“They feel deeply convinced, that, whatever turn the impending horrid war may take, _the alliance of the working classes of all countries will ultimately kill war_.”[234] At the same time the Paris branch of the International Association put forth a manifesto addressed “To the Working-Men of all Countries,” from which I take these passages:-- “Once more, under the pretext of European equilibrium, of national honor, political ambitions menace the peace of the world. “French, German, Spanish working-men! _let our voices unite in a cry of reprobation against war!_ … “War for a question of preponderance, or of dynasty, can, in the eyes of working-men, be nothing but a criminal absurdity. “In response to the warlike acclamations of those who exonerate themselves from the impost of blood, or who find in public misfortunes a source of new speculations, we protest,--we who wish for peace, work, and liberty. … “Brothers of Germany!… our divisions would only bring about _the complete triumph of despotism on both sides of the Rhine_. … “Working-men of all countries! whatever may be the result of our common efforts, we, members of the International Association of Working-Men, who know no frontiers, we send you, as a pledge of indissoluble solidarity, the good wishes and the salutations of the working-men of France.”[235] To this appeal, so full of truth, touching to the quick the pretence of balance of power and questions of dynasty as excuses for war, and then rising to “a cry of reprobation against war,” the Berlin branch of the International Association replied:-- “We join with heart and hand in your protestation.… Solemnly we promise you that neither the noise of drums nor the thunder of cannon, neither victory nor defeat, shall turn us aside from our work for the union of the proletaries of all countries.”[236] Then came a meeting of delegates at Chemnitz, in Saxony, representing fifty thousand Saxon working-men, which put forth the following hardy words:-- “We are happy to grasp the fraternal hand stretched out to us by the working-men of France.… Mindful of the watchword of the International Working-Men’s Association, _Proletarians of all countries, unite!_ we shall never forget that the working-men of all countries are our friends, and the despots of all countries our enemies.”[237] Next followed, at Brunswick, in Germany, on the 16th of July,--the very day after the reading of the war document at the French tribune, and the “light heart” of the Prime-Minister,--a mass meeting of the working-men there, which declared its full concurrence with the manifesto of the Paris branch, spurned the idea of national antagonism to France, and wound up with these solid words:-- “We are enemies of all wars, but above all of dynastic wars.”[238]