Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1901-12-20
NAPOLEON'S ORDER.
THE LEGION OF HONOR AND HOW
1T WAS FOUNDED.

AnNhtcN
Proved That Napoleon Knew
French Human Nature.
France owes the Legion OF Honor to
Napoleon. All orders Of chivalry had
been abolished by the revolution and
had left gap which 1t was not easy to
Ill.,. "They are mere geegaws" said
Monge, the chemist, who had taught
the revolutionists how to make gun
powder out Of plaster of paris. Gee
lgaws, If you WILL" the first consul an
severed, "but people like them. Let us
approach the question frankly. All
men are enamored of decorations
the French more than any. They posi-
lively hunger for them, and they have
always done so.''
This was at Malmaison In 1902. In
May the conssil detat was invited to
consider the project of the institution
Of the Legion of Honor. 1t was ridi-
culed by many, notably by Moreau,
who as victor of Hohenlinden was bit
terly Jealous Of the victor of Marengo.
At dinner party he sent for his cook
and said to him in the presence of his
guests: michel, l am pleased with
your dinner. You have indeed distin-
guished yourself. / will award you
saucepan of honor" Nine. de Stael
was also satirical upon the subject.
"Ah, one of the decorated?" she used
to ask each guest who was shown into
| her salon.
But Napoleon had gagged human ma
ture correctly. His Legion of Honor
| lHid INF of
nitely inaugurated on July II, 1904.
Among the eminent men of science
and men of letters on whom it was
then bestowed were included Laplace,
the mathematician; Lalande, the as
tronomer; Cuvier, the naturalist, and
Legouve, the poet. The most notable
name omitted was that of Bernardin
de st. Pierre just then In disgrace for
championng Nine. de Stael, whom Ma
poleon had banished, but he got the
decoration later on the entreaty of
Queen Hortense.
After Jena Goethe was decorated. A
little later high promotion in the order
was given to General Lamarque, to
whom Sir Hudson Lowe had surrender
ed at Capri. what did you do with
him?" asked Napoleon. 1.-THE king of
Naples had him exchanged for n Nea-
politan general who was prisoner in
Sicily" every we'll: there is no harm
In letting this English colonel go. He
is not dangerous" 1t seems not I'M
likely that Sir Hudson Lowe remem-
bered this sarcasm when he was Ma
poleon's jailer few years afterward.
No 60
ton Of suppressing the Legion of Hon.
or arose. Chateaubriand, whom Napo-
leon had not decorated, strongly urged
its abolition. So did Puzzo di BOrgo.
Marshals Victor. Marmont and Mac
donald opposed. After debate 1t was
decided to recognize and retain the or
der, not on any high moral or patriotic
grounds. but because Louis XVIII.
could not afford to make himself more
unpopular than he was already by
stripping people of their decorations
Chateaubriand and Lamartine consent
ed to accept the red ribbon, but it was
also conferred upon a great number of
worthless personages and so brought
into contempt.
There have been many Legion Of
Honor scandals since those days, but
one of them surpasses all the others in
magnitude. This is, of course, the Will
son scandal, the history of which,
though intricate, is worth recalling.
The trouble may be said to have be-
gun on the day on which Mile. Alice
Grevy fell in love with an opera singer
who need not be mentioned here. He
wanted to marry her. and she wanted
to marry him, and the papers were be-
ginning to couple the two names in a
manner most embarrassing to the pres
ident of the republic. The president,
however, sent the opera singer about
his business and found his daughter
another husband, not very good hus-
band, but the best husband he could
procure on the spur Of the moment.
His choice fell upon NJ. Daniel Wilson,
who had long been one Of NJ. Grevy's
political supporters and was financier
of some mark.
No sooner was M. Wilson established
at the Elysee than he proceeded to en-
rich himself by various means. Among
other things. he founded paper called
LIE Moniteur de pExposition Univer-
selle, which really covered traffic In
decorations. The whole story came
out In a state trial toward the end Of
1887. 1t was proved that Wilson had
made a regular practice Of selling the
Legion Of Honor. or, rather, of invit-
ing people who wanted it to bride him
to use his influence to obtain it for
them. His overtures were presented
through his jackals, Generals dAud-
Ian and Cafferel and Mines. Limousin
and Ratazzi, and the whole party had
to stand In the dock together.
Wilson was sentenced to two years
Imprisonment, fine of 5000 francs
and five years deprivation Of civil
rights. He appealed, and the court of
cessation annulled the judgment. The
accused, said the judges, was obvious
ly guilty of everything that he was
charged with, but as his offenses were