24 HAWAIIANGROUP. 



follows : Kamehameha I. was the foiinder of the kingdom, and to him 

 belonged all the land from one end of the islands to the other, though 

 it was not his own private property. It belonged to the chiefs and 

 people in common, of whom Kamehameha I. was the head, and had 

 the management of the landed property. Wherefore, there was not 

 formerly and is not now any person who could or can convey away the 

 smallest portion of land without the consent of the 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 II., Kaahumanu I., and at the present time 

 Kamehameha III. These persons have had the direction of the king- 

 dom down to the present time, and all documents written by them, 

 and no others, are the documents of the kingdom. 



The kingdom is permanently confirmed 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 House of Represent- 

 atives. 



PREROGATIVES OF THE KING. 



The prerogatives of the king are as follows. He is the sovereign of 

 all the people and all the chiefs. The kingdom is his. He shall 

 have the direction of the army and all the implements of war of 

 the kingdom. He also shall have the direction of the government 

 property, the poll-tax, the land-tax, the three days' monthly labour ; 

 though in conformity to the laws. He also shall retain his own 

 private lands, and lands forfeited for the non-payment of taxes shall 

 revert to him. He shall be the chief judge of the supreme court, 

 and it shall be his duty to execute the laws of the land, also all 

 decrees and treaties with other countries; all, however, in accordance 

 with the laws. 



It shall also be his prerogative to form treaties with the rulers of 

 all other kingdoms, also to receive all ministers sent by other coun- 

 tries, and he shall have power to confirm agreements with them. 



He shall also have power to make war in time of emergency when 

 the chiefs cannot be assembled, and he shall be the commander-in- 

 chief He shall also have power to transact all important business 

 of the kingdom, which is not by law assigned to others. 



