, 1893-04-22
Spectator March 18tb.)


' -
The French Government is still suffering
from the Panama disclosures. On Saturday,
Madame Cottu, wife Of the director recently
sentenced, was CANNED in the Assize
Court, and testified that in the beginning of
this year a man named Goliard asked her to
see NJ. Soinoury, director of the Detective
Department. She did SO, and NJ. Soinoury,
in q conversation Of an hour and a half,
repeatedly suggested to her that if she could
produce documents duplicating the Right
or copies of them, her husband should 60
free. She understood that this offer came
from NJ. Bourgeois, the Minister Of Justice
and NJ. SoinOury, who was next examined,
while declaring Madame Oottu's story sxagger.
ated. as he had only tried to get information
against the Right, did not sxonerats NJ.
Bourgeois. That Minister therefore resigned,
but on Monday appeared in the witnsss-box to
give a fat and apparently truthful denial to
Madame Cottu's implication of him. The
Chamber on Tuesday affirmed that it believed
the denial by a majority of 297 to 223. AMI
II. Bourgeois on Wednesday, therefore,
rsgained his portfolio. The affair is curiously
complicated by Madame Cottu's confusion
between the Ministries Of Justice and the
Interior, but. as we have said elsewhere, most
pCOHtC III UVfl0NO bhN AK OnO w 6pUah
the truth that d.. Soinoury, who has been
dismissed, did make the offer reported, and
that be knew enough to be sure it's accep
lance would not be disagrsesble to the
Ministry. There will be much more heard
of the Panama scandal yet and we are
assured that sven now NJ. Carnot finds it
nearly impossible either to keep this Govern
ment on its feet, or to imagine where he shall
discover it's successor. Nobody wants to bo
Minister for a month at the price of APP
pearance in an Assize Court, and a loss Of re-
puta'ion.
NJ. Ribot has declared in strong terms his
confidence in NJ. Loubet, who was at the time
of Madame Cottu's visit NJ. Soin0ury's superb
or; but he has at last been attacked himself
on grounds which he only rebuts by pleading
patriotism. NJ. Andrieux, ex-Prefect of
Police. has always declared that he possessed
evidence which would crush a certain M.
x" but would conceal the name until
q fitting time. 1t was. however, stated in
Madame Cottu's salon that "M.X-" CON
cealed the name of the Ambassador of a
friendly Power" doubtless the one repeatedly
mentioned during the progress of the scandal.
II. Ribot, hearing this, thought it his duty
as head of the Government, to beg the head
of the Bar I'M. du Butt, to ask M. Martini,
counsel for the defendants in the Assizs
Court, to remember French interests, and
keep the identity of NIX" concealed.
M. Martini replied directly that he would
comply, all the more readily, because, to his
knowledge, the parsonage in question had
never been mixed up in Panama affairs.
That is a suggestive incident. NJ. Ribot
was. we imagine. quite right, considering the
interests at stake and the gao. edness of the
diplomatic character; but he must have
thought the accusation probable, or
he would never have interfered. Prima
facie the charge against the Ambasss.
dor is unlikely to be true. M.
Andrieux is clearly striking at q regime. and
is too intelligent not to know that if he
covered all European Embassies with mud,
he would not advance his objects ons hairs
bread h. l. must be some one of rank in
French politics whom be is menacing with
that sealed envelope of his.
The German parties have not yet come to