The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1891-07-23
THE LEGION OF HONOR.
History of the Celebrated French
Order and It's Decoration.
Founded by Napoleon Bonaparte In 1909
Undcr the First Repubiic-Thc Dis
tinction Conferred for Nota-
h1e Deeda.

The Legion of Honor was founded,
writes Col. Thomas w. Knox in the
Brooklyn Standard Union, by Napoleon
Bonaparte in 1902, under the French re-
public, and the theory of it's foundation
was one of promotion of republican prin-
ciples and republican equality, as the
honor was open to anyone, without re-
gard to his station in life, whether civil
or military. Previous to that time all
the decorations and orders were con-
fined to the military or to persons of
noble origin, and 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
1t was conferred for notable deeds or
work in civil life quite as often as for
military exploits. On few occasions
1t has been given to women who have
performed distinguished services in
France, and the order has survived,
with various notifications, all the
changes of government that the coun-
try has seen since the first decoration
was granted. Under Louis Philippe and
also under Napoleon Ill. it was con-
ferred upon great numbers of men for
very insignificant reasons, which
brought the cross into disrepute, but
since the establishment of the republic
greater care 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 are cut off from all
pensions or further claims. The order
is wealthy one, and in some years the
pensions have amounted to more than
one million dollars. Altogether there
are about fifty thousand wearers of the
decoration, all except few hundreds
being Frenchmen or of French origin.
To Frenchman the cross of the
Legion of Honor is of much conse-
quence, 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 1t is SIM
ply a mark of distinction and nothing
more, but should he go to France either
for visit or prolonged stay he would
find it of benefit in the same general
way that the Frenchman finds 1t ad-
vantageous. The theory prevails that
the wearer Of the decoration, and prac-
tically the wearer Of any decoration, is
q gentleman in tho fullest sense, and
{c fo1r
truthful where it might otherwise be
open to doubt. This is noticeable at a
French custom house, where the bag
gage for the decorated man is almost
always passed without question on his
simple assertion that It contains moth.
ing dutiable, while that Of the undeco-
rated one Is carefully examined, no mat
ter what he may have said concerning
It. Railway officials and employees are
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 'decoree'
than from the common mortal, and the
hotel keepers make up for their extra po
liteness by augmenting their bills. "You
get more 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 Il
in the end" The laws Of France pun
ish very severely any individual wht
presumes to wear on French soil thu
ribbon Of the Legion of Honor withou
legitimate possession Of the cross ant
diploma, the punishment including boil
fine and imprisonment.