New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-09-11
AFTER RENNES. FRANCE.

Kennes after all is not France II is merely
one Of the less known provincial towns once
illumlned by the fancy u Laurence Sterne and
again by the baefui glow of the Dreyfus farce
tragedy. hut otherwise obscure 1t DOES not
speak for France. Aud the sentence there pro-
nounced 10y a court Of hitherto unheard Of
minor officers Is not 10 be reckoned the judg-
ment Of France. How i is regarded by France
IS already IN degree disclosed The next few
hours, or days at most will make the disclosure
more complete. We shall then see whether con-
domination without conviction j. 10 he an es
tahlished rule Of French Jurisprudence. In the
mean time a few salient features Of the case
rs it now hangs IN suspense are profitable for
consideration
FIRST notice the vindicatIOn of the movement
for revision. In 1894 CAPTAIN Dreyfus WAS
found guilty OF treason. with no e1tenuating
circumstances, and was condemned 10 the most
rigorous form If solitary confinement for lfo
Now by tribunal Of similar composition he is
again found guilty. hut with "cxtenuatinc cir
cumstances whatever they may he. and Is con-
deinned 70 only ten years ordinary confinement
n fortress Between ten years in French
fortress and lifetime on Devils Isle. between
humane treatment and dlabollcal torture. there
is vast difference. This latest verdict nrac-
tlcally declares that first one to have been too
severe. 10 have been unjust Merely 10 have
gained such reduction Of the original sentence Is
ample payment for all the efforts ~ the re-
visioulSts. That such reduction has been made
ny the Rennes court is proof positive that re-
vision was needed Nor will it escape the
minds Of the thoughtful that the same result
suggests The possible need Of further revision
II the 1894 court erred, as the 1894 court has
declared who shall maintain that the 1899 court
was itself infallble?
Observe. next. the attitude Of this Rennes
tribunal toward It's superlors Morally. II placed
itself In fragrant contempt Of the Court " Cas-
satiOn. The latter practically decided that the
bOrdereau was not written by Captain Dreyfus
and RENTED the case 10 the lower court at
ltennes for retral on that basis whereupon the
court at Rennes contumacously reversed the de-
clSion Of the Court Of Cessation by declaring
that Captain Dreyfus did write the boriercau.
Really. there seems 10 he no reason why the
Court Of Cessation should not summarily quash
this Rennes verdict OF the ground Of contempt
Nor was the attitude Of the Rennes court tow
ard the Government more respectful. The
Prime Minister. for reasons obvious 10 all and
intimately connected with the public welfare
IN the most courteous manner requested that
the announcement OF the verdict be postponed
until to-day. The Court treated his request
contemptuously. and published lis verdict on
Saturday afternoon. That was characteristic
manifestation Of military arrogance and con
tempt FOR civil authority. the significance Of
which is not 20 be ignored
Finally. observe the tone Of even the most
respectable Of the anti-Dreyfusites. Pass ovel
the frothings and rawlings Of Rochefort. Dru
mont. Judet and their like. and notice what the
dignifed and authoritative "Gauols" has tC
say Its editorial reproduced yesterday in oul
special cable letter from Paris was franz
declaration OF war against the republic Il