New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-16
FRANCES RED RIBBON.
HOW THE LEGION OF HONOR CAME INTO
BEING.
FOUNDED BY THE FIRST NAPOLEON AS A CoUN
TERPoIsE TO THE OLD ARIsTOCRATIc Or
DERs-ITs COVETED DECORATION
AND SOME OF THOSE WHO

TERPOIsE TO THE OLD ARIsTOCRATIc Or
DERs-ITs COVETED DECORATION
AND SOME OF THOSE WHO
HAVE WORN 1T.
The Grand Gordon Of the Legion Of Honor
worn by Napoleon the founder OF the order, Is
now exhibited as bric-a-brac in some Napoeonic
collection uptown. and will very likely find
possessor here and be hung up trophy In
some private or U-blic museum. II 1t were the
sword OF Frederick the Great, which Napoleon
took from Potsdam, but which restored to
its place, where II yet hangs, trenchant emblem
Of the real foundation OF the Prusslan power 1t
could hardly be more interesting object OF con-
temptation OF the order ITSELF Goethe said that
it was the only one Of like kind ever founded
upon rational principle, which was doing scant
honor to the Prussian order Of merit founded
by Frederick and then become OF the most
coveted distinctions which any royal house OF
the Fatherland had to bestow
The law instituting the order. originating with
and supported by Napoleon. then of the Con.
sulate and opposed by Carnot and his followers
was enacted in May 1902. and the first distribu.
ton OF It's decorations took place at the Hotel
des Invades two years afterward. 1t was in
tended as a counterpose to the orders OF the
clergy and the nobility. and Its prizes were to
be the reward OF every form Of merit irrespective
OF the rank or place OF the recipient. In its
original institution there were fifteen cohorts.
each with its chief town and each consisting Of
grand officers. 20 commanders. 30 officers and
$50 egionary knights 1t superseded the old
arstocratic orders OF France That OF st. Michael.
founded in 1869 by Louis XXI. rival OF the
great Burgundian Order OF the Golden Fleece;
St Esprit. founded by Henry III. 1873 and that
Of St Louis, which created by the Grand
Monarque in 1893. The oldest order. that OF st.
Michael was distributed by Francis III and
Henry III with more liberallty than discretion.
Under the first IS knights were made at one time.
equivalent to the Simultaneous distribution by
Lord Rosebery OF IS Orders OF the Garter. enough
take the breath away from every herald and
capitulary in Europe. In the reign or the latter
II came to be known as the general dog-colar:
on the whole 1t was quite time to support its
waning prestige with new institution. but II
was not allowed that the famous old order should
fall altogether into disuse and discredt. 1t was
given az an auxiliary and accompanying decora-
ton with the new one. and. so reinforced. re-
covered some OF its old dignity and value. Its
members wore black ribbon and a collar or
golden cockieshells represented in portraits Of
royal and noble personages Of that period Louis
XIV founded his order Of ST. Louis in 1893. its
ensign being the red ribbon. afterward chosen
by Napoleon for the Legion OF Honor in prefer
ence To white which az the emblem OF purity
he had first favored but finally rejected 1t. as II
was the badge Of the Bourbons. He was willing
to usurp their throne and royal prerogatives. but
for some obscure reason OF taste or sentiment
seemed delicate about appropriatng their colors
At the Restoration. In 1914 the BourDons ala
not venture to abolish the new order which mao
grown into great popularity. but they restored
the old ones and made them all as useful as
possible giving out the new decorations In par
ticular with liberality which rather cheapened
their value. They adopted the absurd device OF
presenting the image OF Napoleon along Win
that Of Henry " on its or ,sses usage corrected
some years later In the reign OF Louis Philippe.
Under Napoleon the order has come to embrace
1915 grand officers. 900 commanders. $50 officers
and ; $50 knights. most of them but not all. be-
ing the reward OF military service In 1924 the
members had risen to the number OF 2sOo0 ana
as It Gas decreed that sentries should al
WAYS and everywhere salute the red ribbon
whether II was on the breast OF solder or
civilian the constancy and multiplicity OF sa-
lutes became n ridiculous as well az an oppressive
nh vsical burden and the custom was abandoned.
Louis Philippe was forced TO abolish the old
orders restored by Louis XVIII. and the three
saints Michael Esprit and Louis went down to-
gether no more To- be resCscitated. But the pour
geos King was lavish In bestowlng the new or
der and In 1s4s its membership had reached oZooV'
suppress IL as a vehicle for official corruption
4 law To this effect was passed. but II had speed
lily to be rescinded. ,
In 1852 Napoleon III purified the order and
gave Il n new set Of statutes. adding another 10
IT, praduatlons OF honor that Of the Grand Cross.
the highest OF its decorations. After SEDAN 'he
government forbade It's bestowal upon civilians.
I'm, was speedily compelled 10 restore II 10 us
old status The people could do without a gov,
eminent. bot not without an order open 10 all
classes Between this period and 1913. the en-
rolment OF the order showed an increase 10
20 600 members. a burdensome multltude srea.E
exceeding that OF the wearers OF the Henry Ill
dog collar and a reform OF Its ordnancy became
II was decreed that 1t should DE
given to no legislator while he REMAINED suci an
intcrlcton which prevented Victor hugo from
racoivine the Grand Cross when Senator.
There were likewise other restrictive ana reeu-
latIve ordinances the most important OF WHICH
n,ssed July 25. 1873 provided that only one
domination should thencefOrth be made TOT every
two that lapsed provision when IL was OH
nuied would In forty-slx years restore the "'uc'
to the proportions designed by us iouhu,l' 49,.
A few women wear and have worn TINS hieh
and cnveted trophy Rosa Bonheur being one
and among others who are not numerous an
told Juette Dodu. telegraph operator "Ho at
the time OF the German INVASION ."pPvu ,''o
,yiree and thereby saved a French DIVISION
from destruction. II will not be disputed 'nat
tho decoration was az we'll paceu upon ne.
vaIient and patriotic bosom as upon tnat OF any
,na urh, has ever worn 1t. from Its mighty touhu-
W. w ,he nrosent time And II her modest cross
I,v beside the imperial grand Gordon IN tne coi
iaction uptown II might be a question which Oh
ha,n ,ynuld inspire the largest measure OF III
terest.
PENSION ATTORNEY SENTENCED