The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1911-09-01
LEGION OF HONOR.
The Order That Was Founded BY
the Great Napoleon.

the Great Napoleon.
THRlvED DESPITE RIDlCULE
The Dsspotie corsican Proved BY the
Inauguration Of the Decoration That
He Was . Keen Student Of French
Human Mature.
France owes the Legion Of Honor to
Napoleon. All orders Of chivalry had
been abolished by the revolution and
had left a gap which It was not easy
to All. "They r e geegaws," said
Monge. the chemist, who had taught
the revolutionists how to make gun.
powder out Of plaster Of paris. "Gee-
gaws. II 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 co."
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.
who as victor Of Hohenlinden was. Bit
terly Jealous Of the victor Of Marengo,
At a dinner party he sent for bis cook
and said to him in the presence Of bis
guests: "Michel, I am pleased with
your dinner. You have. indeed distin-
guished yourself. I will award you q
saucepan Of honor" Nine. de Stael
was also satirical upon the subject
"Ah, one Of the decorated?'' she used
to ask each guest who wal shown into
her salon.
But Napoleon had gagged human ma
ture correctly. His Legion Of Honor
did meet a felt want. and It vas 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 az
tronomer; Cuvier. the naturalist, and
Legouve. the poet. The most notable
name omitted was that Of Besnardin
dc st. Pierre. just then in disgrace Tor
championing Mime. dc stael. whom Ma
poleon had banished. but he got the
decoration later on the entreaty OF
Queen HoFtense.
After Napoleon's downfall the ques-
don Of suppressing the Legion Of Hon
or arose. Chateaubriand. whom Napo-
leon had not decorated. strongly urged
its abolition. So. did Puzzo di Borso.
Marshals Victor. Marmont aud Mac.
donald opposed. After debate Il was
decided to recognize and retain the or
del, not on any high moral or patriotic
grounds. but because Louis XVIII:
could not afford to make himself more
unpopular than. be was already By
stripping people Of their decorations.
Chateaubriand and Lanartine consent
ed to accept the red ribbon. but Il, was
also conferred upon a great number Of
worthless personaRes and 40 brought
into contempt.
r..... -. .~. r>> -
uaasa .aaass,. &c.. .hc.. 80. mt
Hos Ssm ..s...sss III -. ath.-,s.
magnitude. This is. Of course. the
Wilson scandal. the history Of which.
Tse tronh,a NAV ha ss;d - h.va ~.
-n an Tho dsv m wh,ch M,la 4Ifee
&c. tsl IN ,ova v,th an onar. .tnoer
vho need mt he mentioned mere. ia
w.rted - mo- har mi Aha v.nt.a
r. msrrv him. and the nanet. we're q.
rinnine to connle the two names In .
manner most em~barrassinp 70 the preu-
ident Of the renublic. The president.
however. cent the opera singer about
his bnsiness and fonnd his DAUGHTER
another .husband. not 3 very GOOD hus.
ba>aNbSt3 the bssss hi s6oh4a
His choice fell upon NJ. Daniel Wilson,
Who had long been one Of n. Grsvy's
political supporters and was Z anancsse