Eugene Defacqz

Henri-Eugene-Marie Defacqz (1797 - 1871) is a liberal politician and a Belgian magistrate of the 19th century, originating in Ath and died in Ixelles.

Eugene Defacqz was born in Ath, the September 17th 1797. He made his first studies with the college of the city and went to complete his humanities with Dijon, under the direction of famous the Jacotot, his uncle by alliance. He acquired his diploma of bachelor of law to the Academy of Brussels, the April 22nd 1817.

In 1830, Defacqz embraced without reserves the cause of the Belgian Révolution of 1830. It was sent to the National congress by the voters of the district of Ath with Vansnick and Secus. It occupied a great place in this memorable assembly by her major science of the right, its elegant elocution and its irresistible logic. It was, in 1831, one of the writers of the Belgian Constitution.

When Surlet de Chokier was elected regent of the kingdom, Defacqz was named general secretary with the ministry for Justice. But it gave up soon these functions to enter judicature. In 1832, it is to advise with the Court of Appeal; in October of the same year, he is prosecuting attorney with the Court of appeal.

Of 1834 with 1839, he is professor of Common law to the Universit3e libre de Bruxelles of which he is one of the founders. It taught there the “theory of the sources of the legislation”.

In 1837, it is to advise at this same Court, and in 1866, it is and remains of it the first president until his death. In addition to these legal functions, it occupied of the functions within the civic guard, the town council of Brussels and with the provincial Conseil. In 1846, it takes part in the creation of the Liberal party of Belgium.

Of 1866 with 1871, it is elected member of the royal Académie of Belgium. It was director of the class of the letters there. He was also member of the Company of the men of letters of Leyde and of the Company of sciences, arts and the letters of the Hainaut.

He was also large-Master of the Great East in Franc-maçonnerie.

At the political level, Eugene Defacqz will defend 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 public education and separation on all levels of the State and the Church.

He published in particular:

Old right Belgium (1875),
Of the drudgeries and the banalities seigneuriales ,
Research on the old taxes and especially on the real sizes ,
Of the peace of blood ,
Of some forced divisions of the fruits of the ground in the old habits Belgium ,
Seen feudality .

He died on February 1st 1871

The musician and Franc-maçon Charles-Louis Hanssens composed in 1845 a Cantate in Eugene Defacqz . There exists with Brussels a street Eugene-Defacqz (with horse on the communes of Saint-Gilles, Ixelles and Brussels-city). The town of Ath honors it with several manners:

a statue in the court of the administrative Center (it was before on the town square);
a street bears its name (more information on this street of Brussels);
an appear represents it on the tank of the city at the time of the procession of the Ducasse d' Ath.

Downward of the Members of the Congress

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