Philadelphia Jan^ry 17. 97 — to You asked me to avoid the perusal of whom the — the Papers as I promise — He was to talk linder man than Papers told for Canada and if you remember, was so infortunate as to be the instrument of communications When M^r Durey was communicating with the one at Natchy on that Subject I endeavored to impress him with the idea of my total ignorance of your Wilkinson being suspected as that had any conception that he was possibly concern'd in that affair; which made M^r Burrus extremely cautious how he expressed himself, and made his manifest confusion in the arrangement of his intentions, and was frequently at a loss [strikethrough: they might] injure the business, if they proceeded at the Supposition that Gen^l Wayno had gain'd information of importance — And this, Sir, I believe to have been the only Reason that the — pard