CAVAIGNAC LOUIS-EUGÈNE
Born in Le Mans in the department of Sarthe, he attended the military academy, from which he graduated in 1828 with the rank of captain. He took part in the French expeditionary corps in Greece.
A republican and democrat in his sentiments, C. was transferred in 1832 to Algeria, where he remained until 1848. After the February revolution, the provisional government appointed him divisional general and governor-general of Algeria. Elected deputy to the Constituent Assembly, he became minister of war. During the June 1848 insurrection, the Constituent Assembly conferred dictatorial powers upon C., and after the suppression of the disturbances, it passed a law delegating to him the executive power under the title of president of the Council of Ministers. He left this office in December of the same year after obtaining about one and a half million votes in the presidential elections that saw the triumph of Louis Napoleon Bonaparte.
In November 1848, while heading the government, C. sent his personal friend de Corcelles on a special mission to Pius IX to persuade the Pope to take refuge in French territory. With this move, C. intended to strengthen the shaken position of moderate liberalism and of Catholic-liberals or Neo-Guelphs both in Italy and in France. The offer, however, fell on deaf ears, since Pius IX did not leave Gaeta.
After the coup d'état of 2 December 1851, C. was forced to retire from public life.