86 Life of Count Rum ford. 



vised me to leave the Town 'till the storm should be abated, 

 which they doubted not would be in a short time. I neither 

 doubted the abilities nor scrupled the sincerity of my friends, 

 and accordingly followed their advice. But the event has not 

 proved equal to my expectations, for the storm, instead of sub- 

 siding, has increased, and the popular disturbances have grown 

 into such a flame as I fear nothing but my blood will extin- 

 guish. 



" Had the People of Concord looked upon Banishment as a 

 punishment equal to my crimes, they would not surely have 

 refused my very reasonable request for Liberty to pass to that 

 Town and to repass to Cambridge unmolested, if affairs could 

 not be amicably settled so that I might live at home in peace 

 and safety. I did not claim any merit from any examination I 

 had passed through here. I did not attempt in the least to 

 palliate those offences I am charg'd with by mine enemies, but 

 only wished to meet my accusers on equal ground. And I 

 think their refusal of this request not only affords a melancholy 

 presage of what I am to expect from them, but will clearly 

 demonstrate to the World upon what principles these men act 

 who, under pretence of 'defending their Liberties and priviledges, 

 and asserting the rights of mankind,' are depriving individuals of 

 every idea of freedom, and are exercising a Tyranny which an 

 Eastern Despot would blush to be Guilty of. 



" As to my being instrumental in the return of some De- 

 serters, by procuring them a pardon, I freely acknowledge that I 

 was. But you will give me leave to say that what I did was 

 done from principles the most unexceptionable the most dis- 

 interested a sincere desire to serve my King and Country, and 

 from motives of Pity to those unfortunate Wretches who had 

 deserted the service to which they had voluntarily and so 

 solemnly tyed themselves, and to which they were desirous of 

 returning. If the designed ends were not answered by what I 

 did, I am sincerely and heartily sorry. But if it is a Crime tu 

 act from principles like these, I glory in being a Criminal. 



" But as to the other l Known ' and c Obnoxious facts ' which 

 you mention, Viz 1 . l maintaining a long and expensive corre- 



