21 Jan 1817

Necessity Cat

I Theory

{II Application}

§ Probity

Sinister[?]

Factitious dignity

17

To cut the matter short - an without becoming pale with rage losing your temper calling me hard names and doing your utmost to ruin the man[?] who ministers it to you you say here of the American United States and even in the character of a government conducted itself tolerably well and[?] ever[?] in this or that particular affording an example not altogether […?] /unfit/ for consideration in with in[?] order[?] to emulation - can not you?

Q. I will say {at[?] it}at any rate: and you should not only look hard at me look me full in the face all the time but feel my pulse if you please. Well then. In the United States they have no such fund of factitious reward. Yet in point of […?] they have all along gone on tolerably well there; saving war making which we are making our […?]

And in […?] if the military service be considered and what is secretly[?] that branch of service in which extra meritorious service is most likely to be performed and for which extra reward is most in demand there was General Jackson by whom so good an account was given of the chief among the joint[?] victims of Bonaparte. No dukedom with enormous[?] estates linked to it had he in prospect - no not so much as a ribbon: and suppose he had an Archdukedom with in[?] time[?] as much money linked to it, think you that the service which in that case he would have rendered would by any determinate[?] amount[?] if exceeded that which he actually rendered?

Q. I suppose not.