Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-12-28

this constitution shall no longer re-
main a chief of the Hawaiian Islands.
and the same shall be true of govern
ors, officers. and all land agents. But
If any one who is disposed should
change his course and regulate his
conduct by law it shall then be I'm.
the power of the chiefs TO re-instate
| him in the place he occupied previous
| TO his being depoSed
1t is our design to regulate cur king
/ dom according to the above principles.
and thus seek the greatest prosperity
/ both of all the chiefs and all the
people Of these Hawaiian Islands. But
we are aware than we cannot of our
selves alone accomplish such an OBJ
/ Ject-God must be our aid. for it is
| His province alone to give perfect
/ protection and prosperity. Wherefore
we first present our supplication to
Him that He will guide us to the right
measures and sustain us in our work.
1t is therefore our fixed decree:
FirSt-That no law shall be enacted
which is at variance with the word
of the Lord Jehovah. or at variance
with the general spirit of His word
All laws of the islands shall be
consistent with the general spirit of
Gods law
Second-An men of every religion
shall be protected in worshiping Je-
hovah and serving Him according to
their own understanding, but no man
shall ever be punished for neglect of
God unless he Injuries his neighbor
or brings evil upon the kingdom.
Third-No law shall give redress to
every man who is injured by another
without fault of his own, and shall
protect all men while they conduct
themselves properly and shall punish
all men who commit crime against
the kingdom or against individuals,
and no unequal law shall be passed for
the benefit Of one or the injury OF
another
Fourth-No man shall be punished
unless his crime be first made mani
fest, neither shall he be punished I'M
less he be first brought to trial in the
presence of his accusers and they have
met face to face, and the trial having
been conducted according to law, and
the crime made manifest in their
pi OcChSS, IuSlI PUNISHMENT HAY Dt III
flicted.
Fsfth-No man or chief shall be
permitted to sit as judge or act upon
a jury to try his particular friend Tor
enemy or one who is especially con-
nected with him. Wherefore, if any
man be condemned or acquitted, and
it shall afterward be made to appear
that some friend who tried him acted
with partially for the purpose of ia
voring his friend Tor injuring his enc
my or for the purpose of enriching
himself then there shall be a new
trial allowed before those who are
impartial.
The origin of the present govern
ment and system of pOlity is as fol
lows:
! Kamehameha J. was the founder of
the kingdom, and to him belonged all
the land from one end of the islands
to the other, though not his own pri-
vate property. 1t belonged to the peo-
pie, and the chiefs in common with
whom Kamehameha /. had the man
agement of all the landed property.
'hNh
is not now any person who could or
can convey away the smallest poF-
ton Of land without the consent of
one who had or has the direction of
the kingdom. These are the persons
who have had the direction Of it from
that time down:
Kamehameha L., .Kamehameha H.
and ut tbn nPnSnnt tin1n / Il m ha M bI
III. These persons have had the di-
rectiOn of the kingdom down to the
present time, and all documents writ
ten by them, and no others. are Inc
documents of the kingdom.
The kingdom is permanently CON
fined to Kamehameha III. and his
heirs, and his heir shall be the person
whom he and the chiefs shall appoint
during his lifetime, but should there
be no appointment, then the decision
shall rest with the chiefs and the
house of representatives.
! Then follow the prerogatives of the
king. He is the sovereign of all the
people and Of all the chiefs. He has
the right to form treaties with the
EuicIS VI oil Lne OtueE hlHSuOnlS ana
also to receive the ministers sent by
other countries, and he has the power
to confirm agreements with them.
The constitution then treats of the
duties of the premier of the kingdom
and the governors of the different
islands. In these particulars the con-
stitutiOn seems to be modelled largely
after the English methods The con-
stitution also provides for a house
of representatives, and no measure can
become law without the appreciation
of a majority Of the members of the
house
The constitution also provides for a
supreme court of six persons, the king
and the premier being ex-officio mem
bers. The constitution provides that
there shall be no further trial after
theirs Life, death, confinement, fine
and freedom from it ere all in their
hands,
The method to bring about changes
in the constitution is as follows:
Hereafter if it shall be thought de-
Sirable to change it, notice shall be
previously given that all the people
shall understand the nature of the
proposed change, and the succeeding
year, at the meeting of the chiefs
tho ranraSopfa two hodv tboy