Early on in their history, most "évolué"s sought to use their unique status to earn special privileges in the Congo. They asked that the colonial administration recognize their role as mediators between the Belgians and the native "savages." On 12 July 1948 the Governor-General of the Belgian Congo issued an ordinance creating the "carte de mérite civique" (civic merit card), which could be granted to any Congolese who had no criminal record, did not practice polygamy, abandoned traditional religion, and had some degree of education. Literacy was required except for those persons who had served 20 years as a customary chief or who had provided "good and faithful service" for 25 years in the administration. Cardholders were given an improved legal status and were exempt from certain restrictions on travel into European districts. Of the thousands of "évolué"s in the Congo, only a small proportion of them earned a "carte"; in 1957 there were 1,557 cardholders. There was discontent about the limited nature of the privileges attached to the "carte de mérite civique", so in 1952 the colonial administration introduced the "carte d'immatriculation", which granted to those who obtained it full legal equality with Europeans. The latter card was much more difficult to obtain; one who sought to obtain it had to have a letter of recommendation from his employer and pass an evaluation. The evaluation was administered by an investigative commission, which would visit a candidate in his home, examine his household items such as linen and silverware, and ascertain if he ate with his wife at the table and communicated with his children in French. After this, a candidate and his wife had to appear before the head magistrate of the provincial court to answer a series of questions. By 1958 only 217 Congolese had been awarded a "carte d'immatriculation". Most "évolué"s found "immatriculation" irritating and by the mid-1950s the project was thoroughly discredited.