342 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



ber with tlie change of the season, but, as a general rule, the dormi- 

 tory should be the coolest room in the house i. e., the nearest to the 

 north side, and the farthest from the kitchen. 



* 



THE DEYELOPMEXT OF POLITICAL I^^STITUTIOXS. 



By HEEBEKT SPENCER. 

 YIII. CONSULTATIVE BODIES. 



TWO parts of the primitive triune political structure have, in the 

 last two chapters, been dealt with separately ; or, to speak 

 strictly, the first has been considered as independent of the second, 

 and again, the second as independent of the first : incidentally noting 

 its relations to the third. Here we have to treat of the two in combi- 

 nation. Instead of observing how from the chief, little above the 

 rest, there is, under certain conditions, evolved the absolute ruler, en- 

 tirely subordinating the select few and the many ; and instead of 

 observing how, under other conditions, the select few become an oli- 

 garchy tolerating no supreme man, and keeping the multitude in sub- 

 jection, we have now to observe the cases in which there is estab- 

 lished a cooperation between the first and the second. 



After chieftainship has become settled, the chief continues to have 

 sundry reasons for acting in concert with his head-men. It is needful 

 to conciliate them ; it is needful to get their advice and willing assist- 

 ance ; and, in serious matters, it is desirable to divide responsibility 

 with them. Hence the prevalence of a consultative assembly. In 

 Samoa, " the chief of the village and the heads of families formed, 

 and still form, the legislative body of the place." Among the Foolahs, 

 *' before undertaking anything imj^ortant or declaring war, the king 

 [of Rabbah] is obliged to summon a council of Mallams and the prin- 

 cipal people." Of the Mandingo states we read that, " in all affairs of 

 importance, the king calls an assembly of the principal men, or elders, 

 by whose counsels he is directed." And such cases might be multi- 

 plied indefinitely. 



That we may fully understand the essential nature of this institu- 

 tion, and that we may see why, as it evolves, it assumes the distinctive 

 characters it does, we must once more go back to the beginning. 



Evidence, coming from many peoples in all times, shows that the 

 consultative body is, at the outset;, nothing more than a council of war. 

 It is in the open-air meeting of armed men that the cluster of leaders 

 is first seen performing that deliberative function in respect of military 

 measures which is afterward extended to other measures. Long after 



