Daily Kennebec journal., 1906-03-30
FRENCH TITLES CT NOBILITY.
Not More Than Three Per Cent Are
LesitimateIy Worn.

OF nearly SOC titles of nobility conferred
by the first emperor just a century since
there are only 81 authentic ones still in
eXlstence-that is to say, which have been
inherited in the male line direct (d!thCugn
there are a quantity of them which have
been assumed without authority by couS
ms. ncpheWS, s0ns-in-llw. or even by til,
husbands of the granddaughters of the
original holder Cf the titlc). The first en-
pCrOr in creating dukcdums, princedoas
and other titles Of nobility invariably ac-
annuity, payable by the government
treasury as long as there was legitimate
descendant in the male line. the idea be-
ing, OF course, to assure the people whom
he had thus honored and their descend
ants that there should always be enough
to maintain the title with the proper
amount of dignity. Repeated attempts
have been made to abolish these annui-
ties. But the proposal has invaria bly,
been opposed by the government of the
day, no matter what its political texture.
On each change of regime in France one
Of the first acts of the Legislature has
been to assure the credit of the nation.
ard thus facilitate the financial operations
of the national treasury by placing the
creditors OF the state under the safe
guard Of the honor and loyalty of the
French nation" Among the creditors of
the state are these 81 holders of annuities
conferred along with titles of nobility by
the First Napoleon and which are in
scribcd according to official parlance on
the Grand Livre de France"-that lis to
say. on this grand ledger of the state in
France. AS long as the French govern
ment continues to pay the dukes of Rivoli
Wagram and of La Moskowa (the latter
a lineal descendant of Marshal Ney), am
nuties. from the national treasury for the
avCWcd purpose Of maintaining their ii
ties with the proper amount of dignity
there can be no question of the nonexs-
tance officially speaking of a bona fide
and authentic nobility of France.
1t must he thoroughly understood that
the revolutionary decree Of August. 1889,
abolishing titles and nobiliary distinctions
in France was modified by the first Ma
poleon through the grant during his reign
of 500 titles of nobility and afterward
completely restored by King Louis XVIII.
on the Bourbon restoration in 1914. when
the following decree was substituted in
its place: The old nobility resumes the
ty. that is to say, the Napoleonic. is au-
thorized to retain its titles. The king
will also create mobiles as he sees fit but
these titles carry with them no excmp-
ton from the jurisdiction of the laws Of
the land or from their civic obHga.
tons After the revolution of 1s4S the
republican government. by decree dated
February % of that year. declared 'all
titles of nobility are abolished. and their
use is forbidden" Four years later. on
February "a. 1852. the government of the
same republic. by a decree bearing the
signature of Napoleon as president. curtly
lIlc CScTtC u lStS aDOllS0l1R InH
nobility. On May IS. 1873, another law
appeared. prohibiting under heavy fines
and imprisonment the assumption of any
title or name without due warrant ard
authorization by the government and
finally, on May S, 1859. still another law
was promulgated, forbidding, under divers
pains and penalties. the use of adoption
of foreign titles without their having pre-
viously received in due form, the author
ization and sanction of the French gov
ernment. There Is no record of any such
having been given since the es.
of the present republic, in
September. 1870. Finally there is a law
of February. 1924. which declares that
"the titles of nobility can only descend in
the male line direct" and, therefore NOT
the distaff side of the house This
shows the position of the law of the nras,
ent day in the matter of titles of NOBILITY Y
in France. For no statutes Whatsoever
bearing upon the matter have been enact
ed since 1870 and there has been no leris-
lative act or presidential decree since fha
of Napoleon III, aboIishi,,e ths /