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No. 1590–Lord North to the King
[8 February, 1775]

Lord North has the honour of sending to his Majesty a fair copy of the proposed answer to the House of Parliament. There are two small alterations from the last copy sent to his Majesty, the word Always which was inserted in the former copy though superfluous is here omitted, and the words My American Subjects alterd to My Subjects in America. This alteration is rather a nicety, but it is made to avoid a misconstruction of the term American Subjects. All the inhabitants of the Colonies being in effect British subjects though establish’d in America, and, as such under the control of the laws of Great Britain. Some persons having objected to the words as they formerly stood, Lord North thought it better to alter teem, than eave them liable to any misinterpretation.

Downing Street, Wednesday night.