CHARLES THOMSON, the famous Secretary of the Continental Congress throughout the entire "Revolutionary" or Transition Period, from the first organization of the First Congress, September 5th, 1774, until the ratification of the Constitution of the United States transformed the Congress from a single crude, provisional House into two well-constituted Houses, with clearly defined duties, prerogatives and authority, was one of the most remarkable men of his time. A poor Irish orphan, eleven years old, in 1741, his eager thirst for knowledge and steadfastness in pursuit thereof, made him one of the most thorough scholars of America's unscholarly age, especially conspicuous for his classical attainments. 2 His father had died on the passage to the new world, and an elder brother, who had preceded Charles and his father in the exode from the old country, assisted the lad to secure admission to the "classical academy" of Rev. Francis Alison' (afterwards D.D., Glasgow University, 1758), where he learned Greek, Latin and Mathemat

ics enough to undertake a Friend's Academy in Philadelphia, which he conducted with credit," -at least so says Mr. Simpson, but the Friend's Academy was at New Castle, Delaware.

Early in the controversy between the Colonies and the British Government, Mr. Thomson became known as a pronounced champion of the former. Long years before this he had won so great a reputation for integrity that the Delaware Indians had distinguished him with an Indian name signifying "the man of truth," and all

1 Concluded from the March MONTHLY.

Among the evidences of his scholarship, we may note his translation of the Scriptures, which he entitled: "The Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Covenant, commonly called the Old and New Testaments, translated from the Greek [the Old Covenant from the Septuagint]" etc., which was commended by both Horne and Orne. His "Synopsis of the Four Evangelists" was also commended by Dr. Horne. 3 According to Henry Simpson ("Lives of Eminent Philadelphians now deceased," Philadelphia, Wm. Brotherhead, 1859, page 912), this academy was at "Thunder Hill," Maryland. But Dr. Sprague ("Annals of the American

Pulpit," Vol. III., page 73) places the academy at "New London, Chester County, Pa." We can discover no evidence that Mr. Alison ever lived in Maryland; he lived at New London, Chester County, for fifteen years, from 1737 to May, 1752, when he came to Philadelphia, and took charge of the "Philadelphia Academy," and, in 1755, became Vice-Provost and Professor of Moral Philosophy in the " College of Philadelphia," and this he held until his death in 1779.

"Upon motion, The Hon. Peyton Randolph, was unanimously chosen President. After the President was seated, Mr. Charles Thomson, was unanimously chosen Secretary."

And continuously until the United States was completely established under the Constitution, Mr. Thomson was unremittingly at his post as Secretary. John Adams speaks of him, in his Diary, as "the Sam. Adams of Philadelphia-the life of the cause of liberty." And he commanded the confidence, respect and unfaltering esteem of the patriot leaders and masses by his earnest and faithful self-devotion to the cause, and his discharge of all the onerous duties of the Secretaryship. His strict regard to truth and fidelity in the most trivial matt 3, were so conspicuous that we do not doubt the exact truthfulness in spirit as well as word, of his reply to Mr. Laurens's accusations.

Mr. Thomson's personal appearance was as remarkable as his attainments, his character and his labors; the Abbé Claude C. Robin, Chaplain in the army of the Comte de Rochambeau, thus speaks of Thomson: "Among others, Charles Thomson, Secretary of Congress, the soul of that political body, came also to receive and present his compliments. His meagre figure, furrowed countenance, his hollow, sparkling eyes, his white, straight hair, that did not hang quite so low as his ears, fixed our thorough attention, and filled us with surprise and admiration." The following engraving, from a portrait by Charles Wilson Peale, is said to be a very truthful likeness.

GENTLEMEN,

It gives me the most sensible pain, that anything relating to me should at any time and more especially at the present draw aside your attention from public concerns. However since even one member has thought it necessary that my public conduct and character ought to be examined into and tried, I find some consolation that after a service of five years, two of them under the eye of a gentleman, my present accuser, who it seems has kept a strict watch over me and minuted my failings, he has nothing more criminal to lay to my charge than what is before you. Of five presidents, under whom, during that period, I have had the honor to serve Congress, I flatter myself I enjoyed the confidence esteem and friendship of four. And I deem it unfortunate that I cannot boast the same of the one who is the present complainant, especially when I recollect,

that no gentleman ever came to Congress in whose favour I was more prejudiced and whose friendship I more sincerely desired to cultivate. At his first arrival and during the time Congress continued at Philadelphia in the year 1777 I think I gave him full proofs of this by every mark of respect & and attention in my power, not only as a delegate, but as a man I wished to convince of my regard. When by the approach of the enemy Congress were forced to quit Philadelphia & remove to Yorktown, I carried with me the same disposition; And when he was elected to the chair, I called upon him several times to pay my respects; but the alteration I perceived in his conduct towards me & the manner in which he received my visits soon convinced me that they were not welcome and that I must for the future decline them.

To what cause this was to be imputed I was at a

loss to guess. To ascribe it to the effects of his new dignity would have been to disparage his understanding. I was sometimes induced to think it might be owing to his having, soon after his election, failed to make an impression on me by his attempts to vilify & lessen in my opinion the character of the late honble Mr Lynch, of whose understanding virtue and patriotism I entertained the highest opinion and for whom I had had the sincerest friendship and affection; and that he was not more successful in his endeavours to persuade me that Moses, the man of God & deliverer of Israel, was an imposter and that he deceived the Israelites at Mount Sinai by his having had the knowledge of the use of gun powder. But whatever the cause might be, I confess freely that I was of too proud a spirit to brook indignities and that I scorned to court any man however high in office, by fawning, cringing or servility. I therefore declined any farther attendance. This I presume gave mortal offence.

Soon after, when by a severe attack of the cholera morbus, a disorder, to which my constitution is incident, I was prevented from attending Congress, he seized the opportunity, and at the afternoon meeting pronounced a furious invective against me, endeavouring to persuade Congress, that by some act, which he was pleased to construe into disrespectful behaviour to him, I meant to insult the dignity of that body. Of this I was informed the same evening by some members, who did me the honor to call and visit me in my chamber. As I was conscious I had given no just cause, and as I could not then bring myself to think this proceeded from a malicious intention to injure me, I imagined there must be some misunderstanding. As soon, therefore, as I recovered strength sufficient to walk, I went to Congress and waited impatiently the whole morning, expecting he would have called upon me for an explanation of my conduct. As he did not condescend to do this, I took an opportunity after the adjournment, at night, to mention my surprize at what I had been informed of and desired him to let me know, in what I had so highly offended as to oblige him to complain of me to Congress. He denied his having made any complaint and asked, who informed me. I told him some members of Congress. He replied, it is a damned lie, they are damned liars that informed. The expressions stuck me dumb with surprize. He left the room.

Turning about I happened to see one of the gentlemen, who had given me the information. told him what had passed. We walked out together. The night was dark. As we passed the end of the house conversing on the subject, M Laurens had stopped and hearing our conversation, though we did not see him, he repeated aloud. It is a damned lie. I cannot say which was greatest, my wonder or resentment. Ho ever we passed on without making any reply; as I determined not to take any farther step until I had advised with my friends. But in a short time after my resentment was lost in grief and astonishment, when, in the midst of public distress, I saw him at the afternoon sessions so far unmindful of his station and dignity as to rise and debate questions as a delegate, then sit down and as president, hear himself replied to, and at one time in one of such debates so far forget himself as, to answer from the chair an honourable member from North Carolina, by singing aloud "Poor little Penny, poor little penny, sing tan-tarra-ra-ra''—and at another time when he was reading a report brought in by an honorable member from Massachusetts bay, which was under debate, to stop, in the middle of a sentence, & exclaim "Solomon gundy! did you ever see such a Solomon gundy' which raised such indignation, that the honorable member left the room, and soon after Congress adjourned.

After this I took no farther notice of what had passed respecting myself; determining to be upon my guard and to give as little cause for complaint as possible. This I found the more necessary, as he continued by a thousand indescribable ways to teaze, irritate and provoke me.

During that winter I enjoyed but a very indif ferent state of health and had very little assistance in the office, while at the same time, by the criti cal state of public affairs and occurrences which happened, the business of the office was accumulated to a very great degree, and the sitting twice a day allowed me less time to dispatch it. This gave him many favourable opportunities which he studiously embraced to teaze me with messages and sending for papers which he must be con vinced it was not in my power to have ready and which he must have known would be sent to him as soon as finished. These messages were generally sent by his coachman when I was at dinner of supper and sometimes when I was going to bed.