RANC, riix, ARTHUR (1831—). A French politician and author, born at Poitiers. He studied law in Paris and took such a violent part in the Republican activities under the Em pire that he had to leave France. After the amnesty of 1859 he returned to Paris and con tributed to the Opinion Xationalc, the Nain Janne, and other journals. Because of the tone of some of these articles lie was imprisoned for four months. In 1870 lie was elected ma ire of the Ninth Arrondissement of Paris, and joined Gam betta. who gave him the directorship of police, a post in which lie highly distinguished himself. The following year he was elected to the National Assembly, but he voted against the arrangements for peace and resigned from the Assembly to be come a member of the Commune. The violence of that+ body was contrary to his own views, and lie resigned from it also. Afterwards the mon archist press attacked him and his organ, the Re'publiquc Franchise, for the part he had taken during the Commune, and after lie had been elected from the Department of lihrine to the Na tional Assembly of 1873. he was condemned to
death in contumaciain. He had escaped to Bel gium, where he remained until the amnesty of 1879 brought him hack to France. lie had con tinued his connection with the R(cpublique rota raise, and became director of the Petite Repub lique in 1880. in 1881 lie was elected Deputy from the Seine, and in 1 S' 91 Senator. Ile was consistently Republican throughout the Boulanger difficulties. and lie took a leading part in the revision of the Dreyfus case. His works include Sous renipire. roman de mirrors politiques et soriales (1872). De Bordeaux a 1"crsai1les (1877), and Lc roman d'un.. conspiration (1868).