Page:Notes on the State of Virginia (1802).djvu/141

Rh may have been anciently three different ſtocks, each of which multiplying in a long courſe of time, had ſeparated into ſo many little ſocieties. This practice reſults from the circumſtance of their having never ſubmitted themſelves to any laws, any coercive power, any ſhadow of government. Their only controls are their manners, and that moral ſenſe of right and wrong, which, like the ſenſe of taſting and feeling, in every man makes a part of his nature. An offence againſt theſe is puniſhed by contempt, by excluſion from ſociety, or, where the caſe is ſerious, as that of murder, by the individuals whom it concerns. Imperfect as this ſpecies of coercion may ſeem, crimes are very rare among them; inſomuch that were it made a queſtion, whether no law as among the ſavage Americans, or too much law, as among the civilized Europeans, ſubmits man to the greateſt evil, one who has ſeen both conditions of exiſtence would pronounce it to be the laſt: and that the ſheep are happier of themſelves, than under the care of the wolves. It will be ſaid, that great ſocieties cannot exiſt without government. The ſavages therefore break them into ſmall ones.

The territories of the Powhatan confederacy, ſouth of the Potowmac, comprehended about 8000 ſquare miles, 30 tribes, and 2400 warriors. Capt. Smith tells us, that within 60 miles of James' town were 5000 people, of whom 1500 were warriors. From this we find the proportion of their warriors to their whole inhabitants, was as 3 to 10. The Powhatan confederacy then would conſiſt of about 8000 inh n a bitants, which was one for every ſquare mile; being about the twentieth part of our