The Indianapolis journal., 1898-09-04
MINISTER OF WAR RESIGNS.
Taken to Mean u Revision of tn
Dreyfus Case.


PARIS, Sept. An. Cavaignac, minister of
war. has resigned. The resignation is due
to disagreement with his colleagues, who
desire revision of the Dreyfus case; thus
a revision of the case seems assured.
NJ. Cavaignac sent the following letter of
resignation to M. Brisson, premier and
president of the council II have the honor
to send you and beg you to transmit to the
President of the Republic my resignation as
minister of war. There exists a disagree
ment between US. which, being prolonged,
would parayze the government at time
when it most needs full unity of decision
l remain convinced of the guilt of Dreyfus
and as deeermined as heretofore to combat
a revision of the case. / do not intend to
shirk the responsibilities of the present sit
uation, but cannot assume them without
being in accord with the chief of the gov
ernment, to which l have the honor to be-
long,
These are the circumstances which led NJ
Cavaignac to resign: After the discovery
of Lieutenant Colonel Henry's forgery the
government sought means to reassure the
public The question of revision was
broached. Certain ministers believed the
time had come to throw full light and to
establish every responsibility. M. Cavaignac
strongly objected. He declared that he was
convinced of the guilt of Dreyfus. M. Bris-
son vainly pointed out to M. Cavaignac
that the revision would be purely judicial
NJ Cavaignac replied that revision could
only be justified if some new fact were de-
veloped to show there had been judicial
error, and that no such fact existed,
Henry's forgery being subsequent to the
conviction of Dreyfus, and only indirectly
connected with it.
NJ Bourgeois, recalled from Switzerland,
made a new effort, but NJ. Cavaignac still
refused. The latter then saw M. Brisson,
the premier and declared that his deter
mination was immovable, and that he
would resign.
After NJ. Cavaignacs departure confer
ence was held at the ministry of the in
terror between NM Brisson, Bourgeois and
Sarrien. About o'clock M. Cavaignac' S
letter of resignation was received.
1t is assumed that majority of the Cab
met accept the views of NJ. Brisson, as the
other ministers retain their portfolios. The
resignation of M. Cavaignac enables the
government to decide the matter, and it is
believed that M. Cavaignac's successor at
the War Office will soon be appointed and a
definitive resolution taken.
The Drcyfus agitation is not abating The
populace was again innamed to-day by
posters printed by the Steele. with which
the town has been plastered They repro
duce two letters which Dreyfus wrote to
the minister for war in 1894 and one which
he wrote to his counsel, NJ. De Mango in
1895, protesting his innocence and denying
that he had ever even been guilty of indis-
cretion. The posters also call attention to
the fact that Colonel Picquart wrote on
July 0 affirming the falsity of Lieutenant
Colonel Henry's document and they de-
nounce the arrest and Imprisonment of Col.
Picquart.
The Figaro to-day, referring to the lat
est developments in the Dreyfus case. says:
Brisson, president of the council and min
lister of the interior, Cavaignac, minister
for war, and Sarrien, minister for justice,
did not result in any solution of the prob
lem. The ministers are of the opinion that
the government will not take the initiative
in the matter of revision of the Dreyfus
case, but will wait until the meeting of the
chambers unless Madame Dreyfus presents
demand in legal FORM
The Matin says: NM. Brisson and Sar-
rien are inclined to revision on the ground
that in the opinion of high legal officers of
the Ministry OF Justice Lieutenant Colonel
Henry's forgery forms new point in the
criminal code While the question is not
decided it is hoped that NM. Brisson and
Cavaignac will come to an agreement"
The Gaulois demands the intervention of
President Faure