Life of Count Rumford. 79 



pected of being inimical to the liberties of this Country, have 

 examined Major Benjamin Thompson, of Concord, in the 

 Province of New Hampshire, being brought before them, sus- 

 pected of being thus inimical. And whereas the said Com- 

 mittee have summoned certain evidences, who they supposed 

 could give light into the matter, to attend, which evidences 

 failed of so doing : This is therefore to inform all persons who 

 are knowing to the said Major Thompson's conduct, that the 

 Committee have adjourned to Monday the 2gth day of May 

 next, at three o'clock, afternoon, at the meeting-house, where 

 said evidences are desired to attend, as the Committee think 

 themselves bound to dismiss and recommend the said Thomp- 

 son, unless something more appears against him than what they 



have heard. 



" SAMUEL WYMAN, Chairman. 



"May 24, 1775."* 



"Massachusetts Provincial Congress, May 25, 1775. 

 " The Petition of Benjamin Thompson to the Committee of 

 Safety was read, and ordered to subside." f 



The action in the town of Woburn on the hearing of 

 the case, as preserved in a record in Colonel Baldwin's 

 papers, is thus related : 



" Major Benjamin Thompson of Concord, in the Province 

 of New Hampshire, having been taken up and confined in this 

 Town upon suspicion of being inimical to the liberties of this 

 Country : And we, the Committee of Correspondence for the 

 Town of Woburn, (being duly authorised by a vote of the Hon. 

 Provincial Congress to hear and Determine upon this matter,) 

 after having given public notice of the time and place of ex- 

 amination, and desired all persons that could give evidence 

 respecting that affair to attend ; and after having strictly and 

 impartially examined into the affair, do not find that said Thomp- 

 son in any one instance has shown a Disposition unfriendly to 

 American Liberty : But that his general behaviour has evinced 



* Force's American Archives, 4th Series, Vol. II. p. 701. f Idem, p. 815. 



