| Author(s) | Friedrich Engels |
|---|---|
| Written | 11 April 1860 |
ENGELS TO EMIL ENGELS
IN ENGELSKIRCHEN
Manchester, 11 April 1860
Dear Emil,
What do you think G. Ermen's latest proposals are?
1. He wants to buy mother out by instalments and assume sole control of the business.
2. Under the terms envisaged in the contract / am to stay on with him as clerk for another four years!
At so cheap a price does the fellow think to buy us out of our inheritance in the firm of Ermen & Engels and obtain my grateful assent to my own degradation vis-à-vis himself.
The negotiations were quite amicable. The proposals affecting myself I turned down flat, whereupon he held out the prospect that I might become a partner in four years, whereupon I demanded guarantees before I could consider the matter and told him that we were all of the opinion that, if there was to be a parting of the ways, it would mean division in kind and competition. This surprised him greatly, and the matter progressed no further. He had imagined that we in Barmen were urgently in need of money (as to which I enlightened him) and wanted to exploit the opportunity. In short, he was very disappointed by the conversation and will doubtless make some other approach. More when I see you.
After this affair, we can be more certain of Charles'[1] than ever; he actually believes that we two will be able to make Gottfried[2] do anything, perhaps even retire into private life.
Your
F. Engels