Appeal, Neue Rheinische Zeitung, November 21, 1848

Author(s)	Karl Marx Karl Schapper
Written	20 November 1848

Source: Marx-Engels Collected Works, Volume 8, p. 46;
First published: in Neue Rheinische Zeitung No. 148 (second edition), November 21, 1848.

Collection(s): Neue Rheinische Zeitung

Cologne, November 20.

Democrats of the Rhine Province,

instead of summoning Oberpräsident Eichmann, the well-known Chief Public Prosecutor Zweiffel has, through Examining Magistrate Leuthaus, summoned your Committee to appear tomorrow on a charge of public incitement to rebellion.

A scandal is expected; the Cologne Garrison Headquarters has made all preparations; in accordance with the order issued by a treacherous Ministry, on this occasion Cologne is to he declared in a state of siege.

Frustrate this hope. Whatever may befall us, conduct yourselves calmly.

The Congress is going to take place under any circumstances.^[1]

The Rhine Province will sooner shed its last drop of blood than submit to the rule of the sword.

Karl Marx, Karl Schapper, Schneider II

↑ The reference is to the Second Rhenish Congress of Democrats, which was held in Cologne on November 23, 1848. It discussed questions connected with the tax-refusal campaign and also the question of drawing the peasants into the struggle against the counter-revolution. Marx took part in the deliberations of the Congress, which approved his slogans of action and the tactics of active struggle against the coup d'état in Prussia. For reasons of security the newspaper did not cover the sessions of the Congress and gave only extremely laconic reports on its decisions. Thus, the second edition of the N~ Rheinische Zeitung No. 153, November 26, 1848, carried the following item: "The Congress of Rhenish democrats, held on November 23, approved the decisions adopted by the District Committee. — Detailed instructions will he communicated by the delegates to their associations

[1] The reference is to the Second Rhenish Congress of Democrats, which was held in Cologne on November 23, 1848. It discussed questions connected with the tax-refusal campaign and also the question of drawing the peasants into the struggle against the counter-revolution. Marx took part in the deliberations of the Congress, which approved his slogans of action and the tactics of active struggle against the coup d'état in Prussia. For reasons of security the newspaper did not cover the sessions of the Congress and gave only extremely laconic reports on its decisions. Thus, the second edition of the N~ Rheinische Zeitung No. 153, November 26, 1848, carried the following item: "The Congress of Rhenish democrats, held on November 23, approved the decisions adopted by the District Committee. — Detailed instructions will he communicated by the delegates to their associations

[1]