| Author(s) | Friedrich Engels |
|---|---|
| Written | 22 November 1892 |
ENGELS TO PAUL LAFARGUE 35
AT LE PERREUX
London, 22 November 1892
My dear Lafargue,
Thanks for the papers. The Panama business, 60 circumstances aiding and abetting, could well become for the bourgeois republic the Pandora's box that Emile de Girardin's file of dossiers, from which issued 'a scandal a day', was for the July Monarchy. 61 As long as this goes on, I think your place is in Paris, in the Chamber, at the centre of the news, to put yourself, and keep yourself, in touch with what is happening and in particular with what emerges from one day to the next. Every fresh piece of scandal which is brought to light will be a weapon for us. It's time I was done with the 3rd volume[1] the close of the century is more and more charged with electricity. I'm glad to say it's going passably well (I mean the work on the 3rd volume) and I hope to finish it during the winter. The greatest difficulty has been overcome.
Sam Moore has just left us. He is going to spend the greater part of his leave in the country with his parents and will be back in January. We shall see him again next Sunday.[2]
If I am not mistaken I have already told you that Pumps had a little girl on the 13th—both are doing well.
For the last few days I have been well enough again to go out for a quarter of an hour; I hope this will help to restore me altogether.
The Germans have committed a fine blunder over May Day; not in Berlin, but in Brussels. 34 They ought to have reserved the right, at the International Congress, to celebrate the day in their own way and according to circumstances. Their withdrawal creates a deplorable impression and should you give them a good wigging, you'll be doing no more than your duty. Any other party could have allowed itself this retrogressive move; they, in their position as the main body of the European army, could not make it without great prejudice to the movement as a whole. I entirely approve the reasons which decided them in Berlin: the harm, to them, of a stoppage of work would have been out of all proportion to the advantages to them; but that should have been foreseen, and they should have had the courage at Brussels not to vote for a stoppage.
And what of Laura? When do we see her here? Kiss her for me.
Kindest regards from Louise.
Ever yours,
F.E.
Please keep me posted about the Panama affair with newspapers, it's so important. We shall find that Wilson was only a tiny bit of a swindler compared with Reinach & Co.