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Mathieu Molé, whose father was guillotined under the Terror, was Alexis de Tocqueville's cousin. For the entire first half of the 19th century,he moved in the very highest circles of power: a minister under Napoleon and then under Louis XVIII, he was made a Peer in 1815 and wasted no time - out of fear of "Republican anarchy" - rallying to the side of Louis-Philippe in 1830. When the first government of the July Monarchy was formed, he was given the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs. Louis-Philippe's liking for him, and his own passion for power, led to an unbroken stint as Council President between September 6, 1836 and March 31, 1839, until his cabinet fell victim to a opposition coalition led by François Guizot, Adolphe Thiers and Odilon Barrot. He continued to exert his influence, however, throughout the following decade, and on February 23, 1848, in the midst of the Revolution, he was offered a new ministry, created in order to quell the insurrection. Molé refused, and quit political life, faithful in this to his unwavering political line, as the leader of the "party of order". He died on November 23, 1855 at Champlâtreux.
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