I just read King George III's speech in response to the Declaration of Independence thanks to another answer in this sub by /u/Cdn_Nick . In it, the king says that the rebels "have rejected, with Circumstances of Indignity and Insult, the Means of Conciliation held out to them under the Authority of Our Commission."

Meanwhile the Declaration of Independence says, "In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury."

I've often heard that moderates in America and Britain wanted to maintain the relationship between Britain and America and avoid (and later end) the war. What were the negotiations like? What did each side offer and reject?