. . . what a blot on your name (I was about to say on your
reign) this abominable Dreyfus Affair is! . . . Truth itself
and justice itself have been slapped in the face. And now
it is too late, France's cheek has been sullied by that
supreme insult, and history will record that it was during
your presidency that such a crime against society was committed.
They have dared to do this. Very well, then I shall dare
too. I shall tell the truth, for I pledged that I would
tell it. . . . It is my duty to speak up; I will not be
an accessory to the fact. If I were my nights would be haunted
by the specter of that innocent man so
far away, suffering the worst kind of torture as he
pays for a crime he did not commit. . . .
. . . I accuse Lt-Col
du Paty of having been the diabolical agent of a miscarriage
of justice . . . and then of having defended his evil deed
for the past three years through the most preposterous and
most blameworthy machinations . . .
. . . I accuse General
Billot of having had in his hands undeniable proof that
Dreyfus was innocent and of having suppressed it, of having
committed this crime against justice and against humanity
for political purposes, so that the General Staff, which
had been compromised, would not lose face. . . .
. . . I accuse the War Office of having conducted an abominable
campaign in the press . . . in order to cover up its misdeed
and lead public opinion astray.
Finally, I accuse the first court martial of having violated
the law by sentencing
a defendant on the basis of a document which remained secret.
. . .
. . . I have but one goal: that light be shed, in the name
of mankind which has suffered so much and has the right
to happiness.
