The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-11-29
All Eyes Turn.
ed on Him.
THE COURT MARTIAL
The Desire for Postpone
ment is Denied.

to interpellate the government on the
/ PicQuart case.
NJ. Paul Deschanel, republican, an
nounced that he had received a
request to interpellate the government
regarding the Picquart proceedings
and the premier, NJ. Dupuy, proposed
an immediate discussion of the mat
ter
A radical deputy, NJ Bos, opened the
discussion. He said that while there
has been some honesty in the Dreyfus
prosecution, there had been nothing
but dishonesty in the PiCquart affair
These remarks caused an uproar.
NJ. Bos detailed the history of the Pic
quart persecution" recalling Col. Pic
quarts exile to the Tunis, and asked
the minister of war, NJ. De Freycinet,
why he had permitted a court martial
to be summoned for Dec. ?.
The deputy also accused Gen. Zurlin-
den, the military governor of Paris,
who, he said, had promised revision of
the case, with having broken his word.
This caused another uproar.
M. Bos concluded with insisting that
the government ought to postpone the
trial of Picquart by court martial the
charge against him being the disclos-
ing of the contents of certain military
documents to his counsel for legal pur-
poses, growing out of the Dreyfus case,
until the decision of the court of cassa-
ton in the revision of the Dreyfus trial
shall be made known.
This brought forth lively applause
from the majority of the deputies. M
Millerand, radical socialist. spoke in a
similar strain. He said it was abso-
lutely necessary to postpone the Pic
quart court martial in order to avoid
the scandalous contradictions, which
otherwise were likely to arise between
the verdicts of the court martial and
of the court of cessation.
The president of the chamber at this
stage of the proceedings, was frequent
ly obliged to intervene in order to quiet
the uproar.
NJ. Poincaire, republican, then made
an impassioned speech. during the
course of which he said it was not nee
essary to confound the army with
few imprudent men. The members Of
the court were above suspicion. but
the prosecution of Picquart savored of
reprisal. Col. Picquart's secret impris-
onment, NJ Poincare further said, was
beyond all precedent, and there We're
guilty parties who were enjoying scan
dalous immunity
There are other forgers besides Pic
quart who ought to be prosecuted.
These injustices will end by exasperat-
ing the nation.
M. Poincare, who was minister of
public instruction in 1885 SO, created a
sensation by adding: we We're at
tackled for the Dreyfus prosecution in
1894 but I learned of the Dreyfus af-
fair through the newspapers"
M. Barthou, who was minister Of pub
lie works in 1894 here INTERCEPTED Il
am ready to endorse the words of NJ
Poincare, which are true"
This called forth more applause and
EXPLANATIONS Of 1T is absurd, TT is
inconceivable
Thereupon NJ. Poincare added: "The
only proofs Of Dreyfus' outlines in 1894
consisted of the bordereau. No cabi-
net minister, nor even the president
of the council of ministers heard any
mention of the confessions Drayfus is
alleged to have made to Captain Le-
brun- Renault. When he was exam
ined by the president Of the council. he
did not mention the Dreyfus confess
sion.
This statement caused applause to
break forth from all parts of the house.
during which NJ Cavaignac tried to
speak, but was howled down, although
one deputy shouted Let us hear the
hero of the forgery
Silence has weighed heavily upon RE.
and I am now happy to have had the
opportunity to tell what l know of the
cases"
M. Cavaignac asserted that Capt.
Lebrun- Renault's evidence was given
to Gen. MERCER. His report exists.
he exclaimed, amid uproar and cries
OF date, date, but perhaps Capt.
Lebrun-Renault has since retracted his
admissions" (shouts of surprise) The
government on assuming office found
the proceedings pending. We have only
one anxiety, and that is ID ascertain
the truth We do not object to furnish
ing the court of cessation with all the
evidence available, excepting the evil
dence involving the national defense.
Both the civil and 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"
After another appeal from M Miller
ana Tor a postponement of the Picquart
court martial, M. Dupuy, the premier,
declared that the DreyfuS affair "nust
remain purely judicial, as the only
means of reaching the truth, which
may now be attained"
REFERRING to the statements of NJ
Poincare NJ. Dupuy asked why that
deputy had waited so long before as
tonishing the chamber with his revela-
ton. we decline to order a post
ponement Of the court martial" said
the premier, ito give such an order
even If we had the right, would be to
indicate the principle of separation of
public powers. 1t is not within the
province of parliament or the govern
ment to adjust the connection which
may exist between the Dreyfus and Pic
quart cases. Our intervention would
be calculated to hamper the work of
the court of cessation. We will re-
spect the decisions of the law We are
a government of law and refuse to Be
a government of arbitrary measures. y"
The order of the day approving the
statements of the government respect
ing the principle of separation Of Judi
cial and executive powers was then
adopted by vote of 437 to 70. In thu
Hobbies of the chamber NJ Dupuv's
speech was interpreted as an invitation
to the court of cessation to ask for inc
documents in the Picquart case, which
the government would Immediately
produce, thus indirectly yielding to =
postponement of the court martial.
which the government has refused to
grant under duress.
1t was also held that the premier had
admitted the right of the government
to intervene regarding Gen. Zurlinden's
action, but had only refrained from
fear that intervention would be misin-
! terpreted.