Life of Count Rumford. 75 



self. But with predilections, as he still insisted, for the 

 cause of his native country, he determined to make an 

 effort to obtain a hearing before the Committee of the 

 Provincial Congress then sitting at Watertown, which 

 exercised the functions of government. He therefore 

 addressed the following letter to his friend Baldwin. 



" WOBURN, I9th May, 1775. 



"DEAR SIR, - The enclosed Petition I beg you would do 

 me the honour to present to the Committee of Safety, and ac- 

 company it with your influence. As my only design is to con- 

 vince the world of my innocence, and silence the clamours of 

 my enemies, and as I know this method is agreeable to your 

 mind, I doubt not but the prayer of the Petition will be granted. 

 But if the Committee of Safety will not have anything to do in 

 the affair, but insist upon it that the Committee of Correspond- 

 ence for the Town of Woburn shall make an end of the mat- 

 ter, yet I would most earnestly beg to have Concord and the 

 adjacent Towns have notice of the time and place of the fur- 

 ther examination, in order that this may be a final settlement. 

 And if the Committee of Safety, or, otherwise, the Committee 

 of Correspondence, will make out a proper notification for that 

 purpose, I will at my own expense immediately forward it to 

 Concord. 



11 You cannot be insensible that my present confinement is 

 very disagreeable, therefore I hope you will endeavour that the 

 day of Trial may be appointed as soon as may be consistent 

 with giving my accusers sufficient notice to appear. I am, Dear 

 Sir, Your real friend and Humble Servant, 



"BEN]* THOMPSON. 



"P. S. The Bearer, Mr. Thomas, comes to Cambridge on 

 purpose to deliver this, and I beg he may return as soon as 

 possible. 



" To MAJOR LOAMMI BALDWIN, Head Quarters, Cambridge." 



The petition enclosed to Mr. Baldwin was as fol- 

 lows : 



