Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1911-07-22
OF HONOR.
The Order That Was Founded b,
the Great Napoleon.
THRIvED DESPITE RlDlCULE.

The Despotie corsiean Proved by tho
Inauguration Of the Decoration That
He Was q Keen Student Of French
Human Nature.
France owes the Legion " Honor TO
Napoleon All orders of chlvairy had
been abolished by the revolution and
had left n gap which II was not easy
to OIL They ARE mere rccgaws" said
MonGe. the chemist. who had taught
the revolutionlsts how 10 make gun
powder out OF plaster Of paris Gee
gaws. II you will" the first consul an
swered but people Ike them Let us
approach the question frankly. All
men are ennmorcd 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 II was ridi.
culed by many. notably by Moreau.
who as victor OF Hohenlindcn was hit.
terry jealous OF the victor OF Marengo
| At a dinner party he sent for his cook
and said to him In the presence OF his
| guests: michel. am pleased with
| yonr dinner You have indeed disiin
guished yourself will award You
saucepan of honor" Nine de Stael
was also satirlcal upon the subject
"Ah. one OF the dccornted?'' she used
to ask each guest who was shown into
her salon.
But Napoleon had gagged human mn
ture correctly His Legion Of Honor
did meet felt want. and II was def
nitely inaugurated on July u. 1904
| Among the eminent men of science
and men of letters OH whom II was
then bestowed were included Lanlace.
the mathematician; T.alande. the ms
tronomer: Cuvier. the naturalist. and
Legouve the poet The most notable
name omitted was that of Rernardin
de ST. Pierre. Just then In disgrace for
championing Mime. dc Stael. whom Nh
| polcon had banished. hut he got the
decoration later on the entreaty OF
| Queen Hortense
| After Napoleon's downfall tho ques
ton Of suppressins the Legion Of Hon
or arose. Chateaubriand. whom Napo
| leon had not decorated. strongly urged
its abolition SO did Puzzo dl RorGo
Marshals Victor. Marmont and Mac
donald opposed After debate II 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 ny
stripping people Of their decorations
Chatea ubriand and I.amariine consent.
ed 10 accept the red ribbon. but II 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 III
magnitude This Is. OF course. the
Wilson scandal. the history of which
though intricate. Is worth recalling.
The trouble may he 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 10 marry her. and she wanted
| 10 marry him. and the papers were he
| ginning to couple the two names in n
manner most embarrassing 10 the pres
| ident OF the republic. The president.
however. sent The opera singer about
his business and found his daughter
another husband. not a 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 az NJ. Grevy's
| political supporters and was financicr
| OF some mark
| No sooner was NJ. Wilson establish
ed AT the Elysee than he proceeded to
enrich himself 10y various means
Among other things he founded pa
| per called IT, Moniteur dc rExpnsltion
| CniverSelic which really covered a
| traffic in decorations The whuie story
came out M state trial toward the
| end Oi 1871 II was proved that vii.
son had made a regriar practice OF
selling the Legion of Honor. or. rather.
OF inviting people who wanted II To
| bride him 10 use his Influence to obtain
| II for them His nver'rres were pre-
scented through niS Iackais. Generals
dAudlan ara CATERED aud Mines IT.
mouSin and lsatazzi and the whole
| party tad in stand ~ the dock I"
| gether
| Wilson WAS sentenced TO two years
| imprisonment Il I'M" ~ 3.OOD francs
and 1--WE wears deprivation of civi
rights he grlralcd and the court ~
cassaiiom annmllcd The Judgment The
accused said the Judges. WAS obvious
! ~ guilty ~ everything that he was
charged with, hui rs h.s offenses were
not anticipated by any punitive law
he could not nc punished so he re
tired 10 ilie c"unfry and tried Ia live