nt, and even
honorable among the Uchees. _Murder_ they look on as a most abominable
crime: but do not esteem the killing of an _enemy_, or one that has
injured them, murder. The passion of _revenge_, which they call
_honor_, and _drunkenness_, which they learn from our traders, seem to
be the two greatest obstacles to their being truly Christians: but,
upon both these points they hear reason; and with respect to drinking
_rum_, I have weaned those near me a good deal from it. As for
_revenge_, they say, as they have no executive power of justice
amongst them, they are forced to kill the man who has injured them,
in order to prevent others doing the like; but they do not think any
injury, except _adultery_, or _murder_, deserves revenge. They hold
that if a man commits adultery, the injured husband is obliged to have
revenge, by cutting off the ears of the adulterer, which, if he is too
strong or sturdy to submit to, then the injured husband kills him the
first opportunity he has to do it with safety. In cases of murder, the
next in blood is obliged to kill the murderer, or else he is looked
on as infamous in the nation where he lives; and the weakness of the
executive power is such, that there is no other way of punishment but
by the revenger of blood, as the Scripture calls it; for there is no
coercive power in any of their nations; their kings can do no more
than to persuade. All the power they have is no more than to call
their old men and captains together, and to propound to them the
measures they think proper; and, after they have done speaking, all
the others have liberty to give their opinions also; and they reason
together with great temper and modesty, till they have brought each
other into some unanimous resolution. Then they call in the young men,
and recommend to them the putting in execution the resolution, with
their strongest and most lively eloquence. And, indeed, they seem to
me, both in action and expression, to be thorough masters of true
eloquence. In speaking to their young men, they generally address the
passions. In speaking to the old men, they apply to reason only. [He
then states the interview with the Creeks, and gives the first set
speech of Tomo Chichi, which has been quoted.] One of the Indians of
the Cherokee nation, being come down, the Governor told him that "he
need fear nothing, but might speak freely," answered smartly, "I
always speak freely, what should I fear? I am now among friend