CONSTITUTION OF THE SETTLERS ON PEEL ISLAND. 285 



plished education, and altogether essential to advancement. It is certain that they do not, any 

 more than the Japanese, place the least confidence in each other, and the government in 

 employing their agents invariahly send them forth in couples, one to watch the other. 



The ahominahle system of espionage imposes great hardships on all classes, as those in power 

 can never know how soon any of their acts, however harmless they may appear to themselves, 

 may he construed into offences against the state. They thus find their lives in constant 

 jeopardy, and are often compelled to purchase safety hy the most servile humility, or a good 

 share of their suhstance. If, by the most prostrate servility, or hy the prodigal forfeit of 

 property, they fail to ohtaan immunity, they are forced to commit suicide, in order to save their 

 fortunes from confiscation and their families from ruin. The lower classes are hy no means the 



Section 8. 



" Port Segulations. — There shall be two regularly appointed and recognized pilots for this port, and, by virtue of this section 

 of article 3, we hereby unanimously appoint James Maitley and Thomas H. Webb as such for a period of two years from the 

 date of this convention. Said pilots may appoint capable substitutes under them ; and it shall be unlawful for any other person 

 or persons to perform the duty of pilots. Any one who shall, without the authority of either of the appointed pilots, attempt 

 to pilot any vessel into or out of this port, shall be liable to a fine equal to the amount of the established rate of pilotage." 



Section 9. 



" It shall be unlawful for any commander of a vessel to discharge any of his crew in this port without permission from the 

 chief magistrate and council, and no commander of a vessel shall leave any sick or helpless man or men upon the island, unless 

 he procure a house for him or them and make suitable arrangements for his or their comfort and subsistence during his or their 



Section 10. 



" Any person or persons not owning land upon this island who may hereafter enter into partnership in trade with a resident 

 and landholder, or who shall purchase an undivided interest in the land of a resident, must enter into written articles of agree- 

 ment, and obtain a written title to the undivided interest he may purchase in lands, stock, &c. ; and in the event of dissolution 

 of partnership, or death of either party, partition of the property shall be made by the chief magistrate and council, whose 

 duty it shall be to secure and take charge of the property and effects of any deceased person for the benefit of his friends." 



Section 11. 



" Any person or persons who shall be guilty of trespass or waste upon the lands of any of the inhabitants, shall be fined in a 

 sum equal to the value of the damage or waste he or they may commit thereon, upon a proper adjudication thereof by the chief 

 magistrate and council." 



Section 12. 



" The chief magistrate and council may, when they deem it necessary, call a convention of the people to propose new, and 

 make amendments to the foregoing, rules and regulations." 



Section 13. 



" Any and all person or persons who shall hereafter emigrate to or settle in this colony, shall be subject and held amenable 

 to the foregoing rules and regulations." 



All the above articles of government having been prepared, concurred in, and adopted by us, in convention assembled, at the 

 house of Nathaniel Savory, in Port Lloyd, Peel Island, on the 28th day of August, A. D. 1853, we solemnly pledge ourselves 

 to each other to support and carry out the same. 



In testimony whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names the day and year aforesaid. 



NATHANIEL SAVORY, 

 THOMAS H. WEBB, 

 JAMES MAITLEY, 

 WILLIAM GILLY, jr., 

 JOHN BRONA, 

 JOSEPH CULLEN, 

 GEORGE W. BRUNO, 

 GEORGE HORTON. 



