Eugène Defacqz
Encyclopedia
Henri-Eugene-Marie Defacqz (Ath
, 17 September 1797-Ixelles, 1 December 1871) was a Belgian
liberal
politician
and a magistrate
.
, under the direction of the famous Joseph Jacotot
(1770–1840), his uncle by marriage. On 22 April 1817, he obtained his diploma of bachelor of law at the Academy of Brussels.
. He was sent to the National Congress
by the voters of the district of Ath, together with Vansnick and Secus. He played an important role in this memorable assembly due to his great knowledge of the law, his elegant elocution and his irresistible logic. He was, in 1831, one of the authors of the Belgian Constitution
. When Surlet de Chokier
was elected regent of the kingdom, Defacqz was named secretary-general with the ministry of Justice. But soon he gave up these functions to enter the judiciary. In 1832, he became counselor for the Court of Appeal; in October of the same year, he became a prosecuting attorney at the Supreme Court of Appeal. From 1834 to 1839, he was a professor of common law at the Université Libre de Bruxelles
of which he was one of the founders together with Pierre-Théodore Verhaegen
. He taught there the theory of the sources of the legislation. In 1837, he became counselor at the Supreme Court of Appeal, and in 1866, he became its first president and remained in this position until his death.
In addition to these legal functions, he occupied functions within the garde civique (E:civic guard), the communal council of Brussels
and with the provincial council. In 1846, he took part in the creation of the Liberal Party
of Belgium, which was the first political party as such in Belgium. From 1866 to 1871, he was elected member of the Royal Academy of Belgium
, and he was a director of the class of literature of the Academy. He was also a member of the Company of the men of letters of Leyde and the Company of sciences, arts and the letters of Hainaut. He was also a freemason, and Grandmaster of the Grand Orient of Belgium
(1842). In 1850 he became honorary member of the Masonic Lodge
Minerva zu den drei Palmen Leipzig
.
At the political level, Eugene Defacqz defended mainly, on the one hand the lowering of the taxable quota and an electoral reform in favor of the average and lower middle class and on the other hand the state education and separation on all levels of the State and the Church.
He published in particular:
The musician and freemason Charles-Louis Hanssens composed in 1845 a Cantata for Eugene Defacqz. There exists in Brussels a street Eugene-Defacqz. The town of Ath honours him in several ways: a statue in the court of the administrative Center (it was before on the town square); a street bears its name; an extra (actor) impersonates him on the chariot of the city during the procession of the Ducasse of Ath.
Ath
Ath is a Belgian municipality located in the Walloon province of Hainaut. The Ath municipality includes the old communes of Lanquesaint, Irchonwelz, Ormeignies, Bouvignies, Ostiches, Rebaix, Maffle, Arbre, Houtaing, Ligne, Mainvault, Moulbaix, Villers-Notre-Dame, Villers-Saint-Amand, Ghislenghien...
, 17 September 1797-Ixelles, 1 December 1871) was a Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and a magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
.
Education
He started his education at the college of Ath and completed high school in DijonDijon
Dijon is a city in eastern France, the capital of the Côte-d'Or département and of the Burgundy region.Dijon is the historical capital of the region of Burgundy. Population : 151,576 within the city limits; 250,516 for the greater Dijon area....
, under the direction of the famous Joseph Jacotot
Joseph Jacotot
Joseph Jacotot was a French teacher and educational philosopher, creator of the method of "intellectual emancipation." He was born at Dijon on the 4th of March 1770...
(1770–1840), his uncle by marriage. On 22 April 1817, he obtained his diploma of bachelor of law at the Academy of Brussels.
Career
In 1830, Defacqz embraced without reserves the cause of the Belgian RevolutionBelgian Revolution
The Belgian Revolution was the conflict which led to the secession of the Southern provinces from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands and established an independent Kingdom of Belgium....
. He was sent to the National Congress
National Congress of Belgium
The Belgian National Congress was a temporary legislative assembly in 1830, established shortly after the Provisional Government of Belgium had proclaimed Belgian independence on October 4 of that year...
by the voters of the district of Ath, together with Vansnick and Secus. He played an important role in this memorable assembly due to his great knowledge of the law, his elegant elocution and his irresistible logic. He was, in 1831, one of the authors of the Belgian Constitution
Constitution of Belgium
The Constitution of Belgium dates back to 1831. Since then Belgium has been a parliamentary monarchy that applies the principles of ministerial responsibility for the government policy and the Trias Politica. The Constitution established Belgium as a centralised unitary state...
. When Surlet de Chokier
Erasme Louis Surlet de Chokier
Erasme Louis, Baron Surlet de Chokier , born in Liège, was a Belgian politician and before the accession of Leopold I to the Belgian throne, was the first Regent of Belgium....
was elected regent of the kingdom, Defacqz was named secretary-general with the ministry of Justice. But soon he gave up these functions to enter the judiciary. In 1832, he became counselor for the Court of Appeal; in October of the same year, he became a prosecuting attorney at the Supreme Court of Appeal. From 1834 to 1839, he was a professor of common law at the Université Libre de Bruxelles
Université Libre de Bruxelles
The Université libre de Bruxelles is a French-speaking university in Brussels, Belgium. It has 21,000 students, 29% of whom come from abroad, and an equally cosmopolitan staff.-Name:...
of which he was one of the founders together with Pierre-Théodore Verhaegen
Pierre-Théodore Verhaegen
Pierre-Théodore Verhaegen was a Belgian lawyer, founder of the Université libre de Bruxelles, and liberal politician...
. He taught there the theory of the sources of the legislation. In 1837, he became counselor at the Supreme Court of Appeal, and in 1866, he became its first president and remained in this position until his death.
In addition to these legal functions, he occupied functions within the garde civique (E:civic guard), the communal council of Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
and with the provincial council. In 1846, he took part in the creation of the Liberal Party
Liberal Party (Belgium)
The Liberal Party was a Belgian political party that existed from 1846 until 1961, when it became the Party for Freedom and Progress, Partij voor Vrijheid en Vooruitgang/Parti de la Liberté et du Progrès or PVV-PLP, under the leadership of Omer Vanaudenhove.-History:The Liberal Party was founded...
of Belgium, which was the first political party as such in Belgium. From 1866 to 1871, he was elected member of the Royal Academy of Belgium
The Royal Academies for Science and the Arts of Belgium
There are two Royal Academies for Science and the Arts in Belgium, corresponding to the two main languages of the country, Dutch and French . The Academies are located in the Palace of Academies in Brussels....
, and he was a director of the class of literature of the Academy. He was also a member of the Company of the men of letters of Leyde and the Company of sciences, arts and the letters of Hainaut. He was also a freemason, and Grandmaster of the Grand Orient of Belgium
Grand Orient of Belgium
The Grand Orient of Belgium The Grand Orient of Belgium The Grand Orient of Belgium (French: Grand Orient de Belgique, Dutch: Grootoosten van Belgie (G.O.B.) is a Belgian cupola of masonic lodges which is only accessible for men, and works in the basic three symbolic degrees of freemasonry.-History:...
(1842). In 1850 he became honorary member of the Masonic Lodge
Masonic Lodge
This article is about the Masonic term for a membership group. For buildings named Masonic Lodge, see Masonic Lodge A Masonic Lodge, often termed a Private Lodge or Constituent Lodge, is the basic organisation of Freemasonry...
Minerva zu den drei Palmen Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
.
At the political level, Eugene Defacqz defended mainly, on the one hand the lowering of the taxable quota and an electoral reform in favor of the average and lower middle class and on the other hand the state education and separation on all levels of the State and the Church.
He published in particular:
- Ancien droit belgique (1875),
- Des corvées et des banalités seigneuriales,
- Recherches sur les anciens inpôts et spécialement sur les tailles réelles,
- De la paix du sang,
- De quelques partages forcés des fruits de la terre dans les anciennes coutumes belgiques,
- Aperçu de la féodalité.
The musician and freemason Charles-Louis Hanssens composed in 1845 a Cantata for Eugene Defacqz. There exists in Brussels a street Eugene-Defacqz. The town of Ath honours him in several ways: a statue in the court of the administrative Center (it was before on the town square); a street bears its name; an extra (actor) impersonates him on the chariot of the city during the procession of the Ducasse of Ath.