ANCIENT LAWS. 267 
and of which the Chickasaw tribe constitutes 
one. These chiefs are vested with the usual 
veto and pardoning powers, and are elected for 
four years. Most of their other constitutional 
provisions resemble those of the Cherokees. 
The Choctaws, as well as the Creeks, punish © 
the crime of murder with death by shooting, 
which is generally executed immediately after 
trial, by the ‘light-horse. 
It has become evident, however, that writ- 
ten laws and courts of justice, judges and 
juries, are still rather in advance of the state 
of civilization of the ruder classes, even among 
these most enlightened tribes. It has been 
found very difficult to bring them under their 
subordination. They have had, notwithstand- 
ing, a salutary effect in many cases, and espe- 
cially with regard to murder. Among most 
of these nations (as well as the wild tribes), 
it was formerly the custom to leave the pun- 
ishment of homicide to the relatives of the 
murdered. With the Choctaws and Chero- 
kees, in particular, the entire clan or family 
of the murderer were held responsible for the 
crime; and though the real offender might 
escape, the bereaved family had a right to 
kill any one of his nearest relatives that could 
be found, up to the most remote kindred. 
There seemed no exceptions for accidental 
homicide, or killing in self-defence: the Mo- 
saic precept of ‘life for life’ must be fulfilled, 
unless satisfactorily commuted. This savage 
custom had at least one salutary effect, how- 
ever: the relatives themselves, instead of as- 
