The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-02-16

An American View of the Remarkable
Dreyfus Case.

DreNfus case
Editor Of The Times:
/ Sir,-At this time of great and asiiating
/ questions IA every part Of the globe. there
| Is nothing that so universally enbases the
attention OF the civilized world to-day as
the trial Of ~ lola, now In progress at
! Paris The interest centres first on the
( Importance Of the cause. which Hola has
| cspouscd. but no less arc the eyes Of the
| world rveted on the grand. fearless
| knight himself. who has forced into the
lists q his opponents, the highest person
ages OF the proud despOuc republic OF
France. By a course that knows no pre-
! cedent, he has denod a government; has
thoWn into the faces of its FIRST officers
| the charges of bribery Injustice and IN
| competency and then offers himself ready
10 defend these accusations by becoming
a prisoner az the bar.
With the very law itself arrayed against
him me uuninchingly constitutes himself
ITS accuscr. and its own agents the tra-
ducers Such ia the spectacle now pre-
sented by the case that might read lola
versus France. and however much opln-
ions may differ as TO the innocence or
guilt Of Dreyfus. the intrepdity and sim
couty Of his champion must command
the respect-nay reycrencc-0f every en-
lishtened man.
NO tDNNlLlNN sue as Lillr case lfi"nNlA'
could possibly come 10 pass in our country,
and IL is hard for Americans 20 fully APP
precate the terrible curse and infamy 20
which Captain Dreyfus has been sub
iectod. If guilty. as charged, OF treason
% France. he deserved degradation Of
rank I'm the army. life Imprisonment or
even death; but confinement ON a lonely
island, with venOmous reptiles. vile in
scots and a disease breeding atmosphere
OF the most putrid type, as his sole COM
paniOns; allowed intercourse with no liv-
Ing soul, DO aid for a fallen man or a
distressed family is a punishment that,
If merited by the Nervousness Of his
crime would 40 least warrant an in
vestigation and open trial. such as the So
called republic Of France has most tyrani-
callv refused.
The blood chills NJ the mere thought
OF an error a misunderstanding In n case
so critical and yet there are open charges
Of conspiracy and intentional misiudg-
ment Haunted IN the very teeth OF the
chief magistrate OF the land. Is it pos
sible the French people can witness this
stain upon their civilizatOn-their very
manho0d-and not move heaven and earth
% give this man a chance for vindca-
ton that his faithful wife and friends
asosrt can so easily be done without COM
promising the armFs secrctsf
is the declining day Of the nineteenth
century 20 record q return OF the methods
of the iuQuisition: TO darken IT'S fair pages
by dospotism and cruelty. besides which
even the barbariasm Of Nero palcs with
out a giant effort 20 Justify II. Is there
a possible result so disastrous. even so far
as the peace of nation may be concern
cd that. as Shakespeare says. lis so
far before that the swiftest wing Of re-
cOmpcnse cannot Overtakc IT," II the In
rOcence Of this man can be established?
And yet with a cod. merciless eye, a voice
devoid OF all emotion. do these mobiles of
free land plead professional secrecy
when asked 10 Justify the most terrible
punishment meted 90 human being IN
modern times. This unwilingness 10 tes-
tify. 20 palliata the curse put upon him,
hy q proof of his guilt. can but con-
vince unprojudiced minds that the evil
dorce now in hand IS incomplete. and
that reasons for Zola's charges Of In
justice and conspiracy are based on some
thing more tangible than enthusiasm and
sentiment a dark unwholesome suspi-
cion attaches Itself TO this seemingly
ineXcusabie reticcnce on the part Of Drey-
fus' judges-a suspicion 50 revolving thar
tho ordinary mind would dlsdain 20 en-
tortain 70 on its first impulse, but so ln-
c0ntr0vertible has link after link OF doubt
established itself that the chain now
formed Expresses our finer sensibilities
weight q crushing weight that must soon
be condOned or avenged. Can one picture
the dreary scene in the nursery Of the
Dreyfus home as the brave .sorrowful little
wife turns aside with fearful eyes from
the oft-repeat ted queries about papa
and his return-as she eXhausts story
after story OF delay and mishap TO keep Ia
ignorance as long as possible the inno-
cent babes Of their fathers fate. without
a violent protest against his mysterious
secret judgement?
Does not the anguish OF this storm
tossed soul appeal 10 the most callous.
as tho day approaches when her children.
and his shall know that on their parents
breast Is n letter more scarlet than the
very fire Of hell and that. by the bitter
irony OF Fate disgrace and infamy shall
be their heritage?
Though pitted against him are all the
powers that be" reinforced. as Emile
lola s by the strong commanding voice
Of justice. and the piteous appealing cry
Of Humanity his may yet be the noble
mission to reclaim I'm the iudgment Of the
world. a nation that has blotted ifs es-
cutcheon with a deed darker than the al
legged crime Of its victim.
And when a fair. untrammeled trial
has been held. America will join In con-
demning Dreyfns n proven 20 he euilty |
and In consiging 20 martvrdom II the
tool or scapegoat OF a criminal ministry. |
5. VI. BLOCK.
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