DUFAURE, JULES ARMAND STANISLAS (1798 1881), French statesman, was born at Saujon (Charente-Infer ieure) on Dec. 4, 1798. He became an advocate at Bordeaux, and in 1834 was elected deputy. As minister of public works (1839) in the Soult ministry, he freed railway construction in France from the obstacles which till then had hampered it. In 1840 Dufaure became one of the leaders of the Opposition, and on the outbreak of the revolution of 1848 he frankly accepted the Republic. On Oct. 13 he became minister of the interior under G. Cavaignac but retired on the latter's defeat in the presidential election. Dur ing the Second Empire Dufaure practised at the Paris bar and was elected bdtonnier in 1862. In 1863 he succeeded to Pasquier's seat in the French Academy. In 1871 he became a member of the Assembly, and it was on his motion that Thiers was elected Presi dent of the Republic. Dufaure was minister of justice under Thiers and under L. J. Buffet, whom he succeeded (March 9, 1876) as president of the council. He resigned office on Dec. 12 but returned to power on Dec. 24, 1877. Early in 1879 Dufaure took part in compelling the resignation of Marshal MacMahon, but immediately afterwards (Feb. 1), worn out by opposition, he himself retired. He died in Paris on June 28, 1881.
See G. Picot, M. Dufaure, sa vie et ses discours (1883) .