430 General Obfervat-ions vn
to ftrike their delinquents with thofe fweetened darts, fo good na- turedly and fkilfully, that they would fooner die by torture, than renew their fhame by repeating the actions. In this they exceed many chriftians. They are capable of being fliamed out of their ill habits, and their method of cure is exceedingly more proper and merciful, than what we apply. Stripes and fines only inflame the diftemper , when inflicted publicly for petty crimes, the culprit lofes what is moft valuable to human nature, the fcnfe ofihame. He that watches for perfons crimes, to benefit and enrich himfelf at their damage, and the ruin of their families, is an enemy to fo-
- iety. If it is beneath our dignity to learn from the untaught Indian, let
us turn to the records of Athens, Sparta, and Rome. When their Haves were guilty of intemperance, they expofed j them before their children, and thus {hewed them its deformity. And, by that, they infufed into them an early fhame and abhorrence of vice, and a great love of virtue.
Formerly, the Indian law obliged every town to work together in one body, in fowing or planting their crops ; though their fields are divided by proper marks, and their harveft is gathered feparately. The Cheerake and Muf- kohge ftill obferve that old cuftom, which is very neceffary for- fuch idle people, in their element. The delinquent is affefied more or lefs, according to his neglect, by proper officers appointed to collect thofe aflefiments, which they ftrictly fulfil, without the leaft interruption, or exemption of any able perfon. They are likewife bound to afilft in raifing public edi fices. They have not the leaft trace of any other old compulfive law among them ; and they did not ftand in need of any other in their ftate. As they were neither able nor defirous to obtain any thing more than a bare fupport of life, they could not credit their neighbours beyond a mor- fel of food, and that they liberally gave, whenever they called. Mofl of them obferve that hofpitable cuftom to this day. Their throwing away all their old provifions, as impure food, whenever the new harveft was fancti- ed, helped greatly to promote a fpirit of hofpitality. Their wants, and .daily exercife in fearch of needful things, kept them honeft. Their igno rance of the gay part of life, helped in a great meafure to preferve their virtue. In their former ftate of fimplicity, the plain law of nature was .enough -, but, as they are degenerating very faft from their ancient fimpli- .ity, they, without doubt, muft have new laws to terrify them from com- 7 mitting
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