The San Francisco call., 1898-11-29

otherwise were likely to arise between the verdicts of the court-martial and of the Court of Cessation The president of the Chamber al this stage of the proceedings was frequent l ly obliged to intervene in order to quiet the uproar on all sides. M. Poincare, Republican, made an impassioned speech, in the course of which he said 1t was not necessary to confound the army with a few impru- dent men. While the members of the court tmartial were above suspicion, the prosecution of Picquart savored of reprisal. (Applause) Colonel Pic quarts secret imprisonment, M. Poin- care further asserted was beyond all precedent, and there were guilty per sons, he claimed, who were enjoying scandalous immunity. (Applause)
 There are other forgers besides Picquart who ought to be prosecuted, |" exclaimed the Deputy. These injus- tices will end by eXasperating the na- tion."
 M. Poincare. who was Minister of Public Instruction in 1893-95, created a sensation by adding:
 We were attacked for the Dreyfus prosecution in 1894, but I learned of the Dreyfus affair through the news papers"
 Tremendous applause and uproar fol- 1 lowed this assertion.
 M. Barthou, who was Minister of Public Works in 1894, here interjected: T am ready to indorse the words of M. Poincare, which are true" This called forth more applause and exclamations of Tt Is absurd" Tt is l incOnceiVable."
 Thereupon M. Poincare added: "The only proof of Dreyfus' guilt in 1894 consisted of the bordereau. No Cabi- net Minister, or even the President of the Council of Ministers, heard any mention of the confessions Dreyfus Is alleged to have made to Captain Le- brun- Renault." (Applause.)
 War, said: General Mercier secured those confessions.'
 General Mercier was Minister of War at the time of the Dreyfus trial. M. Poincare continued: Captain Le Brun- -Renault, when he was exam ined by the President of the Council, did not mention the Dreyfus confes- sion."
 This statement caused applause to break forth from all parts of the house, during which M. Cavaignac tried to speak, but was howled down, although one Deputy shouted: Let us hear the hero of the forgery"
 M. Poincare concluded by saying: Silence has weighed heavily upon me,
 
 opportunity to tell what I know of the case" (Renewed applause.) M. Cavaignac reasserted that Cap tain Le Brun- -Renault's evidence was given to General Mercier. His re- port exists" he exclaimed, amid up- roar and cries of Date, date"
 'But perhaps Captain Le Brun- Renault has since. retracted his admis- sions."
 Shouts of surprise followed this sug- gestion. M. de Freycinet said: "The Gov ernment, on assuming office, found the proceedings pending. We have only one anxiety, and that is to ascertain the truth. We do not object to furnishing the Court of Cessation with all the evil dence available, excepting the evidence | involving the national defense. Both the civil and the military courts are fully equipped to deal with the re- spective cases, and, as all desire to ar- rive at the truth, it will be reached. The Government asks the chamber to respect the independence of the law" l After an appeal from Millerand for postponement of the Picquart court martial, M. Dupuy. the Premier, de- clared that the Dreyfus affair must remain purely judicial, as the only means of reaching the truth, which may now be attained"
 Referring to the statements of M Poincare, M. Dupuy asked why that