Joseph Chaumié
Encyclopedia
Joseph Chaumié was a French
politician, Senator for Lot-et-Garonne
from 1897 until his death.
Joseph Chaumié was born in Agen
, Lot-et-Garonne
, into a family of modest means. He studied law at the Sorbonne
in Paris
and although he was a successful student, he was unsuccessful in obtaining permission to practice at the bar in Paris, probably due to the influence of police reports which described him as a revolutionary. He returned to Agen where he practised law.
In 1886 he was elected to the town council in Agen and served as mayor from 1896 to 1900. He was elected to the Senate in 1897. He was one of those who worked with René Waldeck-Rousseau
to create the Democratic Republican Alliance
, of which he was vice-president. A highly regarded orator and active member of the Senate, he served as Education minister
1902 to 1905 in the government of Émile Combes
and then Justice minister
in until 1906 in the second and third governments of Maurice Rouvier
. Under Combes, he oversaw the integration of the staff of the École Normale Supérieure
into the University of Paris
. He represented the government at Émile Zola
's funeral and other key events. He was a strong supporter of the separation of church and state enshrined in the 1905 French law on the Separation of the Churches and the State, a law which had a great impact on education.
After he left government he became involved in a dispute with Maurice Bunau-Varilla
's newspaper Le Matin
, which accused him of nepotism
and favouritism. He claimed that he was being attacked because he refused to share documents on the Dreyfus affair
with the paper and began a libel (diffamation) action, eventually winning his case. These events put a strain on his health and he was afterwards much less active in the Senate.
He died at Clermont-Dessous
in Lot-et-Garonne in 1919. His sons Jacques (1877–1920), Pierre
(1880–1966), and Emmanuel (1890–1934), were all active in politics.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
politician, Senator for Lot-et-Garonne
Lot-et-Garonne
Lot-et-Garonne is a department in the southwest of France named after the Lot and Garonne rivers.-History:Lot-et-Garonne is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
from 1897 until his death.
Joseph Chaumié was born in Agen
Agen
Agen is a commune in the Lot-et-Garonne department in Aquitaine in south-western France. It lies on the river Garonne southeast of Bordeaux. It is the capital of the department.-Economy:The town has a higher level of unemployment than the national average...
, Lot-et-Garonne
Lot-et-Garonne
Lot-et-Garonne is a department in the southwest of France named after the Lot and Garonne rivers.-History:Lot-et-Garonne is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
, into a family of modest means. He studied law at the Sorbonne
Sorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and although he was a successful student, he was unsuccessful in obtaining permission to practice at the bar in Paris, probably due to the influence of police reports which described him as a revolutionary. He returned to Agen where he practised law.
In 1886 he was elected to the town council in Agen and served as mayor from 1896 to 1900. He was elected to the Senate in 1897. He was one of those who worked with René Waldeck-Rousseau
René Waldeck-Rousseau
this gy was coolPierre Marie René Ernest Waldeck-Rousseau was a French Republican statesman.-Early life:Pierre Waldeck-Rousseau was born in Nantes, Loire-Atlantique...
to create the Democratic Republican Alliance
Democratic Republican Alliance
The Democratic Republican Alliance was a French political party created in 1901 by followers of Léon Gambetta, such as Raymond Poincaré who would be president of the Council in the 1920s...
, of which he was vice-president. A highly regarded orator and active member of the Senate, he served as Education minister
Minister of National Education (France)
The Ministry of National Education, Youth, and Sport , or simply "Minister of National Education," as the title has changed no small number of times in the course of the Fifth Republic) is the French government cabinet member charged with running France's public educational system and with the...
1902 to 1905 in the government of Émile Combes
Émile Combes
Émile Combes was a French statesman who led the Bloc des gauches's cabinet from June 1902 – January 1905.-Biography:Émile Combes was born in Roquecourbe, Tarn. He studied for the priesthood, but abandoned the idea before ordination. His anti-clericalism would later lead him into becoming a...
and then Justice minister
Minister of Justice (France)
The Ministry of Justice is controlled by the French Minister of Justice , a top-level cabinet position in the French government. The current Minister of Justice is Michel Mercier...
in until 1906 in the second and third governments of Maurice Rouvier
Maurice Rouvier
Maurice Rouvier was a French statesman.He was born in Aix-en-Provence, and spent his early career in business at Marseille. He supported Léon Gambetta's candidature there in 1867, and in 1870 he founded an anti-imperial journal, L'Egalité. Becoming secretary general of the prefecture of...
. Under Combes, he oversaw the integration of the staff of the École Normale Supérieure
École Normale Supérieure
The École normale supérieure is one of the most prestigious French grandes écoles...
into the University of Paris
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
. He represented the government at Émile Zola
Émile Zola
Émile François Zola was a French writer, the most important exemplar of the literary school of naturalism and an important contributor to the development of theatrical naturalism...
's funeral and other key events. He was a strong supporter of the separation of church and state enshrined in the 1905 French law on the Separation of the Churches and the State, a law which had a great impact on education.
After he left government he became involved in a dispute with Maurice Bunau-Varilla
Maurice Bunau-Varilla
Maurice Bunau-Varilla was a French press magnate, and proprietor of the newspaper Le Matin. During the Second World War, he made the newspaper's editorial line pro-German and pro-collaborationist, and it ceased publication 16 days after his death...
's newspaper Le Matin
Le Matin (France)
Le Matin was a French daily newspaper created in 1883 and discontinued in 1944.Le Matin was launched on the initiative of Chamberlain & Co, a group of American financiers, in 1883, on the model of the British daily The Morning News. The direction of the project was entrusted to the French...
, which accused him of nepotism
Nepotism
Nepotism is favoritism granted to relatives regardless of merit. The word nepotism is from the Latin word nepos, nepotis , from which modern Romanian nepot and Italian nipote, "nephew" or "grandchild" are also descended....
and favouritism. He claimed that he was being attacked because he refused to share documents on the Dreyfus affair
Dreyfus Affair
The Dreyfus affair was a political scandal that divided France in the 1890s and the early 1900s. It involved the conviction for treason in November 1894 of Captain Alfred Dreyfus, a young French artillery officer of Alsatian Jewish descent...
with the paper and began a libel (diffamation) action, eventually winning his case. These events put a strain on his health and he was afterwards much less active in the Senate.
He died at Clermont-Dessous
Clermont-Dessous
Clermont-Dessous is a commune in the Lot-et-Garonne department in south-western France....
in Lot-et-Garonne in 1919. His sons Jacques (1877–1920), Pierre
Pierre Chaumié
Pierre Chaumié was a French politician.Pierre Jean-Marie Bertrand Camille Chaumié was born into a political family in Agen. He was the middle son of Joseph Chaumié , Senator for Lot-et-Garonne from 1897 to 1919...
(1880–1966), and Emmanuel (1890–1934), were all active in politics.