Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-01-13
LATEST pREyrus AGITATION.

In many respects the latest Is Dy lar
che most disgraceful phase OF the Ivy i"@
,seue From every viewpoint IL II Dy Ia.
A. most discouraging 10 the flehuS Vi
.,,o Erench republic. and 10 those VINO
nave so tenaciously held to the oohv''''o''
that at bottom there was sim IN I""'o
a sense of right justice, reason anu pa
,riotism. and regard for the opinion ol 'he
,,.or1d that would finally vndicate ma
,,oo.1 honor and demonstrate that the
,,oorlo were capable of sel-governmenl
%, che developments i'm the whole mise
,ahio Drevfus business have been progress
,iye as tending to prove that 'hiS co"V'0
lion was unwarranted. and as casIl"s
,d,um on the republic and the fre"'h
character. 1t was bad enough disgrace
ful enough that Dreyfus. under slor-
chamber proceeding and upon the tesu-
nonv alleged 10 have been adduced'
sho,ld hive been condemned TO fate TO
s,bich death would have been Infinitely
preferable. IT was worse that Iola shou'u
have been forced Into exile because ne
sought TO right a damnable wrong against
nm individual and remove ioul STAN
from the national name. And IN both
eases the crime against justice was com
pouuded In the means that were resorted
10 in order to stir up pubic feeling in
support of the outrages. The cry against
Drevfus's race was raised, and great
stress was laid on the necessity OF pre-
terving the honor Of the army, which save
the mark, has sunk lower into the depths
Of dshonor with every new turn of the
issue.
Following the conviction of lola and
his exile. Colonel Picauart was sent to
prison for Daring TO espouse the cause of
right and Justice. Then the matter got
snto the legislative body Of France, where
Il was proved that Dreyfus was convicted
On forged testimony of selling military
secrets to another Power And the legis
iative chapter in the history Of the case
was no less disgraceful than were the
riots that have been excited and the sham
sStsls of the victims. For the most par
Craftsmanship, true manhood, and all re
gard for decency were thrown to the
winds and the world was treated to q
bear-garden performance. But the crown
ing shame, and the most disheartennl
feature OF the affair We're to come. Their,
were I'm Che French Government "a few
men who had the courage and the patriot
ism to rise TO the height of the argument
and these succeeded IN having the matter
carried to the Court of Cessation. Tha
court is the gravest the most independ
ent, and the most authoritative tribuna
OF the land II answers TO the Suprem,
Court OF the United States, and as W,
understand It. membership is for life
When the case went TO the Court Of Cas-
satlon, and the court. in a preliminar!
decision. indicated that il would be
tribunal Of justice and nothing else, thos
French republic and the French peopl
took heart. And for time it SCENE
that they were justified in their OF
timism. 1t appeared that at least on
department of the governmental structur
was free from the influence Of the mac
ding crowd. Moreover, 1t seemed tha
the tribunal had and was likely TO hol
the reverence OF the populace. for thei
was a marked lun in the excitement.
Alas. however this was but the cal
before the storm. II now turns out III
at least one of the members of the cou
has been inoculated with the virus
partisanship and If his charges are tru
other members are similarly afflicted.
dc Beaurepaire, president of the civil Sc
ton, has resigned. has made an appeal Il
the leadership OF the anti-Dreyfusard
and practically alleges that the MAORI
OF the chamber, or division of the trib
nal having the case in hand are par
sans Of Dreyius. lie also alleges mo
4, disreputable conduct on the part Of sor
OF the members OF the court in the ms
Ter of tampering with witnesses. 4
though NJ. de Beaurepare is known 10
a sensationalist. and be his charges new
80 false. he has started crusade again
the court which portcnds a revolutiC
rather than that justice should trlumy
IL he charges are true all depar,mer
of the French Government are equa
rotten. and we have but another evider
that the only hope OF reform lies I'm
q iron hand. II they are not true, and
new agitation runs 10 what appears 20
its logical consummation. the necess
for the iron hand seems, none the le
clear. In short II the Court II csssatl