the origin of the distinction of ranks-第26部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


is　females；　to　which　no　other　male　dared　to　approach；　had　acquired　that　distinguished　pre…eminence　by　many　bloody　contests；　as　was　evident　from　the　numerous　scars　visible　in　all　parts　of　his　body。'　　　　　In　a　herd　of　deer；　the　authority　of　the　master…buck；　founded　upon　his　superior　strength；　is　not　less　conspicuous。　4。　Judges；　chap。　x；　ver。　18　chap。　xi；　ver。　1；　etc。　5。　1　Samuel；　chap。　x；　ver。　23；　24。　6。　1　Samuel；　chap。　xviii；　ver。　6；　7。　7。　The　admiration　and　respect　derived　from　the　possession　of　superior　fortune；　is　very　fully　beautiful　illustrated　by　the　eloquent　and　ingenious　author　of　the　Theory　of　Moral　Sentiments。　8。　Genesis；　chap。　xx；　ver。　9。　　We　read；　however；　of　Abraham's　buying　a　field　for　the　particular　purpose　of　a　burying　place；　and　of　his　having　weighed；　as　the　price；　four　hundred　shekels　of　silver；　current　money　with　the　merchant。　9。　That　land　is　appropriated　by　tribes　before　it　becomes　the　property　of　individuals；　has　been　observed　by　Dr　Stuart；　in　his　acute　dissertation　concerning　the　antiquity　of　the　English　constitution。　10。　Tactitus；　de　mor。　Germ。　11。　Caesar；　de　bell。　Gall。　lib。　4；　cap。　1。　12。　Obtorto　collo。　13。　This　is　particularly　the　case　among　the　Hurons　and　Natchez。　Journal　historique　d'un　voyage　de　l'Amerique；　par　Charlevoix；　let。　30。　Nouveaux　voyages　aux　Indes　orientales；　tom。　1；；　p。　42。　14。　'The　authority　of　the　Chiefs　properly　extends　only　over　those　members　of　their　tribe　whom　they　look　upon　as　their　children。。。。　Their　power　does　not　appear　to　have　an　absolute　character；　and　they　do　not　seem　to　have　any　way　of　compelling　obedience　in　case　of　resistance。　Nevertheless　obedience　is　rendered　them；　and　they　command　with　authority；　＇even　though＇　their　commands　have　the　force　merely　of　requests；　and　the　obedience　rendered　them　appears　entirely　voluntary。。。。　Although　the　Chiefs　　except　in　a　few　particular　instances　　bear　no　outward　marks　of　distinction　or　of　superiority；　　so　much　so　that　one　cannot　distinguish　them　from　the　people　by　any　honours　one　needs　to　render　them；　　there　is　yet　no　lack　of　a　certain　respect　paid　them。　It　is；　however；　on　public　occasions；　above　all；　that　their　dignity　is　exalted。　The　councils　assemble　on　their　orders；　the　meeting　being　held　in　their　＇the　Chiefs'＇　homes　（cabanes）　unless　there　is　available　a　public　hall；　like　our　City　Halls；　specially　set　aside　for　council　meetings；　business　is　conducted　in　their　name；　they　preside　at　all　kinds　of　meeting；　they　have　a　considerable　part　in　festive　occasions　and　in　the　general　distributions。。。。　For　fear　that　the　Chiefs　might　usurp　too　much　authority；　and　try　to　take　on　unlimited　powers；　they　are　'bridled'　as　it　were；　by　the　assignment　to　them　of　coadjutants　（Adjoints）　who　share　with　them　the　sovereignty　over　the　land；　and　these　are　called　Agoianders　by　them。。。。　Next　in　authority　to　the　Agoianders　is　the　Senate；　composed　of　senior　members　of　the　community　of　Elders；　called　in　their　language　Agokstenha：　the　number　of　these　senators　is　not　a　fixed　one　　any　one　has　the　right　to　enter　this　council　to　give　it　his　vote。'　＇Millar　should　have　continued　the　quotation　to　include；　'whenever　he　has　achieved　the　maturity　of　years；　understanding　and　knowledge　of　affairs　that　would　make　him　deserving　of　this　privilege；　etc。'＇　P。　Jos。　Fr。　Lafitau；　Moeurs　des　sauvages　Ameriquains；　4to　？Paris；　1724；　tom。　i；　pp。　472…475　＇4　vol。　ed。；　also　Paris；　1724；　tom。　ii；　pp。　173…6＇。　15。　'Responsibility　for　dealing　with　criminal　affairs　belong　immediately　to　those　of　the　kin…group　＇cabane＇　of　the　guilty　parties；　with　respect　to　＇out　of　regard　for？＇　the　guilty　themselves；　when　anyone　has　killed　a　fellow　member　of　his　own　kin…group。　As　it　is　assumed　that　the　right　over　life　and　death　belong　to　the　parties　mutually　involved；　the　village　appears　not　to　be　concerned　with　the　disorder　which　has　arisen。。。。　The　matter　takes　on　an　entirely　different　character；　however；　when　murder　has　been　committed　involving　a　member　of　another　cabane；　of　another　tribe　or　village；　or　even　more；　of　a　foreign　nation；　for　then　this　death　by　violence　becomes　the　concern　of　the　entire　community。　Everyone　takes　sides　with　the　deceased；　and　this　contributes；　in　a　manner；　toward　the　restitution　of　the　spirit　　such　is　their　expression　　to　the　relatives　aggrieved　by　the　loss　which　they　have　sustained。　All　are　at　the　same　time　interested　in　saving　the　life　of　the　offender　and　in　protecting　his　relatives　from　the　vengeance　of　the　others；　which　would　not　fail　to　break　out　sooner　or　later　if　one　had　failed　to　make　the　proper　satisfaction　prescribed　for　such　cases　by　their　laws　and　by　their　customs。　There　are；　however；　occasions　where　the　crime　is　considered　so　heinous　that　one　is　no　longer　concerned　with　the　protection　of　the　murderer；　and　the　Council；　using　its　supreme　authority；　takes　pains　to　effect　his　punishment。'　Ibid。　pp。　486　f。；　490；　495　＇respectively　II；　pp。　185　f。；　189；　193；＇　Also；　tom。　2；　p。　167　＇III；　pp。　154　f。＇　＇Translations　my　own。　Ed。＇　See　also　the　view　which　is　given　of　the　state　of　government　among　the　Americans；　by　P。　Charlevoix；　Journal　historique　d'un　voyage　de　l'Amerique；　let。　13；　18。　16。　'The　Arabian　tribes；　though　they　have　been　for　many　ages　under　the　Turkish　yoke；　are　justice；　or　in　the　succession　to　rarely　interrupted；　either　in　what　may　concern　the　course　of　those　few　offices　and　dignities　that　belong　properly　to　themselves。　　Every　Dou…war　（i。e。　village　or　encampment）　therefore　may　be　looked　upon　as　a　little　principality；　over　which　it　is　usual　for　that　particular　family；　which　is　of　the　greatest　name；　substance；　and　reputation；　to　preside。　However；　this　honour　does　not　always　lineally　descend　from　father　to　son；　but；　as　it　was　among　their　predecessors　the　Numidians；　when　the　heir　is　too　young；　or　subject　to　any　infirmity；　then　they　make　choice　of　the　uncle；　or　some　other　relation；　who；　for　prudence　and　wisdom；　is　judged　to　be　the　fittest　for　that　employ。　Yet；　notwithstanding　the　despotic　power　which　is　lodged　in　this　person；　all　grievances　and　disputes　are　accommodated　in　as　amicable　a　manner　as　possible；　by　calling　to　his　assistance　one　person　or　two　out　of　each　tent：　and　as　the　offender　is　considered　as　a　brother；　the　sentence　is　always　given　on　the　favourable　side；　and　even　in　the　most　enormous　crimes；　rarely　any　other　punishment　is　inflicted　than　banishment。'　Shaw's　Travels；　chap。　4；　p。　310。　17。　'They　take　their　kings　on　the　ground　of　birth；　their　generals　on　the　basis　of　courage：　the　authority　of　their　kings　is　not　unlimited　or　arbitrary；　their　generals　control　them　by　example　rather　than　command；　and　by　means　of　admiration　which　attends　upon　energy　and　a　conspicuous　place　in　front　of　the　line。'　Tacitus；　de　mor。　Germ。　？7。　　　　　'On　small　matters　the　chiefs　consult；　on　larger　questions；　the　community；　but　with　this　limitation；　that　even　the　subjects；　the　decision　of　which　rests　with　the　people；　are　first　handled　by　the　chiefs。。。。　When　the　crowd　is　pleased　to　begin　they　take　their　seats　carrying　arms。　Silence　is　called　for　by　the　priests；　who　thenceforward　have　power　also　to　coerce：　then　a　king　or　a　chief　is　listened　to；　in　order　of　age；　birth；　glory　in　war；　or　eloquence；　with　the　prestige　which　belongs　to　their　counsel　rather　than　with　any　prescribed　right　to　command。'　Ibid。　？11。　　　　　'At　this　assembly　it　is　also　permissible　to　lay　accusations　and　to　bring　capital　charges。　The　nature　of　the　death　penalty　differs　according　to　the　offence：　traitors　and　deserters　are　hung　from　trees；　cowards　and　poor　fighters　and　notorious　evil…livers　are　plunged　into　the　mud　of　marshes　with　a　hurdle　on　their　heads。。。。　At　the　same　gatherings　are　selected　chiefs；　who　administer　law　through　the　cantons　and　villages：　each　of　them　has　one　hundred　assessors　from　the　people　to　be　his　responsible　advisers。'　Ibid。　？12。　　　　　'On　the　declaration　of　war　a　high　command　is　set　up　and　invested　with　powers　over　life　and　death；　but　in　peace…time　there　is　no　central　government。　Justice　is　administered　and　disputes　settled　by　various　local　chiefs。。。。　When　a　chieftain　formally　proclaims　his　intention　of　leading　a　raid；　he　calls　for　volunteers：　those　who　approve　the　project　and　trust　the　man　himself　stand　up　and　promise　their　support　amid　loud　applause　from　the　whole　assembly。　Any　one　who　goes　back　on　that　promise　is　considered　a　deserter　and　a　traitor；　and　no　one　ever　trusts　him　again。'　Caesar；　de　bell。　Gall。　lib。　6；　？23。　Chapter　IV　The　authority　of　a　Sovereign；　and　of　subordinate　officers；　over　a　society　composed　of　different　tribes　or　villages　Section　I　The　constitution　of　government　arising　from　the　union　of　different　tribes　or　villages　　　　　The　improvement　of　agriculture；　as　it　increases　the　quantity　of　provisions；　and　renders　particular　tribes　more　numerous　and　flourishing；　so　it　obliges　them　at　length　to　send　out　colonies　to　a　distance；　who　occupy　new　seats　wherever　they　can　find　a　convenient　situation；　and　are　formed　into　separate　villages；　after　the　model　of　those　with　which　they　are　acquainted。　Thus；　in　proportion　as　a　country　is　better　cultivated；　it　comes　to　be　inhabited　by　a　greater　number　of　distinct　societies；　whether　derived　from　the　same　or　from　a　different　original；　agreeing　in　their　manners；　and　resembling　each　other　in　their　institutions　and　customs。　　　　　These　different　communities　being　frequently　at　war；　and　bein