From the Minutes of the General Meeting of the Democratic Society in Cologne Held on August 11, 1848

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After the minutes of the preceding general meeting had been read and approved at the request of acting President Marx, Herr Wolff read out the protest to the German National Assembly against the partition of Poland, which was joyfully greeted and adopted with acclamation.

Herr Rittinghausen gave many reasons vindicating Herr Marx’s right to citizenship recendy contested by the Prussian Government. He considered that the best thing would be, by means of a deputation tomorrow, to make the Government reverse this illegal and altogether ridiculous action, and if the Government is unwilling to do that, to send a protest at such behaviour directly to the Minister. The protest was read and adopted, and in the event of the refusal of citizenship for Marx not being withdrawn people will be invited to sign the protest this evening.

Herr Marx dwelt in more detail on the grounds proving the injustice of the measures adopted against him, and the applause of the whole meeting testified to the force of his arguments. The circumstance on account of which the Government refused him the right of citizenship really lies in the fact that previously attempts had been made in vain to win him over to the side of the Government.

Herr Engels reported a new vexatious police measure against Schapper by which the latter is threatened with deportation. He described the intervention of the police and especially stressed that in any case Schapper as a citizen of Nassau has the right to be regarded as a German and as such, by the decision of the Frankfurt National Assembly, is entided to reside in any of the 38 German states.

Rittinghausen, Schneider and Bürgers were elected as delegates to put the case of Marx and Schapper before the Regierungspräsident and the Police Superintendent and try to effect a reversal of the decisions in question.

Deputy Gladbach, whose appearance was greeted with stormy applause, explained at length that salvation should not be expected to come either from the Berlin Assembly or from the Frankfurt Assembly.

Herr Engels stressed that it was Gladbach who had always distinguished himself by his liberal outlook and audacity and especially by his vigorous protest against the way the Schleswig-Holsteiners were dealt with in Spandau. Thereupon three cheers were given for Herr Gladbach.