USA > Pennsylvania > Clarion County > History of Clarion County, Pennsylvania > Part 15
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On September 7th, 1858, Senator Bigler addressed a Democratic mass-meet- ing in a speech, which was widely quoted.
The leading Democratic politicians of Clarion county, in ante-bellum times, were : Christian Myers, Amos Myers (till 1846) ; Charles Evans, Charles L. Lamberton, John Klingensmith, J. M. Fleming, Reynolds Laughlin, John Keatly, J. S. Turney, D. B. Hamm, Patrick Kerr, Seth Clover, Peter Clover, James Sweny, Thomas Sutton, D. B. Long, Robert Barber (very active), John Keating, Hugh A. Thompson, William T. Alexander, William L. Corbett (Whig till 1857), David Morrell (a great "worker " and whipper-in), B. J. Reid, J. C. Reid, Daniel Delo, Rev. William McMichael, William Curll, J. B. Knox.
Prominent Whigs and Republicans : James Campbell, D. W. Foster, G. W. Arnold, Samuel Wilson, Jacob Black, Richard Shippen, G. W. Lathy, George Means, J. R. Strattan, J. B. Lawson (until Know-Nothingism).
In 1848, for Congress, Joseph Thomas, Democrat, had 2, 160 votes in Clar- ion county ; James Campbell, Whig, 1,286 ; for president, 1848, Cass, Dem- ocrat, 2,306 ; Taylor, Whig, 1,372.
In 1852, Pierce, Democrat, 2,642 ; Scott, Whig, 1,218. In 1854, Bigler, Democratic candidate for governor, polled 2,173 votes in Clarion county ; Pollock, Native American, 2,015.
In 1856 Buchanan had a majority of 938 in this county. 1859, Gillis polled 2,019 votes here ; Hall, 1,558, a falling off of 439 votes for Gillis, from his pre- vious election.
In 1860 the Fusion ticket (a provisional Breckenridge-Douglas affair, which dissatisfied many Democrats), had 2,030 votes ; Lincoln, 1,833.
By a supplemental act, passed on the 16th of April, 1840, Clarion county was annexed to the Twenty-fifth Congressional District, composed of the coun- ties of Erie, Crawford, Venango and Warren ; and the same provided for its representation in the State Legislature with Venango county.
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HISTORY OF CLARION COUNTY.
In 1850 the Twenty-third Senatorial District was formed out of Armstrong Indiana and Clarion counties, who were to elect one member.
[ [ In] 1858 Clarion county became a part of the Twenty-eighth Senatorial Dis- trict, with Jefferson, Forest and Elk ; and at the same time Clarion and Forest counties were united to elect one member of the Legislature.
STATISTICS.
ER Population, 1850, 23,565. Acres of improved land, 1850, 107,317. Acres of unimproved land, 111,504. Cash value of farms, $2,779,989. Value of farming implements and machinery, $160,202.
Number of horses, :4,157; cows, 6,122 ; sheep, 26,868 ; swine, 13,150. Value of live stock, $402,946.
Wheat, [number of bushels raised, 165,060; rye, 112,010; Indian corn, III,534 ; oats, 279,287 ; pounds of wool, 67,730 ; potatoes, 42,936 bushels ; buckwheat, 56,575 ; pounds of butter, 422,081 ; hay, 17,086 tons.
Churches, 1850: Baptist, 3 ; German Reformed, 8; Lutheran, 13 ; Pres- byterian, 12, ; Roman Catholic, 4; Total 40.
Population, 1860, 24,988.
The lowest and highest number of actual sheriff sales between 1845 and 1861, were, 1846, 11 ; 1852, 36.
COUNTY FINANCES.
In 1852 the militia fines received amounted to $788.50; 1856, $172.07 were paid for scalps; January 1, 1861, the county treasury contained $9,882.83. The county debt was $875.05.
County finances between 1845 and 1862 were in a weak condition. The treasury was frequently unable to meet the demands on it, and county orders were for a while below par and liable to interest. Money was borrowed to pay for the erection of the court-house and jail, and to meet the current ex- penses of the county.
CLIPPINGS FROM OLD WEEKLIES.
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The following thesis on total abstinence societies, from the pen of Rev. J. M-, of this county, exhibits some curious reasoning :1 " But if we discuss the character of the temperance society at all, we are under the necessity of running into politics and religion both, from the original or proteus-like char- acter of the Temperance Society, it having neither a civil nor ecclesiastical char- acter, yet pretending to reform both Church and State. When struck at by the civil power, it contends that it is a ' blow struck at nothing,' for they are not a civil body, when assailed by the Church, it denies that it is an ecclesias- tical body, and that it is only a piece of wanton hostility. Thus you see, that
1 From Clarion Republican of March, 1842.
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FROM IRON ERA TO CIVIL WAR.
the Temperance Society is perfectly amphibious. When attacked on the land, it will run to the sea. Then you know, that in catching such animals, we must trap on land and harpoon at sea, or they will escape us.
" I have been led to believe that both Church and State are Divine insti- tutions, and that they are as much superior to human institutions, as God is to man-because human institutions derive their character from man, but Divine institutions derive theirs from God.
" Again I believe that God has given both to Church and State their own appropriate duties and prerogatives, and has forbidden either to interfere or meddle in any way with the duties and prerogatives of the other.
" Now let it be remarked, that although the Church and State are entirely distinct bodies,'yet they are homogeneous bodies, that is, have a common origin, and a common design or end. God is the author and giver of both, and God's glory and the good of man, the end of both. But the Temperance Society is not of the same genus, it is perfectly heterogeneous. God is not its author, has not chosen it for the promotion of his glory or our good.
"And now, if God does not suffer the Church to interfere with any of the duties and prerogatives of the State, nor the State to interfere with any of those of the Church, both being species of the same genus, can it be supposed that he will either acknowledge or bless the rude and rash meddling of this amphib- ious heterogeneous progeny that is springing up in the nineteenth century, as rampant as the locusts of Egypt and as fierce as the tigers of Bengal ?
" Now, I suppose that the reason why God gave only two institutions to man, is because he required only two kinds of duties, civil and religious, and he divided these duties between these institutions .- assigning civil duties to the State, and religious duties to the Church. Each has plenty of its own kind of duties to discharge and nothing more, and neither can attend to the duties of the other, without neglecting its own. If He had required a third kind of duties, He would doubtless have given a third institution."
He then appends the constitution of the Self Examining Society, as organ- ized by himself, with one hundred members.
"CONSTITUTION OF THE SELF-EXAMINING SOCIETY.
" ARTICLE Ist. This society shall be known by the name of the Self- Ex- amining Society, and shall be composed of both sexes, whose heads and hearts are capable of moral improvement, and to be auxiliary to the Germantown, Philadelphia county, Society of the same name.
" ART. 2. This society shall adopt as its motto,
' " Practice before Precept.'
" ART. 3. The object of this society shall be, while we may see all other's faults, to feel and correct our own, to depress all manner of deceit and hypoc- risy, slander, and defamation,- back-biting and evil speaking, with all that tends to injure or defraud our neighbor, either in property or character.
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HISTORY OF CLARION COUNTY.
" ART. 4. This society shall be independent of all other societies, each member shall be vested with full powers and privileges to attend to his own concerns ; and that he make it his duty to mind his own business, and to let others mind their business. And no Presidents, Vice-Presidents, Secretaries, Spies, Informers, or Committees of delegates shall ever be chosen by the so- ciety to watch over the conduct of others, or to make report upon their neigh- bor's misdoings, until a thorough reformation shall have been commenced, first at home.
"ART. 9. Every member of this society shall be allowed to drink tea or coffee, cold water or hot water, rum, gin, brandy, wine, Jamaica, old West In- dia, whisky, lemonade or butter-milk, as suits him best, or to chew or smoke tobacco, or take snuff, when not offensive to the company he is in, without being excommunicated from good society, or delivered over to the buffeting of those long faced Pharisees, or in other words, to those ravenous wolves in sheep's clothing, (or sheep-skins).
"ART. 10. No member of this society shall ever set himself above his fel- lows, building his own character and consequence upon the ruins of a neighbor's good name. True it is, that two blacks will not make one white, and no mem- ber must ever attempt to hoist his own dingy character on the society of white, by meddling with his neighbor's character, which may happen to be a shade blacker than his own.
"ART. II. This society shall form no christian party in politics, and no po- litical party under the name of the self-examining society. And again, it shall have nothing to do with free masonry or anti-masonry, colonization or anti-colonization, missionary, bible, or tract societies, as being in any manner connected with it. Nor shall any religious creed, test or inquisition, council or synod, ever be established or countenanced by this society, but every member shall enjoy his own religion, and allow all others the same liberty he claims for himself, without being pointed at as a heretic or branded as an infidel.
"ART. 12. Good society shall not be formed out of the aristocracy of wealth exclusively, nor made out of the popularity of swindling speculators, or of civil or religious professions - but it shall include the poor, who are honest, in- telligent and industrious, as well as the rich.
"ART. 13. The members of this society shall seek to do good and not evil - love, and not hate each other ; and when reviled they shall not revile again, but they shall bear with the faults and infirmities of others, know that they themselves are men of like passions and imperfections. They shall respect the virtues and talents of all men, nor shall the honor and deference be overlooked, which is justly due to the working part of the community, to the farmers and mechanics, and to all whose honest labor is a public as well as a private benefit.
"ART. 14. That every member of this society (if his conscience shall tell him so) may cultivate and raise as much rye or other grain as he pleases, distilleries
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or not - get his rye distilled and use his home-made whisky as a medicine, or common antidote, and thereby depress the duty on foreign liquors. And if he wishes to take a social drink, or to use it as a beverage, or in his harvest field, or wherever he pleases, not to be daunted or in any way backward on account because that his neighbor is a long faced Pharisee, or Teetotal disciple, but to drink when he sees fit so to do, and in the presence of any one, and not act the infernal hypocrite."
Major John Camp struck out on a bold line in offering himself for the suff- rages of the people, as follows :
" SHERIFFALTY.
"Officers, soldiers, and fellow-citizens: The usual custom of advertising for any office is to commence by being induced by a number of friends to offer oneself as a candidate for the office, &c. But this is not the case with me; I come out with my own free will and accord, and offer myself as a candidate for the office of SHERIFF, at the ensuing election. And as regards my claims to this office, I would say to the citizens of Clarion county that I have been a resident of the county since it was organized, and a resident of that part of Venango county now called Clarion, for nine years. I was also a regular United States soldier for five years, and received an honorable discharge, and I now offer myself to the public for the above office, and if elected, I do not say, or pledge myself, that I shall perform any extrordinary duties of the office with favor, &c., but will discharge the duties of the office according to the law.
" Yours Respectfully, MAJ. JOHN CAMP."
"N. B. The custom has been heretofore for candidates to ride through the county, electioneering. As drinking has become unfashionable, and being a tee- totaler myself, I do not intend to electioneer any in this way."1
The postscript indicates an attempt to inaugurate a praiseworthy reform, but, alas ! it was crushed under the heel of iron custom. Daniel Delo was elected in this contest.
" BY MUTUAL CONSENT."
"CAUTION .- Whereas, my wife R-, has, on sundry occasions, taken the liberty of leaving my bed and board, to wander, I know not whither,- and whereas, she still persists in going where she will, and doing what she will, without giving any just reason for such obstinate, wild goose-like conduct; and whereas, it is not in human nature to bear such growing ills without complaint - this is therefore to notify those concerned that all partnership heretofore ex- isting between the subscriber and the said R-, his wife, is this day dissolved
1 Iron County Democrat, June 8, 1843.
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HISTORY OF CLARION COUNTY.
by mutual consent, and to caution the public against harboring or trusting either of us on the other's account, from this date forth without further notice.
"G- G -. " Redbank tp., April Ist, 1843."
AN OLD TIME FOURTH.
"TOBY TOWNSHIP CELEBRATION OF THE 4TH OF JULY .- The 67th anni- versary of American Independence was appropriately celebrated at Cherry Run, in Toby township, by the 6th Battalion of Volunteers, and a large number of ladies and gentlemen from the neighborhood and from the more distant parts of the country. Some came on foot, some on horseback, and many in wag- ons, buggies, etc.
"Thomas F. Riley acted as President of the day, assisted by Daniel Ful- mer, James Foster, William Means, and Francis Hilliard, Vice Presidents, and Robert D. Lawson and George Means, Secretaries.
" The Battalion paraded at II o'clock under the orders of Major P. Reed, and performed a number of evolutions in its usual style of correctness and promptitude. At 2 o'clock the whole party, numbering about five hundred, partook of an excellent dinner, prepared by the Battalion's committee of ar- rangement.
" When the table was cleared the Declaration of Independence was read by James B. Lawson ; after which a set of regular toasts, prepared for the occa- sion, were read by one of the secretaries, and a number of individual toasts and sentiments, accompanied by the firing of the artillery and the rifles of the Battalion-and the cheering of the multitude. During the proceedings, ani- mated and spirit-stirring extempore addresses were delivered, by Messrs. David R. Craig, James B. Lawson, and George Means, Esq.
" At an early hour in the evening the company separated, well pleased with the day's performance.
" Regular Toasts.
" I. The 4th of July '76-The birth day of our national freedom - a proper observance of its anniversary is well calculated to keep alive the remem- brance of those who, in the time that tried men's souls, did by their united wisdom, bravery, and patriotism, lay the foundation of our glorious republic. They only who feel no interest in recollections, will neglect the day.
" 2. The Heroes and Sages of the Revolution-They achieved their coun- try's independence, and earned for themselves an imperishable renown.
" 3. The Memory of Washington-He found his native country a mere ap- pendage to England-he left her a glorious, free, and independent empire. His character is admired by all. But few, indeed, are his imitators.
" 4. The Memory of Adams and Jefferson-They outlived the storms of the Revolution ; they lived to see the full fruition of their hopes in the independent
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FROM IRON ERA TO CIVIL WAR.
happiness of their country, and on the anniversary of this most glorious day their pure spirits ascended to receive the reward of their virtues.
"5. The Union of the States-Upon this depends our safety and our glory -Seared be the eyeballs of him who would look with complacency upon any project for its dissolution.
"6. The Rights of Conscience, of Suffrage, and of Opinion-May they ever be cherished as the main elements of civil and religious liberty.
" 7. The Army and Navy of the United States .- In the support of the just rights of their country they will never shrink from danger nor suffer a blot to tarnish the National Honor.
" 8. West Point Military Academy-An aristocratic institution which ought to be abolished. It is anti-republican to confine the army appointments to those only who have received their education at the public expense.
"9. The Militia System-The main constitutional defense of our country -Withered be the arm and palsied the hand that attempts to bring it into ridicule.
" Io. Agriculture, Domestic Manufactures, Foreign Commerce-The first supplies us with necessaries, the second with comforts, and the third with lux- uries. May they be fostered by Government in proportion to their intrinsic merits.
" II. A General System of Education-The foundation and pillar of civil and religious liberty-a properly educated people cannot be enslaved.
" 12. The Land we Live in-It is our birthplace, our home, our country- may we be ever ready to defend it against foreign enemies and domestic traitors.
" 13. The Ladies .- Our patriotism is warmed by their approbation, and our gratification increased by their presence at our national festivities.
" Volunteer Toasts.
" By E. F. Lerch -- May the general mass of office-holders and office seek- ers in Clarion county be as zealous for the welfare of the county hereafter, as they have been for personal interest, and political popularity heretofore.
"By T. I. Elliott-The memory of that gallant band, who, in that trying hour, proclaimed our Independence in spite of British power.
" By Isaiah Fetzer -- May the numerous candidates for office in Clarion county
Stand firmly on their own feet, And staunch in their own knees, And in spite of unmanly strife We will vote for who we please.
" By Harvey Philips-Education ; the balm of consolation, the mother of peace, the foundation of civil society, preserver of liberty, the sword of religion, and the safe defense of a nation ; may we ever see it prosper, and the time ar- rive when its present enemies will all be its friends.
ยท
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HISTORY OF CLARION COUNTY.
" By James Stitt-The three greatest and best Generals -- General Peace, General Plenty, and General Satisfaction.
" By T. F. Riley-The members of the 6th Battalion of Volunteers .- Their strict discipline and correct moral deportment give a fair promise of future use- fulness, whenever their services are required by their country.
"By J. B. Lawson-A Protective Tariff-The sheet anchor of our pros- perity ; to be truly independent we must protect the industry of our own country.
" By D. R. Craig-The Hon. John Q. Adams-His history is the history of his own country-posterity will wonder at the ingratitude of his own gen- eration.
" By James Colwell.
" An independent nation with independent right Secures to each a blessing, and gives to each delight, An independent dinner as we have had to-day,
With the fairest of the fair that grace America ;
We here do celebrate in peace and harmony, The 4th day of July, the 67th anniversary.
" By R. R. Means-Citizen soldiers, the best safe-guard of republics ; as cit- izen soldiers our fathers gained our liberties ; and as citizen soldiers we will maintain them.
" By James Pollock-The Public Lands-A fund provided by the wisdom and foresight of our ancestors for the people. It is high time to apply it to its legitimate object, and no longer suffer it to be used to corrupt the general Government.
" By George Means-Our Republican Institutions-Founded by the wis- dom and virtue of our ancestors upon the broad basis of equal rights; it is a sacred duty imposed upon us to guard them from pollution and transmit them unimpaired to our posterity.
" By Emanuel Over-May Virtue, Liberty and Independence continue to characterize our happy nation, until the last shock of time shall bury the king- doms of the world in undistinguished ruin.
" By Washington Stitt-Peace and honest friendship with all nations, en- tangling alliances with none.
" By R. D. Lawson, Esq .- The Ladies of this vicinity-Theirs is the hon- or of following the example of their Revolutionary mothers, by cheering the soldiers with their presence on all proper military occasions.
"By Francis Hilliard-The 6th Battalion of Volunteers, gentlemen and > tacticians ; may they always maintain their high standing as soldiers so mer- itoriously gained.
"By Dr. J. M. Rankin-The memory of the illustrious dead.
" By E. F. Lerch-May temperance, morality, and true republicanism ever pervade the minds of American people.
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FROM IRON ERA TO CIVIL WAR.
" By Dr. J. A. Graff-American jurisdiction, American rights, and Amer- ican liberty ; may these glorious privileges ever be defended with American spirit.
" By Jonas Flick-United independence of liberty, no submission of tyran- nical integrity, free-trade or eternal war.
" By Adam Kester.
" The best of all business is this, when we find Each man his own business himself for to mind, This carefully done each finds it is true, To mind his own business he's enough for to do ;
Then take this advice, Independence prize high, And celebrate always the fourth of July.
" By John Beck-The people of our glorious Union ; may Liberty and In- dependence run through and fill our breasts as the water fills the sea, and may all that are opposed to liberty be lathered with aquafortis and shaved with a handsaw .- 4 cheers and 100 guns." 1
" GRAND CIRCULAR FOX HUNT .- We, the committee appointed at an ad- journed ' Circular Hunt,' held at Brinkerton, Saturday, 28th of January, 1860, have agreed upon the following arrangement for a 'Grand Circular Fox Hunt,' to come off and be held and centre at John Brinker's, senr., on Saturday, 10th March next. First it is agreed that the former boundaries be established, and further that the following persons be and were chosen Marshals of the day.
" Col. P. Kerr, Grand Marshal, Assis't G. M., J. Y. McNutt, Wm. M. Ab- rams, T. F. Newell, J. Alexander, Dr. W. Reicherdt, J. P. Lyon, D. Maclay, W. T. Alexander, S. Young, C. L. Lamberton, Dr. J. T. Pritner, J. S. Turney, J. Keatley, S. S. Jones, E. B. Orcutt, Dr. Jones, J. W. M'Nutt, Evans R. Brady. Brookville.
" Marshals for the different points :
" Point"Ist -Greenville. J. K. Lowry, Jos. Craig, C. E. Patton, D. John- ston, D. Craig, Aug. Craig, G. C. Harvey, J. A. Ogden, J. Sloan, jr., H. Say- ers, H. Rhodes, Thos. Sloan, S. Baird.
" Point 2d-Rynard's. Jos. Cochran, J. Orr, D. Henry, Jos. Aaron, jr., W. Cyphert, A. Cyphert, jr., J. Aaron, J. J. Orr, J. Rynard, H. Shultz, G. B. Mohney, G. Miller, D. Weckerly, P. Shingeldecker.
" Point 3d-A. Rhodes's. Capt. Geo. Frazier, Jno. Wilson, J. Bish, J. S. Stahlman, A. Rhodes, A. Moore, J. Sayer, T. M'Ilheny, J. Rocky, S. Stewart,
" Point 4th -Brown's. S. Peoples, Jas. Mercer, J. Shick, M. Lucas H. Eader, jr., J. M. M'Williams, H. Grube, A. Brown, N. Brown, H. Shick, F. D. Campbell, S. Clinger, P. Ferringer, P. Myers, I. M'Farland.
" Point 5th-Bowersock's. J. Hilliard, D. Silvis, J. Mohney, N. B. McWill- ams, G. Bowersock, Jos. Hilliard, A. Hilliard, J. W. Shaffer, L. Bigley, J. Big- ley, Jno. Sayers, jr., Chas. Sayers.
I Democratic Register, July 19, 1843.
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HISTORY OF CLARION COUNTY.
" Point 6th-R. W. Nutt's. Jos. Appel, W. M'Nutt, A. Slagle, W. Slagle, J. A. Magee, D. Mohney, Jno. Himes, Jos. Conger, A. Shankle, Wm. Moore, F. M'Nutt, S. Lowrie, J. Beaty, Sol. Silvis, Craig Sayers.
"Point 7th-Musser's. A. Payne, Dr. Criswell, I. Musser, M'C. Henry, J. Latimer, J. Tosh, Jas. Goheen, W. Michael, W. Kirkpatrick, D. Goheen, Jas. Goheen.
" Point 8th -St. Charles Furnace. Dr. H. M. Wick, R. M. Corbett, Jos. Hutton, Guyer Delp, R. M'Cue, J. Kew, T. Helper, G. Pence, P. Knight, Wm. M'Clelland, J. Laughlin, Ab. Wyant, G. T. Henry, T. Armagost.
Point 9th-Bittenbender's. H. Male, T. Henry, H. Boyles, P. Bittenbender, N. Lerch, W. S. Beck, C. Brinker, G. Hamm, P. K. Hamm, W. L. Johnson, J. Bittenbender, C. M'Nutt.
" Point Ioth - Churchville. W. Miller, J. Armstrong, J. Edmonds, J. E. Kaster, J. Lee, Jos. Hamm, D. B. Hamm, L. Pritner, M. Turney, A. Fox, S. Newell, D. Sarby, J. Hamm.
" Point 11th -Delp's Cross Roads. Jos. Kuhns, T. Brown, G. K. Magee, H. R. Frampton, Maj. Keever, Robt. Henry, M. Fulton, G. W. Fulton, Wm. Irwin, P. Kribbs, Jacob Kifer, T. Parsons, sr., D. H. Parsons, David Small, J. Delp, Wm. Beaty, Jno. Bigley, R. Shirey.
" Point 12th - Smith's Mills to place of beginning. Callen Painter, R. M'Cormick, Jno. Connor, J. G. M'Cammont, L. Guthrie, S. Pierce, G. Smith, T. Allison, B. Allison, T. Williams, Alf. Strickler, P. Williams, L. Gibson, H. Baker, Henry Eader, C. M. Sloan, Wm. C. Sloan, S. W. Jones.
" The duty of each Grand Marshal shall be to confer with their assistants from each of the different points most convenient to their appointees, so as to start precisely at 10 o'clock, and scatter so as to form as perfect a circle as pos- sible; and travel in good order, stopping at straw circle within half a mile of closing point. Every person is prohibited from using fire-arms - no dogs are allowed to run loose until the inner circle is closed. A signal will be given at the proper time for closing, as well as starting in the morning.
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