The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-09-10
TIE LEGION OF HONOR.
History Of tho Celebrated French
Order and It's Decoration.
Founded by Napoleon Donaparto In 1909
Under tho First Repubilc-Thc Dig
tlnction Conferred for Nota-
bic Dceds.


The Legion of Honor was founded,
writes Col. Thomas w. Knox in the
brooklyn Standard Union, by Napoleon
Bonaparto in 1909, under the French ro-
public, and tho theory of its foundation
was ono OF promotion Of republican prin-
ciples and republican equality, us the
honor was open to anyone, without re-
gard to his station In life, whether civil
or military. Previous to that time all
tho decorations and orders were con-
fined to the military or to persons Of
noble origin, md some were only to be
given to members of imperial, royal or
princely families. The Legion of Hon
or was open to any man, and originally
was conferred for notable deeds or
work in civil life quite rs often Us for
military exploits On few occasions
1T has been given to women who have
performed distinguished services in
Franco, and tho order has survived,
with various notifications, oil tho
changes of government that the coun-
try has seen since the first decoration
was granted. Under Louis Philippe and
also under Napoleon III. it was con-
1crred upon great numbers OF men for
very insignificant reasons, which
brought the cross into disrcputc, but
since the establishment of the republic
greater caro- has been observed French
men who receive the decoration must
pay to the treasury of the Legion of
Honor certain fees for their ribbons and
crosses, and IN addition to the honor
conferred, they receive small pensions
in case of need; foreigners receiving the
decoration pay no fee whatever, but on
the other hand they arc cut off from all
pensions or further claims. Tho order
is wealthy one, and in some years the
pensions have amounted to more than
one million dollars Altogether there
arc about fifty Thousand wcarers of the
decoration, all except few hundreds
being ErcnchIncn or of French origin
To Frcnchman the cross Of tho
Legion of Honor is of much conso-
quencc, as it carries social distinction,
eXempts him from arrest under certain
circumstances, gives him the right to
attend upon various public ceremonials,
and opens many doors and places that
otherwise would be closed to him. TO
foreigner in his own country it is sim
ply mark of distinction and nothinr
more, but should he go to Franco either
Tor q visit or Il prolonged stay he would
lind it of benefit In the same general
way that the Frcnchman finds 1t nd
vantageous. The theory prevails that
the wearer of the decoration, and prac-
tically the wearcr of any decoration, is
gentleman in tho fullest sense, and
his word Is taken as honorable and
truthful where it might otherwise be
open to doubt. This is noticeable ut o
French custom house, where the bag
gage for tho decorated man is almost
always passed without question on his
simple assertion that it contains moth.
ing dutiablc, while that of the undco0-
rated one is carefully examined no mat
ter what he may have said concerning
it. Railway officials and employees ar,e
more respectful to the former than the
latter, and the same is the case with
hotel keepers; but the railway employees
expect larger fees from the "docorce".
than from the common mortal, and the
hotel keepers make up for their extra po-
likeness by nugmcnting their bills "You
get moro civility with decoration
than without it while travelling in any
part of Europe" said an American who
had received several foreign insignia
of distinction, but you must pay for it
in the end" The laws of France pun
ish very severely any individual who
prcsumes to wear on French soil the
ribbon of tho Legion of Honor without
legitimate possession of the cross and
diploma, the punishment including both
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