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Show 160 BASIS OP AMERICAN HISTORY [ 1600 condoned murders of clansmen, regulated adoption, and passed on other tribal affairs. \ The clans were organized into phratries, mutually exogamous groups of clans which had no strictly governmental functions, and appear chiefly in re-x ligious ceremonials and games. x The tribe, 1 which formed the next step in the political organization of the Iroquois, was, as always, distinguished by a name, a dialect, and territory. It further had the privilege of deposing a chief or sachem, a right which pertained primarily to the clan, but was also vested in the tribe as a precautionary measure. The tribal council was composed of the chiefs and sachems of the clans and held ultimate authority over the tribe. It was open to address by any member of the tribe, man or woman, but the decision with regard to any question remained solely with the official members. \ Military operations could be undertaken by any individual or body of men, with or without the sanction of the tribe or the confederation; and as a matter of fact many of the most destructive campaigns of the Iroquois were carried on by war parties of small numerical strength. Theoretically, every tribe was at war with every outlying tribe ( including the whites) with which there was not an express treaty of peace; and so long as a given raid did not violate treaty obligations it was viewed with favor by the rest of the tribe or confederation, * Morgan, Ancient Society, 102 et seq. |