28 March 1804

Evidence

Forthcomingness

Ch Means

2 Remuneratory

A state of things much worse, and but too often realized, is where there is the sound of a reward without the substance. An unavoidable though perhaps not generally /manifestly/ apparent expense an expense which has the instructive effect /influence/ of punishment is annexed to the rendering of the service. This expense a man does not choose to lode himself with. The apprehension of it, joined to the other restraining motives, forms a body of restraining force too strong for the [...?] motives. Were this restraint removed in toto /altogether/, the [...?] motives might /would/ be sufficient to turn the scale. But the reward, so ill is the quantum of it adjusted, covers but a part of this expense. In this case the reward instead of contributing any thing /promoting in any degree/, militates[?] against the object in view. Instead of the profit professed to be given by the reward, what a man really gets /would really get by the service/ is real loss, aggravated by real disrepute.

The disrepute which in many cases is attached to the acceptances of the matter of reward /reward/, does not extend in any case to the acceptance of the same pretious /desirable/ matter in the shape of indemnification. Many a man thinks himself /would think himself/ above /disgraced by/ the acceptance of the matter of reward: if not on all occasions, nor in all shapes, at any rate on certain occasions, and in certain shapes in particular in the shape of a sum of money; especially if the quantum /amount/ of it be in a small ratio to the mass of his pecuniary means. No man thinks himself degraded by the acceptance of an exemption from loss. In France, while the aristocratical principle /sense of honour/ was in vigour, acceptance of an exemption form the tax called the Taille, so far was it from being considered as dishonourable /a degradation/, that degradation would have been considered as a result of the being not exempted from it. Wilful falshood from any mouth, but above all from the mouth of law and government the mischief are so baneful /of falshood is so great/, that no obtainable advantage can make up for it. But on the account of falshood if misrepresentation in any shape were beneficial, better give reward under the name of indemnification /indemnity/, than indemnification adequate or inadequate or adequate under the name of reward.