Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1852-04-08
Whole Number s51.
Dro-. sfaAe order or me Les,oa Of nou.r.

Cress erthe Order % Tire Legion Of Homer.
The form Of the decoration of the
members Of the Legion Of Honor is,
by recent decree OF Louis NapoIe-
on. re-estabIished according 10 the
style adopted by the Emperor. This
is one OF those significant steps which
have recently foreshadowed the ap-
preaching restoration Of the Empire.
The Order Of the Legion OF Honor
was established by Napoleon when
First Consul. All orders Of nobility
after the manner ofthe old regime hav.
ing been abolished under the Revolu-
ton. the institution Of the Order of the
Legion OF Honor was political device
of the First Consul to avail himself OF
the national fondness for distinctions
without incurring the odium Of an al
tempted revival Of the old aristocratical
orders. The prestige Of the new order
would be entirely his own; his name as
its founder would be associated with il;
the honors it conferred would de derived
from him; yet to make it also national
and honorable as badge Of merit it was
declared TO be instituted ''to recompense
civil and military services"
The form of the decoration, rs fixed
by Napoleon when Emperor. is thus
prescribed BY a decree of1804:
"The decoration Of the members of
the Legion of Honor shall consist of
star Of six double rays. The centre of
the star surrounded with wreath ofoak
and laurel, shall present on one side the
head of the Emperor, with this legend.
Napoleon, EmpereBr les FrGncGis,"
and on the other, the French eagle, hold
ing thunderbolt, with this legend. Hon.
HeRr et Patrie. The decoration shall
be Cnameled with white. Il shall be of
gold for the Grand Officers, Command
ants and Officers, and Of silver for the
Legionaries. II shall be worn suspens
ded at one ofthe button holes of the coat,
attached to red watered ribbon. Off
GERS shall add a roSSite to the ribbon -
Commandants shall wear il saitire-wise,
hanging bv a ribbon placed around the
neck The Grand Officers shall wear
il suspended by a grand Gordon Of tine
same color, passing as a shou'der-belt
from right to left over the breast"
Upon the restoration Of Louis XVIII
who did not venture upon abolishing the
order, the form Of the decoration was
changed so as TO correspond with the
associations Of the House of Bourbon;
and the name of Henry w, the founder
ofthat House, was substituted for thatiof
Napoleon. Under Louis Philippe the
order underwent other modiicaiinns.-
The lilies ofthe old style were made to
give way to the tri colored flag, whereby
the citizen King while retaining the en-
blazonry Of the Bourbons and the name
Of Navarro, sought at the same
time to derive benefit by connecting
Herewith the military emblem of the
Empire, with the memories ofthe victo-
ries that had given it splendor.
The inscription of "NdpoleOn, En-
pereEr les FrGncais," with the eagle
and the thunderbolt, now restored by
Louis Napoleon, re-establishes the or
der as an institution of the imperial
epoch, and the transfer ofideas from the
uncle TO the nephew in an easy order of
may be regarded as a conse-
quence contemplated by the decree Of
re establishment Bali. Amer.