Had they delivered their people, from imminent peril, or performed any
noble act? Had they conducted their people across the sea, from other
countries? Did they expect to return, and was _this_ the object of
preserving their names, in the line of their descendants? Or was the
institution, as it does not appear to have been, mere caprice? Nothing
could give more interest to your enquiries than a search into these
obscure matters. They are, in fact, at the foundation of their system of
government, and will enable you, with more clearness, to ascertain and
fix its principles.

4. Of this government itself, we know very little, beyond the fact, that
it had attained great celebrity among the other tribes. It was evidently
founded on the overthrow of that of the ancient Alleghans. It appears to
have been full of intricacies, yet simple. A republic, yet embracing
aristocratic features. A mere government of opinion; yet fixed,
effective, and powerful. It would be well to sift it, by the best lights
yet within reach. These are verbal and traditionary. There is little to
be had from books.

If we look at the political theory of this government it had traits both
peculiar and prescient. Their councils were not constituted, primarily,
by elective representation. Yet they secured the chief benefits of it.
The chiefs, had a life office, and were incapable of transmitting it to
their descendants. The organic council was a representation of tribes,
not of members. This aristocratic feature, was balanced and its tendency
to absorb authority prevented, by permitting the warriors to sit in
these primary councils. In these councils, there was free discussion and
full deliberation. But there was no formal vote taken, nor any measure
carried by counting persons, or ascertaining a majority or plurality.
Tradition declares against any such test. The popular sense appears to
have been secured alone by the scope and tenor of the debates. I cannot
learn that there ever was any formal expression, equivalent to the
modern practice of taking of the sense of the council on a measure.
Perhaps something of this kind is to be found in the approbatory
response, from which the French are said to have made up the word
IROQUOIS.

If the aristocratic feature of life-sachemship, was counteracted by the
influence of the warriors in council, at the Council Fire of the Tribes;
this feature was shorn still more of its objectionable tendencies in the
General