Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1901-12-21
NAPOLEON'S ORDER.
THE LEGION OF HONOR AND HOW
IT WAS FOUNDED.

u WAS
----.- :
Despite the RidicuIe the Project at
First Invited Its Inauguration
Proved That Napoleon Knew
Freneh Human Nature. > =
France owes the Legion Of Honor to
Napoleon. AL. orders of chivalry had
been abolished by the revolution and
had left a gap which it was not easy to
fill. '"They are mere geegaws," said
Monge, the chemist, who had taught
the revolutionists how to make gun:
powder out Of plaster of paris. Gee
gaws, If you will" the first consul an
swered, "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 conseil d'etat was invited to
consider the project of the institution
Of the Legion Of Honor. It was ridi-
culed by many, notably by Moreau,
oS NASSSA VI AAOACl1lAACu was Ult~
terly Jealous Of the victor Of Marengo.
At a dinner party he sent for his cook
n said to him in the presence of his
guests: michel, I am pleased with
your dinner. You have indeed distin-
guished yourself. 1 will award you a
saucepan of honor" Nine. de Stael
was also satirical upon the subject.
ga nno IF tho 1ho0rof rod ps cha ,,cnH
to ask each guest who was shown into
her salon.
But Napoleon had gagged human ma
ture correctly. His Legion Of Honor
did meet a felt want, and it was def
nitely inaugurated on July IA, 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; Culver, the naturalist, and
Legouve, the poet. The most notable
name omitted was that of Bernardin
de st. Pierre, just then in disgrace for
championing 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 a Nea-
politan general who was a prisoner in
Sicily" Every well: there is no harm
In letting this English colonel go. He
is not dangerous" It seems not ,un-
likely that Sir Hudson Lowe remem-
bered this sarcasm when he was Ma
poleon's jailer a few years afterward.
After Napoleon's downfall the ques-
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 it 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 twas
also conferred upon a great number of
worthless ~personages and so brought
into contempt. 4av r ~
There have been many Legion of
Honor scandals since those days, but
one of them surpasses all the others in
magnitude. This u.s.. 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 q
manner most embarrassing to tile pres.
ident Of the republic. The president,
however, sent the opera singer about
his business and found his daughter
another husband, not Il very good hus-
band, but the best husband he could
procure Oh the spur Of the mome3.
His choice fell upon NJ. Daniel Wilson,
who had long been one Of NJ. Grpvy's
political supporters and was Il fin: meier
of some mark.
No sooner was NJ. Wilson established
at the Elysee than be proceeded to en-
rich himself by various mel!s. Among
other things, he founded n paper called
LIE Moniteur de rExposition UniYer-
selle, which really covered a 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 d'Aud-
Ian and Cafferel and Mines. Lin,ousin
and Ratazzi, and the whole party had
to stand in the dock together. - ;&&g
Wilson was sentenced to two years
imprisonment, q fine Of 1900 francs
and five years deprivation of civil
rights. He appealed, and the court of