The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1899-01-13
CRISIS IN DRiYF1} Case.
PRESIDENT OF THE COURT OF
CASsATION RESIGNS.
FRANCE NOW HAS A new LEADER.
Tho Present Regime Ia Doomed and tho
Republic Is In Groat
Danger.

A Paris special says: The Dreyfus
affair has now entered one of it's bit
terest chapters. Accusations, vitupera-
tions and threats are raging in the
cafes and among the scores of boule.
ward sheets, many Of which have found
their sole reason for existence for
months past. in the unhappy strife
they foment.
NJ. Quesnay Beaurepaire, president
of section Of the court of cessation,
resigned his position in consequence
of disagreement regarding the Drey-
fus inquiry. The Echo de Paris pub
fishes n statement by NJ. Beaurepaire
of the reason for his resignation of the
presidency of the civil section of the
court of cessation.
In long document, he virtually
protests against what he suggests is a
conspiracy on the part of the court of
cessation to exonerate Dreyfus. But
he practically admits his partiality by
declaring that his resignation was in
tended to avenge the army and its
generals for the sufferings they have
had to endure in silence.
1t is regarded by impartial observ-
ors as the most dangerous factor to
the institutions of the republic the
affair has yet developed that the presi-
dent of the chambers of the court of
cessation should assume the role of
leader of the agitation against the
tribunal, declaring that sixteen of his
colleagues are conspiring to defeat
the ends of justice.
The method he employs of appeal
ing to the populace through the news
papers in the eyes of the most con-
servative aggrivates his course by it's
lack of dignity.
1t is evident that he, believing that
the court of cessation will decide in
favor of Drcyfus, intends to divest the
decision of all weight by impeaching
its fairness in advance, and he seems
likely to succeed, so far as the anti
DreyfusardS, many of whom have hith-
erto respected the court, but are only
eager to find excuses for discredit-
ing it.
The opinion is gaining ground that
the opponents of the republic may
find in this man, NJ. Quesnay de
Beaurepairc, leader, the lack of
which hitherto has been the chief
guarantee of the continuance of the
present regime.
NJ. Beaurepaire contributes to the
papers another rhetorical denunciation
of the court of cessation. He exhorts
the government to take the Dreyfus
case from the hands of the criminal
chamber and to entrust it to the forty
nine magistrates composing the whole
court Or to five Of the Oldest justices.
He appeals to the Dreyfusards in the
following language:
Repudiate NJ. LOew and the others
who serve You too well not to serve
you badly. Accept instead magistrates
without preconceived opinions, men
who are honest and slaves Of the law.
The gist Of NJ de Beaurepaire's
charges is that NJ. Bard and NJ. Leow
conferred with Colonel Picquart pri-
vately in an ante-room and also in
structed the clerk of the court to ex-
press him the courts regret at having
kept him waiting and being unable to
hear him that day, which the clerk
refused to DO, requesting messenger
to take Col. Picquart glass of wine.
The Mutin asserts that when General
Billot, former minister of war, was be-
fore the court, drink was offered him
also. TO such trihes has the strife
descended. The papers heatedly affirm
and deny the statements as to Billot,
who has been appealed to to settle the
matter, bnt he refuses to speak.
IT is believed that only fifteen judges
in the whole court have Dreyfus lean
ings, so that the hearing thus far is to
the advantage of the antiDreyfusards.
The discussion of the affair in the
chamber of deputies elected the usual
cries of "Niye lnrmec," and "Abas
Dreyfus,