POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
383 
ceedings^ or participate in his power. His will still con¬ 
tinued to be law^ in all matters not included in their code; 
and with regard to the revenue which the people were 
required to furnish for his use^ he would admit of no rule 
but his own necessities^ and consequently continued to 
levy exactions^ as his ambition or commercial engage¬ 
ments might require. 
The Missionaries would have regarded with higher 
satisfaction an improvement in the principles recognized 
as the basis of the relation subsisting between the king, 
chiefs, and people, some division of the power of govern¬ 
ment—enactments proportioning the produce of the soil 
to be furnished for the king, and securing the remainder 
to the cultivators. But having recommended these points 
to the consideration of the rulers, they did not think it 
their duty to express any disatisfaction with the code, 
imperfect as it was. 
In the month of May, 1819, the king, and several 
thousands of the people from Tahiti and Eimeo, assembled 
at Papaoa, for the purpose of attending the opening of 
the Royal Missionary Chapel, and the promulgation of 
the new laws. The anniversary of the Tahitian Mission¬ 
ary Society being held at the same time, the Missionaries 
from the several stations, in these two islands, were then 
at Papaoa. 
The thirteenth day of the month was appointed for this 
solemn national transaction; and the spacious chapel 
which the king had recently erected was chosen as the 
edifice in which this important event should take place. 
It was thought no desecration of a building reared for 
public devotion, and solemnly appropriated to the wor¬ 
ship of the Almighty, and other purposes directly con¬ 
nected with the promotion of his praise, that the grave 
