New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-07
THE COURT AT RENNES.

The second trial Of Captain Drcyfus begins
today at Rennes. All the civilized world will
for the next few days or weeks have eyes cen
tired on that little provincial town. All the
world has come to look for one result, and it's
interest Is in seeing how that result shall be
obtained and in watching eagerly for Captain
Dreyfus TO be restored To freedom and for the
final overthrow OF the conspirators who 50
wronged him and so dsgraced France. Hatred
and blind struggle against retrlbution may force
Dreyfus still 10 make serious fight TO over
throw his false accusers. but even the accuSers
appear 10 realize that their case is an utter
ruin, and their resistance seems only TO indi-
cate that they prefer TO die in the last ditch
rather than surrender TO truth, and that per
haps they are hoping that some chance may
Intervene to save them from the fate they have
courted and deserve. The courage and honesty
Of the Minister Of War promise TO put an end
TO all the portentous mystery and Irrelevant
accusation that have hitherto made the various
court proceedings IN this case such travesties
of justice. There are TO be no more oratiops
from swashbuckling generals no more assur-
ances of guilt on the honor Of soldier whose
proofs are military secrets too sacred for the
judicial ear or for the prisoner to know and
cordng TO civilized rule OF Justice. not nv q
pody OF prosecutors who were a court only In
name. The result generally foreseen promises
S'li 1urther TO discredt methods Of criminal
judgment which accepted lies and forgeres
without putting them 10 any test.
u Next In importance to justice for Dreyfus
Vhimseir' perhaps even more important than
justice for Dreyfus. Is the establishment Of n
right conception Of judicial functions in the
French mind. OF course Dreyfus personally Is
the centre of interest and sympathy. He Is the
victim OF a great wrong, to he rghted as far
as man can right it, The ultimate conse-
quences OF the trial do not appeal to the heart
or humanity as does the fate Of this one man.
his suffering, his dishOnor, his recompense Yet
we may hope this Is one Of the turning polnts
In history which the future shall look back
upon for the meaning of this case in the de-
velopment of civilization and regard the man
and his wrongs almost ds an incident II IL
so with many another personal tragedy. What
was the case OF the monk Martin Luther and
might perhaps with tact have been settled rs
such, became religious reformation. The per-
sonal status Of bred Scott as an individual
negro-one among miOns-interested few peo-
pie, but his case was an epoch making one.
So too, when Captain Dreyfus personally
ceases to excite sympathy or resentment we
may find that a great reform in French turs.
prudence has resulted from the revelation OF
It's old iniqultes.
II almost passes comprehension that a great
progressive country like France should have
tolerated a judicial system In which passion
prejudice gossip and nslnuatOn have as much
weight as they might be expected TO have had
in witch trial Of the Middle Ages Stranger
still, II is not a relic Of the Middle Ages. In
doing away with the old monarchic codes and
freeing themselves from the trammels Of lega
tradition the French forgot the safeguards al
well as the oppression Of the old system. ant
permitted themselves 10 be Judged with IL,
rules of evidence They have seen the conse
quence In the grotesque travestles OF justice
in the various proceedings to secure revision
Of the Dreyfus sentence. Perhaps they hav,
seen enough. II so, we may hope for devel
opment Of French law which will bring * more
nearly abreast Of the times. The proceeding
at Rennes IL worth close attention for what
may be in all its details of profound Interest