New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-10
CTVyT JTSTICF ~ FRANCE.

,.o,,.o soons to no finding herself. For 4
time she was all hut lost in wilderness ID a."
horrcnt pa ssions. Justice was ignored Inc ~
,lhllr was defed and condemned. Ha're" VI
,acc and creed and mad love of mi'aflSh "ci'
.rpremc. The right Of the civil government ~
ovor,l,le or revise or in the least degree 10 can
into question the dongs OF marital 'ripun"'S.
was sirenuollsy denied. and those WIZ" aSSe''o''
I; were branded rs traitors anu thrra'en'" WIN
DEATH From That orgy the republic IS fcoo'V'
inc The Court Of Cessation Is asserting ''S ~"
thoritv even over the Sacr0sanct cour'S-''' '''''
\ little time ago the Military Governor oil '"''>
ordered the trial of Colonel Picquart by court
martial The palpabla purpose was 10 pun anu
Enon that brave and truthful officer out OF the
way. so that he could not testify IN the revision
of the Drevfus case which is now IN progress
Now the Court Of Cessation replies 10 mat pre-
.,,nntuous act by slsmmarily ordering the court
martial TO suspend It's operations ami let the
Court of Cessation have the witness II desires.
fcv weeks ago such IN order would nave
n,odo q military revolt against the repupnc
nnrIously probable There would have been Il
,iot in the chamber Of Deputies and perhaps
Ministerial crisis To-day it is regarded with
COMMUNITY and with not little approval, 50
n,uch has the temper OF the French people
changed Tho army has quit its clustering, the
mob has ceased to rave and sane view OF al
fairs is being generally taken. II now seems
,roboh that the Court Of Cessation will com
,,cte its work without disturbance. and will do
careful and exact justice. and that the nation
will acouiesce in its decision. The difference
between tho France of to-day and the France or
tho Zola trial is wide as the world. The one
was a mob; the othc" is nation.
l., i q most inspiring spectacle. justifying the
faith we have had in France even when she was
least worthy of herself ImpulSve and passion
ME 10 a degree hardly Understandable by cooler
hoodod people. the French now and then leap
10 the very verge of ruin. But they never 60
quite over. The reaction comes in time. And
when it comes. lot it be not forgotten. amends
ore made with zeal at least equal to that which
marked the misconduct. II would be best no
doubt for tho pendulum to stop swinging and
hang mOtionlcss at centre. But that Is not pos
siblp. neither in France nor elsewhere. SO ii Is
cause for gratcfuness that If il swings some
times far 10 the wrong it swings also with equal
force as far to the right. And 10 the right II Is
swinging to-day.
We have hitherto said that the question or
Dreyfuss guilt or innocence Is minor one.
That remains exactly true. What Is OF para
mount importance Is that his guilt or innocence
shall be Justly determined. and that the civil
government shall be vindicatcd in its supremacy
over the military. These latter ends are what
are now being attained. Indeed. one Of them IS
attained in this very action Of the Court of Cas-
saton to which we have referred. If a civil tri-
bunal can override and stop at will the proceed
ings of n military court there Is no military des-
potism. and France is still civil republic