484 p. S. Rcinsch 1874, et demande que la Martinique soit constituee le plus tot pos- sible en departement francjais." The general council of Guade- loupe had passed a similar resolution the preceding year. ' The complete success of the colored majority in the general council in vindicating its political importance aroused bitter feelings of apprehension and anger on the part of the whites. The papers which represented then- opinion had always been exceedingly severe in their judgment of the political ambitions of the lower classes. They now began a campaign of unrestricted vilification. How far this was allowed to go will appear from the following extracts. They refer to the former slaves as " ceux qu'une destinee bienveil- lante designa pour cet exode " from Africa. " Mais, malheureux, sans nous, vos yeux n'auraient jamais vue la lumiere, les ossements de vos peres joncheraient les autels de vos dieux, et leurs cranes s'amonceleraient en pyramides sinistres autour des palais de vos rois. . . . Ce prejuge, dont vous vous plaignez, a sa source dans I'inferiorite de votre race, dans la difference indelebile qui existe entre elle et la notre, et aussi, faut-il le dire ? dans la faible tendance a I'elevation des sentiments qui se manifeste chez ceux d'entre vous qui ont goiite les bienfaits de I'education." " As an organ of the colored politicians, the newspaper Les Colo- nics had been founded in 1878 by M. Hurard, later a deputy in the French Chamber, with the co-operation and under the protection of M. Schoelcher, a French senator, who had been a leader in the emancipation movement of 1848 and who had since that time ex- erted himself in constant endeavors to vindicate the political rights of the colored population. Having thus acquired an official paper the mulatto regime was becoming fully organized. For over a de- cade it governed the island without any competition on the part of the whites, who had withdrawn from politics and devoted themselves entirely to industrial pursuits. Certain politicians like M. Hurard or M. Deproge led the "yellow aristocracy" and disposed of the political patronage of the island. The unmixed African population as yet took but little part in political life. In 1 881, by instigation of some whites, a committee calling themselves the " Fifty Negroes " organized for the purpose of drawing the negro peasants and laborers into politics. They were, however, severely reprimanded by Senator Schoelcher,' as introducing racial conflicts, and their agitation re- mained without result. ' Both resolutions are cited in Isaac, Constitution et Shiatus-Considtt'S, pp. 146, 150. ^ La Defense Coloniale, fevrier, 18S2. Cited in Sclioelclier, Polhnique Coloniale, I. II. 'His addre.ss to tlie committee is given in Sclioelclier, Polemique Coloniale, II. 64.
