Feb y 1807

Inserendum[?]

Letter IV

Montesquieu

Observe, my Lord, the calumny crushed under this insinuation, and the object /end/ to which the calumny is directed. Whosoever, protesting against oppression and extortion /protesting against sham justice/ calls for true and real justice, is /in him behold/ a despot, or an advocate for despotism: this is the calumny: and therefore, that I for fear of suffering under this calumny, we are to be content to suffer under oppression and extortion, and go without justice: this is the end and object of it /the calumny/.

But, my Lord, even this was not enough for Montesquieu. It was not enough that the system of judicature should be maintained in every country, maintained for ever, in the violation of the /those/ collateral ends of justice, without /unless/ it were maintained in the violation of the direct ends likewise: - in a word of all the ends. For in the price that we /men/ are to be content to pay for liberty - the price that can never be too great - the price that is not yet great enough, is another article besides. viz: misdecision without that: for in addition to delay vexation and expense what else can be the meaning[?] of the dangers of justice "dangers [...?] to justice"? Liberty is constituted and exercised not only the quantity of delay, vexation and expense, and of injustice in these shapes, but moreover also by the frequency of misdecision, and the quantity of injustice in that shape.

After this, give me leave to ask my Lord, where is the cruellest most finished[?] despot, where is the wolf, now? In Turkey, or in France? not to speak of England, or of Scotland. But in France, he has found it prudent to cloath himself in the fox; [...?]: - while in Turkey he saves himself the trouble.