32 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



the foundation of the Great Peace and it shall, therefore, be against 

 the Great Binding Law to pass measures in the Confederate Council 

 after the Mohawk Lords have protested against them. (6-VI, 

 TLL). 



No council of the Confederate Lords shall be legal unless all the 

 Mohawk Lords are present. (13-XIII, TLL). 



7 Whenever the Confederate Lords shall assemble for the pur- 

 pose of holding a council, the Onondaga Lords shall open it by 

 expressing their gratitude to their cousin Lords and greeting them, 

 and they shall make an address and offer thanks to the earth where 

 men dwell, to the streams of water, the pools, the sprmgs and the 

 lakes, to the maize and the fruits, to the medicinal herbs and trees, 

 to the forest trees for their usefulness, to the animals that serve 

 as food and give their pelts for clothing, to the great winds and the 

 lesser winds, to the Thunderers, to the Sun, the mighty warrior, 

 to the moon, to the messengers of the Creator who reveal his wishes 

 and to the Great Creator^ who dwells in the heavens above, who 

 gives all the things useful to men, and who is the source and the 

 ruler of health and life. 



Then shall the Onondaga Lords declare the council open. 

 The council shall not sit after darkness has set in. (7-VII, 

 TLL). 



8 The Firekeepers shall formally open and close all councils of 

 the Confederate Lords, they shall pass upon all matters deliberated 

 upon by the twQ sides and render their decision. 



Every Onondaga Lord (or his deputy) must be present at every 

 Confederate Council and must agree with the majority without un- 

 warrantable dissent, so that a unanimous decision may be rendered. 

 (8-VIII, TLL). 



If Adodarho or any of his cousin Lords are absent from a Con- 

 federate Council, any other Firekeeper may open and close the 

 Council, but the Firekeepers present may not give any decisions, 

 unless the matter is of small importance. (9-IX, TLL). 



9 All the business of the Five Nations Confederate Council shall 

 be conducted by the two combined bodies of Confederate Lords. 

 First the question shall be passed upon by the Mohawk and Seneca 

 Lords, then it shall be discussed and passed by the Oneida and 

 Cayuga Lords. Their decisions shall then be referred to the Onon- 

 daga Lords, (Fire Keepers) for final judgment. (lo-X, TLL). 



The same process shall obtain when a question is brought before 

 the council by an individual or a War Chief. (ii-XT, TLL). 



1 Hodianok'doon Hediohe' (Seneca). 



