THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FIVE NATIONS IO5 



fulfilled my duty in assisting you in the establishment and organi- 

 zation of this great confederacy, and if this confederation is care- 

 fully guarded it shall continue and endure from generation to gen- 

 eration and as long as the sun shines. I shall now, therefore, go 

 home, conceal and cover myself with bark and there shall none 

 other be called by my name." 



Then Dekanahwideh further continued and said: "If at any 

 time through the negligence and carelessness of the lords, they fail 

 to carry out the principles of the Good Tidings of Peace and Power 

 and the rules and regulations of the confederacy and the people are 

 reduced to poverty and great suffering, I will return." 



Then Dekanahwideh said : "And it shall so happen that when 

 you hear my name mentioned disrespectfully without reason or 

 just cause, but spoken in levity, you shall then know that you are 

 on the verge of trouble and sorrow. And it shall be that the only 

 time when it shall be proper for my name to be mentioned is when 

 the condolence ceremonies are being performed or when the Good 

 Tidings of Peace and Power which I have established and organized 

 are being discussed or rehearsed." 



Then the lords (Ro-de-ya-ner-shoh) said: "We shall begin to 

 work and carry out the instructions which you, Dekanahwideh, 

 have laid before us." 



Then they said : " We shall therefore begin first with the Con- 

 federate Council of the Five Nations and other nations who shall 

 accept and come under the Great Law of the confederacy will 

 become as props, supports of the long house. 



" The pure white wampum strings shall be the token or emblem 

 of the council fire, and it shall be that when the fire keepers shall 

 open the council, he shall pick up this string of wampum and hold 

 it on his hand while he is offering thanksgiving to the Great Ruler 

 and opening the council." And then they also said: "That while 

 the council is in session the strings of the white wampum should 

 be placed conspicuously in their midst and when they should 

 adjourn then, the fire keepers should pick up these strings of wam- 

 pum again, offer thanksgiving, close the council and all business 

 in connection with the council should then be adjourned." 



Then they said : " We shall now establish as a custom that when 

 our annual Confederate Council shall meet we shall smoke the pipe 

 of peace." ^ 



1 Swe°no"andwahe'"'. 



