M. Clemenceau.--“Whatever motions may be made in this court, and from
whatsoever persons they may come, if their object is to bring about a
public discussion in the assize court, we second them. In fact, I do
not care even to know whether these motions are well founded in law;
you warn us that their tendency would be to bring us here again on
another charge; we accept every sort of discussion before the assize
court.”
Without passing upon the motion of M. Cabanes, the court then rendered
an adverse decision on M. Labori’s motion for the introduction of
evidence concerning all the charges preferred by M. Zola, claiming that
they were not indivisibly connected with the matter on trial.
The time having arrived for the calling of the witnesses, the court
announced that it had received letters from several of them, in
explanation of their absence.
The Judge.--“I have a letter from the keeper of the seals, saying
that the minister of war, General Billot, has not been authorized to
respond to the summons. M. Labori and M. Clemenceau, do you forego this
witness’s evidence?”