Sketch of the Early History of Count Rumford. 27 
took their seats before an overflowing house. Thompson managed 
his own defense ; and though he could of course know but little pre- 
viously of the specific charges that would be brought against him, he 
successively repelled them all, showing that they were based upon 
vague rumor, or had their origin in envy and jealousy. The 
mittee gave this decision, but.they still refused to give him a public 
acquittal which he demanded. ‘The reason given was that it would 
give offense to his opponents, as it would be in a sense condemning 
them. They even refused to give him a copy of their proceedings 
for publication. This, Thompson very properly thought to be ex- 
ceedingly illiberal and unjust treatment, and it is not surprising that 
his feelings were highly exasperated.* 
If further proof of Thompson’s political feelings previous to this 
time be wanting, we have the testimony of Col. Baldwin, at whose 
head quarters he remained while the American army was before 
Boston, who repeatedly said he knew his political views well, and 
that he was certain of his sincere attachment to the cause of his 
country. Another revolutionary officer of unimpeachable integrity, 
said to Thompson’s brother,—or rather half brother,—the late Hon. 
Josiah Pierce, of Baldwin, Me., some years after the close of the 
war, that he knew Major Thompson well while he was with the 
American army at Cambridge in 1775, and that ‘ he was certain his 
feelings were any thing but hostile to the cause of American liberty.” 
He added further, that while the army was at Cambridge, on more 
* The following is an extract from the original report of the committee of vigi- 
lance and correspondence of the town of Woburn, before whom Thompson was 
tried in 1775, drawn up by one of their number, but which was not permitted to 
go before the public as Thompson demanded. After a statement of their author- 
ity and the prominent circumstances of the case, the sommes , ‘After a 
strict and impartial inquiry into Major Thompson’s character and bebavior, we 
do not find that in any instance he has shown a mami enfin to a 
ican liberty, but that, on the contrary, his general conduc 
disposition, and we think he justly deserves the co ama friendship, aoe pro- 
tection of the public. 
In a postscript it is added, “ This may certify that when Major Thom 
ing brongbe Js 
the affair-of the return of four deserters from Concord in New w Hampshire, to 
Boston, in which said Thompson was supposed to be instrumental, and also his 
conduet relative to the Concord donation,—sending a load of peas to Boston,— 
and an undue connection or with Goy. Wentworth, Were matters 
which were laid to his charge against him, which were thorou: ghly examined 
into, and in every particular the committee received full satisfaction from said 
Thompson.” 
