Correspondance de P.-J. Proudhon; (1875)Tome Deuxiéme Librairie Internationale; Paris. pgs.347-348.

To Mr. Abram1

National Assembly, September 2, 1848

My dear Abram, you have surely been informed, as much by our newspaper as by the other press, of the vicissitudes of the Representative of the People. Three consecutive seizures, and finally a suspension, testify as to the systematic war being waged by the power of the democratic and socialist ideas.

The Representative of the People has ceased to live. Its role, completely personal up until now, is finished.

We are going to reappear under the name People, collective organ of the extreme left of the National Assembly. You will currently receive only the prospectus.

At present time, the mother idea has been launched, now that the morality of the June events has been resurrected and the work is done, we are going to throw ourselves into detailed questions, and above all into war on the Royalty, which is coming at us from all sides. On this terrain, they will not prosecute me and I will obtain exactly the same result.

We consist of a company with 100,000 franks in capital.

We have many subscribers and strong signatures; unfortunately, even with the best of circumstances, we currently can not find money.

We can not end our affair regarding the 24,000 franks. I therefore accept with pleasure your civil offer, and assure you that, while waiting for the dividends, I offer to make you among our principal founders and shareholders.

The most beautiful future, such as a daily paper, is promised to us. Our last printing has gone from 20 to 25,000 copies. With a little money for propaganda, we fully expect to arrive at 50,000. The perfect unity and variety of our editorial staff; our ideas, by themselves quite elevated; the originality of our comments; the unassailable cohesion of our doctrine; the popularity; all taken together, it assures our success.

The royalist conspiracy looks to be discovered. Give me only a month to attack it and I guarantee a royal crown would be impossible.

So long, my dear Abram, I am obsessed; if you do not send us your bill by post or otherwise, I will take the liberty to deduct the total cost of your subscription.

Your friend and compatriot,

P-J. PROUDHON

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1. Translated from the French by Rory Van Loo