General Gonse.--“I ask the floor.”
The Judge.--“Presently, general.”
M. Labori.--“A matter of exceptional gravity has just arisen. There
is one point on which we are all agreed here: General de Pellieux
has not spoken of the Dreyfus trial. He has spoken of something that
happened after the Dreyfus trial. This matter, then, must be discussed
here. After such a statement, there can be no restriction of the
debate. I point out to General de Pellieux that no document can have
any scientific value as proof, until it has been discussed openly. We
have now reached a point in this affair--an affair that is assuming
the proportions of a State affair--where we are in the presence of
two documents, or two files of documents, equally serious,--a secret
file which was the basis of the conviction of Dreyfus in 1894 without
contradiction, without discussion, without defence, and a second secret
file which has been used for weeks to prevent anything but assertions
from being made in this court. What ever respect I may have for the
word of General de Pellieux as a soldier, I cannot grant that this
document has the slightest importance. As long as we do not know it,
until we have discussed it, until it shall be publicly known, it
will go for nothing. And it is in the name of the eternal right of
principles venerated from the beginning of civilization that I utter
these words. Consequently I now arrive at a point so precise that my
tranquillity, from any point of view, is increased. Only one thing has
worried me--the constant obscurity, the increase of public anxiety,
thanks to the daily thickening darkness, thickened I do not say by
lies, but by equivocations. Whether Dreyfus be guilty or innocent,
whether Esterhazy be guilty or innocent, these are questions of the
highest gravity. General de Pellieux, the minister of war, General
Gonse, and myself are entitled to convictions upon them, and we are
capable of going on forever unless the absolute light is brought
out. But it will not do to let the excitement of the country go on
increasing. Now we have a means, without closed doors, and without
court decrees, of arriving at the light, at least at partial light,
for the revision of the Dreyfus trial is now a thing of necessity. The
protests of the crowd show that it does not understand the seriousness
of this trial from the eternal standpoint of civilization and humanity.
If Dreyfus is guilty, and if the statements of these generals are well
founded, the proof will come out in a fair trial. If they are mistaken,
the contrary will be proved, and, when the light shall be absolute, and
all the darkness dissipated, there will be perhaps in France one or
two men really guilty and responsible, and, whether they be on the one
side or the other, they will be known and marked. And then we shall go
quietly back to our works of peace or war,--for nobody fears war with
generals worthy to speak in the name of the army which they command;
and not by threats of war, which is not approaching, whatever they may
say, are the jurors to be intimidated. Let General de Pellieux explain
himself without reserve, and let the document be produced.”
The Judge.--“General Gonse, what have you to say?”
General Gonse.--“I confirm the testimony of General de Pellieux. He
has taken the initiative, and he has done well. I would have taken it
in his place, to avoid all equivocation. The army does not fear the
light. To save its honor, it does not fear at all to tell the truth.
But prudence is a necessity, and I do not believe that proofs of this
character, though they are real and absolute, can be brought here and
made public.”
General de Pellieux.--“M. Labori spoke just now of revision on the
strength of the communication of this secret document to the council
of war. There has been no proof of such communication. I do not know
whether Colonel Henry’s testimony of the other day was listened to
with sufficient attention. He pointed out that Colonel Sandherr had
delivered to him a secret file, which had been sealed before the
sitting of the council of war and had never been opened. Now, for
a revision of the Dreyfus trial because of this document, what is
necessary? The proof.”
The Judge.--“We have not to concern ourselves with revision. That
cannot be done here.”
General de Pellieux.--“There is talk of nothing else.”
The Judge.--“I know that, but it cannot be done in an assize court.
General Gonse, have you anything more to say?”
General Gonse.--“No.”
General de Pellieux.--“I ask that General de Boisdeffre be sent for to
confirm my words.”
The Judge.--“Will you ask him to come tomorrow?”
General de Pellieux.--“Major Delcassé, take a carriage and go for
General de Boisdeffre at once. I wish to say that I have brought up
this letter only because I was forced to. Major d’Ormescheville told
me himself that the newspapers mutilated his report. I ask that he be
called to testify.”
M. Labori.--“Since it was I who read from this report, I ask permission
to answer General de Pellieux in two words.”
The Judge.--“Is it a material fact?”
M. Labori.--“This report has been published. I had nothing to do with
its publication.”
General de Pellieux.--“Has it been published in full?”