ALGERIA AND TUNIS. 225 



the constitution of well-regulated civil life. When 

 once we entrusted them with arms, the teaching and 

 the example of the intrepid and kindly - disposed 

 officers placed in command soon made excellent 

 soldiers of them. When we shall have given them 

 well-selected industrial leaders we shall derive im- 

 mense benefits from the labour of these quick-witted 

 Algerian races. 



But in order to succeed it is indispensable to treat 

 the Mahometans with the kindness and sympathy due 

 to men whom we shall some day have to make French 

 citizens. There has ceased to be any irreconcilable 

 hatred between the Eastern and Western races ; and 

 it is for France to organise and administer with equity 

 the Mussulmans subject to her authority. Fanaticism 

 against the Christians no longer exists except among 

 the Turks, for the Arab race, which follows the 

 practices of Islam in all their purity, and according to 

 the precepts of the Koran, regards as infidels the 

 idolaters, and not the Christians. 



France has governed Mussulmans for more than 

 fifty years, and though many people regard them as 

 subjects who are not upon equal terms with the 

 French political family, I consider it as a civic duty 

 not to withhold from them our solicitude and esteem. 

 It would be very inconsistent for us to treat the Maho- 

 metans of Algeria as rayahs when we are urging the 

 Sultan to emancipate the rayahs of the East. 



We must not, in our relation with the Mahometans 



