New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-06-25
RENNES.
,,,r, .,,ctrv1, BRETON CAPITAL WHERE
DREYFUs WILL BE RETIRED
UorBEp OF BIGoTRY, ANTI-sEMiIlSM Al"
ANTI REPUBLICANIsM

ANTI REPUBLICANisM
,u.,,ucb nc Rennes the ancient capitaI OK
p,..ory &c the headquarters OF the o'u M
+oorocv Of the West OF France caS'e ~
t. roactionary in its political ideas piso'eu ",
.bo eubiect of religion, fanatic III us h"'''1
Tho lows and irreconcilable in It's dh'"hV''
% oyarvthing that pertains TO repup'lcan "''
,utions II is difficult to UNDERSTAND WY
r-o,ob Government should have choSeh '''"
o,.,, NJ all others in France for the re'''"i W
corrt-martial Of Captain Alfred DreS'uS' u'0ue"'
hack TO France for the purpose from -,
r,bIe Devils Island. 1t is ineVltaoe 'N"'
officers stationed there and FORMING p"i' -
,o,,r+- martial should be subject TO the HhueN''
Of the local aristocracy and gentry upo" 80
the military element is compeileu ~
social relaxation and intercourse i"9
r. oo,o Drevfus stands far less chance Oh y
ZINC a fair and equitable hearing there 'hAN
- Tho trial were to take place at PARIS
porres which is a strange medley OF houein
and ~ ancient France, bears a dlsthcuS "ils'
cratic stamp It's streets in the o'o' d.
in tho new quarters OF the town are 'heu ~
stately mansions with huge por'es-ooO"'i
and immense windows, such as one SEES ~
aristocratic Faubourg St German d. .
At Rennes. also the territorial hopi'"S i'0"
all the surrounding countries estdOil'" 49,
selves for the winter season atter nov i"s SP'H'
the summer and autumn at their couh'lS '
and chateaus The whole city bears an intense
Is, dienided and stately aspect. ana there Is
nothing to suggest that friyolity which one Is
,,(,,ed to associate with the French char
acter.
Tho ,,ixtura of the old and the new at Rennes
t. dine 70 the fact that during the last century
tuotbirds of the city was destroyed by hre.
The Older part is very od-the cathedral lo'
instance. having been begun as far back as the
twelfth century King Henry VII of England
presided over meetings of the English Parlia-
ment at Rennes and ii was near Rennes' TOO
that the French hero, Bertrand du Guesclh'
routed the English and performed some or MS
greatest acts of yalor The celebrated Madame
de SevignG made ii for time her nome anu
from here she dated many of her FAMOUS ie'-
ters Up to the time Of the Revolution Brittany
as a more or less independent duchy enjoyed
a certain degree OF autonomy and had farH@-
ment of its own which sat at Rennes
1t is in the palace formerly occupied 10y the
Brittany Parliament that the court-mar'l"l Oh
Captain Dreyfus will take place. 1t is rather
grand and pompous edifice designed in the reign
of King Louis XIII by the architect Debrosses
and in its aspect il recalls to mind the f'tu
Palace at Florence. 1t is adorned in Italian
fashion with pilasters and coonnades. as well as
with statues OF Breton lawyers and Judges
while the roof is decorated with balustrades ana
all sorts of fancifu gargoyles and watersp"uts
OF most fantastic design. Nowadays II Is oc-
cuped as the Palace of Justice Its interior
decoration is the work OF Jouvenet Erard, coy
pei and Ferdinand, four artists of the reign Oh
King Louis XIV. The principal gate is superb
ly carved and above 1t is Barre's statue en-
titled Religion"
The city stands sort OF angle formed by
the confluence of the rivers Vilaine and He
and especially at this time of the year. thanks
TO the grand old trees that line its streets in
every direction, forming a species OF yerdant
settings for the various buildings. looks exceed
ingly picturesque.