The record-union., 1898-09-02


new phases of the Dreyfus affair. No
body knows what to make of it. Those
who are convinced of Colonel Henry's
guilt insist that his confession does not
alter it; on the other hand, the Dreyfus
supporters declare that revision OF
his trial is now inevitable. In all quar-
ters there is an air of hesitancy. The
affair has become a sort Of nightmare.
People can no longer talk about it
calmly. Upon one thing, however,
Frenchmen of all shades of opinion are
united-that Colonel Henry's rascality
does not necessarily either incriminate
the general staff or acquit Dreyfus.
What, however, it does do is to show
that the affair needs a far more search
ing probing than it has yet received.
Colonel Henry was a man who had
risen from the ranks. He was said to
be the very type of on-commissioned
officer. This, according to French ideas.
means a man who is disciplinarian first,
last and all the time. His eXcusers say
he thought it his duty to bring the
Dreyfus agitation to an end and that
he accordingly falsificated the docu-
ment to convince his chief that Dreyfus
was indeed the individual spoken of in
the letters and so forth, upon which
that officer was convicted. What makes
the matter worse was that the chief
was to have examined the original doc
uments. If these were found INSULT
cient to convince them of Dreyfus' Gull
pability, a revision would seem to be
the only thing possible.
But for the heads of the War Office
to have allowed themselves to be led
into pledging their honor that Dreyfus
was guilty on the strength Of a docu-
ment they had not even examined
closely, seems inexplicable.
The serious papers are naturally
enough reserved in their comments.
The Temps" says: I'VE will not
dwell upon the painful matter. There
is something in it that will prevent the
friends Of truth from asserting that
some cloud intercepting light should
have been dispersed in an ac-
cusation of forgery. They can
only repeat that in spite of
all the army remains intact in our
respect and affection. The morn Of
the day that Dreyfus was arrested
upon the accusation Of betraying his
country, France, although believing
him guilty, found consolation in the
reflection that original faults did not
attack the entire body This thought.
natural of ten years ago, is still valid
! to-day"
The Temps then reviews M. Cav
aignac's previous utterances. The
present War Minister said no consid-
Grafton for the national safety could
induce him to maintain an innocent
man in prison. Naturally, therefore,
the moment he finds that one Of the
most important documents, or rather
the most decisive of all, is a forgery,
he takes the only step possible, that is
to say, gives orders to arrest the
| forger.
rs this ALP" asks the Temps" ="
Now we are only upon the threshold
of the truth. We are holding the end
of the thread that should guide us
through the labyrinth into which the
country has been lost. We have
everything to gain in returning on
that dark night. The hour seems at
hand when the nightmare Will come
to an end. Onward toward that
longed-for moment"
The Journal Des Debats" believes
the revision of Dreyfus' trial an abso-
lutte necessity. Taken separately,
Colonel Henry's forgery does not prove
Dreyfus' innocence. Still" says the
Journal Des Debats," the fact that
| one of the documents relating to the
affair shows that a forgery had been
| committed to prove after the trial the
| guilt Of the condemned man is mat
! ter Of such gravity that it must nee
essarily provoke serious reflection and
call for the most minute examination
of the other documents on which the
accusation against Dreyfus was built,
and of the proofs produced openly or
secretly in the trial"
AS to the minor papers, they are
either jubilant or vindictive, just as
they happen to be for or against Drey-
/ fus.
The Journal" which is Drey-
fus. says: "Of the former officers guilt
which was more than ever proved dur
| ing the scrutiny of the evidence by the
Minister. was wherein the forgery was
discovered This, however, is the
! assertion. not proof.
The "Patri'' makes the following de-
claration that the discovery Of this for
gerry is proof that the other documents
/
| The Paris" in it's last edition says
that the Ministry Of War officials are
| convinced that the forgery was com
mitted at the instigation of Command
ant Du Patty de Clam, who was the OBJ
iect of a special attack on Zola for nj:
| "Melodramatic" antics with Dreyfu:
when that officer was imprisoned
awaiting trial Colonel Du Clam, ac
cording to the Paris" is looked upol
as mad by his colleagues, curious
recommendation for man charged
with such a grave duty as the inves
tigation of evidence brought against
prisoner charged with treason.
The "Lanterne" says that the maj
who pursued Picquart with his test1
mony from the AssiZe Court to tn
Cabinet of the Judge d'Instruction is
miserable forger who has not hesitatet
to commit a crime in order to furthe
some tortuous schemes Of the genera
staff.
The Petit Republique" says: Th
confession of the forger Henry open
up the donouement Of the tragedy witt
which France has been fighting 10
wears in darkness
Fifty-Second Iowa Volunteers.