The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-05-11
FOREIGN ORDERS.
General Sheridan To BE Decorated
by the Car of Russia.
A Number Of Other American Gentlemen To Be
Similarly Honored-Imperial Gratitude for
Kindness to Prince Alexis-The Differ
emit Orders Of Europe and America.

ons OIucrs OI Europe and America,
ST. PETERSBURG, April TO- 1872
General Sheridan and several other persons whs
had the pleasure OF entertaining the Grand Duke
Alexis when on his visit to the United States have
been honored or are to be honored very soon by re-
ceiving decorations from the Emperor, in acknowl-
edgment of the poteness and Kindness shown
Alexis while there. General Sheridan will receive
decoration Of the Order of the White Eagle, but l
am not in q condition to state what other orders
will be given to whom and l. therefore re-
frain from mentioning Names as do not wish to
raise hopes in the bosoms of my countrymen that
may be cruelty blighted, and dreams which are
doomed never to be realized.
1t is needless to state however, that President
Grant, Mr.. Fish and Mr.. Bancroft Davis are not
mentioned as being among the number OF the
happy recipients. do not know whether these
gentlemen will feel bad about 1t or not but il
they do they have the example of certain re-
nOwned fox to fall back upon for consolation, al
though, to tell the truth, these grapes usually
considered exceedingly sweet by those who have
tasted them.
WHAT IS A DECORATIONS
AS there may be great many Of my readers who
have never seen decoration anybody who ever
one, will state, for their benefit that deco
ration Is bit OF ribbon, blue, red, yellow, green
variegated, as the case may be, to which is usually
u
gold, silver, enamel or even iron and worn on the
breast, to the great deectation OF the-wearer.
ht Of rod ribbon Worn in tSe bttonho1e a IN the
lowest grade OF the French Legion of Honor, to a
shield the size of a small dinner plate naming with
all the colors OF the rainbow, and often arranged In
a way that would put the rainbow to blush, as in
NUMBER or EUROPEAN ORDERS.
The "Almanach de Gotha' gives list of $50
orders, nearly all European, of which nine are Aus
TRAN, ten Spanish seven English dye Italian
French, two Danish and six swedish, the rest
being distributed among the smaller German and
NEW WORLD DECORATIONS
The New World counts ony,nine of which six
are Brazilian aud three Mexican. These latter are
doomed, 1t seems, to experience all the vicssitudes
usually attendant on Mexican government and
live and die and spring up again, PERISH are re-
newed and abolished in way that must test the
patience of the staid and punctilious "Almanach de
Iiotha" The first Mexican Order-that Of Notre
Dame of Guadalupe-was founded in 1922 by the
Emperor Iturbide, was afterwards abolished, then
renewed in 1868 by Santa Anna, again suppressed
In 1885, and again renewed in 1868 decree of the
imperial government OF MaXimilian. Poor Maxi
milan t ne Lived long Whs 40 nn Hew
prevent Mexican bullets finding their way to brave
and noble heart.
When it Is remembered that all Of these orders
average at least five ranks, each rank demanding
hundred decorations in all, 1t will be that 1t
would require some years OF hard study TO master
them all SO as to know them at sight. The means
OF acquiring decoration are various. You dis
tinguish yourself the field OF BATTLE or you save
somebody from drowning or you make yourself re-
nowned in the world of letters or of art, or you
perform your duties as functionary OF the govern
ment aithully-Or,a at least, you make somebody be-
body Who has decorations to give, and sometimes
simply being polite to him Is enough to insure you
one.
for the somewhat ambiguous reason stated in the
decree by which it was conferred on him, Of the
decorated because she lived pious life" which, 1t
must be admitted, is a better reason than those
generally given. The readiest and easiest means OF
procuring decoration, however, is to avail yourself
your merit in being the possessor OF a consider
able quantity of what the scOifers term 'hthy
lucre,' kind of merit never, or, at least rarely,
overlooked in comforting them.
The greater part Of the orders have their prices,
varying according to the rank OF the decoration
and the honorability OF the order, and there is in
Paris an agency where you may get, negotiate and
obtain decoration OF almost any order, II you are
willing to sacrifice asuicient amount OF money
this altar OF distinction. A well-known American
dentist, living at this side of the Atlantic, has,
believe, about a hundred, of which he is exceed
ingly proud: but as he cannot find room for
them all on his breast he has had them
wearing them by turns, fifteen or twenty at
time. Some say he is making a collection Of
things a la mode nowadays, and the way ne gets
them is this:-As Is well known he has great
many royal patients whose dscaymg moaf 81 th AND
crowned heads who have decorations to give ask
him for his bill he answers, ~ never take money
far be 1T from me to refuse, American citizen
though be-"
abound everywhere, have great many malicious
and uncharitable stories to relate about decorated
people, the way In which they obtain their decora-
some OF them have. A story Is told Of famous
Prussan officer or general Prussia more than any
other country reoices in decorated peope) who has
so many that like the doctor, he cannot find place
for them all on his breast and so when he goes to
an evening party he has his servant bring them In
after him on platter, and follow him around he
sautes the company, as though, like Dots baby,
they were some thing in the nature OF refreshments
remember bon mot of llochefort's on this sub
ject during the Commune. While the Versailles
troops were pounding away at the Porte Mailiot
and the Arc de Triomphe, and Dombrowski fighting
from street to street and from house to house In
the village of Neuilly the came that the gem
darme who had cut down Foarens Win DION r ,n ..
Legion Of Honor. "What piyl'' exclaimed noCne-
fort; "the avengers OF Floarens VIII no" "e'e' 10
able to lind him." ,,,
THE MOST PRICED DECORATIONS
A few OF the orders confer however, tne nigne rs
Theresa Of Austria the Iron Cross of Prussia and
one or two NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF the two former
especially being ,,go only g,u epns'''' ~ ''' M ~
same of the orders as that Of the Golden Fleece,
of spain, and the OfaGr humber of members tbc
hadge or decoration OF each being returned to the
society the death o. inc 1e anu enss pass
some of them for centuries. Thus the Count of
Flanders, brother OF the King OF Belgium has the
same collar and badge OF the Golden Fleece
worn by Columbus and, in England the present
Earl Cowley has the garter formerly held by Lord
Palmcrston.
or WHAT USE ARE THEY 2
There Is, probably, much to be said for as well IA
against orders and decorations. One argument
urged In their favor is that by this means govern
ments are enabled to pay of a quantity OF debts,
that would otherwise be very troublesome, In an
exceedingly economical manner, and which appears
to be perfectly satisfactory to both parties
or course for those who reason logically and cor
rectly a decoration has no rdtson detye; for 1t IL
given If given for anything, TO confer distinction.
Now II you have done nothing to merit distinction
decoration ought not and will not confer II, az
the existing system certainly proves and II you
have distinguished yourself really you have need
OF decoration. Is Moltke more esteemed for his
decorationsS and would Washington or Shak-
spcarc have been greater for wearing star on the
breast or a bit of red ribbon In the buttonhoies
But then few people are logical, and 80 decorations
L a.nI.1 INN Il. llaaa.