New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-09-22
CLOSING THE DRETFCS CASE.

The Dreyfus case. then, IS definitely ciose"
That is the purport of the address maze yes
terday by the French Minister or Nar u '''
commanders Of the army. We nave near" Wv
declaration before from other authorizes. 90
through the Zola trial and the long oa''.e ~,
revision the chose jugee' was as mucn he"'u
of ms the "hordereau" or the yelled lhu9 -
any other item I'm the case. Over ana over asain
we were told that the incident was closeu' ~
could not be reopened. A judgment OF flen0n
court martial was like the laws or the Nieuo'
and Perslans II was upon that grounu 'n"' 'Ho
notorious scenes Of the Zola trial were ennC'o+
and stubborn opposition was made 10 u Ie'Is'o"
Of the verdict Of 1894, which Is now Juulc'uiiy
declared To have been unjust. Yet III sPi'e "a
all that clamor about the chose Jueee 'no
case was reopened A material modlncauon VI
the original verdict was effected fechhcaii',
while morally il was altogether dlscreulieu' ai'
finally the victim OF five years or ln)usuce unu
nersecution has been released and pardoneu'
In view Of that. one might ask whether tnls
latest proclamation Of the closed incident Is
any more dchntive than its predecessors
10 such questioning the answer must seem
inrlv be i'm the affirmative. II may be ol
courso. that in spite Of the Minister'S address
u,hich Doubtless declares the wish and the VIII
"
~ tho entire Government the agitation VIII
he continued The friends Of Captain Dreyius
,,ov nross for revision Of the RenncS verdict
bv tho Court of Cessation. Whether they VIII
bo successful is another matter. "ener""S
enooling the Court of Cessation has no au-
thoritv 10 revise military judgments upon army
ot,icnrs II cannot do so except in a case IN
which new evidence in favor of the prisoner
hos hoon found such evidence was discovered
when tho former appeal TO that court was
made and upon the strength of II revision ny
the Rcnncs court martial was ordered. II is
not vet apparent that any more can be brought
forward at this time The only new evidence
ir existence IS. probably. in the hands or the
German Government and there II will probably
remain until Germany can use II LOT her OWL
advantage. The German Emperor is not likely
10 risk being disbceved second TINE d!
French court martial Doubtless enough new
evidence in Captain Dreyfuss favor was hlu
before the Rennes court assure his acquittal
had that been a court of real justice But tne
fact that that court gave verdict contrary 10
the evidence IS something with which the Court
Of Cessation has nothing to do. However
earnestly we may desire the legal as we'll az
moral vindication of Captain Dreyfus. there
fore We must confess that tne chances or Cd
tanning II by appeal to the Court Of Cessation
ore few and small And If the Government IS
opposed 10 such an appeal they Will be reduced
practically 10 none at all.
But we have said that this declaration or the
"chose iugee" Is TO be deemed more dehntive
than lis predecessors. That is because OF the
sunerior authority Of the maker OF IT, The
MARQUIS de- Galfet IS 10 he differentiated from
any mere functionary Of the General staff. lie
possesses not only official authority but IN
challenged integrity. impartaty of judgment
devotion to Justice love of Fatherland and
the full courage Of his convictions. In his hands
the welfare Of the republic and the honor OF the
army are both secure And however much the
rest Of the world may regret the implication in
his address that no further steps are 10 he
taken for the vindication of Captain Dreyfus
and the punishment Of the conspirators against
him. there Is no room for doubling that his de-
cislon TO that effect has been dictated by the
loftiest motives and by a sincere ambition 10 do
the best for France