82 TRANSACTIONS OP THE 



It is considered dishonorable for any man "to reverse his 

 decision after having spoken. 



Such are the organic elements of the Wyandot Govern- 

 ment. 



FUNCTIONS OP CIVIL GOVERNMENT. 



It is the function of government to preserve rights and 

 enforce the performance of duties. Rights and duties are 

 co-relative. Rights imply duties, and duties imply rights. 

 The right inhering in the party of the first part imposes a 

 duty on the party of the second part. The right and its co- 

 relative duty are inseparable parts of a relation that must be 

 maintained by government ; and the relations which gov- 

 ernments are established to maintain may be treated under 

 the general head of rights. 



In Wyandot Government these rights may be classed as 

 follows : 



First — Rights of marriage. 



Second — Rights to names. 



Third — Rights to personal adornments. 



Fourth — Rights of order in encampments and migrations. 



Fifth — Rights of property. 



Sixth — Rights of person. 



Seventh — Rights of community. 



Eighth — Rights of religion. 



To maintain rights, rules of conduct are established, not 

 by formal enactment, but by regulated usage. Such custom- 

 made laws may be called regulations. 



MARRIAGE REGULATION. 



Marriage between members of the same gens is forbidden, 

 but consanguineal marriages between persons of different 

 gentes are permitted. For example, a man may not marry 

 his mother's sister's daughter, as she belongs to the same 

 gens with himself ; but he can marry his father's sister's 

 daughter, because she belongs to a different gens. 



Husbands retain all their rights and privileges in their 



