The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-25

now acknowledged to have been, the first
sentence was too light and the second is
ridiculously lenient.
To issue pardon under such circum-
stances would be crime on the part OF
President LoUBET. q crime against the ma
tlonal security which he has sworn to up
hold, and which would be put in jeopardy
by the conformation Of treason. The Chief
Magistrate himself can be absolved solely
on the ground that the judgment an
nounced at Rennes was grossly wrong, and
that DREYFUs is the victim OF a shameful
miscarriage OF justice. 1t is impossible for
President LoUBET to escape from the d.
lemma In which he has been placed by his
exercise OF the pardoning power. Either he
believes five Of the judges composing the
second court-martial to have Violated their
oaths by rendering decision in the teeth
Of evidence, or else he has betrayed the
highest interests OF the State by shielding
traitor from his well-merited doom.
DE GALL1FFET adds that there can no
longer exist the idea OF reprisals Of any
kind" Why not Even II DREYFUs is
guilty, Gen. MERoIER is guilty also, and
should be punished, unless in the French
army punishment is reserved for minor
officers, which certainly was not the case
when Marshal BAZAINE was brought to the
bar. By MERCIER's own admissions, made
on the witness stand at Rennes, he was
guilty OF breaking the law by submitting
secretly to the judges forming the first
court-martial documents withheld from
the prisoner and his counsel withheld
moreover for the basest reasons because
fhou ipcl,,InA
false translation OF q cipher tele-
gram. II such acts can be performed
by Generals with impunity, how will
1t be possible to maintain In the rank and
file that respect for high military authority
which we are told is Indispensable 1t may
be that DE GALLIFFET would argue that,
inasmuch as DREYFUs has been shown by
the second court-martial to be guilty, no
harm was done by the acts brought home to
MERCER, and 30 these may be overlooked
in the interest Of public tranquility. That
Is not true, but, admitting such a course to
be expedient so long as the sentence rem
dered at Rennes shall stand, we can see that
proceedings will have to be taken against
MERcIER. should that unjust sentence be
revised by the Court OF Cessation and tho
innocence OF DREYFUs be proclaimed by
that supreme tribunal.
Thus we are brought to the principal
assertion twice made by DE GAII1FFEr that
the Dreyfus incident is closed. 1t s tenn.
porarily closed, undoubtedly, 80 far as mil
itary Justice is concerned, for 1t was made
q condition Of the pardon that DREYFUs
should withdraw his appeal to the military
court OF review. He did not renounce,
however, his right Of appeal to civil justice
and to ask for revision OF his entence by
the Court Of Cessation. DREYFUs has him.
self protested vehemently against the
assumption that his efforts to that end will
cease while he has life. In a signed
statement, published In the Aurore on Fri
day OF last week. he said: ITO me, free
dom without honor counts for moth
ing. From this day l shall continue to
strive for reparatlon for the frightful error
OF which ! am still the victim. desire
that the whole OF France shall learn, by
definite declaration Of justice, that I am
innocent. There shall never be peace until
there is not single Frenchman who can
accuse me Of crime which another com.
mitted," In letter published on the same
day. and addressed by NJ EMILE lola to
Nine. DREYFus, we read: 1--WE will con-
tinue the struggle as stubbornly as ever.
We want rehabilitation less for the man
than for France"
In view OF the declarations made by the
parties most directly concerned, weimagine
that General the Marquis DE GALLIFFET
will find that he has been too hasty in
asserting that the Dreyful incident Is
closed.