The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1899-09-22
CAUSES FEELING OF RELIEF.
Pardon of Dreyfus Seems to
Satisfy Both His Friends
and His Enemies.
IS NOT YET LIBERATED.
May Be Set Free and Removed From
France Before the Official An.
nouncement of Pardon.


neneved That by Granting the Par
y don France Has Passed a Grave
Crisis That Threatened the Nation.
Exile of DEVILS Island no Longer
Attached to the Army.
Paris, Sept. 21.-It Is stated here On
excellent authority that Capt. Alfred
Dreyfus has alleady been released and
has left Rennes.
Paris, Sept. 21.-The Cabinet, after
short discussion of the case, decided
in principle to pardon Captain Alfred
DreyfuS, but no official announcement
of tue pardon was made. The papers
will not be officially signed and issued
for several days, as certain formalities
must be observed. 1t is said that Can.
tain Dreyfus will be secretly liberated
and removed from France before the
official announcement of his pardon is
made. Big crowds are thronging the
boulevardS discussing the pardon and
its probable effects.
Many conflicting reports are afloat.
One wild story has it that President
Loubet signed the pardon Monday,
and that Dreyfus has already passed
beyond the frontier. The report, wild
as 1t is, is considered seriously by
many There has been absolutely no
disorder. While Dreyfus has been
pardoned, he has not been vindicated.
and will simply he freed from prison.
The plans of Dreyfus and his friends
daRnifnlxv -
lieved he will go to England and live
quietly until he can recruit his former
strength.
The decision of the Government to
pardon Dreyfus was reached some
days ago after consultation with his
family at Rennes, who have consented
to withdraw the appeal from the ver-
dict of the court-martlai. For long
while his family and friends were un-
willing to accept pardon on these
conditions, but were finally persuaded
that nothing else was possible at pres.
ent and that freedom was necessary
to save the martyrs life.
Anti-Dreyfustes are satisfied with
the pardon, accepting It aS the best
way out of dangerous complications.
The feeling of relief is general. No
matter what measures the family may
take to rchabilitate the good name of
the exile of Devils Island, it is felt
that France has passed n grave crisis
that threatened the nation itself
With Dreyfus free, the campaign for
rindication will not again arouse the
storm of Indignation caused by his
| Imprisonment. Foreign nations, too,
! will be less inclined to condemn the
/ French people for injustice; hence the
press as rule pronounces the pardon
the safest course. What will be done
with MERCER, Gonse and Roget for
their continued persecution of Dreyfus
is the chief problem of the future.
Their power for evil. however, has
been curbed by the exposures of the
coUrt-martial, and no one now believes
they could persuade the army to re-
volt If they should try it.
! The pardon is not an eXoneration.
It is more an act of mercy. The ver-
dict of the court-martial against Drey-
fus is not nullified and the stigma of
guilt still rests upon him. He is simp-
/ ly made a free man. as one who has
/ suffered enough punishment. He is
4 no longer attached to the army, it is
/ inferred, as the act of degradation is
not abrogated in the pardon.