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Letter to Karl Blind, July 17, 1850

Author(s) Karl Marx
Written 17 July 1850


First published: in German in International Review for Social History, Vol. IV, 1939.
Published in English for the first time in Marx-Engels Collected Works, Volume 38, pp. 239-240

[Rough copy]

London, 17 July 1850
64 Dean Street, Soho

Dear Blind,

Our long silence was due to a misunderstanding. For we believed that the Central Authority's second circular[1] had been brought you 6 weeks or 2 months ago [by] our emissary, Klein, and we were waiting for your answer. [Now] it transpires that Klein has [brought] back nothing of the kind to Brussels.

Write to me as soon as possible and in a special enclosure to the [Central Authority]. We are thinking of convening a congress here in a few (8) weeks' time.[2] What do you [make] of the Holstein business?[3] We shall shortly be dispatching an emissary [who] worked there for two years and knows [exactly] who is who and what is what.[4]

Concerning my own fortunes and the manifold vicissitudes which I [...] in, some other time.

I am approaching you this time about a private matter [...], that, if at all possible, you will not refuse me your assistance. I had arranged with my family that I would settle my financial affairs with my uncle Philips in Holland [...] weeks, [for which] purpose I was to visit Holland in person. An [...] illness of my wife constantly rendered my departure impossible. And now I shall not be able to go there for several weeks, because two of my uncle's daughters are being married, one after the other, from his house, so th[at] business matters cannot be settled till several weeks later.

With this affair in mind, I meanwhile drew a bill for £20 (500 fr.) with a [merchant] firm[5] here in London on the strength of this arrangement. The bill matures on Monday or Wednesday.[6] If I were unable to pay it, I would lay myself open to a public [...] which, given the present state of the parties here, and [my] relations with the Prussian Embassy and the English Ministry, [could] have most disagreeable consequences.

Now I hear that Goegg in Paris has a considerable amount of capital available just now. Would you write to him immediately, explaining the circumstances to him and inquiring whether he could advance me the money on a promissory note or a bill. Periculum in mora.[7]

Pending the arrangement in Holland I am, in the literal sense of the word, dépourvu,[8] save for my last shilling.

I rely on you to do your utmost.

Your
K. Marx

  1. ↑ K. Marx and F. Engels, Address of the Central Authority to the League, June 1850.
  2. ↑ This refers to the proposed convocation of a congress of the Communist League (see also present edition, Vol. 10, pp. 375-76) which did not take place, however, owing to the split in the League in September 1850 caused by the disruptive activity of the Willich-Schapper separatist group.
  3. ↑ Marx may have had in mind the situation in the Duchy of Schleswig-Holstein in the summer of 1850, when Communist League members conducted intense propaganda among the military units there. During the 1848 revolution the population of the duchy staged a national liberation uprising against Danish rule, demanding union with Germany. Prussian circles launched a phoney war against Denmark, but a truce was signed on 26 August 1848. The Prusso-Danish war was resumed at the end of March 1849 and it ended with a new betrayal by Prussia signing a peace treaty with the Danish monarchy on 2 July 1850. As a result the insurgents were compelled to continue the war on their own and on 24-25 July 1850 the Schleswig-Holstein army was defeated by Danish troops, and ceased resistance.
  4. ↑ This seems to refer to C. Schramm.
  5. ↑ Probably a firm headed by Simon Bamberger.
  6. ↑ i.e. 19 or 21 July.
  7. ↑ Delay spells danger (Titus Livius, Ab urbe condita libri).
  8. ↑ destitute