Career

Following a stormy debate in the House of Representatives on 30 June 1879, there were riots in Portuguese-au-Prince in which the Liberal leader Jean-Pierre Boyer-Bazelais exerted a significant role. Although the government eventually managed to restore law and order, President Pierre Théoma Boisrond-Canal resigned as president on 17 July 1879, unable to mediate between the Liberal and National parties. Lamothe was then appointed as provisional president

Solomon returned from exile in August 1879 and was brought on as president soon after.