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Letter from Horace Hotchkiss, 13 September 1841

Source Note

Horace Hotchkiss

15 Apr. 1799–21 Apr. 1849. Merchant, land speculator. Born in East Haven, New Haven Co., Connecticut. Son of Heman Hotchkiss and Elizabeth Rowe. Moved to New Haven, New Haven Co., by 1815. Married Charlotte Austin Street, 22 Feb. 1824, in East Haven. Purchased...

View Full Bio
, Letter,
Fair Haven

Village in south-central Connecticut, located on Quinnipiac River. Population in 1853 about 3,000.

More Info
, New Haven Co., CT, to JS,
Nauvoo

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....

More Info
, Hancock Co., IL, 13 Sept. 1841; handwriting of
Horace Hotchkiss

15 Apr. 1799–21 Apr. 1849. Merchant, land speculator. Born in East Haven, New Haven Co., Connecticut. Son of Heman Hotchkiss and Elizabeth Rowe. Moved to New Haven, New Haven Co., by 1815. Married Charlotte Austin Street, 22 Feb. 1824, in East Haven. Purchased...

View Full Bio
; three pages; JS Collection, CHL. Includes address, postal stamp, postal notation, and dockets.
Bifolium measuring 9¾ × 7¾ inches (25 × 20 cm) and ruled with twenty-six horizontal blue lines. The letter was written on the recto and verso of the first leaf and on the recto of the second leaf. It was then trifolded twice in letter style, addressed, and stamped for postage. The second leaf has substantial tears, which have been repaired.
Two dockets appear on the verso of the second leaf. The first docket was written by
Willard Richards

24 June 1804–11 Mar. 1854. Teacher, lecturer, doctor, clerk, printer, editor, postmaster. Born at Hopkinton, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. Son of Joseph Richards and Rhoda Howe. Moved to Richmond, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts, 1813; to Chatham, Columbia Co...

View Full Bio
, who served as JS’s scribe from December 1841 until JS’s death in June 1844 and served as church historian from December 1842 until his own death in March 1854.
1

JS, Journal, 13 Dec. 1841 and 21 Dec. 1842; Orson Spencer, “Death of Our Beloved Brother Willard Richards,” Deseret News (Salt Lake City), 16 Mar. 1854, [2].


Comprehensive Works Cited

Deseret News. Salt Lake City. 1850–.

William Clayton

17 July 1814–4 Dec. 1879. Bookkeeper, clerk. Born at Charnock Moss, Penwortham, Lancashire, England. Son of Thomas Clayton and Ann Critchley. Married Ruth Moon, 9 Oct. 1836, at Penwortham. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Heber...

View Full Bio
, who served as scribe to JS from 1842 to 1844, later added a second docket.
2

Jessee, “Writing of Joseph Smith’s History,” 454 and 456.


Comprehensive Works Cited

Jessee, Dean C. “The Writing of Joseph Smith’s History.” BYU Studies 11 (Summer 1971): 439–473.

The letter is listed in a Church Historian’s Office inventory from circa 1904.
3

“Letters to and from the Prophet,” ca. 1904, 1, Historian’s Office, Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904, CHL.


Comprehensive Works Cited

Historian’s Office. Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904. CHL. CR 100 130.

By 1973 the document had been included in the JS Collection at the Church Historical Department (now CHL).
4

See the full bibliographic entry for JS Collection, 1827–1844, in the CHL catalog.


The dockets, inventory, and inclusion in the JS Collection suggest that the letter has been in continuous institutional custody since its receipt.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    JS, Journal, 13 Dec. 1841 and 21 Dec. 1842; Orson Spencer, “Death of Our Beloved Brother Willard Richards,” Deseret News (Salt Lake City), 16 Mar. 1854, [2].

    Deseret News. Salt Lake City. 1850–.

  2. [2]

    Jessee, “Writing of Joseph Smith’s History,” 454 and 456.

    Jessee, Dean C. “The Writing of Joseph Smith’s History.” BYU Studies 11 (Summer 1971): 439–473.

  3. [3]

    “Letters to and from the Prophet,” ca. 1904, 1, Historian’s Office, Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904, CHL.

    Historian’s Office. Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904. CHL. CR 100 130.

  4. [4]

    See the full bibliographic entry for JS Collection, 1827–1844, in the CHL catalog.

Historical Introduction

On 13 September 1841,
Horace Hotchkiss

15 Apr. 1799–21 Apr. 1849. Merchant, land speculator. Born in East Haven, New Haven Co., Connecticut. Son of Heman Hotchkiss and Elizabeth Rowe. Moved to New Haven, New Haven Co., by 1815. Married Charlotte Austin Street, 22 Feb. 1824, in East Haven. Purchased...

View Full Bio
wrote a letter from
Fair Haven

Village in south-central Connecticut, located on Quinnipiac River. Population in 1853 about 3,000.

More Info
, Connecticut, to JS in
Nauvoo

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....

More Info
, Illinois, to continue their correspondence regarding JS’s debt repayment for lands purchased in 1839 from Hotchkiss and his partners,
Smith Tuttle

12 Mar. 1795–7 Mar. 1865. Shipping merchant, land speculator. Born in East Haven, New Haven Co., Connecticut. Son of Christopher Tuttle and Abigail Luddington. Moved to Wallingford, New Haven Co., by 1810. Married first Rachel Gillett. Married second Amarilla...

View Full Bio
and
John Gillet

2 Aug. 1796–17 July 1848. Likely born in Connecticut. Son of Benoni Gillett and Phoebe Dean. Moved to Commerce (later Nauvoo), Hancock Co., Illinois, by May 1837. In Aug. 1839, with land-speculating partners Horace Hotchkiss and Smith Tuttle, sold land in...

View Full Bio
.
1

For more information on this land purchase, see Bond from Horace Hotchkiss, 12 Aug. 1839–A; and Bond from Horace Hotchkiss, 12 Aug. 1839–B.


The letter was a direct response to JS’s letter of 25 August, in which JS expressed his frustration with Hotchkiss for actively seeking payment; JS apparently believed that Hotchkiss had agreed to defer interest payments for five years.
2

Letter to Horace Hotchkiss, 25 Aug. 1841.


Hotchkiss sent the letter featured here to defend his position and to justify his collection of interest on the debt.
In the letter,
Hotchkiss

15 Apr. 1799–21 Apr. 1849. Merchant, land speculator. Born in East Haven, New Haven Co., Connecticut. Son of Heman Hotchkiss and Elizabeth Rowe. Moved to New Haven, New Haven Co., by 1815. Married Charlotte Austin Street, 22 Feb. 1824, in East Haven. Purchased...

View Full Bio
explained the many attempts he had made to obtain repayment, including traveling to
New Jersey

Located in northeast region of U.S. First European settlements made by Dutch, Swedes, and English, early 1600s. Admitted to U.S. as state, Dec. 1787. Population in 1830 about 321,000. Population in 1840 about 373,000. First Latter-day Saint missionaries preached...

More Info
and
Nauvoo

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....

More Info
, and his frustration at not being able to meet JS’s
agents

A specific church office and, more generally, someone “entrusted with the business of another.” Agents in the church assisted other ecclesiastical officers, especially the bishop in his oversight of the church’s temporal affairs. A May 1831 revelation instructed...

View Glossary
at various times.
3

Multiple church agents had failed to follow through on meetings and land exchanges with Hotchkiss. Isaac Galland was assigned to obtain eastern land and transfer the deeds to Hotchkiss as payment, but he abandoned his assignment. Galland apparently acquired deeds to some land but never transferred them to Hotchkiss. Hyrum Smith and William Smith had also been working on land transfers, but both returned to Nauvoo before completing any transfers. (Letter from Smith Tuttle, ca. 15 Sept. 1841; Letter from William Smith, 5 Aug. 1841; Letter to Smith Tuttle, 9 Oct. 1841; Letter from John E. Page, 1 Sept. 1841; JS, Nauvoo, IL, to Horace Hotchkiss, Fair Haven, CT, 10 Dec. 1841, in JS Letterbook 2, p. 216; Horace Hotchkiss, Fair Haven, CT, to JS, Nauvoo, IL, 12 Apr. 1842, JS Collection, CHL.)


Both parties were irritated, and the tension between them intensified because their communication was limited to letters, which were slow to arrive and easily misunderstood. Despite his frustrations, Hotchkiss knew he could lose his investment if he was too demanding—JS had already indignantly invited Hotchkiss to “come and take the premises and make the best you can of it.”
4

Letter to Horace Hotchkiss, 25 Aug. 1841.


Hotchkiss was therefore open to resuming settlement negotiations with JS.
Hotchkiss

15 Apr. 1799–21 Apr. 1849. Merchant, land speculator. Born in East Haven, New Haven Co., Connecticut. Son of Heman Hotchkiss and Elizabeth Rowe. Moved to New Haven, New Haven Co., by 1815. Married Charlotte Austin Street, 22 Feb. 1824, in East Haven. Purchased...

View Full Bio
mailed his letter on 13 September 1841 from nearby
New Haven

Significant port city in Connecticut, four miles from Long Island Sound. Settled by company from London, 1638. United with Connecticut Colony, 1662. Population in 1830 about 10,000. Population in 1840 about 13,000. JS corresponded with Horace Hotchkiss and...

More Info
, Connecticut. Approximately two weeks later, JS received the letter and an additional letter from Hotchkiss’s business partner
Smith Tuttle

12 Mar. 1795–7 Mar. 1865. Shipping merchant, land speculator. Born in East Haven, New Haven Co., Connecticut. Son of Christopher Tuttle and Abigail Luddington. Moved to Wallingford, New Haven Co., by 1810. Married first Rachel Gillett. Married second Amarilla...

View Full Bio
.
5

See Letter from Smith Tuttle, ca. 15 Sept. 1841.


JS responded only to the letter from Tuttle, apparently as an answer to both, since he was aware the two were communicating with each other and sharing his letters.
6

Letter to Smith Tuttle, 9 Oct. 1841. JS asked Orson Pratt to read the letter from Tuttle at the church’s general conference in October 1841. Upon a motion, the conference voted that JS would respond. (Minutes and Discourse, 1–5 Oct. 1841.)


Footnotes

  1. [1]

    For more information on this land purchase, see Bond from Horace Hotchkiss, 12 Aug. 1839–A; and Bond from Horace Hotchkiss, 12 Aug. 1839–B.

  2. [2]

    Letter to Horace Hotchkiss, 25 Aug. 1841.

  3. [3]

    Multiple church agents had failed to follow through on meetings and land exchanges with Hotchkiss. Isaac Galland was assigned to obtain eastern land and transfer the deeds to Hotchkiss as payment, but he abandoned his assignment. Galland apparently acquired deeds to some land but never transferred them to Hotchkiss. Hyrum Smith and William Smith had also been working on land transfers, but both returned to Nauvoo before completing any transfers. (Letter from Smith Tuttle, ca. 15 Sept. 1841; Letter from William Smith, 5 Aug. 1841; Letter to Smith Tuttle, 9 Oct. 1841; Letter from John E. Page, 1 Sept. 1841; JS, Nauvoo, IL, to Horace Hotchkiss, Fair Haven, CT, 10 Dec. 1841, in JS Letterbook 2, p. 216; Horace Hotchkiss, Fair Haven, CT, to JS, Nauvoo, IL, 12 Apr. 1842, JS Collection, CHL.)

  4. [4]

    Letter to Horace Hotchkiss, 25 Aug. 1841.

  5. [5]

    See Letter from Smith Tuttle, ca. 15 Sept. 1841.

  6. [6]

    Letter to Smith Tuttle, 9 Oct. 1841. JS asked Orson Pratt to read the letter from Tuttle at the church’s general conference in October 1841. Upon a motion, the conference voted that JS would respond. (Minutes and Discourse, 1–5 Oct. 1841.)

Page [1]

Fair Haven

Village in south-central Connecticut, located on Quinnipiac River. Population in 1853 about 3,000.

More Info
1

Though this letter and others from Hotchkiss are addressed or have a postal stamp from Fair Haven, Connecticut, Hotchkiss’s residence was a mile or two away in New Haven. (Bond from Horace Hotchkiss, 12 Aug. 1839–A; Bond from Horace Hotchkiss, 12 Aug. 1839–B.)


13th. Sept. 1841
Joseph Smith Esqr.
Dear Sir— Yours of 25th. ult. is recd.
2

Letter to Horace Hotchkiss, 25 Aug. 1841.


and permit me to commence this by expressing my surprise at its contents— I am as you suggest acquainted with the losses you sustained and the persicutions you endured in
Missouri

Area acquired by U.S. in Louisiana Purchase, 1803, and established as territory, 1812. Missouri Compromise, 1820, admitted Missouri as slave state, 1821. Population in 1830 about 140,000; in 1836 about 240,000; and in 1840 about 380,000. Latter-day Saint ...

More Info
3

Hotchkiss had previously expressed sympathy for the Saints because of their experiences in Missouri; he had also encouraged JS to continue to seek redress from the federal government, which could have provided JS with funds to repay his debt to Hotchkiss. (Letter from Horace Hotchkiss, 17 Mar. 1840; Letter from Horace Hotchkiss, 1 Apr. 1840. For more on the Saints’ expulsion from Missouri, see Introduction to Part 3: 4 Nov. 1838–16 Apr. 1839.)


and the consequent destitute conditions of your people when they arrived in
Illinois

Became part of Northwest Territory of U.S., 1787. Admitted as state, 1818. Population in 1840 about 480,000. Population in 1845 about 660,000. Plentiful, inexpensive land attracted settlers from northern and southern states. Following expulsion from Missouri...

More Info
4

After being expelled from Missouri, the Saints began arriving in Quincy, Illinois, in February 1839. They soon purchased land and settled in Commerce (later Nauvoo), Illinois, and in nearby areas in Iowa Territory. (See Introduction to Part 3: 4 Nov. 1838–16 Apr. 1839.)


and invariably espoused your cause in this section as an injured people and entitled to public sympathy— The manner in which your preachers have been received in many of the eastern States is conclusive evidence that no hostility against your religious tenets exists here and I beleive a universal wish prevails that the Missourians should be punished for their inhuman outrages
5

The church’s missionaries were instructed to preach “nothing but the first principles of the Gospel” and to “publish our afflictions. the injustice and cruelty thereof upon the house tops.” These preaching efforts, coupled with printed accounts in newspapers and pamphlets, helped circulate the Saints’ narrative of the Missouri war. A report from the church’s First Presidency in April 1841 stated that “in the eastern states, the faithful laborers are successful, and many are flocking to the standard of truth.” (Letter to Heber C. Kimball and Brigham Young, 16 Jan. 1839; Lyman Cowdery, Kirtland Mills, OH, to Thomas Reynolds, Jefferson City, MO, 20 Feb. 1841, Governors Records [Thomas Reynolds, 1840–1844], Missouri State Archives, Jefferson City; Report of the First Presidency to the Church, ca. 7 Apr. 1841; see also Gentry and Compton, Fire and Sword, 508–513; William Hyde, Payson, IL, 20 May 1841, Letter to the Editors, Times and Seasons, 15 June 1841, 2:450; and “Summary,” Times and Seasons, 1 Mar. 1841, 2:339.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

Thomas Reynolds. Records, 1840–1841. Office of the Governor. MSA.

Gentry, Leland Homer, and Todd M. Compton. Fire and Sword: A History of the Latter-day Saints in Northern Missouri, 1836–39. Salt Lake City: Greg Kofford Books, 2011.

Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.

Now as regards paying the interest upon the debt in favour of Messrs.
[Smith] Tuttle

12 Mar. 1795–7 Mar. 1865. Shipping merchant, land speculator. Born in East Haven, New Haven Co., Connecticut. Son of Christopher Tuttle and Abigail Luddington. Moved to Wallingford, New Haven Co., by 1810. Married first Rachel Gillett. Married second Amarilla...

View Full Bio
&
[John] Gillet

2 Aug. 1796–17 July 1848. Likely born in Connecticut. Son of Benoni Gillett and Phoebe Dean. Moved to Commerce (later Nauvoo), Hancock Co., Illinois, by May 1837. In Aug. 1839, with land-speculating partners Horace Hotchkiss and Smith Tuttle, sold land in...

View Full Bio
and
myself

15 Apr. 1799–21 Apr. 1849. Merchant, land speculator. Born in East Haven, New Haven Co., Connecticut. Son of Heman Hotchkiss and Elizabeth Rowe. Moved to New Haven, New Haven Co., by 1815. Married Charlotte Austin Street, 22 Feb. 1824, in East Haven. Purchased...

View Full Bio
I shall be very explicit— You state that I pledged my honor not to call for the interest under five years— In this you are entirely mistaken and the contract would certainly destroy such an idea—
6

Financial records from the original purchase include a schedule of annual interest payments. (See Bond from Horace Hotchkiss, 12 Aug. 1839–A.)


At the time of executing the papers it was mentioned by
Mr [Sidney] Rigdon

19 Feb. 1793–14 July 1876. Tanner, farmer, minister. Born at St. Clair, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania. Son of William Rigdon and Nancy Gallaher. Joined United Baptists, ca. 1818. Preached at Warren, Trumbull Co., Ohio, and vicinity, 1819–1821. Married Phebe...

View Full Bio
that a difficulty might be experienced in paying the first years interest when due & I said that I would not coerce its payment at maturity then—
7

A subsequent letter from Hotchkiss’s business partner Smith Tuttle to JS further confused the uncertain terms of the repayment schedule. In that letter, Tuttle expressed certainty that JS and Hotchkiss had simply not “understood each other,” but even Tuttle and Hotchkiss appear not to have shared the same understanding. Tuttle believed that Hotchkiss understood the payments were “only to be delayed two years,” whereas in the letter to JS featured here, Hotchkiss refers to a one-year leniency. (Letter from Smith Tuttle, ca. 15 Sept. 1841.)


This is all that was said upon the subject but when I saw you last fall
8

Hotchkiss had discussed renegotiating the terms of the debt repayment schedule during his visit to Nauvoo in October 1840. At that time, JS signed a promissory note to Hotchkiss and pledged to pay $2,500 within eight months for a different piece of property, an eighty-acre parcel in Nauvoo, referred to as the William White purchase. The next day, Hotchkiss deeded the White property to JS. (Promissory Note to Horace Hotchkiss, 23 Oct. 1840; Hancock Co., IL, Deed Records, 1817–1917, vol. H, p. 625, 24 Oct. 1840, microfilm 954,598, U.S. and Canada Record Collection, FHL.)


you spoke of the interest being defered <​five years​>
9

JS referred to this verbal agreement in a July 1840 letter to Hotchkiss. (Letter to Horace Hotchkiss, 28 July 1840.)


and mentioned that I would reccollect that to be the understanding but I told you that I could not possibly remember it— You then proposed to pay the whole debt by lands in
Pennsylvania

Area first settled by Swedish immigrants, 1628. William Penn received grant for territory from King Charles II, 1681, and established British settlement, 1682. Philadelphia was center of government for original thirteen U.S. colonies from time of Revolutionary...

More Info
&
New Jersey

Located in northeast region of U.S. First European settlements made by Dutch, Swedes, and English, early 1600s. Admitted to U.S. as state, Dec. 1787. Population in 1830 about 321,000. Population in 1840 about 373,000. First Latter-day Saint missionaries preached...

More Info
— I assented so [p. [1]]
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Source Note

Document Transcript

Page [1]

Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter from Horace Hotchkiss, 13 September 1841
ID #
684
Total Pages
4
Print Volume Location
JSP, D8:262–268
Handwriting on This Page
  • Horace Hotchkiss

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Though this letter and others from Hotchkiss are addressed or have a postal stamp from Fair Haven, Connecticut, Hotchkiss’s residence was a mile or two away in New Haven. (Bond from Horace Hotchkiss, 12 Aug. 1839–A; Bond from Horace Hotchkiss, 12 Aug. 1839–B.)

  2. [2]

    Letter to Horace Hotchkiss, 25 Aug. 1841.

  3. [3]

    Hotchkiss had previously expressed sympathy for the Saints because of their experiences in Missouri; he had also encouraged JS to continue to seek redress from the federal government, which could have provided JS with funds to repay his debt to Hotchkiss. (Letter from Horace Hotchkiss, 17 Mar. 1840; Letter from Horace Hotchkiss, 1 Apr. 1840. For more on the Saints’ expulsion from Missouri, see Introduction to Part 3: 4 Nov. 1838–16 Apr. 1839.)

  4. [4]

    After being expelled from Missouri, the Saints began arriving in Quincy, Illinois, in February 1839. They soon purchased land and settled in Commerce (later Nauvoo), Illinois, and in nearby areas in Iowa Territory. (See Introduction to Part 3: 4 Nov. 1838–16 Apr. 1839.)

  5. [5]

    The church’s missionaries were instructed to preach “nothing but the first principles of the Gospel” and to “publish our afflictions. the injustice and cruelty thereof upon the house tops.” These preaching efforts, coupled with printed accounts in newspapers and pamphlets, helped circulate the Saints’ narrative of the Missouri war. A report from the church’s First Presidency in April 1841 stated that “in the eastern states, the faithful laborers are successful, and many are flocking to the standard of truth.” (Letter to Heber C. Kimball and Brigham Young, 16 Jan. 1839; Lyman Cowdery, Kirtland Mills, OH, to Thomas Reynolds, Jefferson City, MO, 20 Feb. 1841, Governors Records [Thomas Reynolds, 1840–1844], Missouri State Archives, Jefferson City; Report of the First Presidency to the Church, ca. 7 Apr. 1841; see also Gentry and Compton, Fire and Sword, 508–513; William Hyde, Payson, IL, 20 May 1841, Letter to the Editors, Times and Seasons, 15 June 1841, 2:450; and “Summary,” Times and Seasons, 1 Mar. 1841, 2:339.)

    Thomas Reynolds. Records, 1840–1841. Office of the Governor. MSA.

    Gentry, Leland Homer, and Todd M. Compton. Fire and Sword: A History of the Latter-day Saints in Northern Missouri, 1836–39. Salt Lake City: Greg Kofford Books, 2011.

    Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.

  6. [6]

    Financial records from the original purchase include a schedule of annual interest payments. (See Bond from Horace Hotchkiss, 12 Aug. 1839–A.)

  7. [7]

    A subsequent letter from Hotchkiss’s business partner Smith Tuttle to JS further confused the uncertain terms of the repayment schedule. In that letter, Tuttle expressed certainty that JS and Hotchkiss had simply not “understood each other,” but even Tuttle and Hotchkiss appear not to have shared the same understanding. Tuttle believed that Hotchkiss understood the payments were “only to be delayed two years,” whereas in the letter to JS featured here, Hotchkiss refers to a one-year leniency. (Letter from Smith Tuttle, ca. 15 Sept. 1841.)

  8. [8]

    Hotchkiss had discussed renegotiating the terms of the debt repayment schedule during his visit to Nauvoo in October 1840. At that time, JS signed a promissory note to Hotchkiss and pledged to pay $2,500 within eight months for a different piece of property, an eighty-acre parcel in Nauvoo, referred to as the William White purchase. The next day, Hotchkiss deeded the White property to JS. (Promissory Note to Horace Hotchkiss, 23 Oct. 1840; Hancock Co., IL, Deed Records, 1817–1917, vol. H, p. 625, 24 Oct. 1840, microfilm 954,598, U.S. and Canada Record Collection, FHL.)

  9. [9]

    JS referred to this verbal agreement in a July 1840 letter to Hotchkiss. (Letter to Horace Hotchkiss, 28 July 1840.)

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