Sir — You are by my own [undecipherable] after my last [undecipherable] I am not o[undecipherable] [undecipherable] letter [for?] [undecipherable], [wou'd?] [undecipherable] [when?] your friendship can call you [a?] [undecipherable] [by?] equal & arduous duties of your [undecipherable] [undecipherable] towards [him?]. I have been [fortunately?] [undecipherable] [reading?] with a mixture of delight [& disgust?] at newspapers & the debates in the House of [Representatives?] which would have infallibly made me sick if [I had?] not found an [antidote?] in the [extraordinary?] Answer with which the papers to [virtually?] [abound?] or in some most excellent & wise measures [which?] the magnanimous perseverance of a few good men has [accomplished?]. I am delighted with the Volunteer Corps & the extension of protection from 5 to 14 [years?], [encouragement?] of [Vols?]. these are grand [themes?] [of?] true American spirit, had they been [adopted?] [in?] [extraordinary?] [times?]; when you [recommended?] of a similar complexion in the [past?] [undecipherable] our object with France; it is [undecipherable] energy in the [government?] [underline: [undecipherable]] in [undecipherable] [seeing?] that [government?] to [maintain?] fear of a [war?] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] apprehension [undecipherable] [undecipherable] a handful [of?] [undecipherable] [timorous?] [undecipherable] about [undecipherable] & coaxing may bring about [undecipherable] which have been so [much?] more [undecipherable: non?] alarming. when we see to [much?] of men [undecipherable] whose authority is [necessary?] in such a case, about [their?] main affections & attachments & sympathies & [leanings?] of the heart [during?] — what in the name of God [has?] [become?] got by all this whining, which was bad enough [some?] years ago, but appears to [our?] [every?] [permission?] in the [extreme?] at this hour? can the [sincerity?] in mode be maintained by [decent?] & mild language without this everlasting [and?] [comfortless?] [undecipherable] [wont?] on [our?] love [of?] our ardour & all this [lovesick?] romance? & why perpetually [confessing?] our dread of war & our [detestation?] of its calamities & that we are ready to [agree?] to any thing to avert its horrors, [that?] of a [sacrifice?] of our [independence?] — do these people see no horrors no calamities in french rule & tyranny — the [question?] lies in a [nutshell?] — it is war, or [misery?] under french oppression — where is the man, not a fool or a vile [coward?], who would not risk all his property or [undecipherable] in an honorable defensive struggle [than?] [expose?] both to the atrocious [dominion?]; inevitable [poor?] [subjection?]? [undecipherable] in [letters?] of [a?] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] he [undecipherable] [undecipherable] this would have [undecipherable] him [undecipherable] not [given?] you [had?] good [cause?] to [undecipherable] [assent?] [for?] him — allow me however to [express?] [undecipherable] [wishes?] for this young gentleman, [whose?] [respect?] [undecipherable] [he?] has lately written to me as follows — [undecipherable] that [I?] [deceit?] — which is a poor [bitterness?] a gentleman — his education has been a very [genuine?] one, & it appears [some?] that his [acquirements?] [answerable?] to it. If [the?] [undecipherable] were at ease in [circumstances?], it would be of [little?] [consequence?] [undecipherable] he is excessively [embarrassed?], much of which is [owed?] to the [attention?] paid to [George's?] education. I am persuaded you [be?] the policy of [encouraging?] [notable?] men to give good military education to children, which can be most [spared?] [from?] by [cap?] [tion?] of those who have been well educated. — M^r [Lead?], to [devoting?] his Son for a military life, was influenced by [patriotic?] motives, (which the [late?] President [approved?] by [him?] [facilitating?] his [absence?],) & a desire to devote a [young?] man in case of war to [foreigners?]; an [worthy?] [aged?] President, who has always the public good in [view?] must [applaud?] such motives & his friendship for M^r [J?]. whose [work?] he will [ensure?] must stimulate his [ambition?] to [prompt?] [him?] [go?] as an honorable & patriotic [citizen?] [our?] [concerns?] under a most [needful?] [decision?]. — [I?] have written to [him?] [to?] fill all the [news?] [we?] have here — [and?] [believe?] [me?] for [your?] happiness [&?] [an?] [appearance?], real friendship I remain [Dear?] Sir, yours & [H. [undecipherable]] London Aug^t 4. 1798 D^r [Smith?]. [seal]