Evening star., 1902-03-15
Americans Who Have Been
Honored by Foreign Powers.
FOR VARIOUS SERVICES
PRIVILEGES THAT ARE GUARDED
WITH JEALOUS CARE.
Persons in 0fhce Under Government
Must Receive Permission
From Congress.

The recent action OF Congress In author
izing Commander James M. Miller, u. 8.
N; Surgeon Oliver d. Morton. u. 9. N,
and Mr.. Edwin D. Morgan. formerly Sec
retary OF the American United States lega-
ton at Seoul. Corea, to accept presents
rendered to them by the Emperor OF Ger
many. calls attention anew to the jealous
scrutiny observed by this government in
sanctfoning the acceptance by officers Of
the United States of presents, decorations
or honorary distinctions at the hands of
foreign powers. This Is in conformity with
a specific provision of the Constitution OF
the United States. wherein it is expressly
declared that mo title of nobility shall be
granted by the United States. and no per-
SON holding any office of trust under them
Shall. without the consent of Congress, ac-
cept any present, emolument. office or title
OF any kind whatever from any king,
prince or foreign state"
The consent of Congress has never been
given to the acceptance of foreign title.
and in the hundred and more years Of the
governments existence the sanction of the
acceptance of medals. decorations and
presents has been carefully guarded. In
1S29- 30, when medal was offered to the
President Of the United States by the ib-
orator general Of Colombia in recognition
of this country's friendly aid toward the
establishment of the South American re-
pubilcS, Congress consented to its accent
ance but qualified the act by ordering that
the medal be deposited in the State De-
partment and not delivered until the expi-
ration of the Presidents official term
That precedent has been generally follow
ed since. with the result that there are
usually one or more decorations or medals
In the custody Of the State Department
awaiting the usually tedious process of be-
ing conveyed by act of Congress to their
owners With officers of the army and
M do % ay,G 1t.,tf
foreign governments reach their destfna-
ton only at the behest OF Congress, some
lingering In the custody of the State De-
partment for many months.
In January, 1881. Congress still further
elaborated and defined the conditions un-
der which medals and decorations might
be received by passing the following:
Further Limitations.
mo decoration or other thing, the ac-
ceptance OF which is authorized by this
act. and no decoration heretofore accepted
or which may hereafter be accepted, by
consent of Congress, by any other officer Of
the United States from any foreign govern
ment, shall be publicly shown or exposed
upon the person of the officer so receiving
the same. Hereafter any present, decora-
ton or other thing which shall be conferred
or presented by any foreign government to
any officer Of the United States. civil. naval
or military. shall be rendered through the
Department of State and not to the indi-
Nldual In person. but such present decora-
ton or other thing shall not be delivered
by the Department of State unless SO au-
thor1Zed by an act of Congress"
The two medals presented to General Har-
rison through the State Department com
memorated two important incidents of his
administration-the opening Of the world 3
Columbian exposition in October 1892, and
the recognition Of the republic of Rrazi in
the winter of 1890. The first was struck by
tne spanish government to express its In
terest In the celebration Of the 4OOth ami
Versary of the landing of sColumbus IN the
new world The second was intended to
convey the gratitude of the Brazilian gov
ernment TO the first great power to recog-
nize the overthrow Of the monarchy and
the establishment Of the present republic.
The acceptance Of these medals was duly
authorized by Congress.
That body also authorized Profs. Simon
Newcomb and Asaph Hall Of the naval oh
servatory to accept decorations offered to
them by the French republic in recognition
OF their services to the world of science
Among other officers Of the government
who have been authorized to accept medals
and decorations In recent years are the FOL-
lowing:
For Various Services.
Joseph Irish Of the United States revenue
marine, to accept from the Spanish gov
ernment the grand cross Of Naval Merit of
the second class for services rendered to
the officers and crew Of the Spanish war
vessel Pizarro; Lieut.. Benjamin H. Buck
ingham Of the United States navy, to ac-
cept from the president of the French re-
public the cross Of the Legion Of Honor in
appreciation of services in connection with
the exposition Of 1873 at Paris; Cen Fran
els A. Walker, ex-superintendent Of the
census, to accept decoration Of knight
commander OF the Swedish Order of Wasa
rendered him by the government of Swe-
den and also that Of commander Of the
Spanish Order Of Isabella. from the gov
ernment Of Spain. as a recognition Of his
services as chief Of the bureau of awards