Karl Marx: A biography by David McLellan

(^334) KARL MARX: A BIOGRAPHY
contrasted with his white hair and beard and he would screw a monocle
into his eye when he wanted to scrutinise his audience. The Congress
opened with a three-day examination of credentials behind closed doors.
All that the public could hear was the tinkling of the President's bell,
rising now and again above a storm of angry voices. Marx himself was so
tense that he scarcely slept at all throughout the Congress. After the
acceptance of the General Council's report, there was a debate on a
motion to increase the powers of the General Council. Some wished the
powers of the General Council to be drastically curtailed. In reply, Marx
said that it would be more sensible to abolish the General Council than
to turn it into a mere letter-box; its authority could in any case be only
a moral one and only existed with the agreement of the members. The
motion was carried by 32 to 6 , with 16 abstentions, the English delegation
splitting its vote.
After the vote, reported Barry, 'there was a slight pause. It was the lull
before the storm. Knowing what was coming, and whom it would most
effect, I stood up and watched the operation. Up got Engels, Marx's right
hand, and said he would make a communication to the Congress. It was
a recommendation from a number of members of the General Council
respecting the seat of the Council for next year.'^151 Engels proposed that
the seat of the General Council be transferred to New York. 'Conster-
nation and discomfiture stood plainly written on the faces of the party of
dissension as he uttered the last words.... It was some time before
anyone rose to speak. It was a coup d'etat and each one looked to his
neighbour to break the spell.'^152 The Blanquists who on other issues had,
together with the Germans, ensured a substantial majority for Marx,
opposed the proposal; and when the vote on whether the General Council
should move its seat at all was taken, the result was very narrow: 26 for,
2 3 against, and 9 abstentions. Finally there came the report of the five
man-commission of inquiry which had been set up following Marx's
motion at the beginning of the Congress to expel the Alliance from the
International. The commission found that Bakunin had tried to establish
a secret society within the International and was also guilty of fraud. On
the motion of the commission he was expelled from the International.
This marked the end of the Congress and Marx retired to Scheveningen
where he celebrated by entertaining the delegates to a seaside dinner.
There can be little doubt that Marx realised the impracticability of
New York as a seat for the General Council. The arguments advanced
by Engels for the transfer were remarkably unconvincing. Before the
Congress Marx had written to Kugelmann: 'It will be a matter of life and
death for the International; and, before I retire, I want at least to protect
it from disintegrating elements.'^153 He wished at all costs to ensure that