Page:Archæologia Americana—volume 2, 1836.djvu/148

 LIS A SYNOPSIS OF THE INDIAN TRIBES. [iNTROD. It is obvious, that the object of the unknown legislator was, to prevent or soften the effects of private revenge, by trans- ferring the power and duty from the blood relatives to a more impartial body. The Hither, and his brothers by the same mother, never could belong to the same clan as their son or nephew ; whilst the perpetual changes, arising from intermar- riages with women of a different clan, prevented their degen- erating into distinct tribes, and checked the natural tendency towards a subdivision of the nation into independent communi- ties. The institution may be considered as the foundation of the internal policy, and the basis of the social state, of the In- dians. It must have contributed towards preserving the south- ern nations entire and compact as we found them. It certainly was not preserved in its purity amongst the Lenapes ; and this circumstance may have had its share in the great subdivision into small, independent tribes, and consequent impotency, of that numerous nation. There were also amongst the southern nations other institu- tions intended still more effectually to check the spirit of revenge and retaliation, so universally indulged by every barbarous people ; and calculated to preserve either internal or external peace. Such was, among the Cherokees, the City of Refuge and Peace, Echoteh, where even murderers found at least a temporary asylum. This place, where a perpetual fire was kept, w T as the residence of a peculiar class of men, known by the name of the " Beloved Men," in whose presence blood could not be shed, and w r ho, even out of the city and wherever they went, secured against any act of violence those under their protection.* Such was also the division of towns or villages amongst the Creeks, into White towns and Red towns, distin- guished from each other by poles of those respective colors. Whenever the question of war or peace was deliberately dis- cussed at Thlcocotcho, the general seat of government, it was the duty of the representatives of the White towns to bring forth all the arguments that could be suggested in favor of peace. f entirely distinct from the hereditary Mingoes and other chiefs. Mr. Hawkins, under the modest name of Beloved Man of the Four Nations, did, during his life, govern or at least exercise a very considerable influence over the Creeks, Choctaws, and even Chicasas and Cherokees. f Information from Mr. Mitchell and Colonel Hambly. But it refers to customs falling into disuse, and of which traces only remain.
 * Information given by M. Boudinot. These "Beloved Men" were