The Portland daily press., 1898-02-25
THE ARMY SUPREME.
Premier Meline Reviews The zola
Verdict
AND CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES VOTE
CONFIDENCE IN GOVERNMENT.

The stupendous Farce Now Being Enacted
In France Does Not End With Convic-
tion of the Novel,st-Deputies Vote
That NIeiine's Speech be Posted.
4 Paris, February "a The Chamber or
! Deputies today voted confidence in tho
government 416 ayes to Al noes.
The Chamber was thronged and it was
decided to request the premier, III.
Meline, to Immediately discuss the in.
terpellations of M. Hubbard and Gautier
relative to the conviction and sentence OF
M. Zola yesterday.
N. Hubbard, Radical, asked whether
Generals Pellieux and Boisdefre had in
tervened at the trial by authorization or
an order of the minister for war, Gen.
Billot. Continuing the deputy spoke,
amid inoessant Interruptions. on the dan
ger of a religious war and concluded with
inviting the government to end the
tum ult and rioting in the streets.
i M. Viviani declared the Socialists,
/ although they might be divided relative
to the Dreyfus case were in accord in re-
4 gard to the prerogatives of civil over mill
tary power. The speaker then referred
to the coalition Of the chiefs of the army
with the clergy" and expressed the be-
lief that liberty was menaced. Therefore,
the attitude of the generals. (Applause
from the Leftists and uproar from the
| Centrists.
Il M. Meline replied: popular sldemo-
cratic ju stice has given verdict after a
military court and the country will ac-
lcept 1t. Gen. Blllot (the minister for
war; gave no order to the generals sum
moned to testify before the tribunal of
the country. One general had been ac-
cused on account of his utterances. Un-
dou btedly he spoke a word too much, but
you must remember the frightful charge
thrown In his face.
Continuing M. Meline said the charges
made against the army were unjust, and
he asserted that there was not single
officer who had been guilty OF plotting
agair the country even in his dreams
aduiDg: 'sOur officers are haunted by
other dreams (Cheers.)
If. after yesterdays verdict" the
premier further remarked 1.-THE agitation
continues, we shall know that the matter
has been made party question, Enough
injury has already been done to this na-
tion. The life of the nation has been ar
rested. A portion OF the foreign press has
gathered all the i'll we have been saying
!, among ourselves. 1t will be always pun
ishment for those who speak Ill OF France
to receive foreign applause.
EVERY day there are cases of espionage
abroad Did the French press get excited
: about them, as the foreign papers did
about Dreyfus7 No. There is a moral to
be drawn therefrorn that the present agi-
tation must be ended. Cloud cheers.
It must cease in the interest OF the army,
in the interest OF public tranquility in
, the interest of our external safety and in
the interest even of those who embarked
SO foolishly and audaciously in this CAM
paign which might take US back to the
age of intolerance"
!, The premier then scof1en at that IN
tellectual elite which closed its eyes and
. ears to the country and endeavored to open
wounds which the government was try
ing to cicatrize.
, 1.-THE government" continued the pre-
mier, sintends to impose peace upon all,
and will take the measures which the cir
cumstances demand. No one. after yes
terday's verdict, could raise the discus
} sion in good faith and, If the present laws
} do not suffice, the government will ask
the Chamber for another vote which will
prove that when patriotism is involved
divisions among us disappear. Gap
. plause.)
speech be posted througnout FRANCE ana
the motion was adopted.
M. Cavaignao, the former minister,
then reproached the government with not
ttering the whole truth at the trial and
with insufficiently defending the officers.
He also said he wanted powerful army,
J but one subordinate to civil power.
The debate was then closed ana several
motions were presented.
The premier accepted vote OF conf
dence in the government and approved
| of the declarations of the government.
, The vote stood 461 ayes, Al noes.
NJ Habot rallied the revislonist, sug-
costing thesaddition Of the words AND M
doing homage to the national army for
the loyalty of it's chiefs. NJ. Meline,
however, rejected this proposed addition
) on the ground that the army ough6 TO
stand outside of parties.
NJ. Castelin asked whether the govern
ment intended to grant amnesty to the
! Dreyfus syndicate or make inquiries as
to the identity of responsible parties M.
Meline replied that the government could
make an Investigation, but he added. 1t
would be within the limits OF existing
legislation.
NJ. Roche, Socialist. amid general in
attention, questioned the government as
to the alleged representations made by
, the Dreyfus family in the name of Gen.
J, Billot and attacked court martials, say
, ing they were tOrtu1 eS to soldiers, re-
mark which brought forth protests
Gen. Billot replied that he sent no one
to see the Dreyfus family and indignant
| ly protested against Vue luSlhu iudue
against him. and asking for the passage
Of the order of the day pure and simple,
which was adopted by 42s to 81.
, Viyiani asked urgency for motion to
grant amnesty to those who had been
arrested on the charge of creating the dis
turbances in Algeria.
NJ. Milliard, the minister OF Justice,
said amnesty would be an act OF weakness
and that the culprits must be punished.
The urgency motion was thereupon
rejected by vote of 377 to 104.
, zOLA'S COUNSEL APPEALS.
Paris, February 24.-M. Laborie, coun-
sci for M. Emile Zola. today lodgeu q
notice Of appeal on behalf Of NJ lola from
the sentence imposed upon him yesterday
OF one years imprisonment and hne OF OF
5000 francs. Tomorrow a similar notlce
will be filed in the case Of N. terrleux'
nominal director of the Aurore, IN whlch
the alleged libel for which Zoia was In
d1cted appeared.
ENGLAND WOULD SHARE.
!, London Eahruarv 0d The parllamen-