Letter to Karl Marx, May 20, 1853

Author(s) Friedrich Engels
Written 20 May 1853


First published in Der Briefwechsel zwischen F. Engels und K. Marx, Bd. 1, Stuttgart, 1913
Published in English for the first time in Marx-Engels Collected Works, Volume 39


To Marx in London

[Manchester,] Friday, 20 May 1853

Dear Marx,

Herewith the latest news from America. I still have several copies of the Criminal-Zeitung containing the statements by Weydemeyer and yourself,[1] which I shall send at the beginning of next week so that you and the others can make use of them; I shall keep one copy here for Dronke and the archives.

Freiligrath will, perhaps, be so good as to notify Weydemeyer or Lièvre of the receipt of the £25 enclosed herewith,[2] it being too late for me to write to Weydemeyer today. But how the fellows have managed to convert $125 into £25 is a mystery to me, for according to the last New York rate of 4 May sterling was standing at 54d. = 109s/4 cents, thus, even at 110 cents, $125=£25. 11s. 4d., hence there has been a loss of 1/2d. for every dollar on the rate of exchange.

My old man has at last written to me. As I expected: for God's sake avoid a row, wait till he comes and then takes me to the Exchange. Business is too good to permit of an almighty rumpus. So far as I'm concerned that's perfectly in order provided my worthy papa has nothing against it; what do I care about the wretched affair?

Your

F. E.

  1. ↑ J. Weydemeyer, 'Der "demokratische" Mouchard', Belletristisches Journal und New-Yorker Criminal-Zeitung, No. 7, 29 April 1853, and K. Marx, 'Hirsch's Confessions'.
  2. ↑ This money was collected in America in compliance with the appeal of Marx, Engels and their associates to help the Communist League members accused in Cologne and their families