The Judge.--“The question will not be put. It is useless to debate it.”
M. Labori.--“No, it is not useless. Useless, perhaps, so far as
obtaining a decision in our favor is concerned; but not useless from
the standpoint of our cause, for everybody judges us, and the jurors
follow these discussions with interest. But, as you say that discussion
is useless, I shall have the honor to offer a motion, and await a
decree of the court. I do not wish to detain M. Casimir-Perier longer,
so I shall ask you, _Monsieur le Président_, on the ground of morality
and good faith,--and I hope that no decree of the court will be needed
to give us satisfaction on this point,--to ask M. Casimir-Perier the
following question: If a secret document had been produced in any trial
whatever, before any jurisdiction whatever, and if in this way an
adverse verdict had been obtained, what would M. Casimir-Perier,--who
will not, I am sure, in order to answer me, take refuge behind any sort
of professional secrecy, since the question here is one of right and
public morality, on which such men as Daguesseau have given an opinion
before him,--what would M. Casimir-Perier think of it?”
The Judge.--“Allow me to tell you that it is useless to try to arrive
by indirect questions at the same result. I will not put the question.”
M. Clemenceau.--“I think the court does not clearly understand my
_confrère’s_ question, which is this: If M. Casimir-Perier were to
learn tomorrow that a person had been condemned on a document that had
not been shown to him, what would be his opinion? It is a question
of good faith. The high position that M. Casimir-Perier has occupied
justifies us in asking his opinion.”
The Judge.--“It is not a fact; it is an opinion.”