The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-12-06
DREYFUS AGslN.
Deputies Discuss the Case of the Exiled
Captain.

A%5OtAoGSNA
today and occasionally gave rise to heated
utterances. A good majority OF the
depAties, however, sustained the stand
In the matter taken by the government.
M. Caste,in, representing the second
district Of Laon, editor of the Cocarde,
and formerly one Of the warm supporters
of the late Gen. Boulanger, brought the
matter up by asking Premier Meline to
reassure the public especially the army.
on the subject to which the premier re-
piled:
There is no Dreyfus affair and can be
none.'
The premier explained that the investi-
CATION into the Esterhazy affair had re-
suited in placing him in the hands 0f a
military court. q step, he added, which
IN no Way preludiced the final verdict,
which was neither for the government
nor for the Chamber to deal with. In the
meantime, the premier further remarked,
good citizens should respect the authority
OF Judgment given. He deplore5 the
fdesire to make the incident u political
question and expressed the hope that his
statement would END u polemic which
mad already lasted TOO long.
The Comte De Nun, the clerical leader,
expressed regret at the fact that the min,
lister of war, ten. Billot, was not present
to defend the army, whose chief of staff
was attacked. This remark brought forth
loud cheering and the session OF the
Chamber was for a time suspended while
awaiting the arrival of the minister of
war, who Was summoned to appear.
When the minister arrived he was soon
placed in possession of the facts in the
case, and in his reply to the deputies,
spoke In decidedly warm tones.
He said: "The premier has already
told you that there was no such thing
as the Dreyfus case. A year ago upon
an Interpolation by NJ Castelin, the war
nifty to say that Dreyfus hsd been fairly
tried and unanimously condemned by
seven OF his equals on the evidence of 81
officers. The government when question
ed few days ago, declared through the
minister of war that they considered
that Dreyfus had been regularly and
justly tried. For myself l regard the
sentence as just. Dreyfus is guilty"
He then repeated the remarks of the
premier concerning Esterhagy and the
proceedings ended with the general ex-
pressing regret at the fact that he had no
means of dealing with the calumnies
against the chief of staff, and begging the
chamber to assist in bringing the odious
campaign to an end. Seven resolutions
were proposed. That of NJ Henri Junel,
Republican, representing the second d.
vision of Mont De Marsan, namely that
the Chamber. declaring that it has no
business to intervene in question Of
judicial character, passes to the order of
the day, was rejected by vote of 147 to
102.
The Comte De Nuns motion "that the
chamber is confident the government will
take steps to end the odious campaign
against the army was defeated by 1862 to
244 votes. 5f
The next motion was that of NJ. Henri
De Lavertujon, Republican, representing
the district of Saint Yrieox 1t was In
substance that the Chamber, respecting
q Judgment passed and sympathizing
with the homage rendered to the army BY
the minister of war, passed to the order
of the day"
The premier supported this resolution
and it was accorded priority by vote
of 37a to 1876.
The first section was adopted with the
vote standing 400 to IS and later the sec
ond section was adopted by 523 to IS
votes.
An amendment approving of the dec
laration of the minister of war was
adopted 1926 ayes to So noes and another
proposed by NJ Richard, a former Boul,
angist, continuing: ''Those who are con-
Quoting an odious campaign was
adopted, l54 to II.
AS the result of some hot words Eek
changed during the debate III. Joseph
Reinach, Republican, representing the
district of Digne, a we'll known newspa-
per man and author and editor of tho
Republiue Franchise, sent his seconds to
NJ Milleraud, the well known socialist
Republican and editor of the Petite Re-
pulbique Franchise. A duel with pistols
has been arranged to take place between
them. NJ Reinaoh has already fought
duels with NJ. Magnier and NJ. Deroulede.