Mountain Democrat., 1857-04-11
The Legion Of Homer.

creating a decoration which, by bespang.
ling his adherents, would draw thorh more
compactly round his triumphal car
CAmbaceres was summUned; the idea Of
the Legion of honor was communicated
to him, and the grand chamberlain Of
course acquiesced. A council whs con-
vened with all due ceremony and promp-
titude, and the grand plan laid before the
members, mostly all Of whom, with the
exception Of Monge and one or two more
civilians, were military men high up In
grade, flushed with the success of the bat
tle-tield, and whose Golfers were well gar
'nished by booty and by the State. The
Emperor's prSIimihnireor or opening speech
was short, but, as tsual, 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 victorious, covering
themselves with honor and exciting the
admiration Of the world. Promotion has
been rapid in every rank, and the private
soldier may look forward to be one day =
general. But all cannot become generals,
although all may aspire to Distinction
A distinction of honor is therefore become
necessary, to be worn alike by the soldier
and the civilian, thus comprising In one
large family the whole French nations
This distinction is the one / propose
"Ihe Legion Of Hon0r'-which is desti.
ned to far surpass, in exploits Of glory,
the by-goDe decorations of France"
He ceased, and general discussion fol-
lowed; not wholly IN favor of the project;
for, although many had bOen gained by
those Establishments, and cajoleries of the
soirees Of the Tuilleries, and their fasci-
mating Josephine, still the great plan met
with some opposition, and those for and
against were bandying their opinions with
each other, when Napoleon ordered Cam
baceres to read the final clause of the rc.
port, containing the moluments-trGtte-
ment annuel-attached to each grade
All was now silence; the opposition at
once ceased; and legislative decree soon
proclaimed the adoption of the plan and
speedily afterwards the gorgeous cere.
mony took place in the Champs de Mars,
throwing" as the historians of the times
say IAN aurcola of glory over the inaug.
uration Of the first distribution of the
decorations ofthe noble ordcr;" but which
aureola did not prevent Madame de Stael
from thus addressing one of tho decora-
ted: "Ah! je vois-vous ctes un des
onorcs"!-pronounced deshonores- for
which .jeu de m0ts she was ordered to
leave France, and remained many, many
years in exile.
Tho Legion Of Honor was therefore
founded as distinction, not only for mil.
itary services, but likewise for civil scr.
vices rendered to science, literature, nrt,
and the administration. Even when the
Empire fell the BOurbons preserved the
decoration, but changed the mode of con.
fering it, and substituted the eflgy Of
Henry Nv. for Napoleon's. Since 1880
many changes have taken place in the
manner Of taking the oath ON being dec
grated but as it now stands, it runs thus
81 swear fidelity to tho Emperor Napo
leon I'LL, and obedience to the constitu.
tional charter, and to the laws of the king.
DOM" The order comprises the follow.
ing grades: Grand Cross, first called
"Grand Eaglc;" Grand Officer; Com.
tnander, first named "Commandant; :" or
ficer, and Chevalier, first named ''Legion.
aire." The first distribution, in 1902,
comprised 6,772 military men, and 96l
civilians, making total of 7,723 on that
memorable day. Were the statutes oI
the order strictly followed, It would re.
quire twenty years good and loyal ser.
vice for either civilian or Q military
man--the latter in time of peace--to be
admitted chevalier; but any cxtraordi.
nary act performed by civilian, any use.
full object i1yented by Q superior mind
any action d'ecIat-bold feat of arms
achieved by a soldier while campaigning,
is instantly rewarded by the decoration
or promotion in the order, II the person
be already decorated. In war time, there
fore, no number Of years is required L
obtain the decoration; and this implies q
wise foresight, as it gives hope to the re
cruit, and leads the officer on to great ex
ploits.
The revenues of the order of the Lc
gion of Honor amount to eight millior
francs, or 81 600, 900, two-thirds of which
are absorbed by the administration of thu
order, and the annual sums or trditemenh
paid to its various members. Those sum!
arc MS follows The Grand Crosses ant
Grand Officers receive annually 5000
francs; Commanders, 1000; Officers, /,
900; Chcvalicrs, 250; but such annua
sums have been paid since the year 1911
only to such as have received the decora
ton while private soldiers or non com
miSSioned officers.
A fine moral feature of the order is tn,
many grAtuitous mGisOns d'edStcatiOn-
educational establishmentS-attach t,
and supported by it. for young ladies, tn
daughters Of officers or sub.officers tn
private soldier never being allowed t
marry during the term of his seven years
service, unless his wife occupies som
employment in the regiment; st1ch q
laundress or c0ntiniere, or brings him
fortune Of $50 q year. Those education
al establishments, in which tho instruC
ton communicated is of first class OF
der, arc st. Denis, near Paris; branc
in the rue Barbette, at Paris; and; alsC
another branch at the Loges, near 81
German. In all three there are abOu
900 or 1000 pupils; but out of the 80
contained iu the Imperial House at 81
Dennis, 400 pay $500 a yea: for board
education, &c. but all the young pupil
belonging to the other two establishment
are brought up therein gratuitOusly. Tn
Imperial House at St. Dennis is admins
tered by lady-superlntendent who he
under her orders six ladies (di0Mitoiret)
twelve ladies' of the first class, twent,
nOviCes, and many candidates for the nc
vitiate. All these ladies, except the nov