Preamble to the following Agreement as proposed by Mr. Hartley

Whereas it is highly necessary that an Intercourse of Trade and Commerce should be opened between the People and Territories belonging to the Crown of Great Britain and the People and Territories of the United States of America. And whereas it is highly expedient that the Intercourse between Great Britain and the said United States should be established on the most enlarged Principles of reciprocal Benefit to both Countries; but from the Distance between Great Britain and America, it must be a considerable time before any Convention or Treaty for establishing and regulating the Trade and Intercourse between Great Britain and the said United States of America, upon a permanent Foundation can be concluded: Now for the purpose of making a temporary Regulation of the Commerce and Intercourse between Great Britain and the said United States of America

Mr. Hartley’s proposed Agreement.

It is agreed that all the Citizens of the United States of America, shall be permitted to import into, and export from any Part of his Britannic Majesty’s Dominions, in American Ships, any Goods, Wares and Merchandize, which have been so imported or exported by the Inhabitants of the British American Colonies, before the Commencement of the War, upon Payment of the same Duties and Charges, as the like sort of Goods or Merchandize are now or may be subject and liable to, if imported by British Subjects, in British Ships from any British Island or Plantation in America: And that all the Subjects of his Britannic Majesty shall be permitted to import and to export from any Part of the Territories of the thirteen United States of America, in British Ships, any Goods, Wares and Merchandize, which might have been so imported or exported by the Subjects of his Britannic Majesty, before the Commencement of the War upon Payment of the same Duties and Charges, as the like sort of Goods, Wares and Merchandize are now, or may be subject and liable to, of imported in American Ships, by any of the Citizens of the United States of America.

This Agreement to continue in force until [blank] Provided always that nothing contained in this Agreement, shall at any time hereafter, be argued on either side, in support of any future Demand or Claim.