. With many,
therefore, the desire of counteracting a system which appeared to them
so injurious, triumphed over their attachment to state sovereignty;
and the converts to the opinion that congress ought to be empowered to
regulate trade, were daily multiplied. Meanwhile, the United States
were unremitting in their endeavours to form commercial treaties in
Europe. Three commissioners had been appointed for that purpose; and
at length, as the trade with England was peculiarly important, and the
growing misunderstandings between the two countries threatened serious
consequences should their adjustment be much longer delayed, Mr. John
Adams was appointed minister plenipotentiary to the court of St.
James. His endeavours to form a commercial treaty were not successful.
His overtures were declined by the cabinet of London, because the
government of the United States was unable to secure the observance of
any general commercial regulations; and it was deemed unwise to enter
into stipulations which could not be of reciprocal obligation. In
fact, it is not probable that, had even this difficulty been
surmounted, Britain could have been induced to grant advantages that
would have been satisfactory to America. The latter expected great
relaxations of the navigation act, and a free admission into the
colonies of the former; and believed its commerce of sufficient
importance to obtain these objects, if it could be regulated by a
single legislature. The reflecting part of America did not require
this additional evidence of the sacrifice which had been made of
national interest on the altars of state jealousy, to demonstrate the
defectiveness of the existing system. On the mind of no person had
this impression been more strongly made, than on that of General
Washington. His extensive correspondence bears ample testimony to the
solicitude with which he contemplated the proceedings of the states on
this interesting subject.

The opinion he sought to inculcate was, that the trade between the
United States and Great Britain was equally important to each; and
therefore, that a commercial intercourse between the two nations might
be established on equal terms, if the political arrangements in
America would enable its government to guard its interests; but
without such arrangements, those interests could not be protected, and
America must appear in a very contemptible point of view to those with
whom she was endeavouring to form commercial