Skip to content

We ask you, humbly: don't scroll away.

Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you.

Help Now >

Henri-Alexandre Wallon

Free World Class Education
FREE Catholic Classes

Historian and statesman, born at Valenciennes (Nord), in 1812); died at Paris, in 1904. Fellow of history and professor at the Lycée Louis le Grand, he was appointed (1840) master of conferences at the Ecole Normale, and, in 1846, Guizot's assistant at the Sorbonne. His work, "L'esclavage dans les colonies" (1847), caused him to enter public life; he became assistant deputy for Guadeloupe at the Constituent Assembly and representative for the Department of the Nord at the Legislative Assembly (1849). But he resigned in 1850 when the law restricting suffrage was passed. Professor of history at the Sorbonne, a member of the Academy of Inscriptions (1850), prior to becoming its permanent secretary, he was in 1871 deputy from the Nord to the National Assembly, where he sat on the Right Centre. On 24 May, 1873, he voted against Thiers and the Broglie ministry. The attempted restoration of the monarchy having failed, Wallon allied himself with his friends on the Left Centre and to him was due the amendment which brought about the passage of the constitutional laws ; hence he was jesting called the "Father of the Republic". As minister of public instruction in Buffet's cabinet (March, 1875- March, 1876) he favoured the vote which secured liberty of higher education (26 July, 1875). Appointed senator for life at the end of the same year he henceforth defended Catholic interests in the Senate on the various occasions when they were under discussion. He was dean of the Paris Faculty of Letters for eleven years (1876- 87). Of his works the following may be mentioned: "Du monotheisme chez les races semitique" (1859); "Jeanne d'Arc" (1860); "La vie de Jésus et son nouvel historien" (1864), a critical examination of Renan's works; "Vie de Notre Seigneur Jésus Christ" (1805); "La Terreur" (1873); "Saint Louis et son temps" (1875); "les répresentants du peuple en mission et la justice revolutionnaire en Pan II" (1889-90), wherein he exposes the violence and arbitrariness of the Jacobin tribunals.

Join the Movement
When you sign up below, you don't just join an email list - you're joining an entire movement for Free world class Catholic education.

Prayer of the Day logo
Saint of the Day logo
Deacon Keith Fournier Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you. Help Now >

Catholic Online Logo

Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. All materials contained on this site, whether written, audible or visual are the exclusive property of Catholic Online and are protected under U.S. and International copyright laws, © Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited.

Catholic Online is a Project of Your Catholic Voice Foundation, a Not-for-Profit Corporation. Your Catholic Voice Foundation has been granted a recognition of tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Federal Tax Identification Number: 81-0596847. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.