Page:The Annual Register 1899.djvu/264

 256] FOREIGN HISTOEY. [1899.

serious collision with the police (Aug. 26-27), the prefect realised that he was dealing with an organised opposition and disciplined forces. Inquiries were set on foot, not only in Paris but in the larger provincial towns, and in consequence M. D6roulede and the leaders of the Royalist party were arrested. One of the most noisy leaders of the Anti-Semites with twenty companions barri- caded a house in the Hue de Chabrol and defied the authorities to capture them. The siege of Fort Chabrol was among the most extraordinary episodes of this prolonged conflict between the Government and the partisans of disorder. For upwards of a month the whole Paris police was held at bay by a handful of noisy boasters, who insulted the authorities and fired revolver shots at all who approached them. The street in which these zealots had taken up their domicile was subjected to a regular siege, and remained for several weeks cut off from the rest of Paris.

The action of the Government with regard to the grand manoeuvres was also severely criticised, as showing want of moral courage. On the ground that the flocks in the centre and south of France were suffering from a serious epidemic it was decided (Sept. 2) that the ordinary autumn manoeuvres should not take place, and that consequently the President of the Republic would not preside, as customary, at the final review of the troops. No one was deceived by the alleged reason, and it was understood that the Government, well aware of the feelings of certain military commanders, did not think it advisable to come in contact with the troops.

It was whilst this extreme tension was still lasting that the Rennes Council of War gave its verdict (Sept. 9). Dreyfus was found guilty by 5 to 2 votes, but extenuating circumstances were admitted for the most atrocious crime of which an officer could be guilty. It was, therefore, taken that the finding of culpa- bility was due to the claims of discipline — the extenuating circumstances to the claims of justice. A few days later, there- fore, the President of the Republic, on the representation of General de GaUifet, signed a degree granting a pardon to Captain Dreyfus and restoring him to liberty. The sentence of ten years' imprisonment and military degradation was thus set aside. The first act, however, of Captain Dreyfus on being released from prison was to announce that he would consecrate all his energies and the remainder of his life to rehabilitate his name. At the same time, it must be allowed, the verdict of the Council of War was equally unsatisfactory to both sides and satisfied nobody. Nevertheless, from this moment the "affair " lost the passionate character by which its course had been marked, but it left behind it consequences of which the future was to bear the burden.

Of these the most immediate was the trial of the conspirators against the republic. The Senate, sitting as a High Court of Justice, met at the Luxemburg (Sept. 18) to hear the report on