, 511, 513-18, 527, 528, 571, 572, 588, 595, 608, 610, 611, 616 Ferdinand I I (1810-1859) K ing of the T w o Sicilies (1830-59), nicknam ed K ing B om ba fo r th e b o m b ard m en t of M essina (1848). 315, 455, 520 Ferry, Jules Franfois Camille (18321893) F ren ch law yer a n d politician; one of the leaders o f m o d era te bourgeois republicans; m em b er of th e G o v ern m en t o f N ational D e fence; M ayor of Paris (1870-71); d e p u ty to th e N ational Assembly (1871); Prim e M inister (1880-81, 1883-85). 314, 438, 439, 440, 443, 480, 509, 515, 517-18 Flocon, Ferdinand (1800-1866) F rench politician a n d journalist; dem ocrat; an ed ito r of La Reforme; m em b er of

Elliott, Thomas B ritish trade-unionist; from 1871 m em b er of the B ritish Federal C ouncil o f th e In te rn a tional. 563 Elpidin, M ikhail Konstantinovich (c. 1835-1908) was active in th e Rus sian revolutionary m ovem ent in the early 1860s; in 1865 em ig rated to Sw itzerland; m em b er of th e First In tern a tio n a l a n d of the Alliance of Socialist Dem ocracy; later was ex posed as an a g en t-p ro v o cateu r of the tsarist secret police. 377 Engels, 156, 208, 284, 566, 593, Frederick (1820-1895) 138, 158, 161, 170, 185, 186, 192, 247, 249, 250, 256, 273, 277-80, 355, 370, 382, 389, 561, 564, 567, 573, 577, 582, 587, 588, 594, 607, 609

Espartero, Joaquin Baldomero Fernandez, duque de la Vittoria y de Morello, conde de Luchana (1793-1879) Spanish general a n d politician; lea d er of the Progresista Party; R egent of Spain (1841-43), head of g o v e rn m e n t (185456). 315, 455, 521 Eugenie see Montijo, Eugenie

Eccarius, Johann Georg (1818-1889) p ro m in e n t figure in the international a n d G erm an working-class m ove m ent; tailor; m em b e r o f the League o f th e Ju st a n d later o f th e C om m u nist L eague; m em b er of th e G eneral

Faidherbe, Louis Leon Cesar (18181889) F rench general; com m anded th e A rm y of the N o rth d u rin g the Franco-P russian w ar. 203, 222-24, 230, 236, 251, 253, 389 Failly, Pierre Louis Charles Achille de (181 0 -1 8 9 2 ) F rench general. Se n a to r; co m m a n d er of a division in

718

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the Provisional 1 8 4 8 .-5 7 1

G overnm ent

in

H ungary; associate o f M arx a n d E n gels. 339, 431, 476, 501, 617 Fransecky, Eduard Friedrich von (18071890) G erm an general; com m an d e d the Second C orps d u rin g the Franco-P russian w ar. 241 Frederick 11 (the Great) (1712-1786)__ King of Prussia (1740-86). 165, 359 Frederick Charles (1828-1885) Prussian prince, G erm an general, from Oc tober 1870 field m arshal-general: d u rin g the Franco-P russian w ar com m an d e d the Second A rm y. 20, 23 29, 33, 34, 39, 41, 62, 69, 86 , 104 147, 152, 170, 171, 175-77, 179, 183 185, 186, 188, 195, 196, 204-06 209-12, 221, 222, 226, 228-30, 238 245, 248-49, 252 Frederick Francis 11 (1823-1883) G ra n d D uke of M ecklenburgSchw erin (1842-83); G erm an general; d u rin g the Franco-P russian war first com m anded th e troops on the coast of G erm any a n d th en a fo rm a tion fighting south of Paris. 147, 169, 176, 177, 179, 180, 182, 183, 186, 195, 196, 204-06, 208, 209, 221, 222, 243 Frederick W illiam (1831-1888) Crown Prince of Prussia a n d th e G erm an E m pire; general; son of W illiam I; K ing o f Prussia a n d E m p e ro r of G erm any u n d e r th e n am e o f F re d erick I I I (1888); com m anded the T h ird A rm y d u rin g the FrancoPrussian w ar. 20, 23, 25, 28-29, 33, 37, 57, 67-69, 71, 72, 75, 78, 81, 147, 177, 195, 281 Frederick W illiam 111 (1770-1840) K ing of Prussia (1797-1840). 98, 195-97 Friedldnder, M ax (1829-1872) G erm an dem ocratic journalist, e d ito r o f the Neue Oder-Zeitung a n d Die Fresse, to w hich Karl M arx c o n trib u ted in the 1850s-1860s; fo u n d e r a n d ed ito r of th e Neue Freie Presse (1864-72). 374 Frossard, Charles Auguste (1807-1875) French general; com m anded the Sec

Flourens, Gustave Paul (1838-1871) F rench n aturalist a n d revolutionary, follow er o f Blanqui; c o n trib u ted to La Marseillaise; em igrated to L ondon in M arch 1870 and re tu rn e d in S eptem ber 1870; one o f th e leaders of the Paris uprisings on O ctober 31, 1870 a n d Ja n u a ry 22, 1871; m em ber of the Paris C om m une a n d its Mili tary Com m ission; on A pril 3, 1871 was killed by the Versaillists. 320, 323, 326, 447, 471, 480, 527, 530, 591 Fondeville, Eugene (Fondewille) m em ber of the F rench section of the First In tern a tio n a l in B ordeaux; m em b er o f th e Paris C om m une; a re fu g e e in L ondon a fte r its defeat; took p a rt in the L ondon C onference o f the In tern a tio n a l in 1871; in 1875 em ig rated to th e USA. 400-02 Forcade de la Roquette, Jean Louis Victor Adolphe de (1820-1874) French statesm an, liberal; M inister of the In te rio r in the Ollivier cabinet (1869). 45 Franfois F rench N ational G uardsm an, C o m m u n ard ; killed d u rin g the c o unter-revolutionary dem o n stratio n in Paris on M arch 22, 1871. 511, 529 Frankel, Leo (1844-1896) active in the H u n g a rian a n d intern atio n al working-class m ovem ent; jew eller; in th e 1860s em ig rated to France; in 1870 was one of th e fo u n d e rs of the G erm an section in Paris; Secretary a n d m em ber of the Paris F ederal Council; was prosecuted at the th ird trial of the In tern a tio n a l in Paris; m em b er of the N ational G u ard and of the Paris C om m une; in 1872 was sentenced to d eath in his absence; in 1871-72 m em b er of the G eneral C ouncil of the In tern a tio n a l, C o rre sp o n d in g Secretary for A ustriaH ungary; delegate to th e L ondon C onference (1871) a n d th e H ague C ongress (1872); in 1876 re tu rn e d to

o n d C o rp s d u rin g th e FrancoPrussian w ar; was tak en p riso n e r at M etz. 22, 29, 30, 32-34, 37, 38, 42, 57, 61, 62, 67, 154

fo reig n volunteers. 199, 224, 242, 244, 245, 248, 252 Garibaldi, Ricciotti (1847-1924)^son of G iuseppe G aribaldi; took p a rt in the national liberation m ovem ent in Italy; p a rticip a n t in th e F ranco-P russian w ar o n th e side o f F rance as the co m m a n d er of a b rig ad e o f th e V osges A rm y. 180 Gamier-Pages, Louis A ntoine (18031878) F ren ch politician, m o d erate republican; m em b er o f th e Provision al G o v ern m en t a n d M ayor of Paris in 1848; m em b er o f th e G o v ern m en t of N ational D efence (1870-71). 469 Giovacchini, P. m em b e r o f th e G e n er al C ouncil o f th e In tern a tio n a l, C o r re sp o n d in g Secretary fo r Italy (1871). 355, 382 Gladstone, W illiam Ewart (1809-1898) B ritish statesm an, T o ry a n d th en Peelite; in th e latter half o f the n in e te e n th cen tu ry , lea d er o f the L iberal Party; C hancellor of th e Ex c h eq u e r (1852-55 a n d 1859-66) a n d Prim e M inister (1868-74, 1880-85, 1886, a n d 1892-94). 281, 560, 578-80 Gneisenau, A ugust Wilhelm Anton, Count Neithardt von (1760-1831) Prussian field m arshal; o n e of th e organisers of th e liberation struggle against N ap o leo n s rule; took p a rt in draw ing u p a n d carry in g o u t P russian arm y re fo rm s. 166, 200-02 Goeben, A ugust Karl Friedrich Christian von (1816-1880) G e rm an general; co m m an d ed th e E ighth C orps a n d fro m Ja n u a ry 1871 th e First A rm y d u rin g th e Franco-P russian w ar. 223, 228, 230, 248, 252 Goltz, Eduard Kuna, B a rm v m der (1817-1897) G e rm an general; com m an d e d a Prussian d e ta ch m e n t of th e 14th C orps d u rin g th e FrancoPrussian w ar. 228 Gorchakov, Alexander Mikhailovich, Prince (1798-1883) R ussian statesm an and diplom at, envoy in V ienna (1854-56),

Gallien, Louis Auguste (b. 1831) officer of th e N ational G u a rd o f th e C om m une. 470, 477 Galliffet, Florence Georgina wife of m arquis d e G alliffet. 326, 356, 447, 530 Galliffet, Gaston Alexandre Auguste, mar quis de (183 0 -1909) F ren ch general; co m m an d ed a cavalry re g im en t d u r ing th e Franco-P russian w ar; was tak en p riso n e r a t S edan b u t was released to fig h t th e C om m une; com m an d e d a cavalry b rig ad e in the Versailles arm y. 326-27, 356, 447, 477, 513, 530, 532 Gambetta, L e m (1838-1882) F rench statesm an, bourgeois republican; m em b e r o f th e G o v ern m en t of N a tional D efence (1870-71); h e ad o f the delegation sent by this go v ern m en t to T o u rs; P rim e M inister a n d M inis te r o f F oreign A ffairs (1881-82).-^ 129, 168, 186, 191, 221, 229, 238, 242, 253, 275, 312, 437, 480, 516, 532, 618 Ganesco, Gregory (c. 1830-1877) F ren ch jo u rn alist, R om anian by birth ; B o n ap artist d u rin g the Second E m pire, a n d th e n su p p o rte d th e T h ie rs go v ern m en t. 338 Garau g o v ern o r o f th e prison in Mazas. 401 Garibaldi, Giuseppe (1807-1882) Italian revolutionary, d em ocrat, lea d er o f th e Italian national lib era tion m ovem ent a n d th e struggle for th e unification of Italy in the 1850s1860s; p a rticip a n t in th e FrancoPrussian w ar o n th e side of the F rench R epublic; co m m an d ed the Vosges A rm y, consisting of u nits of th e N ational G u a rd , F ren ch and
'/.2 5 -1 M 2

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F oreign 575 M inister

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(1856-82). 267,

Gramont, A ntoine A lfred Agenor, due de Gramonl et de Quiche, prince de Bidache ^ 8 1 9 -1 8 8 0 ) F ren ch d ip lom at; M inister of Foreign A ffairs (1870); p u rsu e d th e policy of u n leashing a w ar betw een F rance and Prussia. 12 Grand Duke of Mecklenburg see Fred erick Francis I I Grant, Ulysses Simpson (1822-1885) A m erican general a n d statesm an; fo u g h t in th e Civil W ar on the side of th e U nion, C o m m ander-in-C hief of th e N o rth e rn A rm y fro m M arch 1864; W ar Secretary (1867-68), US P resid en t (1869-77). 142 Granville, George Leveson Gower, 2nd Earl (1815-1891) B ritish statesm an. W hig a n d later L iberal; F oreign Sec re ta ry (1851-52, 1870-74, 1880-85); P resident of th e C ouncil (1852-54, 1855-58 a n d 1859-65), Secretary of State fo r th e Colonies (1868-70, 1886). 579 Greenwood, Frederick (1830-1909) B ritish journalist, first e d ito r of The Pall Mall Gazette (1865-80); held bourgeois-liberal a n d th e n conserva tive views. 281, 359, 378 Greppo, Jean Louis (1810-1888) F ren ch socialist, took p a rt in the Lyons uprisings o f 1831 a n d 1834; d e p u ty to th e C onstituent a n d Legis lative Assemblies d u rin g th e Second Republic; M ayor o f a n arrondissem en t in Paris (1870-71); d e p u ty to th e N ational Assembly (1871). 468 Grimal F rench officer; com m issary of o n e of th e m ilitary courts set u p at Versailles fo r try in g th e C om m u n ard s. 389 Grousset, Paschal Jean Franfois (18441909) F rench jo u rn alist a n d politi cian, Blanquist; m em b er o f th e C en tral C om m ittee of th e N ational G u a rd a n d of th e Paris C om m une; C h airm an of the C om m ission for

F oreign R elations; a fte r th e su p p re s sion o f th e C o m m u n e d e p o rte d to New C aledonia, fro m w hich h e es caped in 1874; u p to 1881 lived in E n g lan d a n d th e n re tu rn e d to France. 476 Guillaume, James (1844-1916) Swiss teacher, anarchist, B akuninist; m em b er o f th e In tern a tio n a l; p a r ticipant o f th e G eneva (1866), L ausanne (1867), Basle (1869) a n d th e H ag u e (1872) congresses of the First In tern a tio n a l; o n e of th e o r ganisers of th e A lliance o f Socialist Dem ocracy; e d ito r o f th e new spapers Le Progres, La Solidarite a n d Bulletin de la Federation jurassienne; a t the H a g u e C ongress (1872) was expelled fro m th e In tern a tio n a l fo r his split tin g activities. 412, 557, 559 Guiod, Alphonse Simon (b. 1805) French general; C om m ander-inC hief o f the artillery d u rin g th e siege o f Paris in th e Franco-P russian w ar (1870-71). 313, 438, 517 Guizot, Franfois Pierre Guillaume (17871874) F ren ch h istorian a n d states m an; virtually directed th e hom e a n d fo reig n policy o f F rance fro m 1840 to th e F ebruary 1848 revolution; expressed th e interests o f th e big financial bourgeoisie. 315, 316, 445, 455, 521 Gyulay, Ferenc, Count (1798-1868) A u strian general, H u n g a ria n by birth ; took p a rt in su p p ressin g the 1848-49 revolution in Italy; W ar M inister (1849-50); d u rin g th e Italian w ar o f 1859 co m m an d ed an A ustrian arm y until th e d e fea t a t M agenta. 34

L and a n d L ab o u r L eague; delegate to th e L o n d o n C o n feren ce (1871) a n d th e H ag u e C ongress (1872) of th e In tern a tio n a l; in 1872 h ead e d th e re fo rm ist w ing of th e B ritish F ed eral Council. 7, 270, 355, 358, 362, 367, 368, 370, 373, 382, 403, 431, 554, 555, 558, 562, 564, 567 Hales, W illiam m e m b e r of th e I n te r national; m em b er of th e G eneral C ouncil of th e In tern a tio n a l (1867, 1869-72). 7, 270, 355, 382, 431, 562 Harris, George active in th e B ritish working-class m ovem ent; C hartist, su p p o rte d th e social views of Jam es O B rien; m em b e r of th e N ational R eform L eague; m em b er of th e G en eral C ouncil of th e In tern a tio n a l (1869-72); Financial Secretary of the Council (1870-71). 7, 270, 355, 431 Haussmann, Georges Eugene, Baron (1 8 0 9 -1 8 9 1 ) F ren ch politician, Bonap artist; took p a rt in the coup d t o t of D ecem ber 2, 1851; p re fe c t of th e Seine D e p artm en t (1853-70); directed w ork on th e reconstruction of Paris. 98, 339, 351 Heeckeren, Georges Charles d Anthes, Baron (1812-1895) F rench politi cian, Royalist; R ussian arm y officer (1834-37); killed th e R ussian poet A lex an d er P ushkin in a duel; B onapartist from 1848; S enator of th e Second E m pire; o n e o f th e o r ganisers o f th e counter-rev o lu tio n ary d e m o n stra tio n in Paris on M arch 22, 1871. 325, 505, 529 H einemann Prussian a g en t p ro v ocateur in E ngland; editor-in-chief of th e G erm an-language weekly H er mann, published in L on d o n . 560 Henderson, Edmund Newmans Wolcott (1821-1896) B ritish officer, chief of th e L o n d o n police (1869-86). 597 Henry I I (1519-1559) K ing of France (1547-59). 117
A25*

Henry V see Chambord, H enri Charles Ferdinand Marie Dieudonne d Artois, due de Bordeaux, comte de Hepner, A d o lf (1846-1923) G erm an journalist; o n e o f th e fo u n d e rs o f the Social-D em ocratic W o rk ers Party (1869); e d ito r of Der Volksstaat (186973); delegate to th e H a g u e C ongress o f th e In tern a tio n a l (1872); em i g ra te d to th e USA (1882); in 1908 re tu rn e d to G erm any. 275 Herbert, Auberon Edward W illiam Molyneux (1 8 3 8 -1 9 0 6 ) English ph ilo so p h er a n d publicist, L iberal; m em b e r o f the H ouse o f C om m ons (1870-74). 580 Herman, Alfred active in th e Belgian working-class m ovem ent, sculptor; fo u n d e r a n d m em b e r of th e In te rn a tional section in L iege (1868-71); m em b er of th e G eneral C ouncil a n d C o rre sp o n d in g Secretary fo r Belgium (1871-72); delegate to th e Brussels C ongress (1868), th e L o n d o n C o n fe r ence (1871) a n d th e H ag u e C ongress (1872) o f th e In tern a tio n a l; at the H ag u e C ongress jo in e d th e anarchist m inority. 355, 431, 563 Herve, A im e Marie Edouard (18351899) F ren ch journ alist; o n e o f the fo u n d e rs a n d editor-in-chief of Le Journal de Paris; b ourgeois liberal; O rleanist a fte r th e fall of th e Second E m pire. 349 Herzen, Alexander Ivanovich (18121870) R ussian revolutionary d e m o crat, m aterialist philo so p h er, jo u rn a l ist a n d w riter; e m ig rated to F rance in 1847; from 1852 lived in L ondon, w here h e established th e F ree R us sian Press a n d p ublished th e p e rio d i cal Polyamaya Zvezda (Polar Star) a n d th e n ew spaper Kolokol (T h e Bell). 374 H ill, F.H. editor-in-chief of The Daily News (1868-86). 274-76 Hohenzollems dynasty of B ra n d e n b u rg electors (1415-1701), Prussian kings (1701-1918) a n d G erm an em p e ro rs (1871-1918). 5, 125, 275, 301, 339

H Hales, John (b. 1839) B ritish tradeu n io n leader, weaver; m em b er o f the G eneral C ouncil o f th e In tern a tio n a l (1866-72) a n d its Secretary (1871-72); m em b e r o f the E xecutive C om m ittee of th e R eform L eague a n d o f the

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N am e In d e x

Holyoake, George Jacob (1817-1906) B ritish journ alist; reform ist; O w enite a n d C h artist in th e 1830s a n d 1840s; p ro m in e n t fig u re in th e co-operative m ovem ent. 367, 368, 370, 372, 563 Hossart. 378, 380, 382 Hugo, Victor M arie (1802-1885) French w riter; d e p u ty to th e C o n stitu en t a n d th e Legislative A ssem blies d u rin g th e Second Republic; opposed Louis B o n a p arte. 133 Hume, Robert W illiam A m erican jo u r nalist; o n e o f th e leaders o f the N ational L ab o u r U nion; m em b er of th e In tern a tio n a l a n d C o rre sp o n d en t of its G eneral C ouncil. 555, 558 H urtim an (H urlim ann) Swiss by birth ; m em b e r o f th e G eneral C ouncil of th e In tern a tio n a l (1871-72). 431 Huxley, Thomas Henry (1825-1895) B ritish n aturalist, the closest associate o f C harles D arw in; inconsistent m a terialist in philosophy. 336, 488

adm iral fro m 1871; as a general c o m m a n d ed th e 21st C orps d u rin g th e Franco-P russian w ar; d e p u ty to th e N ational Assembly (1871). 203 Jeannerod, Georges (1 8 3 2 -1 8 9 0 ) F ren ch officer a n d journalist; w ar c o rre sp o n d e n t of Le Temps at the begin n in g of the Franco-P russian w ar. 23, 38, 39, 43, 62, 66 JolKinnard, Jules Paul (1843-1892) active in the F rench working-class m ovem ent; flowerist; Blanquist; m em b e r o f th e G eneral C ouncil of th e In tern a tio n a l (1868-69, 1871-72) a n d C o rre sp o n d in g Secretary fo r Italy (1868-69); m em b er o f th e Paris C om m une; follow ing the d e fea t of th e C om m une em ig rated to L ondon; d elegate to th e H ag u e C ongress (1872). 431 Joukowsky (Zhukovsky), Nikolai Ivanovich (1833-1895) Russian anarchist; a re fu g e e in Sw itzerland fro m 1862; S ecretary o f th e G eneva section of th e A lliance of Socialist Dem ocracy; in 1872 w ithdrew fro m th e In te rn a tional in p ro test against B a k u n in s expulsion. 429 Jourde, Francois (1843-1893) F rench b an k in g em ployee; m em b er of the C entral C om m ittee o f th e N ational G u a rd a n d o f th e Paris C om m une; rep resen tativ e o f th e Finance C om m ission; a d h e re d to th e P ro u d h o n ist m inority; sentenced to exile to New C aledonia a fte r th e suppression of th e C om m une; escaped in 1874. 553 Jung, Hermann (1830-1901) p ro m in e n t in th e Swiss a n d intern atio n al w ork ing-class m o \e m en t; w atchm aker; an em igre in L ondon; m em b e r of the G eneral C ouncil of the In tern a tio n a l a n d C o rre sp o n d in g Secretary for Sw itzerland (N ovem ber 1864-72); T re a s u re r o f th e G eneral Council (1871-72); V ice-C hairm an o f the L ondon C onference (1865), C h air m an o f th e G eneva (1866), Brussels (1868) a n d Basle (1869) congresses

a n d of th e L o n d o n C onference (1871) of th e In tern a tio n a l; m em b er of the B ritish F ederal C ouncil; su p p o rte d M arx be fo re th e H ag u e C on gress of 1872 b u t late r sided with the refo rm ist wing of th e B ritish trad e unions. 8 , 270, 355, 382, 420, 431, 554-59, 562, 564-67 K Kameke, Georg Arnold Karl von (18171893) G erm an general; d u rin g the Franco-P russian w ar co m m an d ed the 14th Division, th e n cond u cted the siege o p eratio n s n e a r Paris; W ar M inister (1873-83). 32, 224 Keller G erm an general; com m anded a b rig ad e d u rin g the Franco-P russian w ar. 257 Keratry, Emile, comte de (1832-1905) F rench politician, O rleanist, P refect of the Paris police (Septem berO ctober 1870); late r supervised the form ation of territo rial a rm e d forces in B rittany; P refect of th e H auteG a ro n n e D e p artm en t (1871); in April 1871 su p p ressed the C om m une in T o u lo u se. 176, 186, 203, 397, 398, 624-27, 629-30 Kinglake, Alexander W illiam (18091891) English historian a n d politi cian, L iberal M.P. (1857-68). 235 Kolb, Georg Friedrich (1808-1884) G erm an politician, publicist and statistician; bourgeois dem o crat. 299 Kolb, KaW m em b er of th e G eneral C ouncil of th e In tern a tio n a l (187071). 355, 382 Kiichenmeisler, Gottlieb Friedrich Heinrich (1821-1890) G erm an physician, parasitologist; a u th o r of scientific works. 298 Kummer, Ferdinand von (1816-1900) Prussian general; com m anded the T h ird Reserve Division a n d th en the 15 th Division d u rin g the FrancoPrussian w ar. 127, 147
2 5 -1 2 3 2

Lacretelle, Charles Nicolas (1822-1891) French general; d u rin g th e FrancoPrussian w ar com m anded a division of the 12th C orps; was taken p ris o n e r at Sedan; later com m anded a division of th e Second C orps o f the Versailles A rm y. 470 Ladmirault, Louis Rene Paul de (18081898) F rench general; took p a rt in c o n q u erin g A lgeria in the 1830s and 1840s; co m m an d ed the F o u rth C orps d u rin g the Franco-P russian w ar; was taken p riso n e r at Metz; late r com m an d e d th e Second C orps of the Versailles A rm y; G ov ern o r of Paris (1871-78). 32, 34, 37, 38, 62, 154 Lafargue (F ebruary 1871-July 1871) second son of L au ra a n d Paul La fa rg u e . 622, 623 Lafargue, Charles Etienne (1869-1872) first son of L au ra a n d Paul La fa rg u e . 622, 623, 625, 630, 631 Lafargue, Francois (died 1870 or 1871) fa th e r of Paul L afargue. 396 Lafargue, Laura (1845-1911) second d a u g h te r of K arl M arx; was active in the F rench working-class m ovem ent; wife of Paul L afarg u e from 1868. 396-98, 432, 622, 623, 625, 627-30 Lafargue Paul (1842-1911) p ro m i n e n t figure in the F rench and in tern atio n al working-class m ove m ent; m em b er of th e G eneral C o u n cil of th e In tern a tio n a l, C o rre sp o n d ing Secretary for Spain (1866-69); h e lp e d to organise th e In te rn a tio n a ls sections in F rance (1869-70), Spain a n d P ortugal (1871-72); delegate to th e H ag u e C ongress (1872); one of the fo u n d e rs of the W o rk ers Party of F rance (1879); disciple a n d as sociate of M arx a n d Engels; from 1868 h u sb a n d of M arxs d a u g h te r L a u r a . 396-98, 612, 622, 023, 625-31

J
Jaclard, Charles Victor (1840-1903) F ren ch m athem atician, physician a n d publicist, Blanquist; m em b e r o f the In tern a tio n a l; m em b e r o f th e C entral C om m ittee of th e N ational G uard; d u rin g th e Paris C o m m u n e com m a n d e r o f a legion o f th e N ational G u a rd ; follow ing the suppression of th e Paris C o m m u n e em ig rated to Sw itzerland a n d th en to Russia; a fte r th e 1880 am nesty re tu rn e d to F rance. 510 Jacquemet, Alexandre F rench clergy m an; in 1848, V icar G eneral of the A rchbishops o f Paris. 352, 446, 528 Jaubert, Hippolyte Francois, comte (17981874) F rench politician, m o n arc h ist; M inister o f Public W orks in the T h ie rs g o v e rn m e n t (1840); d e p u ty to th e N ational Assembly (1871). 354, 538, 596 Jaures, Constant Louis Jean Benjamin (1823-1889) F rench naval officer,

724

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N am e In d ex

725

Laffitte, Jacques (1767-1844) F rench ba n k er a n d liberal politician; head ed th e g o v e rn m e n t in the early p eriod of the July m onarchy (1830-31). 314, 454 Lafont F rench official; inspectorgeneral of prisons (1871). 478 Lagarde F rench abbot. 401 Lambord m em b er tional. 554 of the In te rn a

Lavallee, Theophile Sebastien (18041866) F rench historian a n d m ilitary g e o g rap h e r. 117 Lebrun, Barthelemy Louis Joseph (18091889) F rench general; d u rin g the Franco-P russian w ar c om m anded the 12th C orps; was taken p riso n e r at S edan. 78 Lecomte, Claude M artin (1817-1871) F rench general; co m m an d ed a b rig ad e d u rin g the Franco-P russian war; on M arch 18, 1871 was shot by th e in su rg e n t soldiers a fte r th e failure o f th e T h ie rs g o v e rn m e n t to seize the artillery of th e N ational G u a rd . 323, 324, 328, 345, 347, 443, 445, 508, 524, 526, 528, 532 Ledru-Rollin, Alexandre Auguste (18071874) F rench jo u rn alist a n d politi cian, a lea d e r o f the petty-bourgeois dem ocrats; e d ito r of La Reforme; M inister of th e In te rio r in the Provi sional G o v ern m en t (1848); d e p u ty to the C onstituent a n d Legislative As sem blies (leader of th e M ontagnards); a fte r th e d em o n stratio n of J u n e 13, 1849 em ig rated to E ngland, w here he lived u p to early 1870; d e p u ty to th e N ational Assembly in 1 8 7 l, resigned in p ro test against the conclusion of peace with G erm any. 571 Le Flo, Adolphe Emmanuel Charles (1804-1887) F rench general, politi cian a n d diplom at; rep resen tativ e of the Party o f O rd e r; d e p u ty to the C onstituent a n d Legislative A ssem blies d u rin g the Second R epublic, M inister of W ar in the G overnm ent of N ational D efence a n d th e T h ie rs go v ern m en t (1870-71); d e p u ty to th e N ational Assembly (1871), A m bassador to St. P etersb u rg (1848-49 a n d 1871-79). 324, 327, 449, 527 Legreulier m em b er C ouncil of the 1870. 8 o f the G eneral In tern a tio n a l in

A m erican lawyer, w riter a n d jo u r nalist. 600 Lemaitre, A ntoine Louis Prosper (pseudonym Frederic Lemaitre) (18001876) F rench actor a n d playw right, rep resen tativ e of rom anticism and fo u n d e r of critical realism in the French th ea tre . 442 Lemaitre, Frederic F rench refugee, o w ner of a small p rin tsh o p in L on don; m em ber of th e Paris section of th e In tern a tio n a l; particip an t in the Paris C om m une; a fte r its suppression again em ig rated to E ngland; m em b er of th e F ren ch b ra n ch of the In te rn a tional in L on d o n . 558 I.e Moussu, Benjamin Constant (b. 1846) active in the F rench w orkingclass m ovem ent, en graver; m em ber of th e Paris C om m une; a fte r its suppression em ig rated to L ondon; in 1872 was sentenced to d eath in his absence; m em b er of the G eneral C ouncil of th e In tern a tio n a l and C o rre sp o n d in g Secretary fo r the F rench sections in A m erica (1871-72); delegate to th e H ague C ongress (1872); su p p o rte d M arx a n d Engels in th e ir struggle against the B akuninists. 431

a n d 1871), the L ausanne (1867), Brussels (1868), Basle (1869) a n d the H ag u e (1872) congresses o f the In te r national; m em b er of th e B ritish Federal C ouncil; a fo u n d e r of the B ritish In d e p e n d e n t L ab o u r Party in 1893; frien d a n d associate of M arx a n d E ngels. 8 , 270, 355, 382, 431 Leuckart, Friedrich R udolf (1823-1898) G erm an parasitologist and zo ologist. 298 Lewis, Sir George Comewall (18061863) B ritish statesm an, W hig; Sec re ta ry to th e T rea su ry (1850-52), C hancellor of th e E xchequer (185558); H om e Secretary (1859-61), and Secretary of State fo r W ar (186163). 582 Liebkhecht, Wilhelm Philipp M artin Chris tian Ludwig (1826-1900) p ro m in e n t figure in the G erm an a n d in te rn a tional working-class m ovem ent; took p a rt in th e 1848-49 revolution; m em b er of the C om m unist L eague a n d the First In tern a tio n a l, delegate to th e Basle C ongress (1869); ed ito r of Der Volksstaat (1869-76); a fo u n d e r a n d lea d er of th e G erm an SocialD em ocratic W o rk ers Party; in 186770 m em b er of N o rth G erm an Reichs tag; frien d a n d associate o f M arx a n d Engels. 272, 274, 278, 617, 619, 620 Lincoln, Abraham (1 8 09-1865) A m erican statesm an, a lea d er of the Republican Party, P resident of the USA (1861-65); u n d e r th e influence of th e masses, carried o u t im p o rta n t bourgeois-dem ocratic reform s d u rin g the Civil W ar, thus m aking possible the adop tio n of revolutionary m ethods of w arfare; was assassinated by an agent of slave-owners in A pril 1865. 458, 464, 542 Lintem , W. B ritish trade-unionist, m em ber of the G eneral C ouncil of th e In tern a tio n a l (1870). 8 Littre, M aximilien Paul Emile (1801-

Lamennais, Felicite Robert de (17821854) F rench abbot, w riter, one of the ideologists of C hristian so cialism. 507 Landeck, Bernard (b. 1832) French jew eller, Polish by birth ; particip an t in the Paris uprisings o n O ctober 31, 1870 a n d Ja n u a ry 22, 1871; m em b er of th e C entral C om m ittee o f the N ational G u a rd a n d of th e Paris C om m une; em ig rated to E ngland; one of the fo u n d e rs o f the F rench section of the In tern a tio n a l in L on d o n in 1871; in his absence was sentenced to d e ath in M arseilles (1872) a n d V ersailles (1873). 565 Landor, R. A m erican journ alist; L on d o n c o rre sp o n d e n t o f the New York n ew spaper The World (1871). 60006 La Rochejaquelein (Larochejaquelein), Henri Auguste Georges du Vergier, marquis de (1805-1867) F rench politician, one of the leaders of th e Legitim ists; d e p u ty to th e C o n stitu e n t Assembly d u rin g the Second Republic; S enator d u rin g the Second E m pire. 524 La Ronciere Le Noury, Camille Adalbert Marie, baron Clement de (18131881) F rench adm iral; d u rin g the siege of Paris (1870-71) com m anded a division of the T h ird Paris A rm y a n d th e n a corps. 189 Latham, Robert Masden B ritish tradeunionist; P resident of the L abour R epresentation L eague; m em b er of th e In tern a tio n a l. 554

Leroux, Pierre (1797-1871) F rench w riter, u to p ia n socialist; re p re se n ta tive o f C hristian socialism; em igre in E ngland in 1 8 5 1 -5 2 .-5 9 8 Lessner, Friedrich (Frederick) (18251910) active in the G erm an and intern atio n al working-class m ove m ent, tailor; m em b er of th e C om m unist League; particip an t in the revolution of 1848-49; at th e Cologne C om m unist trial was sentenced to th re e years im p riso n m en t; from 1856, an em igre in L ondon, m em ber of th e L ondon G erm an W orkers E ducational Society a n d of th e G en eral Council of the In tern atio n al (N ovem ber 1864 to 1872); delegate to the L ondon C onferences (1865
25 *

Leland, Charles Godfrey (1824-1903)

726

N am e In d ex

N am e In d ex

727

1881) F ren ch p h ilosopher, lologist a n d politician. 510

p h i

Lochner. Georg (born c. 1824) active in the G erm an a n d international working-class m ovem ent, c arp e n te r; m em b er of th e C om m unist L eague a n d o f th e G erm an W orkers E duca tional Society in L on d o n , m em b er of th e G eneral C ouncil o f th e In te rn a tional (N ovem ber 1864-1867 and 1871-72); d elegate to th e L ondon C o nference (1865); frien d a n d as sociate o f M arx a n d E ngels. 355, 386, 431 Locke, John (1632-1704) English d u a l ist p h ilo so p h er a n d econom ist. 594 Longuet, Charles Felix C har (1839190.3) p ro m in e n t in th e F rench working-class m ovem ent, journalist, P roudhonist; m em b er of th e G eneral C ouncil o f th e In tern a tio n a l (186667, 1871-72); C o rre sp o n d in g Secre tary fo r B elgium (1866); delegate to th e L ausanne (1867), Brussels (1868), the H ague (1872) congresses a n d the L o n d o n C onference (1871); took p a rt in the defence of Paris (1870-71); m em b e r o f th e Paris C om m une; editor-in-chief o f th e Paris C om m u n e s o rg a n Journal officiel de la Republique franfaise; a fte r th e su p pression of th e C o m m u n e em ig rated to E ngland; late r jo in ed the Possibilists; hu sb an d of M arxs d a u g h te r Jen n y . 431 Lopatin, German Alexandrovich (18451918) Russian revolutionary, fol low er of C hernyshevsky, N arodnik; m em b e r of th e G eneral C ouncil of th e In tern a tio n a l (1870); translated into Russian a sizable p a rt of Vol um e I of Capital; M arxs frien d . 270 Lorenz (Lorentz), Josef (1814-1879) A u strian arm y officer a n d m ilitary inventor. 96 Lorenzo, Anselmo (1841-1915) Spanish p rin te r, m em b er of th e In tern a tio n a l (from 1869); a fo u n d e r of the In te r

natio n als sections in Spain (1869); delegate to th e L o n d o n C o nference (1871); Secretary o f the Spanish Fed eral C ouncil (1872). 415, 616 Louis X I V o f F rance 538 (1638-1715) K ing (1643-1715). 165, 440,

Lyons, Richard Bickerton Pemell, 2nd Baron and 1st Earl Lyons (18171887) B ritish diplom at, envoy in W ashington (1858-65), am bassador to C onstantinople (1865-67) a n d Paris (1867-87); in S eptem ber 1870 m ed ia to r in th e negotiations betw een Favre a n d Bism arck. 379, 380

44, 51, 54, 57, 58, 65-85, 86 , 91, 109, 120, 155, 158-59, 161, 174, 348, 352-53, 465, 542 Magne, Alfred F ren ch official, collector-g en eral of taxes in th e Loire D e p artm en t; P ierre M agnes son. 443 Magne, Pierre (1806-1879) French statesm an, B onapartist; M inister of Finance (1855-60, 1867-69, 1870, 1873-74). 443 Malet, Sir Edward Baldwin, Baronet (1837-1908) B ritish diplom at, sec re ta ry of the embassy in Paris (186771). 380 M aljoumal, Louis Charles (I8 4 1 -I8 9 4 ) F rench b o okbinder; m em b e r and secretary of th e N ational G u a rd s C entral C om m ittee; m em b er o f the First In tern a tio n a l; p a rticip a n t in the Paris C om m une; was w o u n d ed and taken p riso n er; in 1872 was sen tenced to d e p o rta tio n a n d am nestied in 1 8 7 9 .- 3 2 5 , 511 Malon, Benoit (1841-1893) F rench socialist; m em b e r of th e In te rn a tio n al; was accused at the second and th ird trials in Paris against th e I n te r national; delegate to th e G eneva C ongress (1866); d e p u ty to th e N a tional Assembly (1871); m em b e r of th e N ational G u a rd s C entral C om m ittee a n d o f th e Paris C om m une; a fte r th e suppression of th e C om m u n e em ig rated to Italy a n d th e n to Sw itzerland; later o n e of the leaders an d ideologists of th e Possibilists. 421 Manteuffel, Edwin Hans Karl, Baron von (1809-1885) G erm an general, from 1873 field m arshal-general; in 186566 go v e rn o r a n d c o m m a n d er of Prussian tro o p s in Schleswig; d u rin g the Franco-P russian w ar com m anded the First C orps, th en the First (from O ctober 1870) a n d South (from Ja n u a ry 1871) arm ies; C om m anderin-C hief of the G erm an occupational tro o p s in F rance (1871-73). 185,

Louis XVI (1754-1793) K ing of F rance (1774-92); guillotined d u r ing the F ren ch R evolution. 476 Louis X V III (1755-1824) King of F rance (1814-15 a n d 1815-24). 503 Louis Napoleon see Napoleon I I I Louis Philippe (1773-1850) D uke of O rleans, K ing of F rance (1830-48). 95, 122, 304, 314, 316, 317, 323, 333, 345, 442, 444, 451, 453-55, 460, 470, 520, 521, 527, 538, 539 Louis Philippe Albert, due d'Orleans, count of Paris (1838-1894) g ra n d so n of L ouis Philippe; p re te n d e r to th e F rench th ro n e . 540 Lowe, Robert, 1st Viscount Sherbrooke (1811-1892) B ritish statesm an a n d jo u rn alist, c o n trib u to r to The Times, W hig a n d late r L iberal; M.P., C h an cellor o f th e E x ch eq u er (1868-73); H om e Secretary (1873-74). 579 Ldwenfeld G erm an general, inspector o f reserve units d u rin g the FrancoPrussian w ar. 148 Lucraft, Benjam in (1809-1897) a lea d er o f th e B ritish tra d e unions, cabinet-m aker; m em b er o f th e G en eral C ouncil o f th e In tern a tio n a l (1864-71), delegate to th e Brussels (1868) a n d Basle (1869) congresses of the In tern a tio n a l; m em b er o f the E xecutive C om m ittee of th e R eform L eague, later m em b e r of L ondon School B oard; in 1871 re fu sed to sign the G eneral C ouncils A ddress The C ivil War in France a n d w ith drew from th e In tern a tio n a l. 8 , 270, 372, 376, 386 Lumley. 563

M Maccabees th e n am e of a Jewish family o f priests d o m in a n t in Jerusalem ; in the m id-2nd c en tu ry B.C. h e ad e d the revolt against foreig n dom inion; ru l ing dynasty in Ju d a e a from 142 to 40 B.C. 200 McDonnell (Mac Donnell), Joseph Patrick (1847-1906) active in the Irish working-class m ovem ent; m em b er of th e G eneral C ouncil of th e I n te rn a tional a n d C o rre sp o n d in g Secretary fo r Ire la n d (1871-72); delegate to the L o n d o n C o n feren ce (1871) a n d the H ag u e C ongress (1872) of th e In te r national; in 1872 em ig rated to the USA w here he particip ated in the A m erican working-class m ovem ent. 355, 382, 386, 431 Mack, Charles (1752-1828) A ustrian general; in 1805 com m ,anded troops in the w ar against N apoleonic France; was d efea te d by N apoleon I a n d capitulated at U lm . 34, 65 McKean, J. A . secretary of th e A m eri can am bassador W ash b u rn e in Paris in 1871. 381 Mac-Mahon (MacMachon), Marie Edme Patrice Maurice, comte de, due de Magenta (1808-1893) F rench g e n e r al a n d politician, m arshal, B onapartist; d u rin g th e Franco-P russian war co m m an d ed th e First C orps a n d later th e A rm y o f Chalons; was taken p riso n e r at Sedan; C om m ander-inC hief of the Versailles A rm y; Presi d e n t of the T h ird Republic (18737 9 )._ 2 6 -3 0 , 32, 33, 37, 38, 40, 42.

'i: -

728

N am e Index

N am e In d e x

729

186, 196, 211, 222-24, 244-46, 248, 252

228,

237,

Manuei, Jacques, Antoine (1775-1827) F rench lawyer, d em ocrat; in 1818-23 m em b er of the C h am b er of D eputies; was expelled from th e C ham ber by the reactionary m ajority. 617 Markowski ag en t of the T sarist g o v ern m en t in France; was in the service of T h ie rs in 1871. 338 Martin, Constant (Saint-Martin) (18391906) F rench em ployee, Blanquist; m em b er of th e Paris F ederal Cotmcil of th e First In tern a tio n a l; m em b er of the Paris C om m une; a fte r its defeat em ig rated to L ondon; m em b er of the G eneral C ouncil of the In tern a tio n a l (1871-72); Secretary of th e L ondon C onference (1871); a fte r th e am nesty in 1880 re tu rn e d to F rance. 431 M artin des Pallieres, Charles Gabriel Felicite (1823-1876) F rench general; com m anded a b rig ad e of th e Second C orps a n d th e n th e 15 th C orps d u rin g the Franco-P russian w ar. 203 Marx, Eleanor (1855-1898) Karl M arxs youngest d a u g h te r, p ro m i n e n t figure in th e B ritish a n d in te r national working-class m ovem ent; m arried E d u a rd A veling in 1884. 397, 398, 432, 622-31 Marx, Jenny (nee von Westphalen) (18141881) Karl M arxs wife. 397, 625 Marx, Jenny (1844-1883) K arl M arxs eldest d a u g h te r, journalist; was active in the intern atio n al working-class m ovem ent; m arried C harles L onguet in 1 8 7 2 .-3 9 7 , 398, 432, 622-32 Marx, Karl (1818-1883) 8, 259, 270, 276, 288-93, 299, 355, 360, 364, 367, 370-71, 378, 382-84, 386, 388, 39196, 398-400, 403, 405, 411, 431, 432, 555, 556, 558-67, 571, 573, 577, 578, 580-82, 587-93, 595, 599, 600-06, 607, 610, 613, 614, 616-22, 625, 631, 633-34 Mayo, Henry active in the British

working-class m ovem ent; m em ber of the G eneral C ouncil o f th e In te rn a tional (1871-72) a n d from 1872 of the B ritish Federal C ouncil, belonged to its refo rm ist wing. 431 M azzini, Giuseppe (1805-1872) Italian revolutionary, d em ocrat; a lead er of the Italian national liberation m ove m ent; h e ad e d the Provisional Gov e rn m e n t of the R om an Republic (1849); an org an iser of the C entral C om m ittee of E u ro p ea n D em ocracy in L ondon (1850); d u rin g the fo u n d a tion of the In tern a tio n a l in 1864 tried to b rin g it u n d e r his influence; in 1871 opposed th e Paris C om m une a n d th e G eneral C ouncil of the In tern a tio n a l. 385-87, 598, 605 607-08 Michel, Alexandre Ernest French g e n er al; com m anded a cavalry division of th e A rm y of the L oire d u rin g the Franco-P russian w ar. 203 M ill, John Stuart (1806-1873) English econom ist and positivist philos o p h e r. 561, 582, 605 Miller, Joseph or Josias (com m only called Joe Miller) (1684-1738) English comic actor. 314, 440, 518 Milliere, Jean Baptiste Edouard (18171871) F rench lawyer, journalist. L eft P rou d h o n ist; p articipated in the u p risin g of O ctober 31, 1870; critisised the T h ie rs governm ent, blam ed Jules Favre and su p p o rte d the Paris C om m une; was shot by Versaillists on May 26, 1 8 7 1 .-3 1 3 , 358, 362, 365, 439, 512, 597 Mills, Charles E nglish engineer, m em ber of th e G eneral Council of the In tern a tio n a l in 1871. 355, 386 Milner, George Irish tailor; was active in th e B ritish working-class m ove m ent; su p p o rte d th e social views of the C hartist Jam es O B rien; m em ber of the N ational R eform L eague and the L and a n d L ab o u r League;

G eneral C ouncil of t h e (1868-72); delegate to the L ondon C onference (1871); from Ihc a u t u m n of 1872 m em b er of t h e B r i t i s h F ederal Council. 7, 270, 355, 382, 431, 578 Milton, John (1608-1674) E nglish poet and w riter; p ro m in e n t in th e English revolution. 490 Minie, Claude Etienne (1804-1879) French arm y officer, inv en to r of a new type of rifle. 120 Mirabeau, Honore Gabriel Victor Riqueti, comte de (1749-1791) p ro m in e n t figure in the F rench Revolution, con stitutional m onarchist. 316 M oline (real nam e Jean Baptiste Po quelin) (1622-1673) F ren ch d ra m a t ist. 319, 524 Molinet, vicomte de (d. 1871) French aristocrat; killed d u rin g the counterrevolutionary d em o n stratio n on M arch 22, 1871 in Paris. 512 Moltke, Helmuth Karl Bernhard, Count von (1800-1891) m ilitary w riter and strategist, ideologist of Prussian m ilitarism ; field m arshal-general from 1871; C hief of Prussian (185771) a n d Im p erial (1871-88) G eneral Staff; virtually com m ander-in-chief d u rin g the Franco-P russian w ar. 21, 27 52, 71, 133 , 152-53, 170, 177, 178, 181, 186, 195, 243, 245, 248, 574, 577 Montalembert, Marc Rene, marquis de (1714-1800) F rench general, mili tary e ngineer; elaborated a new fo r tification system largely used in the nin ete en th century. 87 Montaudon, Jean Baptiste Alexandre F rench general; c om m anded a divi sion of th e T h ird C orps d u rin g the Franco-P russian w ar. 42 Montesquieu, Charles Louis de Secondat, baron de la Brede et de (1689-1755) F rench philosopher, econom ist and

n i e m b e r of t h e In te rn a tio n a l

w riter of th e E nlig h ten m en t. 333, 507, 510 Montijo, Eugenie (Eugenia Maria de Montijo de Guzman, condesa de Teba) (1826-1920) F rench E m press, wife of N apoleon III . 30, 160, 161, 162, 300, 301 Moore, Sir John (1761-1809) British general; com m anded the British troops in Portugal in 1808-09. 173 Mottershead, Thomas G. (c. 1826-1884) English w eaver, a C hartist; m em ber of the G eneral C ouncil (1869-72), C o rre sp o n d in g Secretary fo r D en m ark (1871-72); delegate to the L ondon C onference (1871) a n d the H ag u e C ongress (1872); m em b er of the British F ederal Council; opposed M arxs line in the G eneral Council a n d the B ritish F ederal C ouncil; ex pelled from th e First In tern a tio n a l by decision of th e G eneral Council in May 1872. 7, 270, 355, 382, 431, , 555, 562, 565, 591, 594 Murray, Charles active in the British working-class m ovem ent, shoem aker, a C hartist, follow er of th e social views of Jam es O B rien, m em ber of the National R eform L eague a n d the L and a n d L ab o u r L eague, m em b er of the G eneral C ouncil of the In te rn a tional (1870-72) a n d of the British F ederal Council (1872-73). 7, 270, 355, 382, 431 N Napoleon I Bonaparte (1769-1821) E m p e ro r of th e F rench (1804-14 and 1815). 7, 22, 33, 57, 65, 69, 72, 104, 155, 160, 165-66, 199, 202, 254, 256, 260, 266, 316, 337, 449, 462, 484, 493, 519, 522, 542 Napoleon I I I (Charles Louis Napoleon Bonaparte) (1808-1873) nephew of N apoleon I, P resident of the Second Republic (1848-51), E m p e ro r of the F rench (1852-70). 3-5, 11, 12, 14, 22, 24-26, 29-30, 33-38, 44, 48-51.

730

N am e In d ex

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731

56-57, 59, 70, 95, 96, 98-99, 106, 110, 116, 157-62, 182, 191, 219, 263, 264, 267-69, 279, 283, 299-304, 313, 316, 317, 319, 321-23, 329, 330, 333, 338-42, 345, 347, 348, 358, 364, 439, 442, 445, 451-55, 459, 462, 468-69, 475, 478, 480-81, 486, 490, 493, 505, 515, 517, 518, 520, 522, 524, 527, 532, 539, 547, 572, 585, 588, 608, 611, 619 Nero (Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus) (37-68) R om an E m p e ro r (54-68). 457 Netschajeff (Nechaev), Sergei Gennadievich (1847-1882) Russian revolutionary, conspirator; rep resen tativ e o f th e e x trem e ad v en tu rist tre n d of anarchism ; as a refu g ee in Sw itzerland in 1869-71, was co nnected with B akunin; in 1872 was ex tra d ite d by the Swiss authorities to the Russian g o v e rn m e n t a n d was sentenced to tw enty years im p riso n m ent; died in the St. P e ter a n d Paul fortress. 377

C ouncils A ddress The C ivil W ar in France a n d left the C ouncil. 7, 270, 364, 373, 376, 386, 554, 562, 563, 571, 610, 611 Ollivier, Emile (1825-1913) F rench politician, m o d era te republican; m em b er of th e Corps Legislatif from 1857; becam e B onapartist in th e late 1860s; head of the g overnm ent (January-A ugust 1870). 4, 160, 448, 532 Orleans royal dynasty (1830-48). 301, 340 in France

(1868-73); m em b er b o a rd of L Egalite, congresses a n d th e ence (1871) of th e 557

of th e editorial delegate to all L ondon C o n fe r In tern a tio n a l.

Plon-Plon see Bonaparte, Prince Napo leon Joseph Charles Paul Pourille, Jean Baptiste Stanislas Xavier (pseudonym Blanchet) (b. 1833) fo rm e r C apuchin; F ren ch journalist; sold second-hand things a n d silk, in te rp re te r in th e L yons prison (186467), secretary of th e police com m is sariat; m em b e r of th e N ational G u a rd s C entral C om m ittee a n d of th e Paris C om m une; m em b e r of the Justice C om m ission; expelled from the C o m m u n e as a police officer. 340 Pouyer-Quertier, A ugustin Thomas (18201891) F rench m a n u fa c tu re r and politician; P rotectionist; M inister of Finance (1871-72); took p a rt in peace negotiations with G erm apy in F ra n k fu rt (1871). 319, 346, 441-43, 446, 519 Protot, Eugene (1839-1921) F rench lawyer, physician a n d journalist; Blanquist; m em b e r of the First In te r national; m em b e r o f the Paris C om m une; delegate of the Justice C om mission, a fte r the suppression of the .C o m m u n e em ig rated to Italy, Swit zerland, E ngland a n d th e USA; a fte r th e am nesty re tu rn e d to F rance and w ithdrew from politics. 475, 591 Proudhon, Pierre Joseph (1809-1865) F rench journalist, econom ist a n d sociologist; ideologist of the petty bourgeoisie; a fo u n d e r of a n a r chism . 607 Pyat, Felix (1810-1889) F rench jo u r nalist, playw right a n d politician; d em ocrat; took p a rt in th e 1848 revolution; em ig rated in 1849 to Sw itzerland a n d later to Belgium and E ngland; was against in d e p e n d e n t working-class m ovem ent; conducted a sla n d er cam paign against M arx and the First In tern a tio n a l; m em b er of th e Paris C om m une, a fte r its su p pression, em ig rated to E ngland. 416, 417, 586, 591, 605

Pertz, Georg Heinrich (1795-1876) G erm an historian, a u th o r of w orks on th e history of G erm any. 201 Petit secretary boy. 401 of A rchbishop Dar-

Oudinot, Nicolas Charles Victor (17911863) F rench general, O rleanist; in 1849 com m anded th e troops sent against the R om an Republic. 521 O utine see Utin Owen, Robert (1771-1858) B ritish u to pian socialist. 594

Pfdnder (Pfander), Carl (1818-1876) particip an t in the G erm an a n d in te r national working-class m ovem ent, m iniaturist; from 1845, a refu g ee in L ondon; a lea d er of th e L eague of th e Just; m em b er of th e G erm an W orkers E ducational Society in L on d o n , of th e C entral C om m ittee of th e C om m unist L eague a n d of the G eneral C ouncil of the First In te rn a tional (1864-67 a n d 1870-72); frien d a n d associate of M arx a n d E ngels. 7, 270, 355, 382, 431 Pic, Jules F ren ch journalist, B o n a p art ist; e d ito r o f L'Etendard. 313, 475, 518 Picard, Eugene A rthur (b. 1825) F ren ch politician a n d b ro k e r; m o d e r ate republican; editor-in-chief of L Electeur litre; b ro th e r of Joseph E rn est Picard. 314, 439, 440, 518 Picard, Louis Joseph Ernest (18211877) F rench law yer a n d politician; m o d era te republican; M inister of Fi nance in the G o v ern m en t of N ational D efence (1870-71); M inister o f the In te rio r in the T h ie rs go v ern m en t (1871). 314, 320, 326, 354, 439, 440, 442, 443, 445, 454, 466, 467, 471, 508, 515, 517, 518, 616 P ihri, Joseph Marie (1820-1902) French politician, B onapartist; P re fect of th e Paris police (1866-70). 5, 343, 440, 447, 452, 459, 477, 518, 541 Pius I X (Giovanni M aria Mastai-Ferretti) (1792-1878) Pope (1846-78). 166, .563, 601, 607

O Obemitz, Hugo Moritz Anton Heinrich von (1819-1901) G erm an general, com m anded th e W iirttem b erg divi sion d u rin g the Franco-P russian w ar, 190, 191 Odger, George (1820-1877) a lea d er of th e B ritish trad e unions, shoem aker; took p a rt in fo u n d in g the L ondon T ra d e s C ouncil a n d was its Secretary from 1862 to 1872; m em b er of the B ritish N ational L eague fo r th e In d e p e n d en c e of Poland, the L and and L ab o u r L eague a n d th e L ab o u r R ep resentation L eague; m em b er of the E xecutive C om m ittee of th e R eform L eague; m em b er of the G eneral Council of th e In tern a tio n a l (186471) a n d its P resident (1864-67); took p a rt in the L ondon C onference (1865) a n d th e G eneva C ongress (1866); opposed revolutionary tactics; in 1871 refu sed to sign the G eneral

Palikao see Cousin-Montauban Pallieres see M artin des Pallieres Palmerston, Henry John Temple, 3rd Vis count (1784-1865) B ritish states m an; at the begin n in g of his c are er a T o ry , from 1830 W hig; F oreign Sec re ta ry (1830-34, 1835-41, 1846-51); H om e Secretary (1852-55) a n d Prim e M inister (185.5-58, 1859-65). 371, 579, 582 Parnell, James E nglish w orker, m em b e r of th e G eneral C ouncil o f the In tern a tio n a l (1869-70). 7, 270 Pme, Henri de (1830-1888) F rench journalist, m onarchist; an o rganiser of th e coun ter-rev o lu tio n ary d e m onstratio n in Paris on M arch 22, 1871. 325, 511, 529, 631 Perret, Henri Swiss en g rav er; one of the leaders of th e In tern a tio n a l in Sw itzerland; m em b er a n d secretary of th e R om ance F ederal C om m ittee

732

N am e In d e x

N am e In d ex

733

R Radetzky Joseph, Count of Radetz (17661858) A u strian field m arshal; com m an d e d the A ustrian tro o p s in N o rth e rn Italy from 1831; su p pressed th e n ational liberation m ove m en t in Italy (1848-49); G overnorG eneral of th e K ingdom of L om bardy a n d V enice (1850-56). 88 Raglan, Lord Fitzroy James Henry Somer set, Baron (1788-1855) B ritish field m arshal; C o m m ander-in-C hief of the B ritish forces in the C rim ea (185455). 235 Reid, Robert B ritish journalist, d e m o crat; Paris c o rre sp o n d e n t o f English a n d A m erican new spapers b efore a n d d u rin g the Paris C om m une. 379-82, 552, 553, 563 Reitlinger Jules F avres frien d a n d p ri vate secretary. 358, 362 Renault (Renaut), Leon Charles (b. 1839) F rench lawyer; d efen d e d Paris C o m m u n a rd s b efo re the V e r sailles c o u rt (1871). 403 Renault, Pierre Hippolyte Publius (18071870) F rench general; com m anded th e Second C orps of th e Second Paris A rm y d u rin g th e Franco-P russian war. 190 Reuter, Paul Julius, Baron von (18161899) fo u n d e r of the R e u te r tele g ra p h agency in L ondon (1851); G er m an by b irth . 48 Richard, Albert (1846-1925) F rench journalist, a lea d er of th e Lyons section o f the In tern a tio n a l; m em ber of th e secret Alliance of Socialist Dem ocracy; took p a rt in the Lyons u p risin g of 1870; a fte r th e su p p re s sion of th e Paris C om m une, a B onapartist; in the 1880s a d h e re d to th e Allem anists, an o p p o rtu n ist tre n d in the F rench socialist m ovem ent. 556, 563 Roach, John m em b er of th e G eneral C ouncil of th e In tern a tio n a l (1871-

72); delegate to th e H ag u e C ongress (1872); C o rre sp o n d in g Secretary for th e B ritish Federal C ouncil, w here he sided with the reform ist wing (1872). 355, 382, 386 Robin, Paul Charles Louis Jean (18371912) F ren ch teacher, B akuninist; a fo u n d e r of th e Belgian section of th e First In tern a tio n a l; one of the leaders of th e A lliance of Socialist D em ocracy (from 1869); m em b er of th e G eneral Council (1870-71); d ele gate to th e Basle C ongress (1869) a n d th e L ondon C onference (1871); in O ctober 1871 expelled from the In tern a tio n a l. 419-21, 561-63, 609 Robinet, Jean Frau(ois Eugene (18251899) F rench physician a n d his torian; Positivist, republican; took p a rt in the 1848 revolution; M ayor of an arro n d issem e n t in Paris d u rin g th e Franco-P russian w ar (1870-71); m em b er of L igue d e LU nion rep u b licaine p o u r les D roits d e Paris, cam e o u t fo r a reconciliation betw een the V ersailles g o v e rn m e n t a n d th e C om m u n e. 354, 364 Rochat, Charles Michel (b. 1844) m em b er o f th e Paris F ederal C ouncil a n d o f th e G eneral C ouncil of the In tern a tio n a l; took p a rt in the Paris C om m une; C o rre sp o n d in g Secretary fo r H olland (1871-72); delegate to th e L o n d o n C o nference (1871); in 1872 em ig rated to B elgium . 355, 431, 563 Rochefort, Victor Henri, marquis de Rochefort Lu[ay (1830-1913) F rench journalist, w riter a n d politician; Leftw ing republican; pu b lish er of La Lantem e (1868-69); fo u n d e r and pu b lish er of La Marseillaise (1869-70) a n d e d ito r of Le Mot d Ordre (1871); m em ber of th e G o v ern m en t of N a tional D efence (S eptem ber-O ctober 1870); c o n d em n ed th e c o u n te r revolutionary policy of the Versailles g o v ern m en t b u t at th e sam e tim e opposed th e C o m m u n e s re volution

ary activities; a fte r the suppression of th e C om m une was exiled to New C aledonia; re tu rn e d to F rance a fte r th e am nesty (1880). 145, 232 Roche-Lambert F ren ch official; was a p p ointed collector-general of taxes in the L oire D e p artm en t (1871). 442 Roon, Albrecht Theodor Emil, Count von (1803-1879) Prussian statesm an and m ilitary leader; field m arshal-general from 1873, W ar M inister (1859-73) a n d N aval M inister (1861-71); re o r ganised th e Prussian arm y. 106 Rouher, Eugene (1814-1884) F rench statesm an, B onapartist; d e p u ty to the C onstituent a n d Legislative A ssem blies d u rin g th e Second Republic; M inister of Justice (1849-52, with intervals). M inister of A griculture, C om m erce a n d Public W orks (185563), Prim e M inister (1863-69), Presi d e n t of th e Senate (1869-70); a fte r th e fall of th e E m pire em ig rated to E ngland; a lea d er of th e B onapartists in F rance in th e 1870s. 23 Riihl, J . G erm an w orker, m em b er of th e G erm an W orkers E ducational Society in L ondon; m em b e r of the G eneral C ouncil of th e In tern a tio n a l (1870-72). 7, 270, 355, 382, 431 Russell, Odo W illiam Leopold, 1st Baron Am pthill (1829-1884) B ritish d ip lom at, am bassador at B erlin (187184). 580 Rutson, E . private secretary of H enry A ustin B ruce, B ritish H om e Secretary, in 1871. 563

1871-72); P rim e M inister Foreign M inister (1874), M inister (1881-1902, with vals). 398

and Prim e in te r

Saguljajew (Zagulyaev), M ikhail A ndreyevich (1834-1900) R ussian o f ficer a n d journ alist; e d ito r of the political section of th e n ew spaper Golos (Voice) (1862-83). 276 Saint-A m aud, A rm and Jacques Achille Leroy de (1801-1854) M arshal of France, B onapartist; a n org an iser of the coup d eta t of D ecem ber 2, 1851; W ar M inister (1851-54); C om m ander-in-C hief o f th e F rench arm y in th e C rim ea (1854). 235 Saisset, Jean Marie Joseph Theodore (1810-1879) French adm iral and politician, m onarchist; com m anded the troops d e fen d in g th e E astern forts d u rin g the siege of Paris (1870-71); C o m m a n d e r of th e Paris N ational G u a rd (M arch 20-25, 1871); trie d to un ite reactionary forces in Paris to suppress th e p ro letaria n revolution of M arch 18; d e p u ty to th e N ational Assembly (1871). 326, 450, 457, 497, 512, 529, 539, 543 Schamhorst, Gerhard Johann David von (1755-1813) Prussian general and politician; a fte r th e d e fea t o f the Prussian arm y by N apoleon I in 1806, head of th e com m ission fo r a re fo rm of th e arm y; W ar M inister (1807-10) a n d C hief of Staff (181013); took an active p a rt in the libera tion w ar of th e G erm an people against N apoleonic rule. 166 Scheffer F rench N ational G uardsm an; took p a n in the Paris C om m une. 327, 4_65, 478, 532 Schill, Ferdinand von (1776-1809) Prussian officer; com m anded a g u e r rilla d etach m en t fighting against N a p o leo n s forces, killed in 1809 d u rin g an a tte m p t to raise a national liberation u prising. 199, 200 Schmeling G erm an general; com m an d e d the F o u rth Reserve Arm y

Sadler, Michael Thomas B ritish m em b e r of the G eneral Council of the In tern a tio n a l (1871-72). 355, 382, 431 Sagasta, Prdxedes Mateo (1827-1903) Spanish politician, lea d er of the Lib eral party; H om e M inister (1868-70,

734

N am e In d ex

N am e In d e x

735

d u rin g the 148, 243

Franco-P russian

w ar.

Schmutz Swiss w orker, m em b er of the G eneral Council of th e In tern a tio n a l (1870-71). 8, 270 Schoelcher, Victor (1804-1893) French politician a n d journalist. L eft R epub lican; d e p u ty to th e C o n stitu en t and Legislative Assemblies d u rin g the Second R epublic; co m m an d ed the artillery legion of th e Paris N ational G u a rd d u rin g the Franco-P russian w ar a n d th e Paris C om m une; d e p u ty to th e N ational Assembly (1871); trie d to p e rsu ad e th e C o m m u n a rd s to capitulate to th e T h ie rs go v ern m en t. 497, 509 Schwarzenberg, Karl Philipp, Prince von (I7 7 I-1 8 2 0 ) A u strian field m arshal; fo u g h t against N apoleon I; C om m and er-in-C hief o f th e Allied arm ies of th e E u ro p ea n coalition (1813-14). 72 Schweitzer, Johann Baptist von (18331875) e d ito r of Der Social-Demokrat (1864-67); P resid en t o f th e G eneral A ssociation of G erm an W orkers (1867-71); su p p o rte d B ism arcks poli cy of unification of G erm any u n d e r Prussias suprem acy; h in d e re d G e r m an w orkers from jo in in g the In te r national, fo u g h t against the SocialD em ocratic W orkers Party; was e x pelled from th e A ssociation fo r his contacts with th e Prussian authorities (1872). 616 Serebrennikoff, Vladimir Ivanovich (born c. 1850) Russian revolutionary; took p a rt in the stu d en ts m ovem ent in St. P e tersb u rg in 1868-69; re fu g e e in E ngland a n d Sw itzerland; follow er of N echaev. 377 Serraillier, Auguste (b. 1840) active in the F rench a n d intern atio n al working-class m ovem ent, shoem aker; lived in E ngland; m em b e r of the G eneral C ouncil of th e In tern a tio n a l (1869-72) a n d of th e B ritish Federal C ouncil (1873-74); associate o f M arx

a n d E ngels; C o rre sp o n d in g Secretary fo r Belgium (1870) a n d France (1871-72); was sent to Paris as re p resentative of th e G eneral C ouncil in S eptem ber 1870 a n d in M arch 1871; officer of th e N ational G u ard ; m em b er o f th e Paris C om m une; d e legate to th e L ondon C o nference (1871) a n d th e H ag u e C ongress (1872) of th e In tern a tio n a l. 8 , 270, 273, 277, 288, 289, 355, 381, 431, 556, 557, 559, 561, 562, 566, 567, 585, 590-91 Shakespeare, W illiam (1564-1616) E nglish poet a n d dram atist. 319, 356, 470, 496, 540, 626, 628 Shepherd, Joseph m em b er of th e G en eral C ouncil o f th e In tern a tio n a l (1869-70). 8, 270 Sheridan, Philip Henry (1831-1888) A m erican general; took p a rt in the US Civil W ar (1861-65) on the side o f th e N o rth e rn e rs; observer in the G erm an h e a d q u a rte rs d u rin g the Franco-P russian w ar. 512. Shipton, George (1839-1911) trad eu n io n leader. R eform ist; fo u n d e r a n d secretary o f th e A m algam ated Society of H o u sep ain ters a n d D e corators, m em b er of the L and a n d L ab o u r L eague; secretary of th e L on d o n T ra d e s C ouncil (1872-96). 600 Simon, Jules Francois Simon Suisse (1814-1896) F rench statesm an; m o d era te republican; d e p u ty to the C o n stitu en t Assembly (1848-49); M inister of Public Instru ctio n in the g o v e rn m e n t of N ational D efence and th e T h ie rs g o v e rn m e n t (1870-73); d e p u ty to th e N ational Assembly (1871); P resident of th e Council o f M inisters (1876-77). 320, 442, 469 Smith (Smith-Headingley), Adolphe (Adol phus) (1846-1924) B ritish journalist; was b o rn in Paris; m em b er of the Social D em ocratic F ederation in the 1880s; a d h e re d to th e F rench Possibilists. 553

Sonis, Louis Gaston de (1825-1887) F ren ch general; co m m an d ed the 17th C orps d u rin g the Franco-P russian war. 203 Sorge, Friedrich Adolph (1828-1906) p ro m in e n t figure in the intern atio n al a n d A m erican working-class a n d socialist m ovem ent, G erm an teacher; took p a rt in the 1848-49 revolution in G erm any; in 1852 em ig rated to the USA; fo u n d e r of th e A m erican sections of the First In tern a tio n a l; Secretary of th e F ederal Council; delegate to the H ag u e C ongress (1872); m em b er of th e G eneral C ouncil in New Y ork a n d its G eneral Secretary (1872-74); frien d a n d as sociate of M arx a n d Engels. 589 Steens, Eugene (1825-1898) Belgian journalist, m em b er of th e In te rn a tional; ed ito r of La Tribune du Peuple a n d L lntemationale; delegate to the B russels C ongress (1868) a n d the L ondon C onference (1871) of the In tern a tio n a l. 614 Steinmetz, Karl Friedrich, von (17961877) G erm an general, field m arshal from 1871; co m m an d ed the First A rm y d u rin g the FrancoPrussian w ar (up to S eptem ber 1870). 20, 23, 33, 34, 42, 69, 86 Stepney, Cowell W illiam Frederick (18201872) B ritish, m em b er of th e Re form L eague; m em b er of th e G e n er al C ouncil of the In tern a tio n a l (186672) a n d its T re a s u re r (1868-70); dele gate to the Brussels (1868) a n d Basle (1869) congresses; m em b e r of the B ritish F ederal Council (1872). 8, 270, 355, 382, 431 St. Hilaire see Barthelemy Saint Hilaire, Jules Stieber, Wilhelm (1818-1882) Prussian police officer; C hief of th e Prussian political police (1852-60); one of the o rganisers of a n d chief witness for th e p rosecution at the C ologne C om m u n ist trial (1852); d u rin g th e Franco-Prussian w ar chief of m ilitary police a n d of th e G erm an intelligence

a n d counter-intelligence in F rance. 274, 288 Stoll m em b er of th e G eneral Council of the In tern a tio n a l in 1870. 8, 270 Stosch, Albrecht, von (1818-1896) G erm an general; C hief of the C om m issariat of the G erm an arm ies and late r C hief of Staff u n d e r D uke of M ecklenburg a n d C hief of Staff of G erm an occupational tro o p s in F rance (1871). 209 Stiillpnagel, Ferdinand W olf Louis Anton, von (I8 1 3 -I8 8 5 ) G erm an general; c om m anded th e Fifth division d u rin g the F ranco-P russian w ar. 32 Suchet, Louis Gabriel, dux: d Albufera da Valencia (1770-1826) M arshal of France; fo u g h t in the P eninsular w ar (1808-14). 143, 144 Sulla (Lucius Cornelius Sulla) (138-78 B .C .) R om an general a n d states m an, consul (88 B.C.); dictator (82-79 B.C.). 318, 349 Susane, (Suzanne) Louis (1810-1876) F rench general; fo r several years was C hief of th e A rtillery D e p artm en t of the W ar M inistry; a u th o r of works on th e history o f th e F rench arm y. 313, 438, 517

Tacitus, Publius Cornelius (c. 55c. 120) R om an h istorian a n d o ra tor. 349 Taillefer F rench em ployee o f a n in surance com pany; was a rre ste d for forgery a n d em bezzlem ent of state p ro p e rty ; pu b lish er of L Etendard . 313, 475, 518 Tamisier, Fran[ois Laurent Alphonse (1809-1880) F ren ch general and politician, republican; d e p u ty to the C onstituent a n d Legislative A ssem b lies d u rin g the Second Republic; C o m m a n d e r o f the Paris N ational G uards (Septem ber-N ovem ber 1870); d e p u ty to th e N ational Assembly (1871). 323, 446, 480, 527

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Tann-Rathsamhausen, Ludwig Samson A r thur Freiherr von und zu der (18151881) G erm an general; com m an d e d the First B avarian C orps d u rin g th e Franco-P russian w ar. 138, 147, 152, 163, 168, 169, 171, 176, 181, 192, 204, 208, 211, 243 Taylor, Alfred B ritish w orker; m em ber of the G eneral Council of th e In te r national (1871-72), a n d of the British Federal C ouncil (1872-73). 355, 376, 382, 386, 431 Taylor, Peter Alfred (1819-1891) British politician; bourgeois radical, M.P. 587 TertuUian (Tertullianus, Quintus Septimus Florens) (c. 160-c. 222) C hristian th e ologian a n d w riter. 292 Thiers. Elise (1818-1880) A dolphe T h ie rss wife. 326, 440 Thiers, Marie Joseph Louis Adolphe (1797-1877) F rench historian a n d statesm an; Prim e M inister (1836, 1840); head of th e O rleanists a fte r 1848; o rganised the suppression of the Paris C om m une (1871); P resident of th e Republic (1871-73). 4, 292, 311-12, 314-22, 324-29, 331, 337, 338-52, 354, 380, 389-90, 396, 398, 432, 438-44, 446-58, 462-70, 475-78, 492, 497, 501, 503, 506, 508-10, 512-13, 515, 519-25, 528, 530-32, 538-47, 593, 595, 597, 610, 622, 627, 628, 630 Thomas, Clement (1809-1871) French general, m o d era te R epublican; p u b lisher of Le National; took p a rt in sup p ressin g the J u n e 1848 up risin g in Paris; c om m anded th e Paris N a tional G u ard (N ovem ber 1870Feb ru ary 1871); sabotaged th e citys defence; was shot by the in su rg en t soldiers on M arch 18, 1 8 7 1 .-3 2 3 -2 4 , 328, 346-47, 443, 445, 446, 449, 481, 508, 510, 524, 526, 528, 532 Tibaldi, Paolo (1825-1901) Italian re volutionary, follow er of (iaribaldi; m em b er of th e In tern a tio n a l; particip a n t in the Paris C om m une; a fte r its

suppression em ig rated to E ngland. 563 T im u r (Tamerlane) (1336-1405) C entral Asian co n q u ero r, fo u n d e r of a large state in th e East with Sam ar k a n d as its capital. 326, 463, 530 Todleben (Totleben), Eduard Ivanovich (1818-1884) Russian m ilitary e n gineer, general; an org an iser o f the defence of Sebastopol (1854-55). 217 Tolain, Henri Louis (1828-1897) active in the F rench working-class m ovem ent, en g rav er; Right-w ing P rou d h o n ist; m em b er o f the First Paris B u re au a n d Paris section of the First In tern a tio n a l; delegate to all congresses a n d conferences of the In tern a tio n a l in 1865-69; d e p u ty to the N ational Assembly (1871); d u rin g the Paris C om m une w ent over to the Versaillists a n d was expelled from th e In tern a tio n a l (1871); Senator d u rin g th e T h ird Republic, 297, 327, 364, 553, 562, 590 Townshend, W illiam m em b er of the G eneral Council o f th e In tern a tio n a l (1869-72). 8, 270, 355, 382, 431 Tresckow, Udo von (1808-1885) G erm an general; com m anded the First Reserve Division a n d a siege corps at B elfort d u rin g th e FrancoPrussian w ar. 227, 244 Tridon, Edme Marie Gustave (18411871) F rench journalist, Blanquist; d e p u ty to th e N ational Assembly (1871); b u t th en ren o u n ce d his pow ers; m em b er of the Paris C om m une; a fte r its suppression em ig rated to Belgium . 510 Trochu, Louis Jules (1815-1896) F rench general a n d politician, O rleanist; took p a rt in the conquest of A lgeria (1830s-1840s), in the C ri m ean (1853-56) a n d Italian (1859) wars; head of th e G overnm ent of N ational D efence; C om m ander-inC hief of the a rm ed forces of Paris (S eptem ber 1870-January 1871);' sabotaged th e citys defence; d ep u ty

to th e N ational Assembly (1871). 45, 54, 89, 113, 121, 122, 139, 169, 176-78, 183, 188, 189, 192, 196, 205, 216, 219, 232-35, 240, 241, 304, 311, 312, 318, 322-24, 351, 437, 438, 446, 469, 480, 482, 506, 510, 513, 515-17, 527, 532, 547 Truelove, Edward (1809-1899) B ritish publisher. C hartist; m em b er of the R eform L eague a n d th e N ational Sunday L eague; h e lp e d to popularise som e of M arxs works, published the G eneral C ouncils two addresses on the F ranco-P russian w ar a n d The Civil War in France. 567 Tiimpling, Wilhelm (1809-1884) G erm an general; c om m anded the Sixth C orps d u rin g the FrancoPrussian war. 189

V Vacheron, Louis F rench lawyer; g e n e r al p ro se cu to r of the M ayenne D e p art m en t in 1 8 7 1 .- 4 4 4 Vaillant, Marie Edouard (1840-1915) F'rench en g in eer, n aturalist a n d physician; B lanquist; m em b er of the Paris C om m une, of th e N ational G u a rd s C entral C om m ittee a n d of th e G eneral C ouncil of th e In te rn a tional (1871-72); delegate to the L ausanne C ongress (1867) a n d the L ondon C onference (1871); a fte r the H ague C ongress (1872) w ithdrew fro m the In tern a tio n a l. 431, 510, 616, 617, 618 Valentin, Louis Ernest F ren ch general, B onapartist; P refect of th e Paris police on th e eve of the up risin g on M arch 18, 1 8 7 1 .-3 2 0 , 343, 441, 452, 467, 477, 510, 513, 541, 546 Varlin, Louis Eugene (1839-1871) took p a rt in the F rench working-class m ovem ent, b o okbinder; L eft-w ing P ro u d h o n ist; m em b er of the In te rn a tional fro m 1865; a fo u n d e r of the In te rn a tio n a ls sections in France; d e legate to th e L ondon C onference (1865), the G eneva (1866) a n d Basle (1869) congresses of th e In te rn a tio n al; m em b er of the N ational G u a rd s C entral C om m ittee a n d the Paris C om m une; was shot by the Versailles troops on May 28, 1871. 510, 554 Vauban, Sebastien Le Prestre de (16331707) M arshal of France, m ilitary e ngineer; a u th o r of several books on fortification a n d siege-works. 92,
1 0 1 , 1 0 2 , 222

U Ulrich, Jean Jacques Alexis (18021886) F ren ch general; C o m m an d a n t of th e S trasbourg fo rtress d u r ing the Franco-P russian w ar. 93, 113 Urquhart, David (1805-1877) B ritish diplom at, w riter a n d politician; T o ry M.P. (1847-52). 371 Utin (Outine), Nikolai Isaakovich (18451883) R ussian revolutionary; p a r ticipant in the stu d e n t m ovem ent; m em ber of the L and a n d Freedom society; in 1863 em ig rated to E ng land a n d th en to Sw itzerland; an org an iser o f the Russian section of th e In tern a tio n a l; m em b er of the Narodnoye Dyelo (Peoples Cause) editorial b o a rd (1868-70); an ed ito r of the Egalite (1870-71); su p p o rte d M arx a n d th e G eneral C ouncil in the struggle against B akunin a n d his followers; delegate to the L ondon C o nference (1871); in 1877 re tu rn e d to Russia; associate of M arx and Engels. 429, 618

Vendez F ren ch general; com m anded the 19th C orps d u rin g the FrancoPrussian w ar. 45. Vermorel, Auguste Jean Marie (18411871) F ren ch jo u rn alist a n d w riter, L eft republican; P roudhonist; co n trib u ted to various new spapers; editorin-chief of Le Courrier frangais-.

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m em b e r of th e Paris C om m une; was heavily w o u n d ed in street fig h tin g in Paris in May 1871 a n d died in captivity. 381 Vernier h u sb a n d o f Je a n n e C harm o n t, Jules F avres m istress. 313. Vesinier, Pierre (1824-1902) F rench jo u rn alist, p a rticip a n t in th e L ondon C onference o f th e In tern a tio n a l (1865); was expelled fro m th e I n te r n ational in 1868 fo r cond u ctin g a slanderous cam paign against the G eneral C ouncil; m em b e r o f the Paris C om m une; editor-in-chief of th e Journal officiel de la Republique franiais, th e m ain o rg a n of th e C om m une; a fte r th e sup p ressio n o f the C o m m u n e e m ig rated to E ngland; published th e n ew sp ap er Federation a n d was a m em b e r of th e U niversal F ederalist C ouncil w hich opposed M arx a n d th e G eneral Council. 386, 591 Victor, Clatcde Victor Perrin, due de Bellune (1764-1841) M arshal of France; p a rticip a n t in th e wars of N apoleonic F rance, W ar M inister (1821-23). 199 Victoria (1819-1901) Q u e en o f G reat B ritain a n d Ire la n d (1837-1901). 579 Vinoy, Joseph (1800-1880) F rench general, B onapartist; took p a rt in the co u p d eta t o f D ecem ber 2, 1851; d u rin g the Franco-P russian w ar com m an d e d th e 13th C orps, th e n the First C o rp s of th e Second Paris A rm y a n d th e T h ird Paris A rm y; G overnor o f Paris fro m Ja n u a ry 22, 1871; c o m m a n d ed th e V ersailles reserve a r m y . - 89, 189, 191, 320, 322, 324, 326, 441, 445-47, 471, 510, 512, 513, 525, 527-30, 546, 586 Vivien, Alexandre Fraufois Auguste (1799-1854) F ren ch law yer and politician; O rleanist; M inister of Ju s tice (1840); M inister o f Public W orks (1848) in Cavaignacs go v ern m en t. 444

Vogel von Falchenstein, Eduard (17971885) G e rm an general; G overnorG eneral o f th e coastal regions in G erm any d u rin g th e Franco-P russian w ar. 271, 275 Voget, H . B avarian officer. 165 Vogt, Karl (1817-1895) G erm an na tu ra l scientist, v ulgar m aterialist, petty-bourgeois dem o crat; d e p u ty to th e F ra n k fu rt N ational Assembly (Left wing) in 1848-49, one o f the five im perial reg en ts (June 1849); e m ig rate d in 1849; subsequently re ceived subsidies fro m N apoleon III; sla n d ere d M arx a n d E ngels. 298305, 314 Voigts-Rhetz, Konstantin Bernhard von (1809-1877) G erm an general; com m an d e d th e 10th C orps d u rin g the F ranco-P russian w ar. 209 Voltaire, Franfois Marie Arouet (16941778) F ren ch p hilosopher, w riter a n d historian o f the E n lig h ten m en t. 327, 460

B ritish forces in th e wars against N apoleon I (1808-14, 1815); C o m m ander-in-C hief (1827-28, 1842-52), P rim e M inister (182830). 175 Werder, A ugust Karl, Count von (18081887) G erm an general; com m an d e d th e 14th C orps d u rin g the Franco-P russian w ar. 138, 148, 153, 171, 180, 196, 211, 222, 224, 226-29, 236-37, 243-47, 258 Weston, John active in th e B ritish w orking-class m ovem ent, c arp e n te r; follow er of O w en; m em b e r of the G en eral C ouncil of th e In tern a tio n a l (1864-72); delegate to th e L ondon C onference (1865); m em b e r of the E xecutive C om m ittee of th e R eform L eague; a lea d er of th e L and a n d L ab o u r L eague; m em b e r of th e B rit ish Federal Council. 8 , 270, 278, 355, 382, 431, 554, 558, 582, 583 Wickede, Julius von (1819-1896) G e rm an arm y officer a n d m ilitary w riter; c o rre sp o n d e n t of th e Kdlnische Zeitung at th e G e rm an h e a d q u a rte rs d u rin g th e Franco-P russian w ar. 243, 244 W iddem, von see Cardinal von Widdem, Georg W illiam I, the Conqueror (c. 10271087) D uke of N o rm an d y , K ing of E ngland (from 1066). 515 W illiam I (Wilhelm I) (1797-1888) Prince of Prussia, K ing of Prussia (1861-88), G erm an E m p e ro r (187188 ). 12, 71, 73, 85, 94, 160, 191, 195, 263, 264, 275, 276, 281, 347, 515, 579, 619, 620 W impffen, Emmanuel Felix de (18111884) F ren ch g eneral; d u rin g the F ranco-P russian w ar co m m an d ed the 5th C orps (from A ugust 31, 1870); co m m an d ed th e A rm y of C halons a fte r M ac-M ahon was w o unded in the battle of Sedan, a n d a fte r th e defeat signed the capitulation of th e Sedan A im y. 78-80, 86 Wittich, Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig, von
2 6 -1 2 3 2

(1818-1884) G erm an general; com m an d e d th e 22 n d division d u rin g the Franco-P russian w ar. 147, 169 Wolff, Luigi Italian m ajor, follow er of Mazzini; m em b er of th e Associazione di M utuo Progresso in L ondon; m em b e r of th e G eneral Council of th e In tern a tio n a l (186465); took p a rt in th e L o n d o n C o n fe r ence (1865); a g en t p ro v o c ateu r of the B onapartist police. 385, 563, 608 Wroblewski, Walery (1836-1908) Polish revolutionary d em ocrat; a lea d er of th e Pohsh liberation u p risin g of 1863; general o f th e Paris C om m une; m em b er of th e G eneral C ouncil of th e In tern a tio n a l a n d C o rre sp o n d in g S ecretary fo r Poland (1871-72); d ele gate to th e H ag u e C ongress (1872). 339, 431 Wurmser, Dagobert Siegmund, Count (1724-1797) A ustrian field m arshal; c o m m a n d er of th e A ustrian tro o p s in Italy (1796); was d e fea te d by B o n a p arte several tim es a n d c ap itu lated in th e fo rtress of M antua. 65

W Wade, Charles B ritish publican. 562 bourgeois re

VKa/i/in served in the N ational G uard; C o m m u n a rd ; shot in th e c o u n te r revolutionary d e m o n stra tio n in Paris o n M arch 22, 1 8 7 1 .-5 1 1 Ward, Osborne A m erican m echanic, m em b e r o f th e In te rn a tio n a ls section in th e USA; at the H ag u e C ongress (1872) o f the In tern a tio n a l was elected m em b e r o f th e G eneral Council; was influenced by bourgeois reform ists. 357, 559 Washbume, Elihu Benjamin (18161887) A m erican politician a n d d ip lom at, R epublican; am bassador in Paris (1869-77); op p o sed the Paris C o m m u n e. 379-82, 563 Wellington, A rthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of (1769-1852) B ritish general and statesm an, T ory; com m anded the

Zabicki, A ntoni (c. 1810-1889) a lea d e r of th e Polish national libera tion m ovem ent; com positor; em ig ra te d fro m Poland a fte r 1831; p a r ticip an t in th e H u n g a ria n revolution of 1848-49; fro m 1851 a re fu g e e in E ngland; a lea d er of th e D em ocratic A ssociation in L on d o n ; fro m 1863 published Glos Wolny, n ew sp ap er of th e Polish dem ocratic refugees; Sec re ta ry of th e Polish N ational C om m ittee; m em b er of th e G eneral C ouncil of th e In tern a tio n a l a n d C o rre sp o n d in g Secretary fo r Poland (1866-71). 8, 270, 355, 382 Zastrow, Heinrich A dolf von (18011875) G erm an general a n d m ilitary w riter; com m anded the Seventh

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C orps d u rin g the Franco-P russian w ar. 224, 227, 228, 237, 241 Zev^, Maurice m em b er of the G eneral

C ouncil of th e In tern a tio n a l (186672); C o rre sp o n d in g Secretary for H u n g a ry (1870-71). 8, 270, 355 382, 431

IN D EX OF Q U O T E D AND M E N T IO N E D L IT E R A T U R E
IN D E X O F L ITE R A R Y AN D M Y T H O L O G IC A L NAMES Anthony see Marcus Antonius Breitmann, Hans character of C harles G odfrey L elands (1824-1903) book of h u m o ro u s ballads of the sam e nam e. 600 Carlos, Don (1545-1568) idealised c h aracter in a n u m b e r of literary works; Spanish in fan t, son of the Spanish K ing Philip II; was p ersecuted fo r his opposition to his fa th e r and died in co nfinem ent. 316, 445 Christ, Jesus (Bib.) 343, 467, 544 Cid (Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar) also called El Campeador (El Sid) (1026 o r c. 10411099) a Spanish h e ro w ho fo u g h t against a n d co n q u ered the M oors; the h e ro of th e Spanish epic poem Canfar de mio Cid a n d m any rom ances a n d chronicles, e.g. C orneilles Le C id .~ 6 2 8 Dogberry a ch ara cte r of S hakespeares com edy Much Ado About N o th in g .626 Falstaff a ch aracter in S hakespeares tragedy K ing Henry I V a n d his comedy The Merry Wives of Windsor. 314 628 Hecate (G reek m yth.) the goddess of m oonlight, m istress o f m onsters and shades in the u n d e rw o rld . 350 Heracles (Hercules) (G reek a n d R om an m yth.) son of Zeus, fam ous fo r his stre n g th and courage. 269, 452, 505 Job (Bib.) 317 Joshua (Bib.) lea d er of th e Israelites. 73, 325 Marcus Antonius (Anthony) (c. 83-30 B .C .) R om an general a n d politician; h e ro in S hakespeares tragedy Julius Caesar.470 Megaera o n e o f th e th ree goddesses of vengeance personifying w rath a n d enviousness. 350 Miinchhausen, Baron ch ara cte r from G erm an h u m o ro u s a d v en tu re stories collected into a book by th e G erm an w riter R udolf E rich Raspe (second half of th e 18th century) a n d p u b lished in English as th e ch ara cte rs recollection; m ain ch aracter of Karl Im m e rm a n s novel Miinchhausen, eine Geschichte in Arabesken (1838). 292 631 Pistol a ch aracter in S hakespeares The Merry Wives of Windsor. K ing Henry I V (Part Two) a n d K in g Henry V: an idler, b ra g g art a n d liar. 356 Pourceaugnac a ch aracter from M olieres com edy Monsieur de Pourceaugnac. 319, 524 Shylock a ch ara cte r in S hakespeares The Merchant of Venice. 319, 540 Tom Thumb (Tom Pouce) a very small boy in fairy tale. 326, 463 Triboulet joker, a h e ro in H u g o s Le Roi s anuese. 463 Verges a ch aracter in S hakespeares com edy Much Ado About Nothing . 626 M arx, Karl The C ivil War in France (this volum e, pp. 307-59). L ondon, 1871. 364, 366, 367, 370, 372-73, 375-77, 386, 398, 400, .562, 563, 567, .592, 593, 595, 610 [C oncerning the C onflict in m anuscript. 556 the Lyons Section] (present editicm, Vol. 21),

W ORKS BY KARL MARX AND FRED ERICK ENGELS

[C oncerning the Persecution of the M em bers of the F rench Sections] Declaration of the General Council of the International Working M en s A.isociation (present edition. Vol. 21). [L ondon, 1870.] 427, 557 Confidential Communication to A ll Sections (present edition. Vol. 21), m anuscript. 558 [D raft Resolution of th e G eneral C ouncil on the F rench F ederal Section in L ondon] (present edition. Vol. 21). In: The Penny Bee-Hive, No. 418, May 14, 1870. 557 [D raft R esolution of the G eneral C ouncil on the Policy of th e B ritish G overnm ent T ow ards th e Irish Prisoners] (present edition. Vol. 21). In: Reynolds s Newspaper, No. 1006, N ovem ber 21, 1869. 555 T h e G eneral C ouncil of the In tern a tio n a l W ork in g m en s Association on the W ar. T o the M em bers of the In tern a tio n a l W ork in g m en s Association in E urope a n d the U nited States (this volum e, pp. 3-8). L ondon, 1870. 259, 263, 361, 558, 575 The General Council of the International Working M en s Association to the Central Bureau of the International Alliance of Socialist Democracy (present edition, Vol. 21) Le Conseil G eneral au C om ite C entral de IAlliance In tern atio n ale de la D em ocratic socialiste, m anuscript. 411 [G eneral C ouncil Resolution on the Federal C om m ittee of Rom ance Sw itzerland] The General Council to the Romance Federal Committee (present edition, Vol. 21) Le Conseil G eneral au C om ite federal rom and. In: Le Mirabeau, No. 53, 24 juillet 1 8 7 0 .-5 5 8 The General Council to the Federal Council of Romance Switzerland (present edition. Vol. 21) Le Conseil G eneral au Conseil federal de la Suisse rom ande, m anuscript. 411, 420, 421, 430, 555, 556, 558
26*

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General Rules and Administrative Regulations of the International Working M en s Association (p resen t edition, Vol. 23). L ondon, 187L 413 Herr Vogt (present edition, Vol. 17). L on d o n , 1860. 298, 299 Inaugural Address of the Working M en s International Association (p resen t edition Vol. 20) Address and Provisional Rules of the Working Men's International Association, established September 28, 1864, at a Public Meeting held at St. M artin s Hall, Long Acre. L ondon, [1864], 3, 364, 426 The International Working M en s Association and the International Alliance of Socialist Democracy (p resen t edition. Vol. 21) Le Conseil G eneral a IAlliance In tern a tio n a le de la D em ocratie socialiste L ondres, 1868. 358, 362, 411 The Lock-out of the B uilding Trades at Geneva. The General Council of the International Working M en s Association to the Working Men and Women of Europe and the United States (p resen t edition. Vol. 21). L ondon, 1870. 558 Mr. Washburne, the American Ambassador in Paris (this volum e, pp. 379-82). L ondon 1 8 7 1 .-5 6 3 [P rogram m e fo r th e M ainz C ongress of th e Intern atio n al] Vol. 21), m anuscript. 558 (p resen t edition,

Engels, Frederick [On the C igar-W orkers Strike in A ntw erp] (this volum e, p. 294) _ [U ber d e n Streik d e r Z ig a rren a rb eiter in A ntw erpen.]. In; Der Volksstaat, N r. 30, 12. A pril 1871. 562 Resolution of the General Council Expelling Henri Louis Tolain from the International Working M ens Association (this volum e, p. 297). In: The Eastern Post, No. 135, A pril 29, 1 8 7 1 .-5 6 2 [S tatem ent by the G eneral C ouncil o n G eorge Jacob H olyoakes L etter] (this volum e, pp. 367-68). In: The Daily News, No. 7847, Ju n e 23, I8 7 L 370, 563 [Statem ent by th e G eneral C ouncil on the L etters of G. J. H olyoake and B. L ucraft] (this volum e, pp. 372-73). In: The Daily News, No. 7852, Ju n e 29, 1871; The Eastern Post, No. 144, July 1, 1 8 7 1 .-5 6 3 To the Editor of The Tim es (this volum e, pp. 389-90), m an u scrip t. 388 M arx, K arl a n d Engels, F rederick m [L etter from th e G eneral C ouncil to th e E d ito r of The Spectator (resp. Examiner)] (this volum e, p. 369), m anuscript. 563 [L etter to th e C om m ittee of the Social-Dem ocratic W orkers Party] (this volum e, [B rL ^ a n d e r Social-dem okratischen A rb eiterp artei.] In: Manifest des Ausschmses der Social-demokratischen Arbeiterpartei. Braunschweig, 5. September 18/U. B raunschw eig, 1870. 560

Provisional Rules of the Association (p resen t edition, Vol. 20) Address and Provisional Rules of the Working M en s International Association, established September 28, 1864, at a Public Meeting held at St. M artin s Hall, Long Acre. L ondon, [1864]. 357, 361, 425, 427 [R esolution of the G eneral Council on The Bee-Hive] (p resen t edition, Vol. 21), m anuscript. 557 Resolution of the London Conference Relating to the Conflict in Romance Switzerland (this volum e, pp. 419-22) D ifferen d e n tre les fed eratio n s dan s la Suisse ro m an d e [R esolution d e la C onference de L ondres]. In: L Egalite, No. 20, 21 octobre 1871. 430 Rules and Administrative Regulations of the International Working M en s Association (p resen t edition. Vol. 20). 259, 412, 413, 425, 426, 428, 566, 600, 616 Second Address of the General Council of the International Working M en s Association on the Franco-Prussian War (this volum e, pp. 263-70). L ondon, 1870. 311, 362, 515, 559-61, 571, 574, 575, 577 [Statem ent by the G eneral C ouncil to th e E ditor of The Times a n d o th e r papers] (this volum e, pp. 286-87). In: The Times, No. 27018, M arch 23, 1871; The Eastern Post, No. 130, M arch 25, 1 8 7 1 .-2 8 9 , 562 [T o the E ditor of The Daily News] (this volum e, pp. 370-71). In: The Eastern Post, No. 144, July 1, 1 8 7 1 .-3 7 4 , 376 To the Editor of the Gaulois (this volum e, p. 395) A u R ed acteu r d u G aulois. In: Le Gaulois, No. 1145, 27 a o u t 1 8 7 1 .-3 9 6 [To the E ditor of The Pall Mall Gazette G reenw ood] (this volum e, p. 378). In: The Pall Mall Gazette, No. 1992, July 3, 1871; The Eastern Post, No. 145, lulv 8 , 1 8 7 1 .-5 6 3 To the Editor of Public O pinion (this volum e, pp. 393-94). In: Public Opinion, No. 518, A ugust 26, 1 8 7 1 .-4 0 5

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[A rrete su r la com m ission d organisation d e Ienseignem ent. Paris, 28 avril 1871.] In : Journal officiel (Paris), No. 119, 29 avril 1 8 7 1 .-4 7 3 [A rrete su r la destru ctio n de la chapelle dite expiatoire de Louis X V I. Paris, 5 mai 1871.] In : Journal officiel (Paris), No. 126, 6 m ai 1 8 7 1 .- 4 7 6 [A rrete su r la suppression d u travail d e n u it dans les boulangeries. Paris, 20 avril 1871.] In; LAvant-G arde, No. 451, 22 avril 1871; Journal officiel (Paris), No. I l l , 21 avril 1 8 7 1 .-3 3 9 , 472 A u Peuple. [Proclam ation d u C om ite cen tral de la G arde nationale. Paris, 19 m ars 1871.] In; The Standard, No. 14550, M arch 21, 1 8 7 1 .-5 0 8 -0 9 A u x Gardes nationaux de Paris. [Proclam ation d u Com ite central de la G arde. Paris, 19 m ars 1871.] In: The Standard. No. 14550, M arch 21, 1871; Journal officiel (Paris), No. 79, 20 m ars 1871. 509 A u x travailleurs des campagnes. [A ppeal of th e Paris C om m une.] [Paris, 1871.] 337 The Balance-sheet of the Commune. In: The Daily News, No. 7807, May 6 , 1871; Journal officiel (Paris), No. 124, 4 m ai 1871. 478 [Bulletin of th e F rench com m and of 7 A ugust 1870] Metz, 7 oom(, 4 h. 30 du matin. Le major general au ministre de Iinterieur. In: Le Temps, No. 3449, 8 aout 1 8 7 0 .- 4 0 [Bulletin of the F rench com m and of 8 A ugust 1870] Metz, 8 aout, 10 h. soir. In . Le Temps, No. 3451, 10 a o u t 1870. 41 Les Constitutions de la France depuis 1789. Paris, 1848. 510-11 Convention entre VAllemagne et la France pour la suspension des hostilites et la capitulation de Paris; signee a Versailles, le 28 janvier 1871. 318, 321 Declaration au peuple franfais [Paris, 19 avril 1871]. In: The Daily News, No. 7793, A pril 21, 1871; Journal officiel (Paris), No. 110, 20 avril 1871. 332, 503, 50/ [D ecree of M arch 29, 1871 abolishing conscription.] In: The Daily News, No. 7776, A pril 1, 1871; Journal officiel (Paris), No. 1 (89), 30 m ars 1 8 7 1 .-3 3 1 , 474 [D ecree o f M arch 29, 1871 on the rem ission of rents.] In: No. 7775, M arch 31, 1 8 7 1 .-4 7 4 The Daily News,

[D ecree of M arch 29, 1871 susp en d in g th e sale of paw ned articles.] In; The Daily News, No. 7776, A pril 1, 1871. 472 [Decree of A pril 2, 1871 sep aratin g the C h u rc h from th e State.] In: The Daily Telegraph, No. 4931, A pril 4, 1871; Journal officiel (Paris), No. 93, 3 avril 1871. 3M , 475 [D ecree of A pril 5, 1871 on reprisals a n d hostages.] In: The Daily News, No. 7781, A pril 7, 1871; Journal officiel (Paris), No. 96, 6 avril 1 8 7 1 .-3 2 7 , 448, 476 [D ecree of A pril 16, 1871 on h a n d in g over the w orkshops a n d m anufacturies to cooperative w orkm en societies.] In: The Daily News, No. 7790, A pril 18, 1871, Journal officiel (Paris), No. 107, 17 avril 1871. 339, 473 [D ecree of A pril 26, 1871 for th e protection of foreigners.] In: The Daily News, No. 7779, A pril 28, 1871; Journal officiel (Paris), No. 117, 28 avril 1871. 476

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[D ecret su r Iabolition d u se rm en t politique e t d u se rm en t professionel. Paris, 4 m ai 1871.] In : Journal officiel (Paris), No. 125, 5 m ai 1871. 476 [D ecret su r la dem olition de la colonne V endom e. Paris, 12 avril 1871.] In: Le Rappel, No. 670, 14 avril 1871; Journal officiel (Paris), No. 103, 13 avril 1871. 339, 476, 501 [D ecret su r la suspension des pou rsu ites p o u r ech& nces. Paris, 12 avril 1871.] In: Le Rappel, No. 670, 14 avril 1871. 336, 474 [D & ret su r le m ont-de-piete. No. 127, 7 m ai 1871. 473 Paris, 6 m ai 1871.] In: Journal officiel (Paris),

[Official re p o rt of 14 A ugust 1870] Longeville, 10 h. du soir. L empereur a Iimperatrice. In: Le Temps, No. 3457, 16 aout 1 8 7 0 .- 4 8 [Official re p o rt of 14 A ugust 1870] Paris, Aug. 15, 9.20 A .M . In: The Times, No. 26830, A ugust 16, 1870. 48 [Speech at B o rd e au x on 9 O ctober 1852.] In: N apoleon III. Oeuvres, t. 3. Paris, 1856. 95 [T elegram of 7 A ugust 1870] Metz, A ug. 7, 12.30 No. 26823, A ugust 8 , 1870. 29 [T elegram of 7 A ugust 1870] Metz, Sunday, 3.30 No. 26823, A ugust 8 , 1870. 30, 33 [T elegram o f 7"A ugust 1870] Metz, A ug. 7, 6 A .M . In: A ugust 8 , 1 8 7 0 .- 3 0 [T elegram o f 7 A ugust 1870] Metz, A u g 7, 8.25 No. 26823, A ugust 8 , 1 8 7 0 .- 3 0 A .M . In: A .M . In: The Times, The lim es.

The Times, No. 26823, A .M . In: The Times,

[D & ret su r les traitem en ts publics. Paris, 2 avril 1871.] In: Journal officiel (Paris), No. 92, 2 avril 1 8 7 1 .-3 3 1 , 474 D ucrot, A. Soldat de la 2 armee de Paris . [O rd e r o f 28 N ovem ber 1870]. In : Journal officiel (Paris), N o. 329, N ovem ber 29, 1870. 506 D u fau re, J. [C irculaire aux p ro c u re u rs g e n erau x . Versailles, 23 avril 1871.] In: Le Mot d Ordre, No. 62, 26 avril 1871. 344, 444, 468, 544 E ntw urf des Strafgesetzbuchs fiir die Preussischen. Staaten, nach den Beschliissen des Koniglichen Staalsraths. B erlin, 1843. 276 Favre, J. Circulaire adressee aux agents diplomatiques de France, par le vice-president du Gouvernement de la Defense nationale, ministre des affaires etrangeres. Le 6 septembre 1870. In: Journal officiel (Paris), No. 246, 7 septem bre 1 8 7 0 .-3 1 2 , 506, 516 [C irculaire adressee aux agents diplom atiques d e la R epublique franfaise.] Versailles, le 6 ju in 187L In: Journal officiel (Versailles), No. 159, 8 juin 1 8 7 1 .-3 5 7 , 361, 376, 608 Frederick C harles. [D espatch fro m th e H ead -Q u arters] Versailles, Dec. 6, 12.10 P.M. In: The Times, No. 26927, D ecem ber 7, 1870. 206 F rederick W illiam III. Verordnung iiber den Landsturm. Vom 21sten A pril 1813. In: Gesetz-Sammlung fiir die Koniglichen Preussischen Staaten. B erlin, [1813]. 195

Rapiers et correspondance de la famille imperiale. Vols. I-II. P ans, 1 8 7 1 .-3 0 3 Picard, E., d A urelle de Paladines, L.J.B. To the National Guards of the Seine. In: The Daily News, No. 7765, M arch 20, 1 8 7 1 .-5 0 9 , 525 [Proclam ation d u Com ite central de la G arde nationale. Paris, 22 m ars 1871.] In: Le Rappel, No. 650, 25 m ars 1871; Journal officiel (Pans), No. 84, 25 m ars 1 8 7 1 .-4 8 8 Proclamation of the Commune [of 29 M arch 1871]. In: Le Rappel, No. 655, 30 m ars 1871; Journal officiel (Paris), No. 1 (89), 30 m ars 1871. 450 [Proclam ation of th e C om m une of A pril 2, 1871 to th e N ational Guards^] In : The Daily Telegraph, No. 4931, A pril 4, 1871; Journal officiel (Pans), No. 93, 3 avnl 1 8 7 1 .-5 1 3
[ P ro c la m a tio n o f th e C o m m u n e o f

A pril 5, 1871.] A pril 7, 1871; Journal officiel (Paris), No. 96, 6 avril 1 8 7 1 .-4 4 8 , 530

200-02
G am betta, L. [Proclam ation, d a te d th e 9th o f O ctober, a d d ressed to th e citizens of th e D epartm ents.] In: The Times, No. 26878, O ctober 11, 1 8 7 0 .-1 2 9 [Proclam ation to th e troops, c. N ovem ber 13, 1870.] In: The Times, No. 26907, N ovem ber 14, 1870. 168 G relier, [V.] Le comite central de la garde nationale est decide.... In: Journal officiel (Paris), No. 80, 21 m ars 1 8 7 1 .-3 3 7 , 492 La Guillotine. [Avis su r la destruction des G uillotines. Paris, 5 avril 1871.] In : La Situation, No. 176, 14 avril 1871; Journal officiel (Paris), No. 100, 10 avril 1 8 7 1 .- 4 7 5 [Loi su r les echeances. Paris, 17 avril 1871.] In: Journal officiel (Paris), No. 108, 18 avril 1871. 336 M illiere, J. B. E. [D eclaration of A pril 4, 1871.] In: The Daily Telegraph, No. 4933, A pril 6 , 1 8 7 1 .- 5 1 4 N apoleon III. [A ppeal to th e arm y] A u quartier imperial de Metz, le 2 8 juillet 1870. In: Le Temps, No. 3440, 30 juillet 1870. 38, 150

[Proclam ation of the C om m une of A pril 5, 1871 to the in h ab itan ts^ In: The Daily Telegraph, No. 4933, A pril 6 , 1871; Journal officiel (Pans), No. 95, 5 avnl 1871. 477 [Proclam ation of th e C ouncil of M inisters to th e people of Paris d a te d A ugust 6 .] In: The Times, No. 26823, A ugust 8 , 1 8 7 0 .- 3 1 Programme de I Alliance intemationale de la Democratie Socialiste. G eneve, 1868. 357, 358, 361-62, 375-76 Protocoles des Conferences tenue a Londres entre les Plenipotentiaires de I Allemagne du Nord, de IAutriche-Hongrie, de la France (Prot. 5 et 6), de la Grande-Bretagne, de ritalie, de la Russie et de la Turquie, pour la revision des stipulations du Traite du 30 mars 1856 relatives a la neutralisation de la Mer Noire. 585 [R a p p o n de la C om m ission d en q u ete de la C om m une.] In: Le 29 avril 1871; Journal officiel (Pans), No. 118, 28 avnl 1 8 7 1 .-3 2 7 , 465, 478, 532 Rapport de la Commission des elections. In: La Situation, No. 169, 5 avril 1871; Journal officiel (Paris), No. 90, 31 m ars 1 8 7 1 .-4 7 6 Rapport des delegues des chambres syndicates. A u syndicat de IUnion nationale. In: Le Rappel, No. 669, 13 avril 1871; Journal officiel (Pans), No. 102, 12 avnl 1871. 466, 543

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[R eport of the N ational Assem blys sitting of 6 May 1871.] In: Journal officiel (Versailles), No, 127, 7 m ai 1871. 532 T h ie rs, L. A. [Circulaire a p refets et sous-prefets. Versailles, 28 m ars 1871.] In: Le Rappel, No. 655, 30 m ars 1871. 354, 454 [Circulaire a toutes les autorites civiles et m ilitaires. Versailles, 2 m ai 1871.] In: Journal officiel (Versailles), No. 123, 3 m ai 1871. 470 [C irculaire aux p refets et aux autorites civiles, judiciaires et m ilitaires. Versailles, 25 m ai 1871.] In: Journal officiel (Versailles), No. 146, 26 mai 1 8 7 1 .-3 4 8 [Proclam ation of M arch 17, 1871 to th e inhabitants of Paris.] In: The Daily News, No. 7765, M arch 20, 1 8 7 1 .-3 2 0 -2 2 , 508, 546 [Proclam ation of M arch 18, 1871 to the N ational G uards.] In: The Daily News, No. 7765, M arch 20, 1 8 7 1 .- 5 0 8 [Proclam ation of April 4, 1871.] In: The Daily News, No. 7779, A pril 5, 1 8 7 1 .-3 2 7 , 447, 531 To the Citizens and Soldiers [Proclam ation of M arch 21, 1871.] In: The Daily News, No. 7768, M arch 23, 1871. 507 Traite conclu entre I Autriche, la Belgique, la France, la Grande-Bretagne, Iltalie, les Pays-Bas et le Luxembourg, la Prusse et la Russie pour la neutralisation du Grand-Duche de Luxembourg, signe a Londres, le 11 mai 1867 . 275 Traite de paix de Paris du 20 novembre 1815, avec les conventions speciales. 172 Traite de paix entre I Empire Allemand el la France, signe a Francfort s.M., le 10 mai 1871; suivi d e trois articles additionnels et d u protocole de signature. 347 Traite de paix entre S.M. Iempereur des Fran(ais,roi d ltalie et S.M . Iempereur de toutes les Russies; signe a Tilsit, le 7 juillet 1807. 266 Traite de paix entre Sa Majeste I empereur des Fraufais, roi d ltalie et Sa Majeste le roi de Prusse; signe a Tilsit, le 9 juillet 1807 . 266 Traite de paix signe entre la France et I A utriche et ses allies a Paris le 30 mai 1814. 172 T ro c h u , L. J. [D espatch to th e M ayor of Paris, c. 16 O ctober 1870.] In : Le Temps, No. 3418, 16 octobre 1 8 7 0 .- 1 3 9 [O rd e r to the Paris G arrison, the N ational G u ard a n d th e Mobile G u ard of 20 S eptem ber 1870] Dans le combat d hier.... In: Le Temps, No. 3393, 21 septem bre 1 8 7 0 .-1 2 1 [Proclam ation aux h abitants de Paris. Paris, 6 jan v ier 1871.] In: Journal officiel (Paris), No. 7, 7 jan v ie r 1871. 312, 506, 516 [Proclam ation to the p opulation of Paris a n d the arm y of 28 N ovem ber 1870.] In: Journal officiel (Paris), No. 330, 30 novem bre 1870. 188 W illiam I. [Proclam ation to the French nation of 11 A ugust 1870.] In Kiilnische Zeitung, N r. 222, 12. A ugust 1 8 7 0 .-2 6 4 [Speech from th e th ro n e to the N orth -G erm an Diet on 19 July 1870.] In: The Times, No. 26807, July 20, 1 8 7 0 .-2 6 3 [T elegram of 1 S eptem ber 1870] O n the Battle-F'ield of Sedan, Sept. 1, 4.15 P.M. In: The Times, No. 26846, S eptem ber 3, 1870. 85 [T elegram to the E m p e ro r A lexander 11] Versailles, 26 fevrier, 2 heures 7 m. In: Journal de St-Petersbourg, No. 37, 17 fevrier (1 m ars) 1871. 281

__ [T elegram to the Q u een of 18 A ugust 18V0 ]

near Be.anvUle, Aug. 18,

The Times, No. 26923, D ecem ber 2, 1 8 7 0 .-1 9 1

A N O N Y M O U S A R T IC L ES AN D REPO RTS PU B LISH E D IN PE R IO D IC E D IT IO N S Allgeme^ne Zertung, N r. 221, 9__ Mr 334 30. N ovem ber 1870 (beilage). u 1ft71 V A v en ir liberal, 376, 5 septem bre 1871. Nouvelles.432 L No, S85. 21 1871: S . " S : 'L . - 1 8 5 oe , _ Pnris le 4 septCTnbre 1871. DeytiieTes Pans, 4 sep p i n , . ,< -n L

rier de la Gironde, ars 1871: O n lit dans le Courner de L y o n ...-2 8 7 _ 16 16 m m ars The Daily News, No. 7763, M arch 18, 1871. A ll the G ove^m ent offurals... 1 N o 7765, M arch 20, 1871: Paris

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republicaine ]. 343, 467, 544 _ No. 72, 5 m ai 1871: Les squellettes decouverts.... 340 . . . an luli 1871: Die Internationale. National-Zeitung (M orgen A usgabe), N r. 351, 30. Juii 393 405 N .. n . 12. N , e W >859: 7 * n , N M HeraU. No. 12765. XS. 1871, T Iu 3- D . . . l , r .8 7 0 :

L Egalite, No. 43, 13 n ovem bre 1869: L Organisation de l Intemationale. 555 No. 47, 11 decem bre 1869: Reflexions. 555

No. 14619, Ju n e 9, 1871: M. Jules Favre's Reply to Prince Napoleon. The International Society.-$51 No. 14692, S eptem ber 2, 1871: The International 405 The Examiner, No. 3308, J u n e 24, 1871: The International A ssociation.-376 Le Figaro, No. 74, 19 m ars 1871: Paris au jour le jour. 312, 318, 437, 516 La France, No. 213, 12 a o u t 1871: Luchon, 8 aout 1871. $98, 626 L a Gazette de France, 11 juillet 1871: L'Internationale. 383, 384 Le Gaulois, No. 997, 31 m ars 1871: C'est parait-il, a Londres.... 285 L Intemational, No. 3031, 17 aout 1871: La Societe TIntem ationaU .- 3 9 \ L Intemationale, No. 81, 31 juillet 1870: Les travailleurs allemands a leurs freres de r ranee . 6 Journal officiel (Paris), No. 136, 16 m ai 1871: A u x grandes villes. 351

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Le Petit Journal, No. 3002, 22 m ars 1871: La Revolution du 18 m a r s.-3 2 8 , dOO, ^No. 3014, 3 avril 1871; Le jeux de hasard.-A 75 La Province, N o, 428, 5 avril 1871; Nouvelles d hier. Pans, 2 a v r il.- 5 8 8 Public opinion, No. 517, A ugust 19, 1871; A German View of the Internationale. 392, 393, 405

Kdlnische Zeitung, N r. 242, 1. S eptem ber 1870, zweites Blatt: Berlin, 31 A u g - 2 6 1 N r. 275, 4. O k to b er 1870: Den 25. September. 200 N r. 341, 9. D ezem ber 1870, zweites Blatt: Artenay, 3. Dezember. 204 N r. 1, 1. J a n u a r 1871: Chaumont, 29. Dez. 225 Nr^ 12, 12. J a n u a r 1871, zweites Blatt; [R eport from Provincial-Correspondenz]. N r. 18, N r. 18, N r. 19, N r. 20, 18. J a n u a r 18. J a n u a r 19. Ja n u a r 20. Ja n u a r 1871, erstes Blatt: A us Baden. 17. Jan. 244 1871, erstes Blatt: A us Lothringen, 16. Jan. 244 1871, zweites B latt: A us Lothringen, 17. Jan. 244 1871, erstes Blatt; Saarbriicken, 19. Jan . 238

L . Rappel, No. 650, 25 m ars 1871: L . Journal offuiel de Pans raconte....-325, 512.

!! ^ N o 669, 13 avril 1871: Geci est vraiment merveilleux.. .-4 & 6 M R79 16 avril 1871: Considerant q u il est important.... 478 j , No. 673 , 17 avril 1871: L . comite de IUmon republicaine pour les droits de

Koniglich Preussischer Staats-Anzeiger, No. 8 , 9. Ja n u a r 1871: Bordeaux, 7. J a n u a r .La Liberte, 18 m ars 1871: Chronique des Departements. 287 Le Moniteur universel. No. 274, 4 octobre 1870: Une lettre de Paris.... 119 ~ e x tra o rd in a ire: Tours, le 1 " decembre l o / U .... 191 The M orning Advertiser, No. 24995, July 11, 1871: London, Liverpool and Manche.aer in revolt.... 383 Le Mot d Ordre, No. 56, 20 avril 1871: Les gendarmes u se n t....-3 2 'l, 478 nT^673 avril 1871: La commission des Quinze . 342, _ No'. 684, 28 avril 1871; Meditation des municipahtes de la Seme. _ _ _ 342,

N o. e ? 2, 6 m a i ^ i v i : Congres de la Ligue des No. 692, 6 m ai 1871; Le Moniteur des communes coritient... _ No. 692, 6 m ai 1871; V oid, sur le meme fait, le bulletin....- 3 2 7 , 342, 457, 4 /1 , 21 m a rs 1871; [ R e p o r t f ro m G e rm a n y m th e c o lu m n

La s l ' a t i T ^ T n e ,

R e v e la tio n s]. 3 2 0 , 4 3 8 ,4 5 9 , 5 9 5 _ No. 168, 4 av ril 1871; Le Sieur Picard. 314, 439,

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No. 189, 29 avril 1871: Le Gmivernement de la Defense nationale.-313, 438, 517 No. 240, 28 ju in 1871: [R eport in the colum n D epeches T eleg ra p h iq u es]. 604 La Solidarite, No. 16, 23 juillet 1870: Le Conseil general de Londres .... 559 The Spectator, No. 2242, J u n e 17, 1871: The English Communists in Paris. 375 No. 2243, Ju n e 24, 1871: The International Society and its A im s . 359 The Standard, No. 14572, A pril 15, 1871: I f the contest between M. Thiers and the Commune .... 456 No. 14613, Ju n e 2, 1871: The End of the Insurrection . 349 No. 14627, Jin ie 19, 1871: I f there are any in England.... 366, 375 No. 14648, July 13, 1871: France. 584 No. 14681, A ugust 21, 1871: Paris, A ugust 18. Evening .404 Le Temps, No. 3427, 17 juillet 1870: [R eport c o ncerning the o rd e r on the fo rm atio n of th e fo u rth battalions of 14 July 1870]. 283 No. 3429, 19 juillet 1870: [A nnouncem ent of the Paris P refect on th e b an n in g of dem onstrations] Paris, le 17 juillet . 5 No. 3439, 29 juillet 1870: O n nom ecrit de Luxembourg .... 19 No. 3452, 11 aout 1870: [R eport of the F rench C om m and of 9 A ugust 1870] Metz, 9 aout, 1 h. 52, soir. 51 The Times, No. 26796, July 7, 1870: [R eport on D ue d e G ra m o n ts speech in the C orps Legislatif on July 6 , 1870] Paris, July 6, Evening . 12 No. 26798, July 9, 1870: [R eport on J. Favres speech in the C orps Legislatif of 7 July 1870] Paris, Thursday Evening . 4 No. 26805, July 18, 1870: [R eport con cern in g the o rd e r on m obilisation of 16 July 1870]. 284 No. 26807, July 20, 1870: [R eport of a special c o rre sp o n d e n t of The Times] Berlin, July 17. 106, 124 No. 26813, July 27, 1870: Berlin, July 26, Evening . 14 No. 26821, A ugust 5, 1870: The first blow in the war.... 23 No. 26821, A ugust 5, 1870: [Prussian telegram of 4 A ugust 1870] Niederrothenbrach, Thursday, Aug. 4, 5.55 P .M . 25 No. 26823, A ugust 8 , 1870: [French official re p o rt of 6 A ugust 1870] Metz, Aug. 6, L 2 0 P.M . 28 No. 26823, A ugust 8 , 1870: [French official re p o rt] Metz, Aug. 7, 12.2 P.M. 28, 32 No. 26823, A ugust 8 , 1870: Great Prussian Victories. 29 No. 26823, A ugust 8 , 1870: It requires something more than human foresight.... 34 No. 26823, A ugust 8 , 1870: Mayence, Sunday, Aug. 7, 6 A .M . $2, 34 No. 26823, A ugust 8 , 1870: Paris, Aug. 7, 10 A .M . 42 No. 26823, A ugust 8 , 1870: Paris, August 8. 31 No. 26823, A ugust 8 , 1870: Soultz, Aug. 7 . - 3 2 No. 26824, A ugust 9, 1870: [R eport of 7 A ugust 1870] Metz, Aug. 7, 1.20 P.M . 54 No. 26826, A ugust 11, 1870: [Official re p o rt from the F rench h e ad -q u a rte rs of A ugust 10, 1870] The battle of Woerth.42-43 No. 26830, A ugust 16, 1870: Henry, Aug. 1 5 .- 4 9 No. 26832, A ugust 18, 1870: [French re p o rt of 17 A ugust 1870] Verdun, Aug. 17, 4.50 P.M . 54 No. 26833, A ugust 19, 1870: [Official G erm an re p o rt] The Battle of Vionville. Pont-a-Mousson. A ug. 17 . 53

No. 26834, A ugust 20, 1870: Paris, A ug. 1 7 .- 6 2 No. 26835, A ugust 22, 1870: Paris, Aug. 2 2 . - 6 2 No. 26837, A ugust 24, 1870: [R eport of 23 A ugust 1870] Paris, Aug. 2 3 . - 7 4 No. 26838, A ugust 25, 1870: [French re p o rt of 24 A ugust 1870] Paris, Aug. 24, Evening. 67, 70, 74 No. 26838, A ugust 25, 1870: [G erm an official re p o rt of 24 A ugust 1870] Bar-le-Duc, Aug. 24, 9 P.M . 68 No. 26839, A ugust 26, 1870: [Prussian telegram of 25 A ugust 1870] Berlin, Aug. 2 5 . - 7 1 , 72, 78 No. 26842, A ugust 30, 1870: [G erm an official rep o rt] Bar-le-Duc, Aug. 26. To No. 26844, S eptem ber 1, 1870: Florenville (Belgium), Aug. .3 1 .-7 9 , 80 No. 26844, S eptem ber 1, 1870: [Prussian telegram of 30 A ugust 1870] Buzancy, Aug. 30. 79, 82 - No. 26844, S eptem ber 1, 1870: [Prussian telegram of 30 A ugust 1870] Varennes, Aug. 30, Afternoon . 79 - No. 26844, S eptem ber 1, 1870: [T elegram from the Belgian L E toile datelined Carignan, Aug. 30, 4 P.M .]. 82 No. 26845, S eptem ber 2, 1870: [Prussian telegram of 1 S eptem ber 1870] Berlin, Sept. 1. 82 - No. 26846, S eptem ber 3, 1870: Brussels, Sept. 2, 7.34 A .M . 86 - No. 26846, S eptem ber 3, 1870: [Official Prussian re p o rt] Malancourt, Sept. 2 .-8 6 - No. 26846, S eptem ber 3, 1870: [T elegram from a special c o rre sp o n d e n t of The Times] Arlon. Sept. 2, 7.46. P.M .86 - No. 26854, S eptem ber 13, 1870: We are officially informed that.... 100 - No. 26858, S eptem ber 17, 1870: Paris, Sept. 14 . 110 - No. 26863, S eptem ber 23, 1870: [G erm an re p o rt] Berlin. Sept. 23, 10 A . m . 109 - No. 26863, S eptem ber 23, 1870: [Official G erm an re p o rt] Ferrieres, Sept. 2 2 .- 1 0 8 - No. 26865, S eptem ber 26, 1870: The Battle of the Nineteenth. 121 - No. 26865, Sept. 26, 1870: [French re p o rt] Tours, Sept. 25, Evening . 108 - No. 26873, O ctober 5, 1870: Tours, Sept. 3 0 .- 1 8 1 - No. 26877, O ctober 10, 1870: [T elegram ] Berlin, Oct. 8, 10.12 A .M . 130 - No. 26877, O ctober 10, 1870: Tours, Oct. 5 . 181 - No. 26878, O ctober 11, 1870: Tours, Oct. 8 .- 1 8 1 - No. 26879, O ctober 12, 1870: [T elegram ] Berlin, Oct. 1 2 .- 1 5 0 - No. 26880, O ctober 13, 1870: Tours, Oct. 9. 181 - No. 26897, N ovem ber 2, 1870: [R eport fro m Kreisblatt fiir das Westhavilland d atelined Rambouillet, Oct. 9]. 165 - No. 26899, N ovem ber 4, 1870: Berlin, Nov. i . 164 - No. 26904, N ovem ber 10, 1870: [R eport of a special c o rre sp o n d e n t of The Times] Berlin, Nov. 9, 1.36 P .M . 170 - No. 26909, N ovem ber 16, 1870: Gien, Nov. 14 . 171 - No. 26917, N ovem ber 25, 1870: [R eport of a special c o rre sp o n d e n t of The Times] Head-Quarters Duke of Mecklenburg s army, Chateauneuf-en-Thimerais, Nov. 18, 1 8 7 0 .-1 8 2 - No. 26917, N ovem ber 25, 1870: [R eport of a special c o rre sp o n d e n t of The Times] Tours, Nov. 24 . 182 No. 26917, N ovem ber 25, 1870: Tours, Nov. 19 . 182 - No. 26920, N ovem ber 29, 1870: [Official G erm an re p o rt of 28 N ovem ber 1870] Moreuil, Nov. 28 . 185

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No. 26922, D ecem ber 1, 1870: [French re p o rt of 30 N ovem ber 1870] Tours, Nov. 30, 9.50 P.M . 186 No. 26922, D ecem ber 1, 1870: [French re p o rt of 1 D ecem ber 1870] Lille, Dec. i . 186 No. 26923, D ecem ber 2, 1870: The Battle before Paris. 188 No. 26923, D ecem ber 2, 1870: [French re p o rt of 2 D ecem ber 1870] Tours, Dec. 2, 12.15 A.M . 191 No. 26923, D ecem ber 2, 1870: Lille, Dec. 1, 7 P.M . 186 No. 26923, D ecem ber 2, 1870: Versailles, Dec. 1, 12.16 P.M . 205 No. 26924, D ecem ber 3, 1870: [French re p o rt of 2 D ecem ber 1870] Tours, December 2. 192 No. 26924, D ecem ber 3, 1870: [G erm an re p o rt of 1 D ecem ber 1870] Chelles Dec. i . 190 No. 26924, D ecem ber 3, 1870: [G erm an re p o rt of 1 D ecem ber 1870] Royal Head-Quarters, Versailles, Dec. 1. 191 No. 26924, D ecem ber 3, 1870: [G erm an re p o rt of 2 D ecem ber 1870] Munich, Dec. 2. 192 No. 26926, D ecem ber 6 , 1870: Tours, Dec. 5, 1 P.M . 206 No. 26928, D ecem ber 8 , 1870: Versailles, Dec. 6 . 206 No. 26940, D ecem ber 22, 1870: [A ccount of th e o rd e r on the form ation of the garrison battalions of 14 D ecem ber 1870] Berlin, Dec. 21, Evening . 213 No. 26947, D ecem ber 30, 1870: Berlin, Dec. 2 7 .- 2 2 2 No. 26949, Ja n u a ry 2, 1871: Bordeaux, January I . 217 No. 26949, Ja n u a ry 2, 1871: [R eport of a B erlin c o rre sp o n d e n t of The Times] Berlin, Dec. 2 9 .- 2 2 1 No. 26950, Ja n u a ry 3, 1871: [R eport of a special c o rre sp o n d e n t of The Times] Bordeaux, Dec. 25. 221 No. 26953, Ja n u a ry 6 , 1871: Incidents of the War. 224 No. 26953, Ja n u a ry 6 , 1871: [T elegram of a special c o rre sp o n d e n t of The Times of 5 Ja n u a ry 1871] Berlin, Jan. 5, 10.30 P.M . 224 No. 26954, Ja n u a ry 7, 1871: Bordeaux, Jan. 5 . 229 No. 26958, Ja n u a ry 12, 1871: Berlin, Jan. 11 . 228 No. 26959, Ja n u a ry 13, 1871: Versailles, Jan. 11 . 228 No. 26961, Ja n u a ry 16, 1871: Onans, Jan. 1 3 .- 2 5 6 No. 26966, Ja n u a ry 21, 1871: Royal Head-Quarters, Versailles, Jan 2 0 . 236 No. 26967, Ja n u a ry 23, 1871: M. Gambetta has put forth.... 244 No. 26972, Ja n u a ry 28, 1871: Imperial Head-Quarters, Versailles, January 2 6 .- 2 4 5 No. 26974, Ja n u a ry 31, 1871: Imperial Head-Quarters, Versailles, Jan. 3 0 . 248 No. 26976, F eb ru ary 2, 1871: Berne, Feb. 1 .- 2 4 7 No. 26989, F eb ru ary 17, 1871: [L etter to th e E ditor of The Times from L ausanne, d ated Feb. 9]. 255 No. 27012, M arch 16, 1871: The State of Paris. 285 No. 27027, A pril 3, 1871: The Internationale and the Commune. 292 No. 27028, A pril 4, 1871: The Commune of Paris.... 457, 492, 543 No. 27055, May 5, 1871: The Commune of Paris.... 470 No. 27056, May 6 , 1871: The Massacre at Clamart. 327, 531 No. 27093, Ju n e 19, 1871: The International Working M en s Association has not.... 364, 365, 375 No. 27100, Ju n e 27, 1871: M. Courbet, the painter . 553 No. 27128, July 29, 1871: Paris is once more busy.... 388, 389 Le Vengeur, No. 21, 19 avril 1871: La circulaire de M. Thiers. M 2 , 466, 541

__

No. No. No. No. No.

21, 21, 30, 38, 38,

19 avril 1871: Un groupe de citoyennes nous ecrit....473 19 avril 1871: L a Sociale publie une curieuse lettre.... 324, 447, 527 28 avril 1871: Manifeste. 313, 505, 506, 517 6 m ai 1871: Et maintenant.... 479 6 m ai 1871: Q ui, een est fait.... 467

Der Volksstaat, N r. 58, 20. Juli 1870: Politische Uebersicht. 6 , 259 __ N r. 59, 29. Juli 1870: Motiviertes Votum der Reichstagsabgeordneten Liebknecht und Bebel in Sachen der 120 Millionen Kriegsanleihe. 559 N r. 21, 11. M arz 1871: Politische Uebersicht. 281 Zeitschrift des koniglich preussischen statistischen Bureaus, N r. 3, M arz 1864: Resultate der Ersatz-Aushebungsgeschdfts im preussischen Staate in den Jahren von 1855 bis mit 1 8 6 2 .-1 0 5 , 123

760

T
In tern a tio n a l. 563 The Contemporary R n n e w - a n

In d e x of Periodicals

761

O rleans fro m Ju n e 1871 to D ecem ber 1873; o rgan of th e U.S. sections of the English bourgeois-liberal m onthly published m

IN D E X O F P E R IO D IC A L S

L ondon since 1866. 386, 598 Courrier de la G iro n d e -a reactionary n ew spaper published in B o rd eau x from 1 7 9 2 .-2 8 6 , 287, 289 z . Courr^er d . L y o n - a bourgeois-republican daily published in Lyons fro m 1834 to 1 9 3 9 ._ 2 8 6 , 287, 289 The DaUy N e w s - a liberal daily of th e B ritish m d u s tr^ l

507-10 513, 518, 524, 525, 530, 544, 546, 553, 563

Daily Telegraph and M orning Post. S2b, ddl . A/ a, 530, 552, 553 Allgemeine Zeitung a G erm an conservative daily fo u n d e d in 1798: from 1810 to 1882 it was published in A ugsburg. 36, 42, 165, 185 A n d es de la Sociedad Tipografica published in 1871-72. 279 B onaerense^ an A rg en tin e w orkers p a p er

t i,

G eneral C ouncil of th e In tern a tio n a l from F eb ru ary 1871 to Ju n e 1872. 591, 592, 597 . VEcho de Verviers et de Iarrondissem ent-a B e ^ ia n bourgeo.s-dem ocrat.c dai y published in V erviers from 1864 to 1866. 38b

L A vant-Garde a bourgeois-radical dailv published in Paris from S eptem ber 27, 1870 to May 27, 1871; it advocated an ag ree m e n t betw een the Paris C om m une and V ersailles. 339, 472 L A v e n ir liberal. Journal liberal hebdomadaire a B onapartist p a p e r published from Ju n e 21 to S eptem ber 15, 1870 in Paris, a n d from M arch 22 to May 29, 1871 an d from July 8 to N ovem ber 18, 1871 in Versailles; was b a n n ed d u rin g the Paris C om m une. 432 The Bee-Hive Newspaper a trad e-u n io n ist weekly published u n d e r various titles in L ondon from 1861 to 1876; from N ovem ber 1864 to A pril 1870, it p rin te d docum ents of the In tern a tio n a l; because of th e grow ing influence of the bourgeois radicals on th e n ew spaper editorial board, the G eneral Council of the In tern a tio n a l broke o ff relations with it in A pril 1870. 557 Berliner Borsen-Courier a daily p a p er, org an published from 1868 to 1933. 98 Carlsruhe Gazette see Karlsruher Zeitung La Cloche. Journal de IUnion Republicaine organ of the F rench liberal republican opposition, published in Paris as a weekly from A ugust 1868 to D ecem ber 1869, a n d as a daily from D ecem ber 1869 to 1872; it criticised th e Second E m pire, in 1871 su p p o rte d th e Versaillese; on A pril 18, 1871 was b a n n ed by the Pans C om m une. 475 Cologne Gazette see Kdlnische Zeitung La Commune. Bulletin des Sections de I lnternationale, de la Nouvelle Orleans et du Tex(U. Publie en cooperation par des Sections de IInternationale de la Louisiane, du Texas, duRhode Island, de New York et de la Californie a m onthly published in New of th e B erlin Stock E xchange

S u i r , co n o .W b , B .k u m .-4 1 1 , 429, 430, 555. 556 l i t o ,

litr .- .

republicans published in P a n s from 1868 to 1871 m 1 8 /U ' ^ J h the M inistry of Finance of th e G o v ern m en t of N ational D e f e n c e .- 3 14,

(a daily

44 0,

518 V E te n d a r d - a F ren ch B o n a p a n ist weekly published in Paris from 1866 to ^ 6 9 , w t c l s e d dow n a fte r the e x p o su re of f ra u d u le n t m achm ations w hich w ere a source of financing the p a p e r. 315, 475 The E vem ng S ta n d a r d -a conservative n ew spaper published in L o n d o n from 1827 to 1 9 0 5 .-3 5 7 , 405, 502 The E .a m tn e r - a liberal weekly published in L o n d o n fro m 1808 to 1 8 8 1 .-3 6 9 , 376

iS B S S S S B iS S S
th e B akuninists. 277 F elleisen -a Swiss m agazine, o rg a n of the E ducational ^o ^J^

762

In d e x of Periodicals

In d e x of Periodicals

763

Le Figaro a F rench conservative daily published in Paris since 1854; from 1826 to 1833 it a p p ea red u n d e r the title Figaro, journal nonpolitique; in the 1850s it took a B onapartist stand. 292, 312, 318, 437, 516 La France a bourgeois-republican daily published in Paris from 1861 to 1939. 390, 626 Le Gaulois a conservative m onarchist daily, org an of the big bourgeoisie and aristocracy, published in Paris from 1868 to 1929. 292, 395, 398 La Gazette de France a royalist n ew spaper published u n d e r this title in Paris from 1762 to 1792 a n d from 1797 to 1848. 383, 384 Golos (Voice) a Russian political a n d literary daily, m o uthpiece of the liberal bourgeoisie, published in St. P etersb u rg from 1863 to 1884. 276 L International a F rench-language daily published in L ondon from 1863 to 1871; sem i-official org an of the F rench G overnm ent. 391 L Intemationale. Organe des sections beiges de IAssociation Internationale des Travailleurs a B elgian weekly published in Brussels with active participation of De Paepe from Ja n u a ry 17, 1869 to D ecem ber 28, 1873; it published docum ents of th e In tern a tio n a l; in 1873 it took the anarchist stand. 6 , 554, 560 Journal de Bruxelles. Politique, Litterature et Commerce a conservative new spaper, m outhpiece of Catholic circles, published from 1820. 187 Journal de Paris, national, politique et litteraire. Journal du Soir a weekly published in Paris from 1867; it voiced th e views of the O rleanists. 349 Journal de Saint-Petersbourg a daily new spaper, org an of the R ussian M inistry of F oreign A ffairs, published in F rench from 1825 to 1914. 281 Journal officiel an abbreviated title of th e Journal officiel de L'Empire franfais; it was published in Paris from Ja n u a ry 1, 1869 as th e official o rg a n of the B o napartist go v ern m en t instead of Le M oniteur universel; in S eptem ber 1870, a fte r the Tall of th e E m pire, it a p p e a re d u n d e r th e nam e of Journal officiel de la Republique frangaise a n d fro m M arch 20 to May 24, 1871, it was th e official org an of the Paris C om m une (d u rin g th e C om m une, the T h ie rs go v ern m en t issued a n ew spaper o f the sam e nam e in Versailles). 188, 242, 312, 327, 328, 331, 332, 337, 339, 340, 347, 348, 351, 354, 357, 361, 376, 388, 389, 438, 448, 450, 465, 466, 470, 472-79, 488, 492, 500, 502, 503, 506-09, 513, 516, 517, 530, 596 Kamerad a V ienna m ilitary m agazine. 187 Karlsruher Zeitung a G erm an daily, official o rg a n of th e G ra n d D uchy of B aden, published in K arlsruhe fro m 1757. 224 Kladderadatsch. Humoristisch-satirisches Wochenblatt an illustrated weekly published in B erlin from 1848 to 1944. 334 Kolnische Zeitung a daily published in C ologne from 1802 to 1945; in the 1850s it voiced th e interests of the Prussian liberal bourgeoisie. 200, 204, 224, 235, 238, 243, 244, 261, 264, 405 Koniglich Preufiischer Staats-Anzeiger a daily of the Prussian G o v ern m en t published u n d e r this title in B erlin from 1851 to 1871. 232, 234, 274

La Liberte^?i conservative evening daily, m o uthpiece of th e big bourgeoisie, nublished in Paris fro m 1865 to 1940; d u rin g the siege of P a n s in 1870-71 was published in T o u rs, a n d th en in B ordeaux; in 1866-70 it was ow ned by E. G irard in ; it su p p o rte d th e policy of re advocated w ar agaim ^ Prussia, a n d opposed th e G o v ern m en t of N ational D efence. 286, 287, 289, 478 The Manchester G u a r d ia n ^ re e T ra d e rs ^ M anchester in 1821; a daily since 1857; o rg a n of the L iberal Party since the m iddle of th e 19th century. 61 l a M a rseilla ise-^ F ren ch daily, o rg a n of th e L eft-w ing republicans, published in Paris fro m D ecem ber 1869 to S eptem ber 1870; it p rin te d m aterials on the activity of the In tern a tio n a l a n d on th e working-class m ovem ent. 4, 6 Moniteur des Communes. Bulletin hebdomadaire -^ F rench g o v e rn m e n t n ew spaper published d u rin g the Paris C om m une, from May to J u n e 1871, m Versailles as L evening su p p le m e n t to Journal officiel of th e T h ie rs g o v e rn m e n t.-4 6 7 , 471, 502 Moniteur officiel du Gouvemement general du Nord France et de la Prefecture de S e in e -et-O ise -th e tide u n d e r w hich a sem i-official Prussian " ^ ^ P ^ p e r fo r he F ren ch population was published w hen this article was p rin te d ; its abbreviated title Moniteur; it a p p e a re d from O ctober 15, 1870 to M arch 5, 1871 Versailles u n d e r B ism arcks supervision. 274 L . M am teur u n iv e r s e l- . daily published in Paris in 1 89-1901; it a p ^ u n d e r this title from 1811 a n d was an official g o v e rn m e n t publication (1799-1869). 119, 191, 316, 319, 348, 456, 521 The M orning A d v e r tis e r -^ daily published in L ondon from 1794; it voiced the views of the radical bourgeoisie in th e 1850s. 383, 552 Le Mot d Ordre a Left-w ing republican daily, published in P a n s u n d e r the ^ ^ e d to rsh ip of H e n ri R o c h e U from F eb ru ary 3, 1871. O n M arch 11 i was su spended by th e o rd e r of th e G ov ern o r of P ans, Joseph V inoy, b u t was re su m ed d u rin g the Paris C om m une on A pril 8 , a n d c o n tin u ed to a p p e a r until May 20 1871. T h e n ew spaper resolutely opposed the Versailles go v ern m en t an th e m onarchist m ajority of th e N ational Assembly, b u t it nev er gave its ful * p p t to th e Co'mmu'ne a n d op p o sed th e C om m une s m easures aim ed at su p pressing the coun ter-rev o lu tio n ary forces m P an s. 317, 327, 343, 344, 444, 453, 464, 468, 478, 544 Le National a F ren ch m o d era te republican daily published in Paris from 1830 to 1 8 5 1 .-3 2 3 , 357, 360, 443, 455, 527 N a tio n a l-Z e itu n g -a G erm an daily published in B erlin from 1848 to 1915; it voiced liberal views in th e 1850s. 393, 405 Neue Freie Presse an A ustrian bourgeois-liberal daily w ith m o rn in g a n d evening editions was published in V ienna from 1864 to 1939. 374 Neue Schweizer Z e itu n g - a radical weekly published in G eneva in 1859-60 by the G erm an re fu g e e A ugust Brass. 300 New-York Daily T r ^ b u n e -a n ew spaper fo u n d e d by H orace G r e e l e y published from 1841 to 1924; o rg a n of th e US Left-w ing W higs till th e m id-1850s, later it voiced th e views of th e R epublican Party. M arx a n d Engels c o n trib u ted to it from

764

In d e x of Periodicals

T
385, 605

In d e x of Periodicals

765

A ugust 1851 to M arch 1862. T h e p a p e r h a d several special issues, am o n g them the" New-York Semi-Weekly Tribune and New-York Weekly Tribune, w hich also p rin te d articles by M arx a n d Engels. 405 The New-York Herald a US daily published in 1835-1924; it favoured com prom ise with the slaveow ners of th e S outh d u rin g the Civil W ar. 379, 395, 396 Norddeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung a re ac tio n n a r\ daily published in B erlin from 1861 to 1918; in the 1860s-1880s was th e official o rg a n of th e B ism arck g overnm ent. 198, 210, 300 El Obrero ? L Spanish weekly, published in Palm a (M ajorca) in 1870-71; it was b a n n ed by the go v ern m en t in Ja n u a ry 1871 b u t c o n tin u ed to a p p e a r u n d e r th e nam e La Revolution social; a fte r th e publication of its th re e issues it was closed dow n, the e d ito r being p u t on trial on a charge of having insulted th e K ing . 277 The Observer a conservative weekly published in L ondon since 1791. 505, 543 Ostsee-Zeitung und Borsennachrichten der Ostsee a G erm an daily published in Stettin from 1835, its first tide was Borsen-Nachrichten der Ostsee. 283 The Pall Mall Gazette. A n Evening Newspaper and Review a daily published in L ondon from 1865 to 1920; in th e 1860s a n d 1870s p u rsu e d a conservative line; M arx a n d Engels m ain tain ed contacts with it from July 1870 to Ju n e 1871, at this tim e it published a series of E ngels articles Notes on the War. 157, 158, 180, 281, 360, 375, 376, 378, .563 Paris-Journal a daily published in Paris fro m 1868 to 1874 by H e n ri d e Pene; it su p p o rte d the Second E m pire, th en th e G o v ern m en t of N ational D efence a n d T h ie rs a n d slan d ered th e In tern a tio n a l a n d th e Paris C o m m u n e. 285, 288, 289, 291-93, 364, 369, 383, 384, 464, 631 Le Petit Journal a bourgeois-republican daily published in Paris from to 1 9 4 4 .-3 2 8 , 475, 500, 533, 548 1863

Z . R e v e U -a F rench weekly and, from May 1869 republicans published in Paris u n d e r the e d .to rsh ip " . beW een July 1868 a n d Ja n u a ry 1871; from O ctober 1870 opposed the G overnm ent of N ational D efence. 4 I a Revolucion social see El Obrero l a Roma del popolo. P uU uanone seXUmanale d ^ilo so fia religrosa,

1850s-1860s, its editors w ere closely connected with Ka

4,

L . S u c X e -a daily published in P a n s fro tn 1836 to 1939; tn the 1850s .t was the o rg a n of m o d era te republicans. 54, 23

448, 452, 454, 459, 475, 476, 517, 518, n31, 541, 595, 604

go v ern m en t in Ja n u a ry 1871.

277 to

l a Solidarite Organe des sections de la Federation romande de lAssociation ' " i ; i / J i - a B akuninist w e e k l y , published m F rench f^orn A pr. 11 S eptem ber 3, 1870 m N euchStel, a n d from M arch 28 to May 12,

G eneva. 277 The S p ecta to r-a n English weekly published in L ondon since 1828, first Liberal an late r C onservative. 359, 369, 375 S taats-A nzeiger-s^e K oniglich Preuprscher Staats-Anzevger The S ta n d a rd -a n E nglish
co n serv a tiv e

Die Presse a liberal daily published in V ienna from 1848 to 1896; it opposed B onapartism , a n d p rin te d articles a n d news re p o rts by M arx in 1861 a n d 1862. 374 Le Progres a B akuninist n ew spaper which opposed the G eneral C ouncil of the In tern a tio n a l; it was published in F ren ch in Le Lode u n d e r th e e d ito rsh ip of G uillaum e from D ecem ber 1868 to A pril 1870. 412, 421, 430, 555 La Province a m onarchist daily published in B o rd e au x in 1870-71. 588 Provinzial-Correspondenz 3. Prussian g overnm ent p a p er, fo u n d e d 1 8 6 2 .-2 4 3 in B erlin in

n ew spaper

p u b lish e d

in

L ondon from

to

1 9 1 6 .- 6 6 , 255, 349, 366, 375, 384, 404, 509 The S u n - a liberal daily published in L ondon fro m 1798 to 1 8 7 6 .-3 9 6

Public Opinion a bourgeois-liberal weekly fo u n d e d in L ondon in 1861. 392, 393, 405 Punch, or the London Charivari a liberal comic weekly fo u n d e d in L ondon in 1841. 334 Le Rappel a Left-w ing republican daily fo u n d e d by V ictor H u g o a n d H e n ri R ochefort; was published in Paris from 1869 to 1928; it sharply criticised the Second E m pire; in the p eriod of th e Paris C om m une it cam e o u t in su p p o rt of i t __315 325 327, 339, 342, 345, 346, 354, 443, 446, 448, 450, 454-55, 457-58, 4 6 6 ,'4 6 8 ,'4 7 4 -7 8 ,4 8 8 ,512, 521, 528, 529, 531, 539, ,541-43

in 1869-73. 555 Telegraph f.ee Daily Telegraph

IS

-'J.

s i s n

s &

t i J f W l M ; . . < 1 .

150, 283, 356, 357 12, 14, 23, 25, 27, 28, 30-34, 53, 54, 62, b /, 70, 71, /4, / j ,

767 766
In d e x of Periodicals

106, 188, 263, 457,

108-10, 121, 124, 129, 130, 164, 165, 168, 170, 171, 181, 182, 185, 186, 189-92, 205, 206, 213, 217, 221-24, 228, 229, 236, 244-45, 247-48, 255, 256, 281, 284-86, 289, 291, 292, 327, 357, 359, 361, 364, 375, 388, 389, 401, 464, 470, 492, 531, 543, 552, 553, 563, 574, 580

SU B JEC T IN D EX

La Tribune de Bordeaux. Journal Quotidien, Politique, Commercial et Litteraire an originally bourgeois-dem ocratic a n d subsequently labour n ew spaper published in B o rd e au x from S eptem ber 1870; d u rin g th e Paris C om m une, was u n d e r considerable influence of Paul L afargue. 318, 341, 506, 522 Le Vengeur a Left-w ing republican n ew spaper published in Paris from Feb ru a ry 3, 1871; on M arch 11 th e publication was su sp en d ed by the o rd e r of the G ov ern o r of Paris, Joseph Vinoy, b u t was re su m ed d u rin g the Paris C om m une on M arch 30, a n d was c o n tin u ed until May 24, 1871; it su p p o rte d the C om m une, published its official docum ents a n d re p o rts on its assem blies. 313, 315, 324, 342, 358, 361, 439, 451, 455, 457, 466, 467, 473, 479, 505, 506, 517, 520, 527, 541 La Verite. Journal politique quotidien a republican bourgeois-radical n ew spaper published in Paris from O ctober 6 , 1870 to S eptem ber 3, 1871; at first it su p p o rte d th e C om m une b u t th en op p o sed its social m easures. 404, 505, 552 Der Volksstaat C entral o rg a n of th e G erm an Social-Dem ocratic W o rk ers Party published in L eipzig from O ctober 2, 1869 to S eptem ber 29, 1876, first twice a week, and, fro m 1873, th re e tim es a w eek. 6 , 259, 268, 275, 281, 288, 559 Der Wanderer an 1 8 6 6 .-3 7 7 A ustrian daily p ublished in V ienna from 1809 to Agitation 415, 587 Agriculture i ? ,! , 338, 341, 483, 487-89, 493-94, 497 Algeria 95, 193 Alliance of Socialist Democracy 557-58, 361-62, 376, 411-12, 429 See also Bakuninism, Bakuninists Alsace see Lorraine: see also FrancoPrussian war of 1870-71 ann exa tion of Alsace a n d L o rram e by G erm any Analogy (military-historical) 216-18 Anarchy in production 335 Anarchy (political) 484 Anglo-American war of 1812-14 350 Anglo-Franco-Chinese war of 1856-60 (Second O pium war) 350 Anglo-French commercial treaty of 1860 346, 442 Antagonism 7, 329, 333, 335, 535, 548, 620 Anti-communism (criticism a n d e x p o su re of it by M arx a n d E ngels) 335, 354, 386, 597-98, 608 See also Bakuninism, Bakuninists; Paris Commune of 1871 ru lin g clas ses slander cam paign against the C om m une a n d th e In tern a tio n a l As sociation; Reformism Aristocracy, nobility in France 336, 492, 493, 524 Aristocracy, nobility in Germany 540 Armaments, arms 24, 26, 46, 96-98 See also Artillery

De Werker. Orgaan der Vlaamsche Afdeelingen van de Internationale Werkervereeniging a n ew spaper published in Flemish in A ntw erp from 1868 to 1914; in 1868-71, a weekly of th e Flem ish section of th e In tern a tio n a l, published its docum ents; later on a daily of th e Flem ish a n d th e n of the B elgian Socialist W orkers parties. 291 Woodhull & C laflin s Weekly a weekly published in New Y ork in 1870-76 by the bourgeois fem inists V ictoria W oodhull a n d T enessee Claflin; o rg a n of the Section No. 12 of th e In tern a tio n a l in the USA, which consisted of bourgeois reform ists a n d was expelled from the In tern a tio n a l by the G eneral C ouncil in M arch 1872. 432, 622 The World a n ew spaper published in New Y ork from 1860 to 1931. 600 Zeiischrift des Koniglich preussischen statistischen Bureaus Prussian official statistical m onthly published in B erlin from 1860 to 1905. 105, 123 Die Zukunft a bourgeois-dem ocratic new spaper, o rg a n of th e G erm an P eoples Party, published from 1866 to 1868 in K onigsberg, a n d from 1868 to 1871 in B erlin. 288

Army general characteristics 25, 30, 106-07, 151, 159, 181, 188, 255, 583 a n d th e econom y 487, 488 a n d social re la tio n s 600 __ as a co m p o n e n t p a rt of th e state a p p a ra tu s 105-06, 278, 328, 331, 483, 485, 533, 534, 548 __ as an in stru m e n t of reaction and suppression of revolutionary m ovem ents 106, 116, 125, 278, 322-23, 354, 485, 487, 501, 527, 536, 537 u n d e r feu d alism 483-84 u n d e r capitalism 284, 353, 484 a n d exploiting classes 125, 278 a n d p e asan try 337-38, 488 __ a n d bourgeois rev o lu tio n 533, 548 a n d p ro letaria n re v o lu tio n 32224, 331, 487, 527, 536; see also Paris Commune of 1871 rep lacem en t of th e standing arm y by th e N ational G u ard re g u la r 151, 231 sta n d in g 328, 331, 334, 483, 488-89, 501, 533, 537, 548 __ irreg u lar, v olunteer, guerrilla 151, 575, 581, 582 m ilitia 200, 488, 490, 537 __ discipline a n d m o rale 26, 98-99, 108-09, 120, 135, 137, 220, 23233, 323-24, 527 soldiers 46-47, 106, 122, 323 non-com m issioned officers 120 , 151

768

Subject In d ex

Subject In d ex

769

g en era ls 94, 200, 202, 236, 24548, 256, 258 m ilitary system, m odes a n d form s of re c ru itm e n t 11, 105-07, 575 m ercenaries, enlistm ent o f 10809, 354 universal co n scrip tio n 105-07, 125-26, 575 See also Armaments, arms; Arm y (in d iffe re n t countries); Artillery; A rt of warfare, its laws; Cavalry; Fortifi cations; Infantry; Military science, history, literature; Military training; Navy; War(s) Army, Austrian 34, 96-97, 284 Army, British com position, organisation, a rm a m e n t 141, 574, 575 m artial skills, fighting qualities 96, 175, 575, 583 militia, volu n teers 151 Army, French com position, organisation, a rm a m ent, m ilitary e x p e n d itu re 1113, 47, 96, 97, 107, 116-17, 158, 283, 317, 453, 520 inefficiency of c o m m a n d ers 23, 46, 77, 98-99 m artial skills, training, fighting qualities 60, 95-97, 108-09, 137, 175, 182, 194, 196-97 system of sub stitu tio n 96, 99, 109 G arde M obile 13, 35, 46, 66 , 89, 103, 108, 120, 121, 139, 151, 194, 200, 231, 255, 553 See also Franco-Prussian war of 187071; Napoleonic wars; Wars of the First French Republic Army, German of th e G erm an states (before 1871) 13, 14, 36, 47, 98, 125-26, 146 See also Revolution of 1848-49 in Germany (uprising in the so u th w estern G erm any in M ay-June 1849) Army, Polish 149 Army, Prussian com position, organisation, a rm a m ent, m ilitary e x p e n d itu re 1114, 96-98, 116, 132, 140-141, 148, 149, 284

as an in stru m e n t of re ac tio n 105, 124, 266 m artial skills, training, fighting qualities 42-43, 97-98, 105-07, 128, 220 universal c onscription 105-07, 123-26, 166 L a n d w eh r 13, 97, 166, 201, 202, 213-14 L a n d stu rm 166, 167, 201-02 See also Franco-Prussian war of 1870-71 Army, Russian 284, 575, 583 Army, US 151 Artillery 22, 94, 96, 97, 101, 131-32, 140-41, 175, 218-19, 234 Art of warfare, its laws 228 a n d d evelopm ent of technology a n d a rm s 24, 46 revolution in the a rt of w arfare in the second half of th e 19th cent. 128 strateg y 21, 25-26, 28-29, 33, 47, 57, 80, 188, 207, 210, 244, 253 tactics 26, 28, 98, 182, 233 b a ttle 25-26, 104 Atheism 362, 608 Australia 534 Austria-Hungary (from 1867) political system 487 a n d G erm an y 261 a n d P russia 97 Austro-Italian war of 1848-49 88 , 95, 165-66 Austro-Italo-French war of 1859 general characteristics 96, 97, 104, 193 course of m ilitary o p e ratio n s 34 battle at M agenta, Ju n e 4, 1859 a n d at Solferino, Ju n e 24, 1859 16, 28, 35, 97 a n d France (Second E m p ire ) 97, 98, 104, 158, 301 a n d Prussia 97 and R ussia 301 a n d E u ro p ea n dem ocracy 30004 Aiistro-Prussian war of 1866 general characteristics 98, 193 a rm ed forces of belligerent states 14, 24, 36, 128

course of m ilitary o p e ra tio n s 14, 34 batd e of Sadowa (K oniggratz), July 3,* 1866 5, 35 a n d F ra n c e 5, 267 a n d G e rm an y 36, 146 B Bakuninism, Bakuninists rejection of the political struggle of th e p ro le ta ria t 412, 415-18, 614, 616 disorganising activities ol B akuninists in th e working-class m o v em en t 357-58, 361-62, 376, 411-12, 417-20, 429, 430 __ and N echayevism 377, 429 in Sw itzerland 411-12, 555, 556, 558-59 See also Alliance of Socialist Democracy Basis and superstructure econom ic basis of bourgeois socie ty 459, 498 social basis 540 political su p e rstru c tu re 540 th e term "s u p e rs tru c tu re 328, 494, 533, 540, 548 See also Economics and politics Belgium 117, 173, 340 Blanquism, Blanquists a n d u p risin g of O ctober 31, 1870 323, 352, 471, 527 a n d Paris C o m m u n e 352 See also Societe des Saisons B o n a p a rtism -S , 5, 77, 95, 282, 330, 486, 493, 496, 535, 548-49 See also France, Second Empire Borders (frontiers), state 117-18, 264-66 Bourgeoisie , its econom ic d o m in a tio n 2 / 8 , 354, 493-94, 501 its d iffe re n t factions, struggle b e tw een th e m 461, 548 a n d state p o w er 278, 328-31, 353, 354, 426, 460, 485, 486, 534-35, 547-49; see also Dictator ship of the bourgeoisie; Republic, bourgeois a n d p e asan try 330, 337-38, 550 Bourgeoisie, English 580, 584 Bourgeoisie, F re n r/i-2 8 6 , 314, 453, 460, 501, 519

in the first half of th e 19th cent. 333, 460, 485, 522 d u rin g the Second E m p ire 330, 337, 486, 496, 603, 629 d u rin g the T h ird R epublic 576, 578, 581 Bourgeoisie, German 264, 268, 579, 582, 605 Bourgeoisie, Swiss 299 Bureaucracy, officials 278, 328, 483-8o, 488-89, 494-97, 533-35, 547, 549

Capital S29, 330, 335, 535, 536, 548, 549 Capitalist mode of production 335 Capitalists 335, 536, 549 Carbonari 597 Cavalry 12, 98 Censorship 275 Centralisation of capital S39-40, 535-36 Centralisation (political) S2S, 485-86, 504, 533-35, 547-49 b o u rg e o is 328, 332-33, 485-86, 502, 504, 533-35, 549 _ its use in the interests of the exploiting classes 116, 502, 504, 533-35, 547-49 u n d e r th e d ictatorship of th e p ro le ta ria t 331, 333, 485-86, 504, 533-34, 547-48 Chartism 615, 634 Chauvinism 104, 260-61, 500-01 C ivil society 483-88, 490-92, 550 C ivil war 134, 606 See also Paris Commune of 1871 civil w ar as a form of class struggle C ivil War in the USA, 1861-65 142, 151, 270, 458, 464, 542, 606 Classes ru lin g classes in bourgeois societ y _ 3 , 4, 263, 290, 316, 329-31, 333 335, 352, 354, 426-27, 460, 484-90, 495-500, 519, 521, 52526, 531, 533-37, 547-51, 603-04 m iddle strata in bourgeois socie ty 336, 344, 385, 492, 496, 591 class contradictions, antagonism betw een the p ro letariat a n d the
b o u r g e o is ie - 3 2 9 , 5 4 8 , 6 0 2 3 3 5 , 5 3 5 , 536,

770

Subject In d ex

Subject In d ex

771

class p re ju d ic e s 318, 332, 493, 494, 496, 519, 537 exploiting, p ro p e rtie d 251, 278, 329, 330, 335, 336, 426, 427, 457, 459, 460, 577 privileged, u p p e r 282, 322, 385, 426, 427, 526, 535, 549, 595, 597 a p p ro p ria tin g 325, 335, 353, 534-36, 548 parasitic 455, 541 lower, exploited, p ro p e rty less 278, 494 p ro d u c tiv e 329, 330, 335, 459, 531, 534-36, 549 p ro letaria t as th e ru lin g class 336, 416, 417, 426, 486-92, 500, 536, 634; see also Dictatorship of the proletariat Class struggle 350, 353, 491, 499, 531, 535, 536, 603, 604 struggle o f th e w orkers with the bourgeoisie in the p erio d of d e veloped capitalism 330, 348, 353, 354, 427, 491, 498, 534, 535, 541, 602, 619 w orkers econom ic struggle against th e b o u rg eo isie 427, 498 political struggle as a fo rm of class stru g g le 536 struggle betw een the p ro letariat an d th e bourgeoisie, a n d m iddle stra ta 337, 496 a n d national q u e stio n 311-12, 353, 501, 515-16 a n d rev o lu tio n 329, 335, 353, 416, 417, 491, 525, 526, 548-49 classes a n d class struggle in the p e rio d of th e d ictatorship of the p ro le ta ria t 493-94, 500 in tern atio n al ch ara cte r of th e class struggle of the p ro le ta ria t 602, 605 Clergy as a cham pion of th e m terests oi the exploiting classes 502, 504, 533, 534, 548 its place in social h ierarchy, its fu n c tio n s 328, 485 a n d national liberation m ove m en ts 198, 200-01 Communism, Icarian (Cabet s com munism) 499

Communism, scientific d e m a n d of socialisation of the m eans of p ro d u c tio n 494, 634 Communism (social formation) as a necessary resu lt of th e histo rical develo p m en t of h u m a n socie ty 336, 491-92, 504 as th e aim of the revolutionary w orkers m ovem ent, of th e p ro letarian re v o lu tio n 334, 416, 417, 426-27, 491, 497-500, 54849, 601-02 criticism of th e u to p ian ideas of th e fu tu re society 336, 499500 m aterial p reconditions of the com m unist tran sfo rm a tio n of soci e t y - 3 3 6 , 491, 492, 494, 499 in tern atio n al ch aracter of the com m unist tran sfo rm a tio n of soci e ty 7, 338, 459, 486, 490-92, 501, 540 p erio d of transition from capital ism to com m unism (socialism) 331-41, 485-95, 496, 498-501, 533, 536-38, 547-49 abolition of private p ro p e rty , so cial p ro p e rty in the m eans of p ro d u c tio n 335, 494-95, 505, 608, 634 social ch ara cte r of p ro d u c tio n 335-36, 491-92, 494 la b o u r 7, 335, 491-92, 494, 496, 498, 608 com m unism as a new society, new organisation of society 7, 341, 349, 353, 354,-537-38, 540 abolition of class antagonism s and differences, society w ithout clas ses 331, 335, 416, 417, 427, 486, 491, 494-95, 499-500, 525, 526, 548-49, 634 com m unist tran sfo rm a tio n of soci ety a n d th e sta te 328-42, 48393, 496, 498-501, 533, 536-37, 547-49 com m unist tran sfo rm a tio n of soci ety a n d th e a rm y 7, 322-23, 328, 331, 332, 334, 487-90, 527, 531, 536-38, 547-48 com m unist tran sfo rm a tio n of soci ety a n d th e law 328, 331-32,

337-38, 340-41, 490, 493, 533, 536-38, 547-48, 634 com m unist tran sfo rm a tio n of soci ety a n d m a n 332, 335, 336, 486, 490, 491, 492. 493, 505, 537 Comtism (positivism) and working-class movement 556, 558, 574, 605 Co-operation, co-operative movement 335-36, 339, 472, 488 Corruption 77, 333-34, 463, 486, 505 Counter-revolution 354, 441, 481, 532 b o u rg e o is 319, 323, 440, 52426, 529, 546 its international c h a ra c te r 35254, 498, 509, 520 Crimean war of 1853-56 88 , 96, 97, 100 , n o , 135, 141, 142, 158, 193, 216-17, 459, 575, 576, 579-80, 583 D Danish war of 1864 98, 132, 218, 219 Democracy, bourgeois 385, 605 Democracy, proletarian 331-35, 338-39, 487-92, 536-37 Despotism 4, 5, 260, 275, 487, 502 Dictatorship, counter-revolutionary 497, 533-34, 539 Dictatorship of the bourgeoisie 278, 533-35 as a m eans of suppression of the liberation struggle of w o rk ers 348, 349, 351, 352, 485-86, 531, 548 betrayal by th e bourgeoisie o f the national in te rests 264-65, 31112, 314-18, 320, 338, 351-53, 43738, 440, 458-59, 482, 501, 509, 515-16, 519, 520, 538-40 its a n ti-p o p u lar c h a ra c te r 485 Dictatorship of the proletariat its historical necessity 335, 416, 417, 426, 427, 500 d e m a n d of the d ictatorship of the p ro letariat in p ro g ram m e d o cu m ents of the working-class m ove m e n t 427 as a state of th e transitional p eriod from capitalism to com m unism (socialism) 634 its historical tasks 334, 416, 417, 490, 548-49, 601-02, 634
2 7 -1 2 3 2

destruction of th e bourgeois state m achine 328, 331-34, 483, 48690, 493, 497, 498, 533, 536-37, 548 its constructive fu n ctio n s 60102; see also Paris Commune of 1871 a n d th e p e asan try 333, 337-38, 488, 492-95 a n d th e u rb a n m iddle stra ta 336, 472-74, 486, 492, 496, 591 its truly dem ocratic n a tu re 331, 333, 334, 338, 464, 487-90, 495, 498 its h u m an e n ess 323, 326-27, 351, 401, 447, 450, 464, 475, 476, 491, 512, 513, 526, 528-31, 592 its intern atio n al c h a ra c te r 339, 460, 475, 486, 490, 501 sep aratio n of th e ch u rch from the sta te 331, 337, 475, 490, 493, 533, 537 classes a n d class stru g g le 49192, 500 role of th e p ro letaria n party in w inning the d ictatorship of the p ro letaria t a n d in the im p lem en tation of its fu n c tio n s 416, 417, 426-27 political ru le of the p ro letaria t as a m eans of building a classless society 416, 417, 491-92 a n d experience of the Paris C om m u n e 328-43, 483-93, 536-38, 634; see also Paris Commune of 1871 using of th e term d ictatorship of th e p ro le ta ria t 634 Distribution 491

Eastern question" at the beginning of the 1870s \7 5 . 282 Economics and politics 327, 332-35, 426-27, 491-92, 549, 601, 602 Electoral rights in bourgeois society 488, 496, 539 a n d the w orking class 278, 331, 333, 474, 489, 490, 537, 617, 634

772

Subject In d e x

Subject In d ex

773

Emigration (counter-revolutionary) 34243, 457-58, 538-39, 543-44 England (Great Britain) constitutional m o n arc h y 587 oligarchic ch ara cte r of go v ern m e n t 339 bodies of local self-gov e rn m e n t 333, 464 judiciary 333, 464 R adicals 634 electoral system 617 bourgeois-republican m o v em en t 587 tra d e u n io n s 279, 498, 554, 560, 561, 589, 614, 615 possibility o f carry in g o u t a p ro letarian revolution in a peaceful w ay 602, 606 State C h u rc h (A nglican) a n d reh g io n 587 foreign policy a n d p o p u la r m as ses 269, 573, 574, 582 foreig n policy a n d th e Civil W ar in th e U SA 270 a n d F rance d u rin g th e Second E m p ire 269, 580 See also Army, British; Bourgeoisie, English; International Working M en s Association in England; Working class in England; Working-class movement in England Exploitation 3S4-S5, 484-85, 493-94 Expropriation 334-37, 493-95, 535-36

F ren ch nation, its fo rm a tio n 77, 482 F ren ch m en , th e ir national ch arac t e r - 9 6 , 106-07, 129, 156, 232 social a n d political system 116, 328-31, 483-84, 502, 533, 547-49 classes, class stru g g le 329, 53436, 548-49 state a p p a ra tu s 328-34, 484-87, 502, 533-37, 550-51 religion, th e c h u rc h 198, 314, 315, 484-85 d u rin g th e C onsulate a n d the First E m p ire 328, 484-85, 534, 547-48 social a n d political situation d u r in g th e R esto ratio n 458-59, 49192, 521-23, 534-35 reactionary ch ara cte r o f th e p a r lia m e n t 319, 329, 339-40, 46566, 503, 523-24 See also French Revolution, the France. Foreign policy and diplomacy fo reig n policy d u rin g th e July m o n arc h y 316, 452-53, 519-20 d u rin g th e Second E m p ire 26667 a n d A u stria 452-53, 519-20 a n d E n g la n d 316, 346, 442, 452-53, 519-20 a n d G e rm an y 37, 106, 117, 26667, 316, 452-53 a n d Italy 316, 317, 462 a n d P o la n d 338-39 a n d P russia 5, 106, 266-67, 316, 452-53, 519-20 a n d R ussia 316, 338-39, 452-53, 519-20 a n d T u rk e y 316, 452-53, 514-20 colonial aggression against A lgeria 95 colonialist policy in E gypt 316, 452-53, 519-20 See also Army, French; Bourgeoisie, French; Franco-Prussian war of 187071; International Working M en s Associ ation in France; June 1848 upruing of the Paris proletariat; Napoleonic wars; Paris Commune of 1871; Revolution of 1848 in France; Wars o f the First French Republic; Working class in France

France. luly Revolution of 1830 and July monarchy 315, 317, 329, 345, 442-44, 446-47, 454-55, 459-61, 519-23, 534, 535, 548-49, 572 France. Revolution of September 4, 1870, proclamation of the Third Republic __ revolution of S eptem ber 4, procla m ation of th e republic, its charac t e r 263, 268, 311, 312, 317-18, 321-22 451-52, 462-63, 480, 481, 485-86 , 515, 525-26, 532-33, 54648, 576-77 w orkers u p risin g o n S eptem ber 4, 1870 in Lyons, proclam ation of th e C o m m u n e 480, 532-33 proclam ation of th e C om m une by th e w orkm en of M arseilles a n d T o u lo u s e - 4 8 0 , 532-33 __ rise of th e Paris w orkm en on O ctober 5, 1870 437-39, 480 u p risin g o f O cto b er 31, 1870 323, 326-27, 353, 437-39, 445, 447 , 480-81, 527 politics o f th e G o v ern m en t of N ational D e f e n c e - 2 4 0 -4 2 , 249. 268-69, 275, 311-14, 318, 437, 439, 446, 452-53, 456-57, 481, 506-07, 515-19, 525, 527 __ coun ter-rev o lu tio n ary m onarchist g ro u p s 2 6 8 - 6 9 , 2 9 2 , 3 1 7 -1 8 ,
3 4 6 -4 7 , 5 3 8 -3 9 , 4 6 5 -6 6 , 5 4 4 -4 5 ; 5 0 2 , 5 1 1 , 5 2 1 -2 5 ,

see also Paris Commune of 1871 c o u n te r revolutionary policy of th e T h ie rs go v ern m en t

N a tio n a l
G u a r d - 3 3 0 - 3 1 ,4 3 7 ,4 4 5 ,

Federalism (reactionary) 502 Fenians 597 Feudalism 3 2 9 -S l, 483-86, 533, 534, 548 Feudal society 504, 531 Foreign policy 3, 276, 282 See also fo reig n policy (in d iffe r e n t countries) Fortifications 26, 87-88, 91-94, 101-05, 108-110, 130-35, 139, 141-45, 1727 5 ,2 1 9 ,2 2 2 -2 3 ,2 3 1 ,2 3 5 ,2 3 6 ,2 8 3 ,5 9 1 Fourierism, Fourierists 499 France (prior to 1830) general characteristics 116, 333, 502 territo ry , state fro n tie rs 116, 117, 251

446, 449-50, 481, 482, 521, 527 bourgeois-republican m o v em en t 268-69, 341-42, 465-66, 497-98, 523-24, 538-39 France, Second Empire general characteristics 3-5, 7677 129, 263, 266-67, 321, 330-31, 338-39, 451-52, 482, 484-87, 49698, 525, 526, 5 3 3 ,5 3 5 , 536, 547-48, 550-51, 575-76 coup d eta t of D ecem ber 2, 1 8 5 1 - 3 - 5 , 95-96, 269, 330, 45557, 460-63, 468-69, 586 _ in d u str y -3 3 0 ,5 2 2 -2 3 ,5 3 5 -3 6 ,5 9 4 _ a g r ic u ltu r e - 3 3 8 , 493-94 tr a d e 3 3 0
27

finances 5, 319, 330, 337, 48485, 496-97, 535-36 __ ho m e policy, dom estic situ atio n 5 c o rru p tio n o f th e ru lin g circles 23-24, 46, 76-77, 98-99, 158, 159, 313, 314, 330, 337, 439, 442-43, 484-87, 505, 535-36, 556, 557, 603-06 ch aracter of political p o w e r 3-5, 330-31, 484-87, 497-98, 532-37, 550-51, 603-04 adm inistrative a p p ara tu s, b u re a u c r a c y - 7 6 - 7 7 , 484-85 __ arm y as th e bulw ark a n d d o m in a t ing force of th e B onapartist r ^ i m e 95-96, 98, 330, 452-53, 484-85, 550 _ th e p o l i c e - 140-41, 303, 323-24, 453-54, 473-74, 493, 506, 532, 623-24 public w orks 98-99, 339-40, 350-52 su ffra g e 330, 442, 468-69, 48485, 496, 539 C orps Legislatif 160, 321-22, 442, 484-85, 533 m onarchist g ro u p s 522-23 c lerg y 198, 484-85, 492-93, 502 b o u r g e o is ie - 3 3 0 , 336, 484-85, 500, 601-02, 626-27 people, th e 195 _ p e a s a n t r y - 4 , 95-96, 195, 198, 251, 268-70, 337-38, 482-83, 49295, 502 , 535-36, 550 republican m o v em en t 443 plebiscite of May 8, 1870 3-4, 557 B o n ap artist regim e a n d w ars 36, 36 ^ ^ _ causes of th e collapse ot the Second E m p ire 5, 263, 459-60, 552 See also Franco-Prusstan war of 1870-71 France. Third Republic (after the defeat of the Paris Commune) - w orking class 268-70, 311, 32122, 437-38, 451-52, 481, 515, 516, 526, 527, 532, 546-47 p e asan try 629-30

Subject In d ex

775

774

Subject Index a n d th e in tern atio n al w orking politics of the G o v ern m en t of N a class m o v em en t 3-7, 263-74, tional D efence 240-42, 249, 268277-79, 286-87, 289, 358, 362, 69 275, 311-13, 318, 437, 438, 412, 515, 558-62, 573-84, 609, 446, 452-53, 456-57, 481, 506-07, 619-20 513-515, 525, 527 post-w ar alignm ent of forces in a n d th e F rench bo u rg eo isie 4, E u ro p e, th re a t of a new m ilitary 120, 121, 251, 277, 289, 292, 319, conflict 260-61, 266-68, 282, 338-39, 459, 481, 496-97, 501, 302, 576, 580-82, 583-84 524-25 Freedom 264. 335, 426-27 __ a n d th e F rench w orking class 3 political freedom s in bourgeois 7, 120, 251, 261, 268-70, 279, society as a privilege of p ro p e rtied 286, 289, 311, 516, 532, 558, 560, classes 274-76, 617 562 freedom of assembly, association __ a n d revolutionary a n d dem ocratic an d coalition 415, 417-18, 621 m ovem ents in F ra n c e 35, 41-42, w orkers use of political freedom s 134, 480-82 in bourgeois society 269, 278, a n d in tern al situation in G e r 415, 417-18, 617, 634 m a n y - 1 2 , 36, 105-06, 124, 197, conditions fo r th e actual em anci 207, 214-15, 242, 261, 272, 274pation of p e o p le 335-36, 42675, 281, 617 27, 497, 501, 531 a n d Prussian g o v e rn m e n ts poli tru e free d o m under com t i c s - 3 - 6 , 31, 194-95, 263-66, m u n ism 335-36, 490, 491 268-69, 274-75, 281-02, 299, 358, See also Communism (social forma 362, 515, 539-40, 574-77, 578-81, tion) c o m m u n ist tran sfo rm a tio n of 619 society a n d m an __ a n d a ttitu d e of th e South-G erm an French Revolution, the 328, 533-34, 549 states 11, 301 a n d p e asan try 238-39, 336-38, a n d the G erm an bourgeoisie 493-94 107. 215, 260-262, 264-67 G iro n d in s 333 a n d the G erm an w orking class national assemblies, th e ir p o l i c y 6 , 7, 261-62, 268-69, 272, 275, 497, 538-39 428, 577-78, 619 __ N ational C onvention, its policy a n d G erm an Social-Democracy, its 47 in tern atio n alism 271-75, 278, c o u nter-revolutionary rebellions. 279, 281, 299, 303, 558-59, 617, V e n d e e 238-39, 342-43, 457-58, 619-20 543-44 a n d E n g la n d 59, 66 , 175, 181 revolutionary wars, a rm y 47; see 82, 244, 269-70, 281, 286, 289, also Wars of the First French 559, 573-81, 583-84 Republic and the E nglish w orking class and a n d E n g la n d 269-70 the dem ocratic m o v em e n t 7, a n d E u ro p e 485, 534-35 269-70, 272, 358-59, 361, 557-60, a n d G erm an y 266-67 569, 571, 572, 575, 578-80 and R ussia 6 , 7, 175, 260-61, G 266-67, 275-76, 281-84, 575, 576, General German Workingmen's Society 579-80, 582-84 589, 616 a n d o th e r E u ro p ea n c o u n tries German Confederation (1815-1866 ) 36 173-75, 275, 560, 575-77, 579-81, German People s Party, 1865 261 584 German Social-Democracy a n d E u ro p ea n bourgeois d em oc Social-Dem ocratic W orkers Party racy 299-304 (Eisenachers) 278, 619 a n d the In tern a tio n a l Association

petty b ourgeoisie 481 hom e policy 357-58, 361, 608 th e bourgeois p re ss 319-20, 369 Franco-Prussian war of 1870-71 general characteristics 3-7, 31, 150, 193-94, 253-54, 260-70, 272, 276, 353-54, 473, 517, 527, 621 its causes, diplom atic p re p a ra tio n 36, 59-60, 608 change in its ch ara cte r d u rin g the course of m ilitary o p e ra tio n s 104, 126, 253-54, 263-64, 267-68, 272, 503, 517, 527, 528, 549-51 forces of belligerent states 12-14, 23-24, 35-39, 42-47, 54-55, 58, 59, 66 , 67, 74-78, 89, 98-99, 119-22, 127-29, 137-39, 146-49, 151-52, 155-57, 159, 164, 170, 175, 181-84, 187, 188, 194-97, 203, 204, 20607, 212-15, 217, 227-29, 239, 240, 252, 253, 255, 283-84 course of m ilitary o p e ratio n s 11, 12, 16, 17, 19-30, 32, 42, 44, 47-54, 56-65, 67-69, 71-76, 78-85, 88-94, 100, 103, 104, 109, 113, 114, 115, 116, 127-29, 130, 131, 138, 139, 140, 141, 146-53, 155, 157-62, 168-71, 173-76, 179, 18183, 185-88, 192-96, 203-11, 213, 219, 221-30, 236-58, 264-66, 32122, 391, 574-76, 577-80, 585, 591 m ajo r battles of th e first p erio d of w a r 28-30, 32-35, 38, 42, 50, 52, 53, 55, 57-59, 62, 65, 72, 82, 83, 102-03, 108, 136-37, 155, 159, 160, 579-80 siege a n d capitulation of M etz in A ugust-O ctober 1870 59, 65-66, 72, 82-83, 86 , 87, 91, 113, 127-29, 134-37, 146-56, 159, 164, 173, 180, 182, 231, 252, 317 capitulation of th e F rench arm y on S eptem ber 1-2, 1870, at Sedan, its political consequences 82-87, 89, 91, 150, 161-62, 173, 180, 18284, 231, 242, 243, 248, 249, 263, 299, 300, 313, 317, 451-52, 501, 519, 541, 578-79 siege of Paris in S eptem ber 1870Ja n u a ry 1871 59, 73, 87-90, 108-11, 119, 121, 122, 128, 12934, 136-145, 147-50, 169, 170,

172-78, 181, 183-85, 187-91, 19398, 205, 207, 212, 216-20, 225-28, 231-35, 238-41, 249, 251, 252, 299, 311-13, 321-24, 437-40, 45152, 482, 506-07, 515-19, 525-27, 532, 547-48 m ajor battles a fte r th e capitula tion at Sedan (the second p eriod of w ar) 168, 169, 176, 194, 204, 228-30, 236-38, 241, 245, 251, 256, 257 prospects of th e continuation of the w ar by F ra n c e 175-76, 180, 183, 184, 187-88, 193-97, 2 0 7,242, 249, 251-54, 276 operatio n s of francs-tireurs, p o p u lar resistance to the Prussian in terv en tio n ists 54, 55, 129, 13637, 163-67, 173, 182-85, 187-88, 193-98, 200-202, 204, 207, 210-11, 224, 225, 244, 252 cruelty of G erm an in v ad ers 92, 93, 130, 163-67, 182, 194-95, 198200, 233-34, 350-53 peace negotiations, tru ce and capitulation of Paris on Jan u ary 28, 1 8 7 1 -1 1 2 - 1 4 , 122, 146, 147, 194-95, 248, 249, 313, 316, 318, 320-22, 353-54, 438-39, 450-52, 458-59, 481, 501, 519-20; 523, 525-26, 545-47 - G erm an d em an d s a n d prelim i nary peace te rm s 251, 265-66, 299, 319, 337-38, 353-54, 452-53, 462-63, 491-92, 524-25, 542-47, 586 - F ra n k fo rt Peace T re a ty of May 10, 1871 346, 347, 543-44 - an n ex atio n of Alsace a n d L o r ra in e by G e rm an y 193, 214-15, 251, 260, 261, 264-65, 267-71, 274, 299, 302, 303, 338-39, 45859, 544-45, 558, 559, 577-78 a n d B onapartist re g im e 5, 11, 23, 25, 29-31, 36, 45, 50, 69-70, 156, 159-162, 263, 274, 304, 319-20, 446-47, 457-58, 533-35 - in tern al situation in F ra n c e 4, 24, 28-29, 31, 40, 54-55, 65, 66 , 129-30, 132-33, 215, 242, 251-52, 261, 318-19, 336-37, 496-97, 523-24

776

Subject In d ex

Subject In d e x

777

a n d th e In tern a tio n a l Associa tio n 259, 271, 555, 557, 559, 619; see also International Work ing M en s Association in Ger many a n d Franco-Prllssian w ar, a n n ex a tion of Alsace a n d L o rra in e 260-62, 267, 271-74, 278, 279, 299, 303, 617, 619-20 a n d Paris C o m m u n e 620 p a rliam en tary activity 272-73, 278, 619-20 German Workers Educational Society in Geneva 560 Germany 12, 125, 261 N o rth G erm an C onfederation (1867-71) 11, 36, 106, 125, 267, 302 N o rth G erm an R eichstag 272, 274, 278, 558 w orking class see Working class in Germany d e m a g o g u es 201 philistinism 215, 299, 302, 303 bourgeois liberalism of the 1840s 5, 264 youth, stu d e n ts 619 fo reig n policy a n d H u n g a ry , Italy a n d P o la n d 266 a n d F ra n c e 106, 117, 264-68, 316, 453, 520 a n d R ussia 7, 261, 266-67 See also Aristocracy, nobility in Ger many; Army, German; Bourgeoisie, Ger man; Franco-Prussian war of 1870-71; Pan-Germanism; Revolution of 1848-49 in Germany; Socialism (theories and trends) in G erm any; W'ars of the First French Republic; Working class in Ger many; Working-class movement in Germany

I India 166, 494 Infantry \2 , 97, 125 International Democratic Association 562 International solidarity of workers 3, 294, 501, 602, 603 International Working M en s Association general characteristics, its histori cal im p o rta n c e 354. 386, 545, 601-02, 633-34 first p ro g ram m e docum ents (In a u g u ral A ddress a n d Provisional R ules) 364, 426, 600, 616, 618 struggle fo r p ro letaria n class c h ara cte r of the Association 277-78, 386, 600, 601, 633-34 struggle fo r u nity of actions of the p ro letarian s of all c o u n trie s 430, 602, 603, 633-34 em an cipation of th e w orkers as th e aim of the A ssociation 426, 601, 602 p ro g ram m e d e m a n d th a t the w orking class should win political pow er a n d b uild a classless societ y _ 4 1 6 , 417, 427, 601, 602, 634 a n d political struggle o f th e w ork ing class 278, 412, 415, 416, 417, 418, 427-28, 602, 616-18 d e m a n d fo r fo rm in g a p ro letaria n p a rty in som e c o u n tries 415-18, 427, 616-18 question o f th e connection o f the econom ic a n d political struggle of th e p ro le ta ria t 415, 427-28, 601-02 a n d tra d e u n io n org an isatio n s 279, 294, 423-25, 428, 554, 558, 560, 561, 590, 614-15 a n d statistical surveying of the condition of th e w orking class 425, 566 and th e a g rarian question, peasantry a n d ag ricultural p ro leta ria t 426, 554, 561 a n d th e Irish q u e stio n 555, 561, 620 struggle against B o n a p artism 35, 608 and Franco-P russian w a r see Franco-Prussian war of 1870-71

History 3^3, 335, 341, 463-64, 487, 505, 526, 528 Home policy and its influence on foreign policy 3, 105, 125, 126, 282 Hungary 266

a n d ru lin g classes, police p ersecu a n d th e In tern a tio n a l Association tio n s 285, 286, 290, 291, 356, a n d th e in te rn atio n al w orking362-63, 369, 376-77, 383, 384, class m ovem ent; see also Paris 403, 407, 421, 430, 556-58, 560, Commune of 1871 m d th e I n te r 562, 565, 597, 599, 603, 604, 609, national A ssociation 612, 613, 617, 618, 621, 633 a n d relig io n 563, 608 International Working M en s Association. a n d secret societies 407, 428, Congresses and conferences 597, 621 functions a n d tasks of general organisational principles o f the congresses 430, 616 In tern a tio n a l A ssociation 365, com petence, ch aracter a n d tasks 407, 408, 413-14, 422, 423, 430, o f c o n feren ces 420-22 556, 557, 564, 565, 567, 6 0 1 ,6 1 1 , G eneva C ongress (1866) 413, 616, 621 425, 614 Rules a n d R egulations 259, 408, L ausanne C ongress (1867) 426 413, 428, 429, 557, 565, 566, 600, Basle C ongress (1869) 407-08, 602 413, 419, 423, 430, 552, 557, 566, _ G eneral C ouncil, its statute, com 614 position, activity 292-93, 367, M ainz (M ayence) C ongress 370, 372, 391, 393, 408, 411, 413, (1870) agenda, reasons fo r can 419, 422, 423, 424, 428-30, 553celling it 259, 557, 558, 562 67, 609-13, 616 See also London Conference (1871) fu n d s 273, 397, 398, 407-08, International Working M en s Association 424 in Belgium 272-73, 556, 559, 564, local sections, federations, fed eral councils, national o rganisations 603, 609 Intem alim al Working M en s Association 407-08, 414, 422, 423, 426-30, in England 279, 428, 554-55, 557, 555, 559, 565, 601-02 activities o f M arx a n d E ngels m 558, 560-565, 567, 609, 615, 620 th e In tern a tio n a l A ssociation __ a n d th e L an d and L ab o u r 367, 370, 386, 556, 558-59, 573L ea g u e 484-85, 610 84, 589-99, 604-05, 607-21, International Working M en s Association 633-34 in France 3-5, 279, 297, 354-55, M arx as C o rre sp o n d in g Secretary 412, 423, 427-29, 442, 454, 497-98, fo r G e rm an y 8, 259, 270, 288546 , 554-57, 609 90, 357, 367, 382, 398, 431 Paris F e d e ra tio n 3, 4, 286, 297, M arx as C o rre sp o n d in g Secretary 546, 585 fo r th e N e th e rla n d s 357, 382 International Working M en s Association M arx as C o rre sp o n d in g Secretary in Germany 6, 619 fo r R ussia 270, 431, 556 Social-Dem ocratic W orkers Party E ngels as C o rre sp o n d in g Secret as a b ra n ch of th e In tern a tio n a l ary fo r B elgium (D ecem ber 1870W orking M ens A ssociation 259, July 1871 ) 272-73, 357, 382 271, 555, 557-59, 619-20 E ngels as C o rre sp o n d in g Secret __ d u rin g th e Franco-P russian w ar ary fo r S p ain 277-80, 357, 382, a n d th e Paris C o m m u n e 271-74, 431, 561 279, 428, 558, 559 __ E ngels as C o rre sp o n d in g Secret __ police p e rsec u tio n s 271-74, 279, ary fo r Italy 431 405, 559, 562, 609, 619-20 __ press org an s of th e In tern a tio n a l International Working M en s Association A ssociation 555, 556, 570, 603 in Ireland 620 and b ourgeois p re ss 285-93, International Working M en s Association 358-65, 371, 375-78, 391-96, 397, in Italy 556, 559, 608 405, 553, 562, 588-98, 604

Subject In d e x

779

778

Subject In d ex Paris Commune of 1871 its historical

3 33-S9 3 5 0 -5 1 ,

International Working M en s Association in the Netherlands 294, 603 International Working M en s Association in Portugal 279 International Working M en s Association and Russia $71, 429, 556, 613 International Working M en s Association in Spain 217-79, 295, 428, 603, 612 International Working M en s Association in Switzerland Z 79, 411, 430, 555, 556, 557, 558, 561, 563, 603, 609, 613 R om ance sections, R om ance F ed eration, F ederal C ouncil of Ro m ance S w itzerland 412, 419-21, 430, 559, 561; see also Alliance of Socialist Democracy; Bakuninism, Bakuninists _ p re ss 411, 421-22, 430 resolution of the L ondon C o n fe r ence on the Alliance of Socialist D em ocracy see London Confer ence (1871) International Working M en s Association in the U SA 279-80, 555, 557, 55961, 563, 589, 590 Internationalism, proletarian 3, 268, 278, 339, 421, 430, 603, 614 See also Working-class movement Italy 266

Means of g 7 l ' i 2 9 ^ ^ 5 6 Mexican expedition, 1861-67 Land and Labour League (England, 1869) 555, 561, 603 Landed property 491, 493-95, 523, 549 Landed proprietor (landlord) 335, 492, 523, 548, 549 Large-scale industry 329, 491, 548 Lassalkanism, Lassalleans 616 Law, international 353, 461 Legislation (bourgeois) 339, 444, 445 Liberalism 300, 340 London Conference (1871) its p re p ara tio n a n d c o nvening 406-08, 413-14, 561, 563-66 its tasks, ch aracter a n d com posi tio n 407, 432, 563-67, 609, 613, 616 resolution on the political struggle o f th e w orking class a n d fo rm a tion of an in d e p e n d e n t p ro letarian p a rty 415-18, 426-27, 616 on the w inning of political pow er by th e w orking class 416, 417, 427 on the in tern atio n al solidarity of th e w o rk e rs 428, 619-20 struggle against anarchist sec tarianism , resolution on the Al liance of Socialist D em ocracy 411-12, 429-30 resolutions on the organisational qu estio n s 413, 423-24, 427-28 and tra d e u n io n s 614-15 various reso lu tio n s 419-22, 424-31 publication o f th e In tern atio n al A ssociations docum ents by deci sion of th e C o n fe ren c e 413, 423-32, 566, 613 Lorraine 117, 260, 261, 264-65 See also Franco-Prussian war of 187071 a nnexation of Alsace a n d L o r raine by G erm any Luxembourg 275, 575, 579 M
;^ 4 V 3 ^ -5 1

An
3 5 3 -5 5 , 4 5 9 -6 0 ,

?83
history,
. -8 8 , 50 5 ,

485-88,
5 2 5 -2 6 ,

490-92,
5 3 6 -4 1 ,

496-500,
59 5 , 6 0 1 ,

6 0 3 -0 4 , 6 1 2 , 6 3 4

S
t t s i
5 4 7 -5 1

> '

as a p ro letaria n rev o lu tio n

2 3 , 3 3 0 -3 1 , 3 3 4 -3 9 , ^ 5 3 -5 4 45 1 52 4 5 9 -6 0 , 4 8 2 , 4 8 5 -8 8 , 4 9 0 -9 2 , 4 9 6 -5 0 0 , 5 2 4 -2 6 , 5 3 6 -3 8 , 5 4 0 -4 2 ,

4 s8. i97-98. 5 3 5 .
N

601 as o eoples

. . - ^ f-< 7 re v o lu tio n 4 5 6 -0 /,

Napoleonic tuars 6, 7, 57, 59

a s Q l-9 2 102-03, 104, 108, f4 3 - 4 4 165, 166-67, 173, 175, 182 196-97 , 199-202, 2 6 0 , 2 6 4 -6 8 , 45 8 ! ! and
2 0 2 , P r u s s ia - 1 0 4 , 2 6 4 -6 5 , 4 5 8 -5 9 165, 167, 199-

e S -M 4 7 6 -7 7 , 4 8 2 , 4 8 3 , 4 8 5 -8 6 , 4 8 8 4 9 8 , 5 05, 5 9 0 -9 1 , 6 0 3 -0 4

_ com pletion of b urgeo.sdem ocratic reform s _ 1 a political fo rm of th e em anci pation of lab ou r-334-35, 490-92 _ as a working-class governm ent, dic tato rsh ip of th e p ro letariat
330-31 3 3 4 -3 6 , 33 8 , 4 8 8 -9 2 , 49 8 5 0 0 , 5 ^ - 3 4 , 53 6 -3 7 , 5 4 7 -4 8 , 634

a n d R u s sia 7 N a t i o n - 33 2 -3 3 , 4 8 4 , 4 9 0

__ as a form of the P roletarian state h o o d on a national s c a le - - 33

M , 484. 488, 536

-

Nationalism 3, 5 1 8 -1 9 , . National Labour Union (U SA . 1 8 m N ^ o n r U te r a ls (Germany, from

3 5 3 , 4 5 9 -6 0 , 4 7 5 , 4 8 / , 4 9 0 , 501

N a S ^ / ' i o - 2 6 5 - 6 7 , 2 9 0 , 3 53-54,

J
Joint-stock companies 496, 536 Journalism, journalists 264, 324, 336, 456, 457, 530 Judiciary 165. 278, 332, 339, 343. 345, 443, 449-50, 474, 485, 494-95, 533, 534, 547-49, 631-32 July Revolution of 1830 and July monar chy see France. July Revolution of 1830 and July monarchy June 1848 uprising of the Paris pro letariat 588, 634 causes of the u p risin g 324, 571-72 establishm ent of Cavaignacs m ilit ary dictatorship, suppression of the u p risin g by the b ourgeoisie 269, 325, 329-30, 348, 3 5 1 -6 2 ,4 4 5 ,4 4 6 , 455-56, 461, 521, 527, 571-72, 610-11

5 0 0 - 0 1 ,6 0 8 5 1 , 1 2 3 3 8 -3 9 , and b o u r g e o i s i e - 3 1 -12,
^553-54 5 0 0 -0 1 , 5 1 5 -lb

leadership of th e w orking class

3 3 5 -3 7 , 4 8 7 , 4 9 0 , 4 9 3 -9 9 , 5 3 6 -3 8 , 5 8 8 , 59 1 , 601 52 b ,

_ _

an d p e a s a n try -2 6 8 -7 0 a n d w o rk in g class, a n d class a n d sociah st m o v e m e n t - 2 b / 70, 500-01

role of th e N ational G u ard and arm in g of th e people in *<= P^eP^ aratio n of th e re v o lu t^ n of M arch

Natural sc ien c e-2 9 8 -9 9 . 30 3 -0 5

^ ! ? B r i t i s h - 5 7 2 , 5 76, 584 F r e n c h 77, 304 Neutrality 173, 175 -

1 8 -3 3 1 ,

482,

483,

536-37,

r i s f n f of M arch 1 8 - 2 9 2 , 313 3 1 9 2 6 , 3 2 8 , 34 3 , 4 4 1 -4 2 , 4 4 5 , 4 4 6 , 4 4 9 -5 0 , 4 7 8 , 4 8 2 4 8 3 5070 9 5 17, 5 2 4 -2 5 , 52 8 , 53 0 , 5 3 2 -3 3 , 5 3 6 -3 7 , 5 4 7 -4 8 , 5 85, 5 8 6 , 6 1 6

C entral C om m ittee of th e N ationPan-Germanism 261 P n -S la v ism -2 S 2

,1 G u .,d
5 0 8 -1 3 ,

a.
52 5 , 53 0 , 5 33,

" " b " .

5 4 o -4 6 ,

Mazzinism,
563,

Mazzinists 38 0 -8 5 ,

562,

502,
54 3 -4 4 , 547-48

3 5 4 -5 5 , 4 4 0 , 4 4 3 -4 4 , 50 5 , 51 5 , 51 9 , 5 3 9 -4 0 ,

598, 6 0 5 , 607 -0 8

586, 5 88, 6 1 6

Means of labour 490, 4 9 4 , 5 0 0 , 634

Subject In d ex

781

780

Subject In d e x 459-60, 465-69, 488-89, 506-07, 513-14, 539-44, 591 a n d Prussian go v ern m en ts polic y _ 3 4 6 -4 8 , 352-54, 438, 449-53, 481, 483, 501, 531, 595 a n d the ru lin g classes of E u ro p e an d th e U SA 335-36, 355, 37982, 386-87, 457-60, 524-26, 532-33 ru lin g classes slan d er cam paign against the C o m m u n e a n d the In tern a tio n a l A ssociation 28692, 313, 324-27, 331-32, 335-37, 349-53, 358, 364-67, 369-71, 37580, 393-94, 398, 400, 446, 447, 449-50, 459-60, 463-67, 469-70, 474-76, 512-13, 517, 528, 530-31, 539-43, 552-53, 562-64, 585, 59192, 597, 599, 601, 603-04 a n d E u ro p ea n bourgeois d em oc ra cy 367, 380, 386, 499-500 a n d in tern atio n al pro letariat, its m ovem ent of solidarity with the C o m m u n e 338-39, 353-55, 41517, 426-28, 486-87, 490-92, 54546, 553-54, 562, 563, 595, 599, 610-12, 615, 620 a n d th e In tern a tio n a l Associatio n - 2 9 2 - 9 3 , 297, 354-55, 357-58, 361-73, 376-382, 415-17, 426-29, 453-54, 500, 545-46, 553-54, 5626 5 ,5 8 5 -8 6 ,5 8 8 -9 3 ,5 9 5 -9 7 ,6 0 1 ,6 3 4 its n a tu re , tasks, leading r o l e 278, 415-18, 427-28, 634 in th e p e rio d of th e In tern a tio n a l A ssociation 47, 278 organisational prin cip les 419 its tactics, p ro p a g an d a , a g ita tio n 278, 415-18, 617 __ resolution of th e L ondon C o n fe r ence o n fo u n d in g in d e p e n d e n t p ro letaria n parties in som e c o u n trie s 415-18, 426-428, 520-21 Patriotic war of 1812 in Russia 200, 351-52 Patriotism 166-67, 199, 267-68, 480 __ p se u d o -p atrio tism 264-68, 314, 316-17, 319-20, 338-39, 352-53, 437-38, 440, 458-59, 482, 501, 509-10 Peace struggle fo r peace, against m ilitar ism, wars of conquest a n d an n ex a tio n s 3, 6 , 7, 261-62, 267-70, 272, 573, 574, 577-82, 617, 620, 634 P ea santry-200, 238, 267-69, 330, 334, 336-37, 425-26, 459, 488, 492-95, 614, 630 People, the 290, 332-33, 460-61, 46364, 468-70, 488-89, 499, 535 in th e p ro letaria n revolution 335-37, 463-64, 482-84, 487-88, 498-99, 504-05, 536-37 Poland 79, 148-49, 264, 283, 339 Police, the S2S, 331, 337-38, 354, 370 M arxs advice to th e C o m m u n e 71, 490, 493, 497, 502, 504, 533, 388, 389, 396, 589-91 M arx a n d Engels on the G eneral 534, 537, 548 C ouncils A ddress The C ivil W ar in Press, t/ie 2 7 4 -7 6 ,2 9 1 ,4 1 4 ,4 1 6 ,4 1 8 ,5 8 6 France 370, 372-73, 375 anti-dem ocratic ch aracter of the 77, 386-87, 400, 562, 563, 592 official press in th e exploiting society 269-70, 336-37, 371, d e fea t of th e C om m une, its causes 324-26, 399, 508, 512-14, 438, 446, 498-99, 597 528-31, 547-48, 588, 615 Prevision, prediction (M arxs a n d E ngels em igration of Paris C om predictions of social, political and m u n a rd s 396, 428-29, 562-64 historical p h e n o m e n a a n d events) P a riia m n (-3 1 7 -1 8 , 329, 330, 332-33, 5, 260-61, 263, 267-68, 270 461, 484-86, 488-90, 519, 533, 535Private property 315, 334-35, 439, 49436, 550 95, 504, 505, 523-25, 608, 634 __ use of b ourgeois p a rliam e n t by Proudhonism, Proudhonists 291, 423, rep resentatives of the w orking 429-30, 553, 562, 590 class 273, 274, 278, 617 Party, political 277, 483-84 105. 149, Party, proletarian

election of th e C om m une on M arch 26, 1871 326, 330-31, 481-82, 508-09, 512-13, 586, 588 its dem ocratic c h a ra c te r 332-34, 338-39, 350-51, 483, 485-86, 48890, 538 - destru ctio n of th e old state m achine a n d its rep lacem en t by the new o n e 330-38, 474-75, 485-91, 493, 498, 533, 536-38, 547-48, 592 - electivity, revocability a n d re sp o n sibility o f all functionaries of the C o m m u n e 330-33, 335-38, 340, 474-75, 488-90, 537, 592 - rep lacem en t o f th e sta n d in g arm y by th e N ational G u a rd 330-31, 334, 474-75, 488-90, 537-38 - a rm in g of th e p e o p le 311, 321, 323, 324, 330-31, 437, 438, 47475, 481-83, 488, 498, 509-10, 516, 524-25, 536-37, 545-47, 585, 590-91 - destru ctio n o f th e old judicial system 330-32, 474-75, 493, 533, 537-38 - tran sfo rm a tio n of th e police in to a body responsible to th e p e o p le 330, 332, 337-38, 489, 490, 493, 536-37 - a n d universal su ffra g e 330-33, 474-75, 489, 490, 537 - social m easures in th e interests of th e w orking class a n d th e n o n p ro letaria n w orking p e o p le 339-40, 472-75, 499, 590-91 - socialist tre n d in its activity 33536, 338-40, 472, 486-87, 490-492, 496, 499-500 - financial m easu res 337-40, 47879, 491-92, 537-38, 592 - cu ttin g dow n of th e e x p en d itu re s on ad m inistration ( cheap go v ern m e n t ) 330-31, 333-38, 490-91, 493, 592 - foreign policy of th e C o m m u n e 353-54, 475-76, 586 ~ refo rm s in e d u c a tio n 331-32, 337-38, 473-75, 490, 492-93, 49697, 537-38 - and relig io n 331-32, 337-41, 351-53, 400, 446-48, 473-79, 489,

492-93, 528, 537-38, 540-41, 563-64 a n d th e m ovem ent in provinces 313, 333-34, 339-40, 343-46, 46569, 480-82, 502, 517, 542-46, 591, 593 heroism o f th e C o m m u n ard s, th e ir honesty a n d m odesty 33536, 340-44, 348-51, 438-39, 46566, 504-05, 526, 530-31, 537-39, 553, 591 w om ens participation in th e re volu tio n 341-42, 350-51, 505, 631-32 a n d th e F rench sections o f th e In tern a tio n a l A ssociation 297, 354-55, 364, 381-82, 397, 427-28, 545-46, 561-62, 585, 586, 590, 591, 601, 622 civil w ar as a fo rm o f class stru g g le 316-17, 319, 322-23, 325-26, 336-39, 342-45, 350-54, 438, 440, 441, 451-54, 458-59, 477, 481, 490, 492-93, 496-97, 501, 524-25, 528, 530-33, 535, 539-40, 546-47, 549, 550 struggle against th e Versailles g o v e rn m e n t 326, 327, 339-45, 348-53, 447-50, 456-57, 462-64, 469-70, 476-79, 499, 509-10, 51214, 530-31, 539-40, 588, 591, 593 th e R ural Assembly in V ersail les 319-23, 325-28, 330-31, 33842, 344-49, 354-55, 441, 446-50, 458-59, 467-68, 491-92, 495-98, 503, 507-11, 517, 529, 531-32, 538-48, 585, 586, 590, 596, 629 coun ter-rev o lu tio n ary policy of th e T h ie rs g o v e rn m e n t 315-17, 319, 322-23, 325-27, 330-31, 33649, 351-55, 438, 440, 446-55, 46271, 475-78, 481, 482, 490-95, 49697, 501, 503, 508-13, 517, 519, 524-25, 528-32, 535, 538-47, 549, 550, 585, 588, 591-93, 595 counter-rev o lu tio n ary te rro r 313, 324-28, 339-40, 342-43, 34853, 356-58, 389-90, 398, 400-02, 440, 447-49, 457-58, 462-65, 46971, 477-78, 497-98, 509-11, 52833, 538-43, 591, 597, 631-32 a n d th e Versailles a rm y 317, 325-26. 341-44, 448-49, 452-53,

782

Subject In d ex

Subject In d e x

783

feudalism a n d its survivals 459 a n d th e F rench Revolution and N apoleonic w ars 104, 165-66, 199-202, 260, 265, 266, 458 refo rm s of 1807-14 166, 199202, 459 in 1850s-1870s 5-6 political system 5, 104-06, 166, 334, 459, 487 religion a n d th e c h u rc h 340 fo reig n policy a n d diplom acy 124-25, 272 a n d A u stria 97 a n d F ra n c e 5, 106, 267 a n d G erm an y 5, 11, 31, 59-60, 261, 299, 302-03, 316 a n d Poland, its o p p re ssio n 149, 264 a n d R ussia 281-82, 353 See also Army, Prussian Public opinion 65. 199, 266-67, 272, 274, 285 R Radicalism, radicals 633-34 Reformism 372, 373, 376, 386, 610-11 Reform League (England, 1869) 615 Religion 496, 537, 620 Republican movement 268, 278, 300, 315, 329, 341-44, 454-55, 460-61, 465-66, 469-70, 497, 498, 519-20, 522, 524, 527, 539, 549, 562, 577, 578, 580, 587, 605 Republic, bourgeois 316, 329-30, 46062, 469, 484, 487, 493, 497, 516, 521, 533, 535, 539, 548-50, 577, 580, 587, 588, 605 Republic, proletarian 331, 497, 499, 540, 548-50, 577, 580 See also Dictatorship of the proletariat Revolution 329, 341, 416, 417, 481-88, 540 a n d th e sta te 328, 329, 460, 483-88, 534-38, 547-50 revolutionary initiative 336-37, 498, 501, 526 Revolution, bourgeois and bourgeoisdemocratic 322, 333, 460-61, 469, 484-86, 516, 526, 535, 547-50 Revolution, continuous p ro letaria n revolution as its final stag e 335-36

Revolution of 1848 in France. Second Republic F ebruary 1848 re volution 31516, 323, 329, 330, 456, 459-61, 505, 571-72, 634 c o unter-revolutionary dictatorship of C avaignac 495-98, 521 Second R epublic, general charac teristics 329-30, 445, 460-61, 484, 487, 493, 497, 522, 523, 533, 534, 536, 549 re ta in in g a n d im p ro v em en t of the old state m ach in e 329-30, 345, 484-86, 548-49 N ational Assembly, its policy 325, 330, 336, 461, 533, 571-72 election of Louis B o n ap arte Presi d e n t, e n h an cin g of his personal p o w e r 444, 493 Legislative Assembly (from May 28, 1849), its politics 442, 469 events of Ju n e 13, 1849, d efeat of petty-bourgeois dem ocracy 325, 444, 456, 496, 512 universal suffrage, its abolition on May 31, 1850 330, 440, 469, 539 a n d th e N ational G u a rd 496 a n d th e bo u rg eo isie 329, 336, 460-62, 492, 493, 505, 522, 549 a n d th e w orking class 330-31, 461, 522, 548-49, 571 a n d th e p e asan try 337, 493 various m onarchist g ro u p s 319, 461, 522, 523, 549 Party of O r d e r 316, 325, 329, 330, 338, 461-62, 468, 493, 497, 503, 521, 524, 533, 535, 549, 550 a n d bourgeois republicans (the N ational Party) 329, 461 Rom e e x p ed itio n 315, 316, 325, 455, 462-63, 510-12, 521, 572, 610-11 Revolution of 1848-49 in Germany (up rising in th e south-w estern G erm any in M ay-June 1849) 95, 151, 165-66, 352 Revolution of 1848-49 in Hungary 95, 165, 225, 266 Revolution of 1848-49 in Italian states 165, 315, 316, 325-26, 455, 462, 510-12, 520, 572, 611

Revolution, people s 484, 487, 498, 505, 535, 548 . Revolution, proletarian, socialist 4 lb , 417, 427, 486, 491, 498, 525, 526; see also Dictatorship of the proletariat its historical necessity 504, 540, 603 its p re re q u isite s 335, 491, 499 its radical d iffere n ce from the b ourgeois rev o lu tio n 486, 487, 498, 533 its intern atio n al c h a ra c te r 339, 460, 486, 490, 502, 540 __ peaceful a n d violent ways of c ar rying it o u t 576-77, 602, 603, 606, 618 necessity of w inning th e arm y over to th e side of th e revolu tio n 488 a n d national q u e stio n 501 Revolution, social 277, 427, 452, 481, 486-87, 491, 496, 516, 524, 526, 540, 602 Russia 1, 261, 266-67, 281-84, 301, 351, 575, 576, 577, 579, 583

Science UO, 298, 331-32, 335-36, 48890, 494-98, 522-23, 537 Second Empire see France. Second Empire Sectarianism -335-36, 423, 429, 497-99, 618 See also London Conference (1871) struggle against anarchist sectarian ism, resolution on th e Alliance of Socialist Dem ocracy Sepoy mutiny 166, 352 Silesia 149 Slave-owning society 504, 505 Slavery 491, 504 Socialism (theories and trends) d o c trin al 335-36 petty-bourgeois socialism of Louis B lanc 497, 598 u to p ia n 499, 618 in F ra n c e 278 in G e rm an y 278 Societe des Saisons 444 Society of December 10 5

Spain 129, 143-44, 165, 173, 182, 254 State a n d society 328-31, 333-34, 48392, 498, 504, 533-38, 540, 547-51, 598 its genesis 328, 333, 483, 484, 533, 534 form ation of national states 328, 331, 333, 483-85 state m ach in e 328, 332, 461, 483-84, 486-87, 490, 493, 496, 498, 502, 504, 533-37, 547-48 a n d relig io n 332, 474, 490, 537, 547-48 a n d classes, class stru g g le 278, 329-30, 490, 496, 498, 533-36, 548, 550 its w ithering away in com m unist society 333, 490, 537 State, bourgeois-278, 329-31, 483-90, 498, 533-38, 548-51 its parasitical c h a ra c te r 333-34, 459, 484-85, 491, 493, 533-34, 538 as an in stru m e n t of exploitation of w orking p e o p le 278, 329-33, 459 , 484-88, 490, 502, 548-50 decay of th e bourgeois state a p p a ra tu s 77, 330-31, 459, 486, 536, 550 __ its various fo rm s 330-31, 33334, 460, 486-87, 533-36, 550, 551 See also Monarchy; Republic, bourgeois State power, its class character 487, 534-35 its o r i g i n - 3 2 8 , 333, 483, 484, 533, 534 __ as an in stru m e n t of th e class d om ination of th e bourgeoisie 329-34, 484-88, 533-38, 548-51, 618 State, proletarian see Communism (social formation); Dictatorship of the pro letariat; Paris Commune of 1871; Re public, proletarian Strikes 294-96, 442, 498, 602-03 Swindling 330, 336, 536 T Taxes, ta x a tio n -3 2 9 , 487-88, 537-38 T e r r o r - 325, 329, 344, 348, 350-51,

Subject In d e x

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784

Subject Index struggle fo r peace, against m ilitar ism , w ars of c onquest a n d annexat i o n s - 3 , 6, 7, 261-62, 268-70, 272, 573-84, 619-20 W orking class in England 573, 574, 578-81, 602, 617, 620, 634 Working class in France __ d u rin g th e revolution of 1848 a n d th e Second R epublic 330-31, 461, 522, 548-49, 571, 634 d u rin g th e Second E m p ire 4, 5, 330, 331, 486, 536, 550, 556, 601; see also Franco-Prussian war of 1870-71 and th e F ren ch w ork ing class d u rin g th e T h ird R epublic 269__ in ternationalism as its essential fe a tu re 3, 268, 278, 421, 430, 501, 602, 603, 614 __ struggle for dem ocratic de m a n d s 278, 415, 417-18, 587, 617 struggle fo r th e elim ination ot national o p p re ssio n 267-68 com bination of legal a n d illegal form s of political stru g g le 278, 600-02 See also Class struggle; International Working M en s Association; Party, pro letarian Working-class movement in England 269, 573-74, 577 See also International Working M en s Association in England Working-class movement in Germany 261-62; see also Franco-Prussian war of 1870-71 a n d th e Paris C o m m u n e 599, 620 See also International Working M ens Association in Germany Working-class movement in the U SA 554, 560, 587, 589, 590, 606, 614-15 See also International Working M en s Association in the USA Working-class and socialist movement in France 443, 497, 554, 558 betw een th e revolution of Sep tem b e r 4, 1870 a n d th e Paris C o m m u n e 324, 437-38, 445, 481, 527, 590 d u rin g th e Paris C o m m u n e see Paris Commune of 1871 See also International Working M en s Association in France Working-class and socialist movement in Italy 621 See also International Working M ens Association in Italy

461, 481, 497, 503, 511, 529, 531, 549 See also June 1848 uprising of the Paris proletariat establishm ent of Cavaignacs m ilitary dictatorship, su p pression of the u p risin g by the bourgeoisie; Paris Commune of 1871 coun ter-rev o lu tio n ary te rro r Third Republic (F ra n c e)-se e France. Third Republic (after the defeat of the Paris Commune) Trade unions, trade-union movement 279, 295, 428, 558, 603, 614, 615 See also England (Great B ritain ) tra d e unions U United States of America, t/ie 379-82, 536, 587, 618 See also C ivil W ar in the USA, 1861-65; War of Independence in North America, 1775-83 Uprising, armed national, p o p u la r 201, 341, 469, 485 p ro le ta ria n 339, 386, 588 See also June 1848 uprising of the Paris proletariat; Paris Commune of 1871; Revolution, proletarian, socialist

a n d fo reig n policy of th e w orking class see Working class struggle fo r peace, against m ilitarism , wars of con quest a n d annexations re v o lu tio n ary 350 national lib e ratio n 97, 129, 353 guerrilla w a rfa re 137, 164, 165, 173, 182, 188, 195, 199-201, 254 defensive 6, 126, 214, 264 o f co n q u est 3, 6, 106, 126, 195, 214-15, 266 local, localised 267 laws (rules) of w a rfa re 132-33, 164, 199 th re a t of w ar in th e last th ird of th e 19th cent. 261, 267, 577, 583 elim ination o f w ars in com m unist society 7 See also Anglo-Franco-Chinese war of 1856-60; Austro-Italo-French war of 1859; Austro-Prussian war of 1866; C ivil W ar in the U SA, 1861-65; Cri mean war of 1853-56; Danish war of 1864; Fronco-Pnissian war of 1870-71; Napoleonic wars; Patriotic war of 1812 in Rmsia; W ar of Independence in North America, 1775-83; Wars of the First French Republic War of Independence in North America, 1775-83 165-66 Wars of the First French Republic (end of the 18th-beginning of the 19th cen t.) 35, 47, 65, 265, 266, 269 Women s question and women s move ment 341, 350, 424, 567

70 311, 321, 437-38, 451, 481, 515-16, 526-27, 532, 547

Working class in Germany 267, 268, 577, 578, 582, 602, 619, 620; see also Franco-Prussian war of 1870-71 a n d the G erm an w orking class Working class in Ireland 620 Working-class movement __ its im m ediate a n d ultim ate aims 278, 416, 417, 426-27, 491, 494, 498-500, 601-03 struggle fo r th e em ancipation of th e w orking class 3, 275, 278, 426, 460, 461, 500, 534, 595, 602, 633-34 significance of its u n ity 278, 427, 602-03 its orig in a n d conditions of d e v e lo p m e n t 494, 499 stages o f its d e v elo p m en t 27778, 498 necessity to u n ite th e econom ic a n d political struggle o f th e w ork in g cla ss-4 2 6 -2 7 , 601-02 a n d th e revolutionary th e o ry 277, 499-500, 605

Voltairianism 336, 460 W War(s) general characteristics 165, 193, 574, 583 econom ic causes of th e ir o rig in 337-38, 492-93 u n d e r feu d alism 330 u n d e r capitalism 319, 343, 492 a n d politics 3, 265-66, 495, 576, 577 consequences of wars, th eir in flu ence o n econom ic a n d social d e v elo p m en t 496-97, 574 a n d revolution a n d revolutionary m o v em en t 261

Working class its w orld historic m ission 335, 486, 499, 590, 601-03 historical necessity of tu rn in g it into th e ru lin g class 335, 416, 417, 426-27, 494, 601-02 develo p m en t of its class conscious n e s s - 3 3 5 , 499, 505 as a leading class, expressing the interests of all p e o p le 335-36, 486, 495, 496, 591 a n d th e p e asan try 337-38, 426, 488, 493-95 a n d the petty u rb a n bo u rg eo isie 336, 486, 496, 591

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