ENACTMENT OF LAWS. 
139 
the Divine blessing on the object of the meeting. 
He therefore read a suitable portion of the sacred 
volume, and implored the sanction of the King of 
kings upon the proceedings that were to follow. 
Nothing could be more appropriate than thus 
acknowledging the Power by whom kings reign, 
and seeking His blessing upon those engagements 
by which their public conduct was to be regulated. 
The blessing of the Most High having been thus 
sought, the king, who had previously taken his sta¬ 
tion in the central pulpit, arose, and, after viewing 
for a few moments the thousands of his subjects 
who were gathered round him, commenced the inte¬ 
resting proceedings of the day, by addressing Tati, 
the brother and successor of the late Upufara, 
who was the leader of the idolatrous and rebel 
army defeated in November, 1815. “ Tati,” said 
the king, “ what is your desire ? what can I do 
for you ?” Tati, who sat nearly opposite the 
pulpit, arose and said, “ Those are what we want 
—the papers you hold in your hand—the laws; 
give them to us, that we may have them in our 
hands, that we may regard them, and do what is 
right.” The king then addressed himself to 
Utami, the good chief of Te Oropaa, and in an 
affectionate manner said, “ Utami, and what is 
your desire ?” He replied, “ One thing only is 
desired by us all, that which Tati has expressed— 
the laws, which you hold in your hand.” The 
king then addressed Arahu, the chief of Eimeo, 
and Veve, the chief of Taiarabu, nearly in the 
same manner, and they replied as the others 
had done. Pomare then proceeded to read and 
comment upon the laws respecting murder, theft, 
trespass, stolen property, lost property, sabbath¬ 
breaking, rebellion, marriage, adultery, the judges* 
