mutilation. , These .the _ Earl ofi'Minto immediately- abolished, by his proclamation
of. the 11th September,,[ 1*811, in which; brides this beneficial .and
humane lénactmént,- -he laid, dowm clearJyiand • distinctly] the’: liberal and enlightened
principles: whichishoiild.gpide the/ localigovernment infthe ..subse-
quenterevisioh. ó f thefpivil and criminal code -.Qfl;the-colony. The result
’ Was the enactment of; the code’ of judicial and police: regulations which will
,,be.found in the Appendix, to this] work.* , The outlines‘of these regulations,
' and the principles-which . dictated them, are - contained in a Minuitshwhich I
recorded.' an the. 11th February. 1814, whpn they were completed and/pro-
mulgatedipfand ■ the. ffollo wing quotations. from that document mayrbe -sluffi-
cienteto put the 'reader in'posse'ssiön'of;,the change which'was effected*. t
f “ It was jÈSgöjöaJ,-'1 in'iconducting - the revenue.].arrangements^thalMhfe
i*i measures taken, for the ’establishment' of a good and ^efficient polices»„and
“/•theTull’and i impartial administration of justing* throughout ; tb>g, island,
‘Jr^h'óuM preserver anf|q«alpace,_ .
/ ff -Rights were notzto .be, bestowed and\dj^ ned;V without a suitable. p.i;o-
“ gisfon :foi’ tbeir Being effectually,_> guarded -against any inya^sion ;. and if'
“ became'an .©bjebt,of the first moment, to form..such an ‘jade^uajte^md
“ consistenttcode o f regulations, as should* serve, in>e^rypnstam<^^niq^g5®%e
“ the/executive officers of government in the perforxnan'ce-^^their, d^ty,
“-and to uake.known, and-secure to the- people, the 'means./qf obtaining
“ redress, wherievèr they felt themsèlVes/in any way „aggrieved.
The system found existing on Our first arrival was .at ,pg.Gp..complicated
“ and. confused. In the principal towns there^fec-etablish^M^wtSwku t
hese were constituted in' all -then troublesome formaljties^ofi tJie Rpman
(i law -
“ A Defacing, or other chief of a désa, -being acquainted with any conspiracy tending to the
injury’of the state, and not giving intimation thereof,' shall be' punished hy/lpsiög ^oiigjfear,
his head shall be shavëd, and he shall be banished.
“ Any person daring to offer violence 4o_ a priest in the mosque or among the tombs shall
“ forfeit one hand.
“ If a woman kills a man she shall be fined 500 reals Jiatu. - .
If a superior lolls an inferior he shall be fined-1,000 doits,
p If a person puts out .the eyes of another he shall be fined 500 reals Tiatu ; if one eye only,
“ .SOfeals-f/"
There were-also different fines for maiming different parts of the body. For cutting ouótfé
toffguêi 500 reals-; for knocking out the teeth, 25* for breaking the thumb, 5ÖQ; 'for breaking
the finger, 100; and the like.
See Collection o f Native Lam at JBanj/utuangi:
“ law;’ and„infeUhe’'different!residencies' were' provincial courts, styled
« jandraads, kvhere the native1 fornfeand* law’ was left to' take its course, with
“Vafftitsibarbarities and torturés.'- '.■■■
m The Dutch 'government, proceeding entirely :dx^ the system of commer-
biciak-monopolÿ-,i■ paid i verytinferior;'attention'.to: théir-internal administra-
“ tion. i'Tkeyr'hffd': 1 i ttfe.OtHéri connexion with'their best subjects; the'
if Cultivators^of the soil,- than in calling-oil them, from’ time toUime, for ar-
“ bitïary and'oppressiv-etcontributions11and- services'; and for’the^rest, gave'
“ /them* up to be vassals to/the: various intér mediate authorities,-the Regents,
‘fimqmdngs, and- other mative/officersl j* -THese.either at first-purchased their
“a situations/-or) stipulated’ for a*: eertam/trifrate], im, Service' or’ monCy, in
îlfleonsideration of whicl/ all- .the-,inferior- classes- of inhabitants were made
tb$ver/tc>i b.e dealt/with,-by thém as most'pleasing'to themselves.' Policy,
“ ;and the; common attention» to theiri.o.wm good1,- suggested to these a cert
a i n equity)of procedure,; and it was generally the custom1 to leave each
“•Vvillage- to* its' own*1 management with’ respect-to-police and settling;' the
JSipetty/quaraelsithaf occurred** within'- its- limits j-jbutffar the- continuance
“bo&whati .■was* good in such, a system,-there1 was no'security whatsoever
“ and oppression and injustice must - have • constantly^,oecufred. /Where
i l ôf th-ei;lord.was the' paramount’blaw;/'his .vassals- could-only
“ have?-depended -on .his natural. goodness- of., disposition -Tor being
i'Keqditably- trèated. ’-No : remedy was afforded- whefe/the reverse was
‘A-the- case,s and; they possessed,' in short, no-security;- no'freedom what-
../«■ On the propriety of -the measuresf-to^be- adopted by .us.to remedy such
« ■ evils, no doubt couMr exist.-, v
t?fif£;dFhe first-proclamation.- of tbe; enlightened v foubderof/ the .present go-
“ vernment’ advéfte'd' immediately to; this-; subject." As a-step thatcoukF
“. notp*' consistently with- British ideas, ‘admitoof a /moment,8$ delay, it-
“ instantly ordaih’ed/hthat' torture and mutilaiibndshoul^inoiflonger make
part 0f -any sen tenced beSpronounced-'against- criminals ; and it then
“ proceeded to define clearly the relative situation of the English and
Dhtchifinhabitants, laying dow-ft^ules-for ,the future guidance ofgovera-
“ /metit:concerning*them; This^proclamation; dated llthiSeptember, 1811;
“ has long been,-béforèl'the world, and it would be superfluous, in this
,“«place, to dwell on that love of justice and benevolence of disposition,
S. P ■- which