One of the members, ex-Minister Cavaignac, declared that a report
existed, written by Captain Lebrun-Renaud, of the French army, which
gave an account of a confession of guilt made by Captain Dreyfus.
Monsieur Cavaignac blamed the Government for keeping silent about this
confession, on the ground that by its silence it had practically led to
a reopening of the case. If the Government would declare, he said, that
the publication of the confession would involve some foreign Power, this
would end further discussion of the matter. Otherwise, the whole case
ought to be made public.
Premier Meline replied that such a confession existed, but the
Government had decided not to publish it, as it would change the
character of a case that had already been settled by competent judges.
There was, besides, he acknowledged, another cause for keeping silence,
the very cause that had made the trial secret. This was not "excessively
great," but it was customary to conduct all such trials in secrecy, and
the custom was not to be violated in this instance.
The Premier then criticised the newspapers that had taken sides with
Dreyfus, and added that the Government had done right in calling Zola to
account for insulting the army.
The President of the Chamber, Monsieur Brisson, then leaped to his feet
and implored the legislators not to make a sensation while the streets
outside were in a turmoil.
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