POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
441 
that several enactments had been otherwise than they 
are ; these parts, however, have not been omitted; and 
notwithstanding their imperfections, considering the 
circumstances of the parties by whom they were 
framed, regarding them also as the first effort of their 
legislation as a Christian people, and the basis of their 
future civil institutions, they embody all the great prin¬ 
ciples, of national security, personal liberty, general 
order, public morals, and good government. And if no 
Solon or Lycurgus should appear among them, it is not 
too much to hope that, amidst the variety of character daily 
unfolded, and the means of improvement which the 
introduction of letters imparts, that political economy 
will not be neglected, but that legislators will arise, 
whose genius shall model and prepare such improve¬ 
ments in their system of jurisprudence, as shall render 
it in every respect conducive to general prosperity and 
individual happiness. 
In the Tahitian and Raiatean codes, when first pro¬ 
mulgated, the punishment of death was annexed to the 
crime of murder, and rebellion or treason. But by the 
laws of Huahine and its dependency, capital punishment 
was not inflicted for any crime. In the first law pro¬ 
hibiting murder and every species of infanticide, the 
penalty annexed to its commission, instead of being 
death, is banishment for life to Palmerston’s, or some 
other uninhabited island. This was in consequence of 
our particular recommendation. We were convinced, 
that if, under any circumstances, man is justified in the 
infliction of death, it is for murder alone ; but an exami¬ 
nation of those parts of the Bible which are generally 
supposed to authorize this punishment, did not fix on us 
the impression that the Almighty had delegated to man 
n. 3 L 
