The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1902-03-22
NApOIEON's ORDER.
THE LEGION OF HONOR AND HOW
IT WAS FOUNDED.


Despite the RIdIcule the Project az
First Invited Its Inauguration
Proved That Napoleon Knew
French Human Nature.
France owes the Legion of Honor to
Napoleon. All orders OF chiyairy had
been abolished by the revolution and
had left q gap which II was not easy to
all. "They are mere geegaws," said
MOnge, the chemist, who had taught
the revolutlonists how to make gun
powder out of plaster Of paris. Gee
gaws, IL you wlll," 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 I'm 1902. In
May the conseil d'etat was invited to
consider the project of the institution
OF the Legion of Honor. II was ridi-
culed by many, notably by Moreau,
who as victor Of Hohenllnden was bit
terly Jealous Of the victor Of Marengo.
At dinner party he sent for his cook
and said to him I'm the presence OF his
guests: "Mlchel, am pleased with
your dinner. You have indeed distin-
guished yourself. / will award you a
saucepan OF honor" Nine. de Stael
WAS also satlrical upon the subject.
"Ah one Of the decoratedr she used
TO ask each guest who was shown into
her salon.
But Napoleon had gagged human ma.
| tilre correctly. His Legion of Honor
| did meet felt want and It was def
nitely inaugurated on July IA, 1904.
Among the eminent men Of science
and men Of letters on whom II was
| then bestowed were included Laplace,
the mathematician; Lalande, the as
| tronomer; Cuvler. 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
hlm?" asked Napoleon. "The king Of
/ Naples had him exchanged for Nea-
polltan general who was a prisoner In
Sicily" "Very well; there is no harm
in letting this English colonel go. He
Is not dangerous" II seems not un-
/ likely that Sir Hudson Lowe remem-
bered this sarcasm when he was Ma
pOleons jaller 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
It's abolition. SO did Puzzo di Borgo.
Marshals Victor Marmont and Mac
| donald opposed. After debate II was
decided TO recognize aud 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.
Chatenubrland and I.amartine consent
ed 20 accept the red ribbon, but 1t was
also conferred upon a great number Of
worthless personages and 50 brought
into contempt.
There have been many Legion OF
Honor scandals since those days. but
one Of them surpasscs all the others In
magnitude This Is, OF course, the VII
son scandal. the history OF which,
though Intricate, Is worth recalling.
The trouble may be said 10 have be
gun on the day on which Mile. Alice
Greyy fell In love with an opera singer
who need not be mentioned here. He
wanted to marry her. aud she wanted
to marry him. and the papers were be-
ginning to couple the two names In
manner most embarrassing 10 the pres
ldent Of the republic. The president,
however, sent the opera singer abonf
| his business aud raupd n1s s---ss+-~