The Nevada journal., 1857-03-06
The Legion of Honor.

Consul for life, contemplating his eleya-
tion to the Empire, bethought himself
of creating a decoration which, by be
spangling his adherents, woah draw
them more compactly round his trium-
phal car. Cambaceros was summoned /;
the idea of the Legion of Honor was
communicated to him, and the grand
chamberlain of course acquiesced. A
council was convened with all due GER
emony and promptitude, and the grand
plan laid before the members, mostly all
of whom with the exception of Monge
and one or two more civilians, were mil
itary men high up in grade, flushed with
the success of the battlefield, and whose
Golfers were well garnished by booty
and by the state The Emperor's pre-
hminaire or opening speech was short,
but, as usual, to the purpose, and may
be given in substance thus:
"For more than two lustres, the
French armies, following their generals
and their eagles, have been Wet orious,
covering themselves with honor and ex-
citing the admiration of the world
Promotion has been rapid in every rank,
and the private soldier may now look
forward to be one day general But
all cannot become generals, although
all may aspire to distinction \ distinc-
ton of honor is therefore become ne
cessary, to be worn alike by the soldier
and the civilian, thus comprising in owe
large family the whole French natME,
This distinction is the one proposet- = =
THE LEGION OF HoNoR = whicls is
destined to far surpass, in exploits Of
glory, the by-gone decorations Of
France
He ceased, and general discussion
followed, not wholly in favor of the pro-
ject; for, although many had been gain
ed over by those Establishments, and
cajoleries Of the soirees Of the Tuilleries,
and their fascinating Josephine, still the
great plan met with some opposition,
and those for and against were handy
ing their opinions with each other, when
Napoleon ordered Cambaeeres to read
the final clause of the report, containing
the emoluments-tr trditemeRl dnnacl-
attached to each grade All was now
silence; the opposition now ceased; and
a legislative decree soon proclaimed the
adoption of the plan; and speedily af-
terwards a gorgeous ceremony took
place in the Champs de Mars. "throw-
ing" as the historians of the times say,
San aureola of glory over the Inaugural
ton of the first distribution of the deco
rations eff the noble orler.'
The Legion of Honor, as well as all
the establishments depending upon it, is
under the Immediate control and admin
istration Of marshal of France, who
has the title of Grand Chancellor; and
the bureaur, or Offices, are situated in
one of the most beautiful parts of Paris,
not far from the legislative chambers.
The revenue of the order is kept up by
the interest on its original endowment.
and small monthly per centage upon
the pay of every officer in the army and
navy. Altogether, it is an order which
does honor to its great founder, and to
the great nation for which it was found
ed.
There are two other orders of the
kind in France: the Royal Military Or
der of ST. Louis, founded by Louis XIV,
in 1893; and the Order of Military Mer-
it, created by Louis NN, in 1859, for the
reward of officers protesting the protes-
tant religion. These were suppressed
during the great revolution, and re-es-
taolished on the return Of the Bourbons
in 1915; but at the revolution of July,
1880, they fell into desuetude, although
not abolished by legislative enactment;
and the Legion of Honor is, practically,
the onl y existing order.