Life of Count Rumford. 87 



spondence with G r W th,' or c a suspicious correspond- 

 ence, to say the least, with G rs W th and G e ' 



I would beg leave to observe, That at the time that Governor 

 Wentworth first honored me with his notice, it was at a time 

 when he was as high in the esteem of his people in general as 

 ever was any Governor in America, at a time when even Mr. 

 Sullivan himself was proud to be thought his friend. And as 

 from the first commencement of our acquaintance 'till I left 

 Concord he never did anything (to my knowledge) whereby he 

 forfeited the affection and confidence of the Public, I cannot 

 see why a correspondence with him should be obnoxious ; or 

 that the length or expensiveness of it should be thought an object 

 of public attention, that merited Public Censure. 'T is true, 

 Sir, I always thought myself honored by his friendship, and was 

 ever fond of a correspondence with him, a correspondence 

 which was purely private and friendly, and not Political, and for 

 which I cannot find in my Heart either to express my sorrow 

 or ask forgiveness of the Public. 



"As to my maintaining a correspondence with Governor 

 Gage, this part of the charge is intirely without foundation, as I 

 never received a Letter from him in my life ; nor did I ever 

 write him one, except about half a dozen lines which I sent 

 him just before I left Concord may be call'd a Letter, and 

 which contained no intelligence, nor anything of a public nature, 

 but was only to desire that the Soldiers who returned from Con- 

 cord might be Ordered not to inform any person by whose inter- 

 cession their pardon was granted them. 



" But this is not the only groundless charge that has been 

 brought against me. Many other crimes which you do not 

 mention have been laid to my charge, for which I have had 

 to answer both publicly and privately. Mine enemies are inde- 

 fatigable in their indeavours to distress me, and I find to my 

 sorrow that they are but too successful. I have been driven^ 

 from the Camp by the clamours of the New Hampshire People, 

 and am again threaten'd in this place. But I hope soon to be 

 out of the reach of my Cruel Persecutors, for I am determined 

 to seek for that Peace and Protection in foreign Lands and among 



