i 6 i HISTORY OF THE [book vi. 
ingty, the liberal and accomplished minister who 
was in the direction of the finances, lost no time 
in presenting to parliament a provisional bill for 
that purpose; a copy of which the reader will find 
in a note.* 
* The following is a copy of the American Intercourse Bill which 
was brought in by the right honourable William Pitt, chancellor et 
the exchequer, March 1783. 
“ A Bill for the provisional establishment and regulation of trade 
and intercourse between the subjects of Great Britain and those of 
the United States of North America. 
<< Whereas the following thirteen provinces of North America, 
namely, New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island and 
Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, North 
Carolina, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, South Ca¬ 
rolina, and Georgia, have lately been solemnly acknowledged by his 
majesty to be, and now are, free, independent, and sovereign states, 
by the name and description of the United States of America i 
“ Be it therefore enacted and declared by the king's most excellent 
majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the lords spiritual and 
temporal, and commons, in this present parliament assembled, and 
by the authority of the same, that all statutes heretofore made to re¬ 
gulate the trade and commerce between Great Britain and the British 
Plantations in America, or to prohibit any intercourse between the 
same, shall so far as they regulate or prohibit the intercourse and 
commerce between Great Britain and the territories now composing 
the said United States of America, wholly and absolutely cease: 
“ And whereas, whilst the aforesaid Thirteen Provinces were an¬ 
nexed to and constituted a part of the dominions of Great Britain, 
the inhabitants of the said provinces enjoyed all rights, franchises, 
privileges, and benefits of British subjects born in Great Britain, as 
well in respect to the trade and commerce with Great Britain as in 
other instances; and in consequence thereof the ships and vessels of 
