# Benjamin Raspail

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**Benjamin Raspail** (bɛ̃ʒamɛ̃ ʁaspaj; 16 August 1823 in [Paris](/source/Paris) – 24 September 1899 in [Cachan](/source/Cachan), [Seine](/source/Seine_(d%C3%A9partement)), now [Val-de-Marne](/source/Val-de-Marne)), was a painter-engraver and politician of the [French Third Republic](/source/French_Third_Republic). He was the son of [François-Vincent Raspail](/source/Fran%C3%A7ois-Vincent_Raspail). Like his father, he was classed as extreme-left, and he went into exile in Belgium with his father from 1853.

In 1874, following the death of [Eugène Lavenant](/source/Eug%C3%A8ne_Lavenant), Raspail took over as Mayor of [Arcueil](/source/Arcueil) as "premier conseiller inscrit au tableau". He was also a member of the [conseil général](/source/General_councils_(France)) for [Seine](/source/Seine_(d%C3%A9partement)).

As member of the council for Seine for the Republican left, Raspail proposed the law, on 21 May 1880, which made 14 July a [national holiday](/source/Bastille_Day) in commemoration of the [storming of the Bastille](/source/Storming_of_the_Bastille) and the [Fête de la Fédération](/source/F%C3%AAte_de_la_F%C3%A9d%C3%A9ration). The bill was signed by 64 members, and was adopted by the [Assemblée Nationale](/source/Assembl%C3%A9e_nationale_(France)) on 8 June and by the [Sénat](/source/Senate_of_France) on 29 June. The bill was [promulgated](/source/Promulgation) on 6 July 1880. He also proposed the law to seize the [crown jewels](/source/French_Crown_Jewels) from the monarchy, which was passed on 11 January 1887.

He lost a leg, which had to be amputated, following a chase in [Épinay](/source/%C3%89pinay,_Eure) by a stone-throwing mob.

Upon his death, Raspail bequeathed his estate in [Cachan](/source/Cachan) to become a retirement home for people with work-related disabilities, and also a museum which would house his father's political documents and painting collection, as well as his own painting collection.

## Electoral mandates

- 1876–1877 : Seine
- 1877–1881 : Seine
- 1881–1885 : Seine
- 1885–1889 : Seine

## External links

- [All about 14 July (in French)](https://web.archive.org/web/20080625064229/http://14juillet.senat.fr/toutsavoir/)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Benjamin Raspail](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Raspail) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Raspail?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.