The Congress have directed me1 to info observe to you, that an Expedition ^the Plan^ for emancipating Canada was concieved at a Time when, from various movements of the Enemy there was great ^the highest^ Reason to expect a speedy ^& total^ Evacuation of all the Posts they held in these States. Those Indications however proved fallacious & the Probability of their quitting this Country in ^the^ Course of ^the^ Winter is ^become^ very slender; nor is it by any Means certain that they will do it in the Spring. Prudence therefore dictates that the Arms of America should be employed in expelling the Enemy from Their ^our^ her own Shores, before [we exert?] we undertake the Liberation of a neighbouring Provinces ^is undertaken^ both Objects can not be obtained at once—two Armies adequate to one these Enterprises ^as the proportion of Force necessary for our Defence^ and as it is not^ we must be determined by the future Operations & Designs of the Enemy which cannot ^wont^ cannot now be known it would be rash to enter into Engagements with our Ally and as (^should^ ^in Case of^ another Campaign, sh[oul]d be necessary) it may ^happen to^ be very inconvenient if not impossible for us to Spare from our immediate Defence the Share of ^to furnish our ^proposed^ Quota of Troops for^ the Emancipation of Canada, Congress declined think they ought not while so ^under such^ circumstances to draw their ^good^ Ally into Engagements a Measure whose success ^the Issue of which^ depending on a variety of Contingencies, will be so very ^wod. not only be very^ uncertain & might be very ruinous—