REMARKS, 
273 
war chiefs. The former are hereditary, and 
are employed principally in the management 
of their civil affairs; but they may be war 
chiefs at the same time; the latter are chosen 
from amongst those who have distinguished 
themselves the most in battle, and are solely 
employed in leading* the warriors in the field* 
The chiefs have no power of enforcing obe¬ 
dience to their commands, nor do they ever 
attempt to give their orders in an imperious 
manner; they simply advise. Each private 
individual conceives that he is born in a state 
of perfect liberty, and he disdains all controul, 
but that which his own reason subjects him 
to. As they all have one interest, however, 
at heart, which is the general welfare of the 
nation, and as it is well known that the chiefs 
are actuated by no other motives, whatever 
measures they recommend are generally at¬ 
tended to, and at once adopted. Savages as 
they are, yet in no civilized community, I 
fear, on earth, shall wo find the same public 
spirit, the same disinterestedness, and the same 
regard to order, where order is not enforced 
by the severity of laws, as amongst the In¬ 
dians. 
The Indians have the most sovereign con¬ 
tempt for any set of people that have tamely- 
relinquished their liberty; and they consider 
such as have lost it even after a hard, struggle, 
T 
VOL. U . 
