233 Tottenham Court Road2 Dec. 1871Dear Mr Engels,

I wish to ask your advice and also that of Dr Marx upon a proposal which I think of making to the General Council.

From what I have seen I can guess that, unless we are very careful, we shall have constant succession of collisions and quarrels between the two Councils, – the British Federal and the General.Siehe dazu: Minutes of Council Meeting. Held December 5th, 1871. In: Minutes. Bd. 5. 1968. S. 49–54.

The secretary to the General CouncilJohn Hales. is also secretary to the Federal Council, and he has already revealed his intention to play off one Council against the other in order to attain his own individual objects and enlarge his own individual power.

I think you and Dr Marx willl agree with me that such an ambition is not a legitimate ambition, that the means he intends to adopt for its attainment are to be condemned, and that it is the duty of the General Council, in the interests of the Association, to take steps to avert the threatened danger.

The step which, in my opinion, would best meet the case, will be an instruction to the secretary to resign his connection with the British Federal Council, and if this meets your views on the subject, I will move resolution to that effect on Tuesday.

As an instance of what we may expect in the way of broils and bickerings, I may tell you that the secretary last night reported what Dr Marx said about the Statutes determining the position of delegates, and gave formal notice of motion to discuss the matter next Friday, conveying to his hearers the impression that the General Council was arbitrary and tyrannical.

Please inform Dr Marx, with my compliments, of these things, and if you can call I shall be glad to see you.

Yours faifhfully,M. M. Barry.