THE DREYFUS CASE AGAIN REVIVED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12269, 13 May 1903, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE DREYFUS CASE AGAIN REVIVED.

VIOLENT DEBATE IN FRENCH

CHAMBER.

[from our own correspondent.]

London, April ll'. That deplorable French scandal, the Dreyfus case, has made a sudden reappearance. This was only to be expected. So disgraceful an affair was not likely to he stifled for ever by the cowardly plan of hushingup. And it means much more trouble yet. For some time past M. Jaures, a member of the French Chamber of Deputies, has threatened to make some disclosures about the Dreyfus case, which would make certain eminent persons " sit up." He has carried out his threat with vengeance. Last Monday afternoon, speaking in the debate on M. Syveton's election, he went into the matter with uncompromising frankness. At the conclusion of the speech of M. James, several resolutions were submitted to the House, and finally one brought forward by M. Chapuis, expressing confidence in the Government, and the resolution of the Chamber not to allow the Dreyfus case to go out of the judicial domain, was adopt-, ed by a large majority, and the Chamber adjourned. The upshot of all this is ably summed up by one writer as follows : — M. Jaures has succeeded in forcing the French Government to reopen the Dreyfus affair, which appears to be absolutely interminable. The great Socialist leader's speech seems to have; been' a*'wonderful effort of oratory. He spoke for something like five hours altogether, and never lost the attention of*the Chamber, and his speech is said to have been ' brightened at intervals by splendid passages of impassioned denunciation.' M. Jaures marshalled the amazingly complicated mass of details encumbering the memorable ' affaire' into a lucid and comprehensive indictment, the most damaging point in which was the revelation of a suppressed letter from General de Pellieux to M. Cavaignac, when the latter was War Minister in 1898, in which the general accused the general staff of complicity with Henry's forgery. Another deeply significant fact brought out by M. 'Jaures was that a member of the Rennes court-martial admitted that the second verdict against Dreyfus was arrived at on evidence that had not been given in open Court, which was precisely what rendered the first condemnation illegal. M. Cavaignac made a very lame attempt to defend himself for having suppressed Genral de Pellieux's lettei, even from his own colleagues in the Ministry. The Government has promised another inquiry,. but we do not suppose that anything now can establish the innocence of Dreyfus in the minds of any who still doubt it. The motive of the Government in granting the inquiry is probaly that it may retain a control which will confine the investigation to the points raised by M. Jaures, and prevent its wandering over the whole immense field of the 'affaire.' No one wants all the old 'dossiers' and 'bordereaux' and forgeries dragged to light once more." In the end the Chamber decided "bv a large majority that it would not remove the question from judicial into political quarters ; in short, that so very troublesome a matter should, so far as possible, be kept outside political boundaries. This decision meets with very general approval, not merely in France, but also in this country, where from the first there has been a strong and settled conviction that Dreyfus .was the innocent victim of an infamous conspiracy. I imagine that we have heard the last, for the present at any rate, of any serious effort to revive the* " affaire Dreyfus." It is too dangerous a matter to meddle with, but I do not doubt that its evil memories will rise as an avenging spirit, fraught with ill, to all who had part in the most shameful public crime of modern days.