FAURE, FRANcOIS FELIX (1841-1899), president of the French Republic, was born in Paris on Jan. 3o, 1841, the son of a small furniture maker. He made a fortune as a tanner and merchant at Havre, and was elected to the National Assembly on Aug. 21, 1881. He sat on the Left, interesting himself chiefly in matters concerning economics, railways and the navy. He was under-secretary for the colonies (1882-85 and 1888), and in was made vice-president of the chamber. In 1894 he obtained cabinet rank as minister of marine under Dupuy. In the January f ollowing he was unexpectedly elected president of the Republic upon the resignation of Casimir-Perier. His fine presence and his tact on ceremonial occasions rendered the state some service when in 1896 he received the tsar of Russia at Paris, and in 1897 returned his visit, of ter which meeting the momentous Franco Russian alliance was publicly announced. The latter days of Faure's presidency were embittered by the Dreyfus affair, which he was determined to regard as chose jugee. But at a critical moment in the proceedings he died (Feb. 16, 1899).
See E. Maillard, Le President F. Faure (1897) ; P. Bluysen, Felix Faure intime (1898) ; and F. Martin-Ginouvier, F. Faure devant l'histoire (1895).