Editing July Monarchy (section)

=== The two {{lang|fr|Molé|italic=no}} governments (September 1836 – March 1839) ===
[[File:Premiere messe en kabylie horace vernet.jpg|thumb|First mass in [[Kabylie]] during the [[French conquest of Algeria]], 1837]]
[[Louis-Mathieu Molé|Count {{lang|fr|Molé|italic=no|nocat=y}}]] formed a new government on 6 September 1836, including the {{lang|fr|Doctrinaires}} {{lang|fr|Guizot|italic=no}}, {{lang|fr|[[Tanneguy Duchâtel]]|italic=no}} and {{lang|fr|[[Adrien de Gasparin]]|italic=no}}. This new cabinet did not include any veterans of the July Revolution, something the press immediately highlighted. {{lang|fr|Molé|italic=no}} immediately took some humane measures in order to assure his popularity: the general adoption of small [[prison cell]]s to avoid "mutual teaching of crime", abolition of [[chain gang]]s exposed to the public, and a royal [[pardon]] for 52 political prisoners (Legitimists and Republicans), in particular for Charles X' former ministers. On 25 October 1836, the inauguration of the [[Luxor Obelisk|Obelisk of Luxor]] (a gift from the [[Wali (administrative title)|Wali]] of Egypt, [[Muhammad Ali of Egypt|Muhammad Ali Pasha]]) on the {{lang|fr|[[Place de la Concorde]]|italic=no}} was the scene of a public ovation for the King.

==== 1836 Bonapartist uprising ====
On 30 October 1836, {{lang|fr|[[Napoleon III of France|Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte]]|italic=no}} attempted an uprising in [[Strasbourg]], which was quickly put down and the Bonapartist prince and his accomplices were arrested on the same day. The king, wanting to avoid a public trial, and without legal proceedings, ordered that {{lang|fr|Louis-Napoléon|italic=no}} be taken to {{lang|fr|[[Lorient]]|italic=no}} where he was put on board the frigate {{lang|fr|L'Andromède}}, which sailed for the United States on 21 November. The other conspirators were brought before the {{lang|fr|Cour d'assises}} of Strasbourg, which acquitted them on 18 January 1837.

==== {{lang|fr|Loi de disjonction}} ====
Thereafter, on 24 January 1837, the Minister of War, [[Simon Bernard|General {{lang|fr|Simon Bernard|italic=no|nocat=y}}]], proposed a draft law – {{lang|fr|loi de disjonction}} – aimed, in case of insurrection, at separating civilians, who would be judged by the {{lang|fr|[[Cour d'assises]]}}, and non-civilians, who would be judged by a [[war council]]. The opposition adamantly rejected the proposal, and surprisingly managed to have the whole Chamber reject it, on 7 March 1837, by a very slim majority of 211 votes to 209.

However, {{lang|fr|Louis-Philippe|italic=no}} decided to go against public expectation, and the logic of parliamentarianism, by maintaining the {{lang|fr|Molé|italic=no}} government in place. But the government was deprived of any solid parliamentary majority, and thus paralyzed. For a month and a half, the king tried various ministerial combinations before forming a new government which included {{lang|fr|[[Camille de Montalivet]]|italic=no}}, who was close to him, but which excluded {{lang|fr|Guizot|italic=no}}, who had more and more difficulty working with {{lang|fr|Molé|italic=no}}, who was once again confirmed as head of the government.

This new government was almost a provocation for the Chamber: not only was Molé retained, but {{lang|fr|[[Narcisse-Achille de Salvandy|de Salvandy]]|italic=no}}, who had been in charge of the {{lang|fr|loi de disjonction}}, and {{lang|fr|[[Jean Lacave-Laplagne|Lacave-Laplagne]]|italic=no}}, in charge of a draft law concerning the Belgian Queen's [[dowry]] – both having been rejected by the deputies – were also members of the new cabinet. The press spoke of a "Cabinet of the castle" or "Cabinet of lackeys", and all expected it to be short-lived.

==== The wedding of the Duke of Orléans ====
However, in his first speech, on 18 April 1837, {{lang|fr|Molé|italic=no}} cut short his critics with the announcement of the future wedding of Ferdinand Philippe, Duke of Orléans (styled as the {{lang|fr|Prince Royal}}) with the [[Duchess Helene of Mecklenburg-Schwerin]]. Taken by surprise, the deputies voted for the increase of the dowry of both the Duke of Orléans, which had been previously rejected, and the [[Louise d'Orléans (1812–1850)|Queen of the Belgians]].

After this promising beginning, in May {{lang|fr|Molé|italic=no}}'s government managed to secure Parliament's confidence during the debate on the secret funds, despite {{lang|fr|Odilon Barrot|italic=no}}'s attacks (250 votes to 112). An 8 May 1837 ordinance granted general amnesty to all political prisoners, while crucifixes were re-established in the courts, and the [[Church of Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois|Church of {{lang|fr|Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois|italic=no|nocat=y}}]], closed since 1831, was authorized to renew religious activities. To demonstrate that public order had been restored, the king passed reviewed the National Guard on the {{lang|fr|Place de la Concorde|italic=no}}. On 30 May 1837, the Duke of Orléans' wedding was celebrated at the {{lang|fr|[[château de Fontainebleau]]|italic=no}}.

A few days later, on 10 June {{lang|fr|Louis-Philippe|italic=no}} inaugurated the {{lang|fr|[[Château de Versailles]]|italic=no}}, the restoration of which, begun in 1833, was intended to establish a Museum of the History of France, dedicated to "all the glories of France". The king had closely followed and personally financed the project entrusted to the architect {{lang|fr|[[Pierre-François-Léonard Fontaine]]|italic=no}}. In a symbol of national reconciliation, the military glories of the Revolution and of the Empire, even those of the Restoration, were to sit side by side with those of the {{lang|fr|[[Ancien Régime]]}}.

==== The legislative elections of 4 November 1837 ====
{{further|French legislative election, 1837}}
{{lang|fr|Molé|italic=no}}'s government seemed stable, helped by the return of economic prosperity. Therefore, the king and {{lang|fr|Molé|italic=no}} decided, against the Duke of Orléans's advice, that the moment was auspicious for the dissolving of the Chamber, which was done on 3 October 1837. In order to influence the forthcoming elections, {{lang|fr|Louis-Philippe|italic=no}} decided on the [[French rule in Algeria|Constantine expedition in Algeria]], a military success of [[General {{lang|fr|Sylvain Charles Valée|italic=no|nocat=y}}]] and the Duke of Nemours, second son of {{lang|fr|Louis-Philippe|italic=no}}, who took {{lang|fr|[[Constantine, Algeria|Constantine]]|italic=no}} on 13 October.

However, the [[1837 French legislative election|4 November 1837 elections]] did not deliver {{lang|fr|Louis-Philippe|italic=no}}'s hopes. Of a total of 459 deputies, only a plurality of 220 were supporters of the regime. About 20 Legitimists had been elected, and 30 Republicans. The center-right {{lang|fr|[[Doctrinaires]]}} had approximately 30 deputies, the center-left about twice that many, and the dynastic opposition ({{lang|fr|Odilon Barrot|italic=no}}) 65. The {{lang|fr|Tiers-Parti}} had only about 15 deputies, and 30 more were undecided. Such a Chamber carried the risk of the formation of a heterogeneous coalition against the government.

As early as January 1838, the government was under great pressure, in particular from {{lang|fr|[[Charles Gauguier]]|italic=no}}, over deputies who were also civil servants. On 9 January he accused the government of electoral manipulation in order to have loyal civil servants elected. Where there had been 178 in the preceding Chamber, there were now 191. {{lang|fr|[[Adolphe Thiers]]|italic=no}} and his allies also defied the government, concerning Spanish affairs. However, with the help of the {{lang|fr|Doctrinaires}}, {{lang|fr|Molé|italic=no}} obtained a favorable vote for the address to the king on 13 January 1838, with 216 votes to 116.

{{lang|fr|Molé|italic=no}}'s cabinet appeared to be taken hostage by the {{lang|fr|Doctrinaires}}, at the exact moment when {{lang|fr|[[François Guizot|Guizot]]|italic=no}} was distancing himself from the President of the Council. All of {{lang|fr|Thiers|italic=no}}'s efforts would be thereafter focused on pushing the {{lang|fr|Doctrinaires}} away from the ministerial majority. During the vote on the secret funds, both {{lang|fr|Guizot|italic=no}}, in the Chamber of Deputies, and the Duke of Broglie, in the Chamber of Peers, criticized the cabinet, although both ultimately voted with the government.

On 10 May 1838, the deputies rejected the government's plan for railway development, after having finally agreed, a week earlier, the proposals on government bonds opposed by {{lang|fr|Molé|italic=no}}. The Peers, however, supported {{lang|fr|Molé|italic=no}} and rejected the initiative. On 20 June 1838, {{lang|fr|Molé|italic=no}} succeeded in having the Assembly pass the 1839 budget before the parliamentary recess.

On the opening of the parliamentary session in December 1838, {{lang|fr|[[André Dupin]]|italic=no}} was elected by a very slim majority (183 votes for 178 for {{lang|fr|[[Hippolyte Passy]]|italic=no}}, the center-left candidate and adamant opponent of the "Castle cabinet") as President of the Chamber. A coalition, including {{lang|fr|Guizot|italic=no}}, {{lang|fr|Thiers|italic=no}}, {{lang|fr|[[Prosper Duvergier de Hauranne]]|italic=no}} and {{lang|fr|[[Hippolyte Passy]]|italic=no}}, had formed during summer, but it did not prevent the vote of a favorable address to the King (221 votes against 208).

==== The legislative elections of 2 March 1839 ====
{{further|French legislative election, 1839}}
Confronted to such a slight and uncertain majority, {{lang|fr|Molé|italic=no}} presented his resignation to the king on 22 January 1839. {{lang|fr|Louis-Philippe|italic=no}} first attempted to refuse it, and then, approaching Marshal Soult, who was not initially persuaded, offered him the lead. {{lang|fr|Soult|italic=no}} finally accepted after the funeral of the king's daughter, the [[Marie of Orléans (1813-1839)|{{lang|fr|duchesse de|italic=no|nocat=y}} {{lang|de|Württemberg|italic=no|nocat=y}}]], on the condition of moving promptly to new elections. During the electoral campaign, the left-wing opposition denounced what they termed a constitutional coup, comparing the 1837 and 1839 dissolutions to the consecutive dissolutions of Charles X in 1830. {{lang|fr|Thiers|italic=no}} compared {{lang|fr|Molé|italic=no}} to {{lang|fr|[[Jules de Polignac|Polignac]]|italic=no}}, one of Charles X's ministers.

The [[1839 French legislative election|2 March 1839 elections]] were a disappointment for the king, who lost two loyal deputies, while the coalition mustered 240 members, against only 199 for the government. {{lang|fr|Molé|italic=no}} presented his resignation to the king on 8 March, which {{lang|fr|Louis-Philippe|italic=no}} was forced to accept.