The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-13
The Attempt to Discredit the Court of
Cessation.

FUE|
A few days g the nti-Dreyfusites were
dlsorganized and almost desperate, in view
Of the prevalent belief that the Court Of
Cessation presently would pronounce iudg.
ment in favor OF DREYFUs. Even the plan
once entertained Of resorting to q couu
detnt for the purpose Of preventing the ex.
ecution Of the judgment seemed scarcely
practicable, because the enemies of DREY.
U lacked a conspicuous civilian leader,
and the conscience Of France recolled from
an undisguised collision between the army
and the civil power. Neither Prince VIC
TOR NAPOLEON, the head OF the Bonapartist
faction, nor the Duke OF ORLEANS, the can
didate of the Monarchists, could be put for
ward with any bright hope OF success, be-
cause their notorious vices, unrelieved by
any martial virtues. have rendered them
exceedingly unpopular. To-day the situa-
lion Is modified materially. A formidable
effort has been made to discredit in advance
the expected decision Of the highest tri-
bunal. and the ti-Dreyfusites have Sc
cured a civilian leader, who, being unidenti-
ied with Bonapartists or with Bourbonists,
may enable the supporters Of the army to
attain their end without provoking to We
hement resistance the friss1s 9 REPUBLICAN
Institutions.
1t Is a ~deplorable fact that a member ofthe
Court Of Cessation itself should have dealt
the stroke which may cut off from redemp-
HOn the victim OF an atrocious wrong. Only
blythe disclosure OF a serious division in the
court and the imputation Of a purpose I'M
duly to favor DREYFUs on the part of GER
tain Judges could the mass OF la~w-abiding
Frenchmen have been persuaded to withhold
respect from the judgment of their highest
tribunal and to connive at the practical
suppression Of judicial and civil authority
by military force. The exposure Of a serious
division OF opinion and tho imputation Of
an improper purpose have been made by a
distinguished member OF the very court
upon whose reputation for impartiality
and trustwOrthiness rests the whole fabric
of French justice. NJ. QUEsNAY DE BEAU
RRPAIRE, himself tho President OF the civil
section OF the Court Of Cessation, has re-
signed his Office on the express ground OF
Dissatisfaction with the proceedings Of the
criminal section OF that tribunal. which Isl
engaged in investigating the Dreyfus affair,
$500 49, ~ "''NS'7I hoo bi'Nh pioOl VI Dldo
by showing favors to PIcQUART, the prlnci-
pal witness called in DREYFUs's behalf.
1t is a dreadful responsibility which this
man has assumed, n it seems generally
TO be believed that, from motives OF per-
sonal ambition alone. NJ. QUEsNAY DE BEAU
REPAIRE has dealt an almost irreparable
blow at the confidence hitherto reposed by
Frenchmen In the decisions oftheir supreme
court OF sppeal. That all the members OF
the Court OF Cessation would be immune
from the violent race cumities which have
been excited by the DREYFUs case in Paris
and all over France of course was pre-
slmed by no ono familiar with the his
torical alterations Of judicial tribunals,
and, least of all, by Americans, who re-
rall how the judicial members of our Flee
toral Commission in 1877 were divided
on strict party lines. But a difference OF
opinion unavowed or ayowed on the part
OF Judges Is one thing for one Judge to
resign his otice on the preteAt that his
colleagues arc guilty OF improper conduct. |
and, therefore, unworthy of confidence, Is
an unprecedented incident, and one which
those Freedmen who have wished to up |