This division of that people being the most consider able of all the tribes on the northern side of the Cauca sus, the imitation of their manners has been so general among their neighbours, that, in this respect at least, all these tribes may be looked upon as the component parts of one great nation. Some of the traits principally cha racteristic of this people have already been mentioned. The following also are deserving or notice.
No prince among the Cireassians can be a landholder. The only property of those of this rank consists in their arms, horses, slaves, and the tribute which they can ex tort frog the neighbouring nations. The person of every prince is esteemed sacred. This, however, is the only distinction of birth unaccompanied by personal merit. The greatest honour which a prince can gain, is that of being the first of his nation to attack or to restrain an enemy. In time of peace, the princes are not distinguish ed from the nobility, or even from the peasantry, their manner of living being the same, and their houses, or other accommodations, being little superior to theirs. The rank of nobility is founded in part at least, and, in some instances, on an elective title ; it being in the power of the prince to raise at his pleasure to that dignity, per sons from the inferior classes of society. The nobles are the officers of the prince, and arc entrusted with the exe cution of the laws. On important occasions, he calls a council of those of this rank, and the resolutions that are agreed on are communicated through them to the peo ple. In the general assemblies of the people, it is equal ly their part to endeavour to gain the public assent to the measures proposed by the princes. The people, as well as the usdens or nobility, arc, or may be, proprietors of lands. It is somewhat singular, that the princes who
have themselves no property of this kind, yct claim, and sometimes attempt to exercise, the right of seizing the whole of that which belongs to their vassals. It seems equally an inconsistency, that, under these circumstan ces, a vassal when he thinks himself aggrieved, should have it in his power to transfer his allegiance from his Dative to any other prince. It is plainly the effect of this last arrangement, to render the former in a great mea sure nugatory, as, in consequence of it, it not only be comes necessary for a prince to endeavour to gain the affections of his vassals, if, through their exertions in the field, he would cherish the hope of acquiring for himself either greatness or wealth ; but it is, in reality, through a persevering attention himself to their wishes, that he may reasonably expect to retain for any length of time over them, even the shadow or any alipearance of authority.
The Circassians do not appear to have any written laws ; but they are governed by a kind of common law, or a collection of ancient usages. On great occasions the whole nation is assembled, waen such measures as are deemed expedient being proposed by the eldest of the princes, they arc first discussed amongst the usdens, afterwards by the deputies of the people. Their depu ties are generally of the older men of the nation, who possess ordinarily with their constituents a greater influ ence than is attained to even by the prince himself. When a proposition thus introduced and carried forward has been finally acceded to, it is, fur the sake of the greater security, commonly confirmed by a solemn oath taken by the whole people. .