CXII REPORT OF THE BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY 



people organized lor war is a confederacy. Thus the organiza- 

 tion of a tribe itself is the first recognition of the principle of 

 peace in the origin of constitutions. 



Tlie principle of equality is recognized in the method of dis- 

 tributing the spoils of the arrow, the fish net, and the fruit 

 basket, which is an equal division to all the members of the 

 clan. The principle of liberty is first recognized when slavery 

 is established, and the means of obtaining freedom are provided, 

 and that is always the case in savage society. Slaves are cap- 

 tured enemies, who therefore deserve to die. They are not 

 always killed, but sometimes (even quite often) adopted into 

 the tribe. A captive can not become a member of the tribe 

 without some kinship position, therefore he must be adopted 

 by some woman as her child, and adoption in savagery is often 

 called new birth. No\v, he takes the kinship name under a legal 

 fiction — that is, he is "younger" to every living person of the 

 tribe at that time, and all i^ersons subsequently born are younger 

 to him. This is not yet slavery. If the captive belongs to a 

 tribe of hereditary enemies who have from time immemorial 

 been designated by some opprobrious term, as cannibals, liars, 

 snakes, etc, then it may be that the captive is doomed to per- 

 petual younger brotherhood, and can never exercise authority 

 over any person within the tribe, though such person may be 

 born after the new birth of the captive. This is the first form of 

 slavery. Usually, though not invariably, the captives adopted 

 are children. Now such children may ultimately become use- 

 ful members of the tribe and by their virtues even win rank in 

 kinship, and a captive may thus pass from slavery to freedom. 

 The many methods adopted fi)r conferring freedom would be 

 a long and weary story, but they are ]:)raeticall3' the same as 

 those conferring rank in kinship. This nuist be briefly explained, 

 though it has been already shown in paii. The successful war- 

 rior, hunter, or food gatherer is rewarded by a special portion 

 of the spoil as an equity. Now he who has for a term of j'ears 

 been successful in any of the activities of tribal life and who 

 exhibits skill and wisdom therein is promoted by giving him 

 an advanced kinship designation. One or more grades may 

 be climbed at one time and promotions may follow one another 



