My dear Challey,

I am delighted with the photographSiehe Marx an J. Marx (Tochter), 5.5.1867 und Erl. … I d’ont don't remember ever having been more agreeably surprised. It is a splendid one — life-like. No painter could have put more expression into it. I am beginning to think the sun is no mean artist. I have already framed it, & in doing so, you will be glad to hear, have “brought out the tone of my mind”— I have surpassed myself. — So, at last, dear Mohr, there is some chance of having you here again. We were so glad to hear from you this morning. Your prolonged silence gave rise to the most unpleasant imaginings. I feared you might be unwell, or that you had gone to Berlin & that Bismark had paid you more attention than is pleasant, or that you had taken root in Holland. We all thought you had left Hanover long ago, & that was the reason Laura Laura Marx. has not written to you.

—Here the people are up & stirring. The heat, which is excessive—more than 80 degrees Die Temperatur ist nach der Fahrenheit-Skala angegeben. in the shade—has warmed the blood of Beales Edmond Beals. & Co. For the last fortnight there have been continual skirmishes between the Government & the Reformers, in which the former have been most disgracefully routed.Während der Wahlreformbewegung in Großbritannien 1865 bis 1867 organisierte die „Reform League“ in London in Parks öffentliche Massenmeetings. Die britische Regierung versuchte, mit Verboten und starkem Polizeieinsatz die Versammlungen zu verhindern. Die Führer der Reformbewegung beugten sich zeitweise den Verboten, veranstalteten aber bald unter dem Druck ihrer Anhänger weitere Demonstrationen und öffentliche Meetings. Das stark besuchte Meeting, das Jenny Marx im vorliegenden Brief beschreibt, fand am 6. Mai 1867 statt. (Siehe The Hyde Park Reform demonstration. In: The Times. London. Nr. 25 804, 7. May 1867. S. 9; Whatever may be thought of the conduct of the government in the question of the Hyde Park Meeting … [Leitartikel.] Ebenda. S. 8). – Zur „Reform-League“ siehe Erl. zu Marx an J. Ph. Becker, zw. 9. u. 15.1.1866 und Handbuch der europäischen Geschichte. Bd. 5 (1981). S. 394-400. The success of the League is due to Bradlaugh who has behaved throughout with great pluck. At the last sitting of the League, most of the Reformers, believing discretion to be the better part of valour, had thought it wisest to give in. But Bradlaugh, in a warlike speech, declared that if no one else would lead the people to the park, he alone was ready to do so. While he was speaking, officers arrived from Walpole, with a proclamation to the effect, that as the park is kept for the recreation of the people, it is illegal to put it to other uses, in short, that any attempt at holding a meeting would be stopped, the leaders imprisoned & the lookers on fined. At this old Beales winced ever so little, sneak Conolly was downrightly cowed, Thomas Hughes held forth on moderation—but Bradlaugh overruled them all. His resolution to go in spite of Queen & Government was carried, amidst enthusiastic cheers & throwing up of caps. From that moment a regular Panic ran through the “Upper classes“. Fear turned them into perfect low-comedians. Formidable detachments of mounted police, guards, the artillery of Woolwich, special constables (15,000) were put into readiness. The Times by turns exhorted, entreated, & called down vengeance on the rioters. The Standard grew rabid, the gentle star The Morning Star., ever meek & mild, wept over the danger threatening property. Jeremiahs & Cassandras filled the air with lamentations & dark prophecies.

“Woe to Life & Property”, “Woe to Property & Life”! was the cry.—

Parliament was in the greatest hubbub. Benjamin Benjamin Disraeli. did’nt know whether to laugh or to cry. Walpole tried to do the heroic, Gladstone shilly-shallied.—John Bright was the only man & frightened the hysterical women round him, into fits.

In the Courts of Westminster there was an incessant waggling of wigs; dry hands untied old parchments, to find out legal quibbles to prove the illegality of political demonstrations in a park.—The patriotic Sergeant Knox declared himself willing to sit on Monday6. Mai 1867., from 8 in the morning until ten in the evening, to bring the disturbers of peace to justice. His devotion to his country was however not put to the test. Before the ominous 6th of May had arrived, the high-strung nerves of Walpole gave way, he became lachrymose, & gave in; Beales had his say, all went off merrily as a wedding-feast—the battle ended in a picnic. King MobMöglicherweise als Anspielung auf die Losung „His Majesty King Mob“ an den Wänden des New-Gate Gefängnisses in London während der sogenannten „Gordon-Unruhen“ („Gordon Riots“) 1780. did not play with heads but with ginger-nuts. And what else could the people do? How are they to break a government which bends like india-rubber.

There were no accidents, one solitary special constable was roughly handled, & had to take away himself, & his ostentatiously displayed staff, with all possible speed.—

The tailor’s strikeAm 22. April 1867 fand das Meeting der Londoner Operative Tailors’ Protective Association statt, das den Auftakt für den Londoner Schneiderstreik gab, der vom 23. April bis Oktober 1867 dauerte. Etwa 3500 Schneider, einschließlich seit Anfang Juni 200 Schneider in Bristol, beteiligten sich daran. Der Streik richtete sich gegen 89 Unternehmer, die die Forderungen ihrer Arbeiter nach Lohnerhöhungen sowie eine Vereinheitlichung der Tarife ablehnten. Vgl. dazu den Streik der Pariser Schneider (siehe Erl. zu M. Lawrence an Marx, 1.4.1867 ). continues. The masters are wild.Möglicherweise Anspielung auf die Veröffentlichung des Briefes eines Unternehmers bzw. Ingenieurs in der „Times“ vom 6. Mai 1867, in dem dieser sich über den Schneiderstreik empörte und die Verwendung der neuen Technik als Mittel für die Ersetzung von Arbeitskräften durch Maschinen propagierte: „Sir,—I am surprised that the master tailors have not adopted a mode of escaping from the tyranny of their men that has been most successful in numerous strikes in the manufactoring districts. For many years the cotton manufacturers refusal to work necessarily threw out of employment a body of labourers five times as numerous as the spinners. At length of evil grew so intolerable that the masters applied to the machinemakers to construct a self-acting mule, which should despense, in great measure, with the human spinners. Enormous mechanical difficulties were in the way, but the pressure of the strikes was sufficient to overcome every obstacle, and now the self-acting mule, perhaps the most beautiful and ingenious machine ever intended, is in universal use, and the strikes of spinners are unknown. …“ (To the Editor of the Times. In: The Times. London. Nr. 25 803, 6. Mai 1867. S. 10. Rubrik: The tailors’ Strike. [Gez.:] Mechanicus.) The Times sings dirges on Free Trade & Free Competition.—But I am running on at an unconscionable length. I had intended just only to write a few lines to thank you for the very pleasant surprise of this morning.

In the hope soon to see you,

Believe me, dear ChalleyKarl Marx., Your affectionate “Joe”Spitzname von Jenny Marx (Tochter). Siehe Marx an Jenny Marx (Tochter), 5.5.1867 Erl. .

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