Your Committee in yesterday's Conference with the General took into Consideration the Memorial of the Council & Assembly of this State, proposing an Attack upon the City of Philadelphia.(1) The happy Consequences resulting from a successful Attempt of this Nature, not only to the inhabitants of this State, but the general Interest, are too many & great, not to excite our warmest Wishes, & most earnest Anxieties. We have therefore weighd every Circumstance with the minutest Attention, & when military Judgment has been requisite, we have endeavoured to supply it with the best Advice & Information. We find it, Sir, universally admitted even by those unacquainted with its Wants & Distresses, that the Continental Army is not equal to the Enterprize in point of Numbers, & it is proposed to supply this Deficiency by a large Collection of Militia from this & the neighbouring States. Such a Collection we presume, as making all due Allowance for the Advantages of Discipline & Experience, will enable us to cope with the Enemy. The Practicability of this Measure seems also to be grounded on a Passage over the River on the Ice, a Supply of Arms, & some Species of Provisions from the Stores of this Army. Any one of which Circumstances failing all Prospects of Success vanish. It is with Sincere Regret Sir, we are obliged to state, that the Continental Army has during the whole Campaign depended upon daily Supplies. No Magazines having been formed, it has not at any Period had 4 days Provisions in Advance. Its late Necessities Congress are acquainted with. When we say they do not now suffer, we say the best the Case will admit. But we need not enter into a Detail of

   Difficulties, which have called for the most vigorous Exertions of the States, both collectively & separately to remove. We would only suggest, that if such is the Situation, & such the Prospect when confined to the smaller Scale of the Continental Army, what can be expected, but extreme Famine & Distress, when this Number is doubled & trebled. We cannot from our best Inquiries entertain a rational Hope of subsisting them, during the necessary Preparations. The difficulty of doing it on their March is equally obvious. We may farther add, that coming in from different Distances, & at different Times which the utmost Activity & Circumspection will not prevent, they must suffer every Hardship, & Fatigue which are inseparable from the Want of cover & the Inclemency of the Season.

   The State of the Arms is equally unpropitious to our Wishes. The Legislature of this State will alone require for their Militia a greater Number, than can be procured for the Occasion. There would be a Deficiency of many other Articles essential to the Service & equally unattainable But we need not trespass longer, Sir, on your Time. The course of this Season has furnished the clearest Evidence, how little we can depend upon the Passage of the Schuylkill. Tho twice frozen with every Appearance of continuing so, a sudden Change of Weather has shewn the precarious Footing on which such an Enterprize must stand. This Uncertainty every Day increases-every Person acquainted with this Climate & these Rivers must feel the Weight of this Difficulty.

   We need not dwell upon the Consequences of engaging in this Attempt without prosecuting it, or failing in the Execution. They appear to us many & great. The Wisdom & Discernment of Congress will easily perceive them, & make it unnecessary to be more particular.

   We shall therefore close the Subject by saying that it has been canvass'd by the military Gentlemen, & has appeared impracticable not only to those who have no immediate Attachment to this State, but those who have, and are influenced by every Motive that is dear to the Heart of Man, to promote & encourage a Spirit of Vigour & Enterprize.

   We cannot therefore so far suffer our Wishes to prevail over our judgment, as to recommend the Prosecution of a Measure attended with so many Difficulties, & from which there is so small a Prospect of Success.