“(T)hough the system of government in the Sandwich Islands has, since the commencement of Liholiho, been greatly improved, through the influence of Christianity and the introduction of written and printed laws, and the salutary agency of Christian chiefs has proved a great blessing to the people …”
“… still, the system is so very imperfect for the management of the affairs of a civilized and virtuous nation as to render it of great importance that correct views of the rights and duties of rulers and subjects …”
“… and of the principles of jurisprudence and political economy, should be held up before the king and members of the national council.” (Mission General Meeting, 1837)
“Whatever faults may attach to the government (and I would not deny that it may have many) the experience of the last thirty-two years shows that it possesses within itself means of self-improvement …”
“… and that in the abolition of idolatry; the reformation of immoral and superstitious usages; the extinction of feudal privileges, oppressive to the poor; the diffusion of religion and education …”
“… the establishment of a free religious toleration; the consolidation of a free constitution of King, nobles and representatives of the people; and the codification of useful laws …”
“…the Hawaiian people have made more progress, as a nation, than what ancient or modern history records of any people beginning their career in absolute barbarism.” (Wyllie, May 12, 1851)
“In all probability, the genius of the Constitution is the best comment on national progress. Those sections which relate to liberty of conscience are worthy of the most enlightened nation.”
“The first Constitution of the Hawaiian kingdom was adopted on the 8th of October, 1840. The second article solemnly declares that ‘all men, of every religion, shall be protected in worshiping Jehovah, …’”
“‘… and serving him according to their own understanding, but no man shall ever be punished for neglect of God, unless he injures his neighbor or brings evil on the kingdom.’” (Bates)
The new laws of Kamehameha III provided as follows: “The religion of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ shall continue to be the established national religion of the Hawaiian Islands.”
“The laws of Kamehameha III., orally proclaimed, abolishing all idol worship and ancient heathenish customs are hereby continued in force, and said worship and customs are forbidden to be practised in this kingdom upon the pains and penalties to be prescribed in the criminal code.”
“Although the Protestant religion is the religion of the government as heretofore proclaimed, nothing in the last preceding section contained shall be construed as requiring any particular form of worship, neither is anything therein contained to be construed as connecting the ecclesiastical with the body politic.”
“All men residing in this kingdom shall be allowed freely to worship the God of the Christian Bible according to the dictates of their own consciences, and this sacred privilege shall never be infringed upon.”
“Any disturbance of religious assemblies, or hinderance of the free and unconstrained worship of God, unless such worship be connected with indecent or improper conduct, shall be considered a misdemeanor, and punished as in and by the Criminal code prescribed.”
“It shall not be lawful to violate the christian Sabbath by the transactions of worldly business. The Sabbath shall be considered no day in law.”
“All documents and other evidences of worldly transactions dated on the Sabbath shall be deemed in law to have no date, and to be void for not having legal existence. It shall not on that day be lawful to entertain any civil cause in the courts of this kingdom.”
“Every attempt to serve civil process on that day shall be deemed a trespass by the officer attempting it, and shall subject such officer to the private civil suit of the party aggrieved: …”
“… Provided, however, that it shall, in criminal, fraudulent and tortuous cases be lawful to issue compulsory process for the arrest of wrong doers …”
“… and it shall, without such process, be lawful on that day for any conservator of the public peace and morality, to arrest, commit and detain for examination a wrong doer.” (Statute Laws of His Majesty Kamehameha III)
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