Polynesian., 1862-05-17


easily surmise that these would be the conclusions
at which they would unanimously arrive.
u" Ihls people has been given over to us to make
them holy and godly, and therefore o pros
porous and honrshing nation, showing forth to the
world all the benefits of Christian civilization We
have the means In our hands to effect the glorious
transmutation; we have the Bible, the preached
word, the temporal power. Let US be up and
DOING
Now, first, as to the temporal power. There is
a text on that head sure to be present to Calvin
'sts- The magistrate is for terror to evil
dCers, praise and protection to those who do
we'll" | admit its soundness. But then would
observe that In making it rule of action we must
take heed how We interpret " euil-doers." If we
thus designate those who trespass on the rights of
their nelghbors, all will admit its truth 1t is the
foundation oil law and order. If we so designate
those whose practices, though not infringing the
positive rights OF others yet repugnant to the
moral sense OF the majority of the communi-
ty, we come to other and debateable
ground - but on which, however, it may
be held as fixed position that if the law take cog
nzanee OF such doings, it ought TO deal with them
lenlently-over-severity necessarily creating q
strong reaction. If we so designate those whose
practices opposed merely to the moral sense of
the rulers, we give our countenance to sheer
tyranny, which, ii 1t can maintain itself like all
other tyrannes, tends to debase and brutify those
over whom 1t tyrannises.
These are truths which every unbiased mind
will readily assent to, and which history sufficiently
illustrates. The reigns, for instance, of Calvin at
Geneva, and of the Puritans in New England, were
absurd in their rigidity, and mercess in their
verify. Had they been an embodiment of the mere
good pleasure OF the rulers, they would have been
the worst of tyrannies, but those to whom were
the sceptre and the sword in both places, were but
the executors of the will of the multitude, and
cannot therefore be severely eensured. Their rule
was not perhaps culpably unjust, but it was un-
doubtedly exceedingly imprudent. the relentlessly
vindctive course they pursued against their
conceptions of evil having had the necessary effect
of raising up powerful and directly opponent sem
timent and party. Witness the famous " Citizen
of Geneva Rousseau, who went forth as the
apostle of that new gospel preached far and wide
with such terrible success-the gospel that pro-
claimed the doing away with all the divisions be-
tween right and wrong which society has estab-
lished, and the substitution in their stead Of the
inward individual sentiment. Witness that re-
nowned citizen OF Boston, the celebrated Dr. Chan
ping, from the lips and pen of whom have issued
the most powerful of protests uttered against
all positive creeds lettering the religious sentiment
and belief
A set of men such as | have supposed met in
concave together, with their optical aids duly ad
justed, would be able to see none of these things
They would say the one to the other: 50 We know
what the law of God is let US then enforce 1t, and
put down every sin by inaicting it the most Sc
penalties
Let us see how they followed out this principle,
and what have been the results of their procedure
We shall find that they have aggravated the old
and introduced new evils.
Smoking tobacco was held by them to be con-
trary to the law of God, and consequently SIM
Smoking tobacco was therefore mathematical, laid
under Introduction, and the most stringent regula
tons put IN force to suppress it What was the
consequence 1t was still smoked In secret. Those
who partoOk not thought it must be something
very nice, else smokers would not run such risks
for Its sake, and they, too were tempted to try it,
dltOnal zest which stolen waters and bread, eaten
in secret, are said to have. The result has been
that with few exceptions pipe is in the mouth of
every native every hour of the day.
But the crying sin of the land was the licentiOus
habits of the people. This vice, therefore, must
be crushed out with the strong hand.
admit that this crushing of it out would have
been very desirable thing if it could have been
effected but | submit that the means used might
have been expected to aggravate, and have i'm
mensely aggravated, the evil which they were in
tended to abate These means ran counter to prin-
eiples which it is vain to strive against. lst No
law be carried into effect if it be opposed to the
sentiments of the people. 3D. No penal law can
be carried into effect if it be generally thought that
Scotland and New England are generally es-
teemed moral countries. Let US suppose that by
some strange combination of circumstances it had
been found possible to enact law, in either of
them. that whoever found in suspicious cir
cumstances with a woman should be severely fined
and failing In payment, should be set to do labor
on the public works. Let us suppose further that
this law carried out with such stringent Sc
verify that multitudes. unable to pay the ne were
dragged away to labor on roads, etc.. scantily fed,
badly lodged and compelled to associate with COM
mon felons. What would be the consequence
Every one at all acquainted with either of these
two countries knows that such law would be
openly resisted, and could only be enforced at the
point of che bayOnet and with large army. The
most moral of fathers would aid in the resistance,
saying we should have liked to have had our lads
punished but this is not to punish, but to degrade
The measures carried through here were far more
harsh and severe, because the manners of the
people caused them to be felt everywhere, and to
strike alike at both sexes. They were, besides,
unwarrantable, because they were unjust. The
majority of the people at the time they were enact
ed, conceivng that intimate relations might often
exist between the sexes, not terminating in mar
riage, and yet not In themselves culpable.
Notwithstanding all this, however, no resistance
was offered, no rebellion ensued. The people quiet
ly submitted. This was partly owing to their
habits of implicit obedience to the viii of their
Chiefs and partly because they themselves, well
their chiefs, desirous that they should be-
come civilized men. They knew therefore that they
had process, probably trying process, to go
through, but they were prepared to endure It.
They had, it were, to pass through the mill. To
be put in wheat and to come out fine -four. They
were ready to stand all the crushing, tearing and
grinding that might be necessary. Notwithstand-
ing, therefore. the astonishment and CONSERVATION
that pervaded them at Witnessing the trenchant
sharpness of this first step of the process, they
bowed their heads in quiet submission.
Ii was not however, in the nature of things,
that blow 50 heavy should not produce CORES
ponding effects. Let US see what these were;
LIST. As to the men and women who thus suf.
fered as criminals, it will be granted that one of
the chief ends of punishment is, or ought to be,
IL. IL Z