The Colony of Surinam. 249 
Curasao including Bonaire, Aruba, St. Eustatius, Saba 
and St. Martin, (Dutch). This decentralization was the 
most noticeable feature in the a6ls of the Crown with 
regard to the West Indian colonies. Surinam continued 
to retrograde. 
In 1848 the whole constitution of the mother country 
was reformed. A new fundamental law was given to the 
nation. The authority vested in the Crown, to organize 
the administration of the government of the colonies, 
was transferred to the Legislature, the Chambers of the 
States-General of the Netherlands. 
In 1 85 1, the Ministry, then at the head of affairs in the 
mother country, introduced a bill to the Chambers, con- 
taining a new fundamental law for the West Indian 
possessions of the Netherlands. The colony of Surinam 
being since 1848 (the new Grondwet) fully aware that the 
legislative power, ruling her political life and existence 
was now in the hands and under the control of the Home- 
legislature, openly expressed her desire for an entire 
constitutional reform. She was heard. The principle on 
which the new bill of 1 851 was based, was direct repre- 
sentation of the inhabitants by their chosen represen- 
tatives. The Home Government reverted to the o6lroy 
of 1682 and declared in her address to the Chambers 
that " the West Indies offer the fullest guarantees to 
" induce the Government to grant to the inhabitants 
" their share in the administration of their affairs, which, 
" in the opinion of the Government, should prove highly 
"advantageous to the prosperity of the colony." This 
bill did not come under discussion in the Chambers. 
Four years later, 1855 ^ was followed by another, in 
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