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360 offending tribe, which inevitably kindles the rage of war for the diversion of hunting. The wars of rude people often arise from the most trivial causes; and not unfrequently it happens that parties of young hunters from different tribes meeting in the forest, and roused by that spirit of rivalry, and that pride of national atchievement so natural to men, enter into contests of emulation. Contests, which, managed with their rough passions, easily degenerate into broils, that terminate in bloodshed. And the first blood which is spilled too often becomes the signal of general war. In these small tribes the persons who are slain are more nearly or remotely connected by the ties of blood with every family in the nation. Each man feels and resents the murder as a mortal injury aimed against himself: and the whole nation, with that spirit of clan which always pervades such narrow communities, are ready to rush to its revenge. Hositilies among savages are seldom waged through motives of ambition, which hardly can have any place in a state of society entirely destitute of wealth; or from the cool dictates of a calculating and foreseeing policy, which would involve ideas too complex and refined for their uncultivated minds. 361 They are commonly the result of the sudden impulses of passion. Rude hunters, and young, and mettlesome warriors, little acquainted with the restrains of government, and presumptuous from inexperience, impatient or incapable of the details of negociation by which hostilities might be prevented, and wrongs compensated or redressed, are ever prompt to recur to force, and on the slightest provocation, make their appeal to arms. Their want of subordination to any civil authority, for no control which deserves that title is established among them, and their lofty sense of personal independence, frequently subject their national movements to violent convulsions. They possess no regularly organized bodies charged with the care of the common weal, who can cooly deliberate on the public interests, and preserve the nation from being committed, and its peace embroiled by the rash actions of their young warriors. Yet, when it is threatened with danger, their old men, who age and experience have clothed, even among savages, with a certain degree of respect, convene and offer their counsels. To advise is all that is in their power; which, however, is not without its influence when the general inflamation is not already excited to too high a pitch. WW
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Reopened for Editing 2023-06-05 19:04:52
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Reopened for Editing 2023-06-05 19:21:43