Once or twice he seemed on the point of using force.

Thus, in May 1877, he ventured to dissolve the Chamber of Deputies; but the Republican party, led by the impetuous Gambetta, appealed to the country with decisive results.

That orator's defiant challenge to the Marshal, either to submit or to resign (_se soumettre ou se demettre_) was taken up by France, with the result that nearly all the Republican deputies were re-elected.

The President recognised the inevitable, and in December of that year charged M.Dufaure to form a Ministry that represented the Republican majority.

In January 1879 even, some senatorial elections went against the President, and he accordingly resigned, January 30, 1879.
In the year 1887 the Republic seemed for a time to be in danger owing to the intrigues of the Minister for War, General Boulanger.