The term _agadoñ′ni_, meaning “my father’s clansmen,” has two very distinct applications—first, to the clan of one’s father, and, second, to the male or father side of the league. And the term _kheya’da′wĕⁿ_, meaning “my offspring,” also has two very different applications—first, to the clan of the children’s mother, and, second, to the female or mother side of the league. There were three tribes which constituted the male or father side of the league structure—namely, the Mohawk, the Onondaga, and the Seneca; and two tribes, the Oneida and the Cayuga, originally constituted the female or mother side of the league. To the Onondaga, however, was given the noteworthy distinction of presiding over the deliberations of the federal council. This they did of course through their chiefs; but these chiefs did not have the right to discuss the question at issue. This apparent primacy of the Onondaga carried with it the office of fire keeper and the presiding officer of the federal council. It must be noted that the mother or female complex of tribes and the father or male complex of tribes were held together by the exercise of certain rights and the performance of certain duties and obligations of the one to the other side. The federal council, sitting as a court without a jury, heard and determined causes in accordance with established rules and principles of procedure, and with precedent. Transcriber’s Notes: - Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). - Blank pages have been removed. - Obvious typographical errors have been silently corrected.