Grevy

Grevy, Francois Paul Jules (1813-91), third President of the third Republic, was born at Montsous-Vaudrey in the Jura. He adopted the profession of an advocate, and appeared in many political cases as the defender of Republicans. In 1848 he was returned to the Constituent Assembly, where he usually voted with the Extreme Left. He was a frequent speaker, and became Vice-President of the Assembly. He opposed the designs of Louis Napoleon, and after the coup d'etat withdrew for a time from public affairs. In 1868, however, he returned to the Assembly, and opposed the Empire in its last days. In February, 1871, he was elected President of the Assembly, and was re-elected in 1876, 1877, and 1879. He opposed MacMahon as he held Louis Napoleon, and was elected as his successor in the presidency of the Republic in January, 1879. Though not inspiring much enthusiasm, he was re-elected in 1885 by a large majority, but resigned in December, 1887, owing to the discovery that his son-in-law, M. Wilson, had been trafficking in decorations.