The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1898-12-01
ACHANCE FOR PICQUAR7
His Court Martial Now Likely to
Be Postponed,
THOUGH THEcHANBEg VOTED NO

ThOU0H THE VOTED NO
Documents Formerly Denied the Court
OF Cassation VIII BE Turned Over by
the Government on the Demand Of
tho Court.
Paris. Nov. 29.-The minister OF war,
M. De Freycinet. in the chamber OF
deputies yesterday. refused to inter-
vene in the Picouart affair. and the
house approved the governments dec
laration. regarding the separation Of
military and civil powers. by q vote OF
%37 to 70. During the debate the presl-
dent Of the chamber was frequently
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 It was not necessary to
confound the army with a few I'M
prudent men. While the members of
the court martial were above suspicion.
the prosecution Of Picquart savored Of
reprisal. Colonel Picquarts secret i'm
prisonment. M. Poincare further as
serted. was beyond all precedent. and
there were guilty persons. he claimed
who were enjoying scandalous i'm
munitX
M. Poincare, who was minister Of
public instruction In lS93-95, created a
sensation by adding:
I'VE were attacked for the Dreyfus
prosecution In 1894. but learned Of the
Dreyfus affair through the newspa-
pers."
NJ. Barthou. who was minister Of
public works in 1894. here interjected: {:
Il am ready to indorse the words Of
NJ. Poincare, which are true"
This called forth more applause and
exclamations Of "it Is absurd" ''it Is
inconceivable." Thereupon N. Poin-
care added:
THE only proof of Dreyfus' guilt In
1894 consisted OF the bordareau. No
cabinet minister, nor even the presi-
dent OF the council OF ministers. heard
any mention OF the confessions Dreyfus
is alleged TO have made to Captain
Lebrun- -Renault."
NJ. Cassagnac. the former minister Of
war. said:
General Mercier secured these con-
fessons."
General Mercier was minister OF war
at the time OF the Dreyfus trial
NJ. Poincare continued: Captain
Lebrun-Renault. when he was examin-
ed by the president OF the council. did
not mention the Dreyfus confession"
NJ. Poincare concluded by saying:
"Silence has weighed heavily upon
me. and I am now happy to have had
the opportunity to tell what know Of
the case"
N. De Freycinet said The gov
ernment. on assuming Office. found the
proceedings pending. We have only
one anxiety. and that Is 10 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"
After another appeal from NJ. Miller
and for postponement OF the Pic
quart court martial. NJ, Dupuy. the
premier, declared that the Dreyfus af-
fair must remain purely judicial. as
the only means OF reaching the truth.
which may now be attained"
We decline to order a postponement
OF the court martial" said the premier.
To give such an order even II we
had the right. would be TO strike a
blow at the principle OF separation OF
the public powers. II Is not within the
province Of parliament or the govern
ment to adjust the connection which
may exist between the Dreyfus and
Picquart cases. Our intervention
would be calculated TO hamper the
work OF the court Of cessation. We
will respect the decisions OF the law.
We are a government OF law, and re-
fuse TO be a government OF arbitrary
measure
The order OF the day. approving the
OF the government respect
ing the principle OF the separation OF
the judicial and executive powers. was
then adopted by a vote OF 437 to 7S.
In the lobbies OF the chamber Mr..
Dupuy's speech was interpreted as an
invitation to the court OF cessation TO
ask for the production OF the petit
bleu and other documents in the Pic
quart case. which the government
would Immediately produce. thus lndl-
rectly leading to a postponement OF the
court martial. which the government
has refused to grant under duress.
The vote in the chamber enables the
anti t-Dreyfusites TO sing a song Of vic
tory. since the Dreyfusite demand was
FOR the government to order the Pic
quart court martial postponed.
Nevertheless, the whole debate serv-
ID to advance the cause OF Drsytus NJ.
Dupuy's speech is admitted on all
hands TO have been masterpiece OF
He did not deny that
The government had power TO inter-
iene with General Zurlinden. but ex-
ilained that II would be better for the
'ourt OF cessation to do so.
Perhaps the most significant feature
u the debate after NJ. Poincare'S reye-
atious, which served TO draw even
loser the bonds OF suspicion surround
ng General Mercier. is the changing
attitude OF the chamber toward NJ
'avaigrac. The latter's speech before
he period OF the Henry suicide was ac-
epted and placarded throughout the
ountry as proof OF the guilt OF Drey-
us. Now he Is received with the howls
4 the deputies when ne attempts to