CONSTITUTION AND LAWS. 253 
comparison with which, such as could be excited by a despotic 
monarch, must be deemed disinterested. The\' added, that an 
almost independent administration of the King, was better calcu- 
lated for the domestic government, because the decrees of a monarch 
have naturally moi e force Avith the people, (over whom his power is 
unlimited) and, further, that a civil power in the Aristocracy could 
not be reconciled to the Assembly of Captains, to whom the former 
estate was already sufficiently invidious for the health of the 
constitution. 
In exercising his judical authority, the King always retired in 
private with the Aristocracy to hear their opinions, to encourage 
their candor without diminishing his majesty in the eye of the 
people ; and in using his legislative prerogative, he was said always 
to give them a private opportunity of defending the old law, rather 
than of objecting to the new; though, from the same state policy, 
the latter was announced to the Aristocracy as well as to the 
Assembly of Captains, before the people, as the sudden and 
arbitrary pleasure of the King. 
■ The general AssemWy of the Caboceers and Captains, is sum- 
moned merely to give publicity to the will of the King and Aristo- 
cracy, and to provide for its observance ; unless on state emergen- 
cies, or unprecedented occasions, such as the Treaty with the 
British Government. The following anecdote, related to me by 
many Ashantees, will illustrate the freedom of their constitution. 
A son of the King's quarrelling with a son of Amanquatea's, 
(one of the four) told him, that in comparison vvith himself, he was 
the son of a slave ; this being reported to Amanquate'a, he sent a 
party of his soldiers, who pulled down the house of the King's son 
and seized his person. The King hearing of it sent to Amanquate'a, 
and learning the particulars, interceded for his son, and redeemed 
his head for 20 periguins of gold. 
