The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1871-10-12
The Legion of Honor.

Mr. John DAILY, Mayor of the city of Cork,
has been decorated with the cross of the Legion
of Honor, as recognition of the humanity
shown by the corporation over which he pre-
sides in sending succor to the French wounded
during the late war. Some particulars in re-
gard to an order whose name is so familiar to
the public may not be uninteresting.
1t is said that one day when Napoleon, then
first consul, was looking out Of the window OF
the Tuilleries, he saw an immense crowd i'll the
court yard gazing with admiration at the Aus
tran ambassador and his suite, whose coats
were blazing with stars and crosses Of the vari-
Gus orders to which they belonged. At that
time such insignia were forbidden to French
citizens, but the shrewd soldier saw here an
element which could be made available as a
valuable assistant in the accomplishment of his
ambitious designs Accordingly in 1902, he
brought forward proposition for the forma-
ton of the Legion of Honor-a society which
was then said to have for its main object the
preservation of Republican principles and the
laws of equality. Its membership was to be
conferred upon those who had gained distinc-
ton in military, naval or civil life, without any
reference to their social antcccdents, whether
aristocratic or plcbcian. The proposition was
strongly opposed in the legislative body, and
finally carried by only a very small majority.
As originally arranged, the Legion of Honor
embraced three cl"sscs-grand officers, COM
manders and legi lies but at the corona
ton of Napoleon the first named class was di-
vided into knights of the grand eagle and
grand ofIiccrs-thc former being the highest
grade The Emperor always wore the decora-
ton, and frequently conferred it with his own
hands on the field Of battle upon soldiers
whose valor had been specially conspicuous
At the restoration of the Bourbons, in 1918, the
order was modified and lost much of its distinc--
tive character. The eagles were transformed
into crosses, the ciligy Of Henry ~ took the
place of that of Napoleon, the lcgiOnarles were
called knights, and the educational institutions
intended for the benefit of the children and re-
atives of the members were much reduced in
number and deprived of many of their prlvil,
eyes When Napoleon became President of
the republic, portion of the confiscated prop
erty of Louis PHILIPPE was set aside for the en-
dowment of the Legion, and the original tI; tsa-
lures were as far as possible revived. The
decoration under the second empire consisted
of Il cross of ten points being connected with
q wreath of laurel and in the centre of an
azure circle, bearing the words Napoleon ILL.,,
Emperor dcs Frdncnis," was head OF the En-
pcrOr. The cross was cnsigncd with the lmpc-
rial crown of France and worn attached 70
rcd ribbon. The grand officers wore on the
rirht breast a silver star, charged with the i'm
pcrial eagle and the same star was worn on
the left breast by the Knights Grand Cross,
their crosses being suspended to broad red
ribbon passing over the right shoulder. 1t is
probable that since the downfall of the empire,
all traces of imperialism in the Legion and Its
ornaments have been oblitcrated, but we are
not aware what cmblems have taken their place.
Owing to the lavish distribution of member
ship in former days. the Legion of Honor be-
came for a time of insignificant value; but
since 1851 only one nomination has been made
for every two vacancies. The College OF the
Legion has a large fund, out of which pensions
arc paid to knights and lcgionaries wounded in
battle or who have suffered the amputation Of
q limb while in military or naval service
These pensions have occasionally reached rs
high figure as six million francs annually.
Under the existing regulations: candidates for
the Legion must have served for twenty
years in some military or civil capacity, or
distinguished themselves by bravery or hard
service in time of war; Two distributions are
made each ycar-soldiers receiving their NOM
nations on parade, civilians in the courts of
justice No ignominious punishment can be
inflicted upon member as long as he is in fel-
lowship with the order, and no native of France
can receive the higher honors without having
passed through the intermediate grades.