Chap. I.] ORGANIZATION. 3 



ful successor to his dignities.^ If, however, in the 

 opinion of the old men and subordinate chiefs, the 

 heir should be disqualified for the exercise of the 

 office by cowardice, incapacity, or any defect of 

 character, they do not scruple to discard him, and 

 elect another in his place, usually fixing their 

 choice on one of his relatives. The office of the 

 sachem is no enviable one. He has neither laws 

 to administer nor power to enforce his commands. 

 His counsellors are the inferior chiefs and principal 

 men of the tribe ; and he never sets himself in 

 opposition to the popular will, which is the sover- 

 eign power of these savage democracies. His 

 province is to advise, and not to dictate ; but, should 

 he be a man of energy, talent, and address, and 

 especially should he be supported by numerous 

 relatives and friends, he may often acquire no small 

 measure of respect and power. A clear distinc- 

 tion is drawn between the civil and military author- 

 ity, though both are often united in the same per- 

 son. The functions of war-chief may, for the most 

 part, be exercised by any one whose prowess and 

 reputation are sufficient to induce the young men 

 to follow him to battle ; and he may, whenever he 

 thinks proper, raise a band of volunteers, and go 

 out against the common enemy. 



We might imagine that a society so loosely 

 framed would soon resolve itself into anarchy ; yet 

 this is not the case, and an Indian village is singu- 



1 The dread of female infidelity has been assigned, and with probable 

 truth, as the origin of this custom. The sons of a chief's sister must ne- 

 cessarily be his kindred ; though his own reputed son may be, in fact, the 

 offspring of another. 



