[partial-draft] [1] Commerce being what I have been engaged in: & the establishment of which on proper principles view as one of the great leading Steps to our future national greatness; having treaties formed for that purpose with the [2] different foreign Powers - free from every partial restriction & built on the broad basis of reciprocal Rights: for confident I am that America by a due Arrangement of her resources, may [intead] [sic] of asking favours from any have her Connection courted by all the World - Prompted by the Advice of my friends & under good assurances, I had in contemplation sometime past to apply for the commercial agency or Consulship, at the Port of Lisbon which would have arisen in consequence of a treaty then on the tapis with that Court and which Mr Adams frequently wrote he had sanguine hopes, of soon accomplishing: but the rancourous policy of a neighboring Power preponderated to obtrude its satisfaction; the Cause of these impediments was not better known than felt, and all saw the necessity of an efficient general Gov.t to give as equal Ranks with other Nations & prevent their future insults & divisions: such a one I hope soon to see - and as the want of commercial Regulations gave the chief spring to its establishment, those will be doubtless among the first objects of its Attention -