AN
ATTEMPT
TO SHOW THE POLICY OF
ANNEXING PART OF
MISSISSIPPI TERRITORY
TO THE STATE OP
I 0 l] IS I A .'-.~' ..! . {f;.":"'""".,..,.""""""""-""""""""""""".,..,., . ~ ..AN A1,TE~1P'I;, &c. , • • • ~ , # • A pe;i~ has arrived, with the return of a rr~ perous a'gricitlture and commtrce, when the: n ind . of every· Citizen must lx- more or lrss occU})i• (1 on .Yr the s\Jbject 'of extending tl:ie 'princip~s of St ·f-go Vemment in this Territory,. ·.. Within the· lim ;t ~ of the United States republican institutions havt n et with a "'success . be,·ond . the· expectation ot ll't'ir warmein1qmirers, ~nd to the utter disappointn ent of their· theoretic -opposers. ' They have becomt ~o interw·ovt>n with the sentiments habits ;md growth of the people, that· w~ have the most just expe-ctati- on thanhey will noer IX- cherished. :.. · It is; therefore-, no m~tte'r of'surprise, that the temporary · expedient· of territorial government should - ~endured wit~ some impatience, and the pu'ret principles of a permanent system sought with anxiety ·and soli('itude. But it ooght to be remem ber~d. that·the system, for which our territorial go vernment may be exchanged, will as to the limits il·may emhrace, be permanent and u"alterable. It is notconly to· affect os in· all our interests and rela tions ; b\lt posterity will· share the beneficial· effects of our ~isdom ; or regret our want of discernment. :Yb~ subject; therefore, of a change of govern ment, becomes one of vast consequence, and de serves the bt'rious and deliberate·attention of evf ry citizen. It deser.ves an impartial consideration· in. depend~nt of the local ·and· a~vt'n~itious ·'politics of the day-::--thcsc: wiU 'pass away-bur tbe system to be aciopted is expected to' endure for ages. The enquiry then, whether this T erritory shall ~o ipto a state government, with its present limits _as,
·-M1ss. 01!M' OF ARCHlVCS & HISTORY... l ·-""' .. ~ .... ( 4 )
... ·- (f!t. • .. ., • one of the deepest mterest to every person : an(t -a
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( 5 ) tously, by Congress, for the immediate purposes of 'em por~ry government-theY. never had any natu. rat or political connection p re v~ou ~ I y : but a!> ltey ~arne. 'vithin the JUrisdiction of the U nited S es b~ the cessio!) or relinquishment of Spain, or r.ue popu_~tM by an une xpc:;~ted migration, were I Ii tts tt:ffij){lrarily d\ !; po ~ ed of, witho.ut reference to m..ru. rat ho.tii'ldaries or cpnnections-tht'refore no'anci,ent -· ~imi~_i 'can be pre~cribed for, as having fitly encom-- passed them. · From the unconnected-sitltation ofthese districts they 'muSt be ·expected7 ever to remain, in ·some measurt·, separate CQmmuni t i ~s , wirh separate and distinct i"n tcrests, never to be brought: in unison. What will be their·bafe(l!l effects when brought 'ogether under a statt: government ?. '{qe asst:ss- . ment of a rt-venue will 'be made with jeatous partia l it~ '· collected with waste; and appropriated, not ·· for ~ h~ ag~randisement of the sta,te, b.ut for pur. post s, Which will contipue and p t: rpetuat~ disst'n. tions. E ach sectinn, as its majority m~ _v· happ~n, will take to its<;'lf ('very thing in turn. '•Has it oc,. . curred to l\n} one w~ere th~ seat of government will be, where the sessi.ons of a supl'('me- o~ appt'l. late court" will ~ held, and \\'ht-re the siteS of a. coilege and public schoo l s~- Tht y, most probably, would be migratory, fi xed by one; ~ajo rit y at vast exp~nce, and removed by another at eqQal.expence. If it were endeavored, for sake of'theor)r; ' to ascer ~" tain the mt'>~t cemral situation, it would .J>rob bly' be found in the Chactaw nati'on. · A t present the seat of government iS' near the Mb:~issippi. But under a Stitte government, em.
_.. :;::::ao
( 6 ) \;racing the present ten·itorial limits, ran the inha. \:l t,nts of the countits on the Mississippi fl a t te~ tht- msdves tha~ it "·ould be continued among them for a single ); e~ ?_ ')'he increasing numbers of the other sections· pf country would furnish a majority to remove it to Tombigbe~ , Mobile or to a . more tli!>tant plf1ce: · T tle- supreme or appellate c-ourt, \lndcr the; s~atc gQV e ~ nment, would, of course. fot. low it : '!nd ~h~ sarne majority coul.d not be ex. pec(ed' to lea ...· e Jdit.·rson college, or am· otht
......
•. ·---
( 7 ) . tained among them,~he i!lhabitan~ of the _other districts would expe ence the same mconvemence and oppression, whi h thost on the :vt.isSil>lSippi would avoid : aod, in either event, the most ran cOr-ous jealousi<;s. and animosities ''-:buld ~nsu c: .- The local pft'juctices ofdetacned communities, un. fitly brought together'} ar~ strong'and unconquera bie. W e think we might, with confide!)ce, appeal. to our moo;t intdligeht cit i t_en~ froAl evety part .of tlit Territory_, who have' been stlede4 a~ ~i.s la tor's; ifthey hayt ~ ob.fl,erved the ~ti'on bf·the'Se pre. judices in oux territori~J assembli1s ? W e bdieye they woul~ .reply, ~hat they had, w_ith re,gr~t •. m"rl\-' ed th~ progre... s u1. those ! ~cal prtJUd•g:s 'aJld Jea l ousit~, which.~d cr ( • 8 - ) t . ~d But no monument to adorn,. or convcmience.to· the • country, is left t<_> show their' appJicatlon. V'{ ~. ~ h~ve no public ~.uiJ dings, or inst~tut~ons . endo,\veq,; by le..gisla~ i ve mu,nificence ~ Q~1r Jap~ ~~. ~~ , s u{ij- _, c1ently strong to restrain run-away; slayes;----;~\19. ~lffn court-houses and eublic roads would,- see111 to m- • dicate a country in poverty: as _to puplic schopls, ,; we have noRe. Let it again pe. repeatt'di th_3td thc:·se misc¥~iag<:s artt n~t ~~r!}:?utec;l ; ~o ,tl?e ,n' o\.velh! of the legislat<]l')> or_ ~dminist!~tor~ a; ?u~ gon ro1,i meut._:_-b_ut~P~Jlcc;mgvuous, inte.r~t~ ~mbraced, 1 tvithin ,ths- uresent l imi ~s o~ eur , Tt:rrit9ry1 • • , It is, how,e\'er, btlie.ved, that theevil qan b~ re ~ • . . ,; ~ ..1 , '!lidit:d ;, .anq ~lat; !~ ! ~t jnt~he !if~ 9£, ev,e~~ !IH.Slfjh tlOil o~me ter,J\,f)r)f ~~ qll}!'P·t th!\~ th ecPl}[,t o£ ~ v~IIJ}g I ~c:~we_eg l?efl ~~ ri vqri amJnth~~ )YI~~ssffipi, aoc;xr,, tending, to tpe "33.<11 d~grq<' ~f: Nonh · l a~~t uc)e.l .~ spould be ann_exed to 1.oujsiaQ;t at}d iqP.orporatt:~; wi~h that state. . . ·, : .. .;o ' ~ : , SQm~ .~f -the · ~d;~~tjlgf:S . ~fY?is,m~ll~-.\fe ~~\~ ~!~mpb to; poinfi:oph: 1_hutJ ~q ~;~lc;l 1 fi~c:nt~ aQ'L.i9~~ly .li~~ l~cit every. on~ ~Q e~~'Pl l lct minutet'\S ,tJ1e;,t~qo nd.,t9~ apd situation of the country b~ t we,c;p1 ~h~ Mi~>~~~s· Pd pi 111d Pc::ar;J riv.,er~to consult th~. mapjt ~nJc}J. suJ•t ve.vs of it, as if cqnnect~~ w ith , ,t]~f:!i ~~ctJ o~ ~oJli~~i~ ana: an~ 1t will .be: f~urul[hat, the. ~!.U}~1t~liJPtl; _"Y' ~o r add on~ · tl.l.ile to t~, pre.~~Jlt .~~nf51} O,b :''M.Ih 1 n. • ~a t state; that. it will.. merc:ly. sqlJ.!iWt ~u,~ jtR, ql5Wo by addi,ug a p~rtion. Qf GO.Utl~ry a l (t>~J em~ ~art $Utrounded b~· if, and Whicli ha. · ~o s: r.rr:etlPorq it h' accidtnt. .t\11 ~e . .tr e~":; ~~ .y,:~b l ~ ~i~~~" of the I' OIIIltr\" • propn'lC l tn l¥" l.\'W~?'!r ~• . copnt<;~ \1\e•1].:$cl~ r itA ~qe_ . ~~i~ipet. . t!;¥t~ .-gr~~!dlJji!t( ...... ~ '9 ) WaY. 5r~\nerce. ,_An the staple commodity·ancf ~vel)· ~rticle Of surplus prOd uce of th!s ~art of t!le Terrif()ry is !borne to m~rket upon th1s nver and _us (}epend'ent waters~nd 1t returns all the supplies of necessity, ~onvenience or luxury. Its impor.: tance is ~att~ydna eafculation. Without it, of what vak'.t'e or ·estrmation woulil the whole cou!ltrv have been from fhe Bali:te to the nort11ern li'mits of this ·teti'it&y? It ~'ould, most probably, have yet been uninhabited b)' civilized mao. But this !Jligh!y rinr_is destined to waft as rich a com:. Jherct'~ as ha~ ever been borne upon tne waves. q'fie pfu'ducfs of~ he growing COllntrY. fi·om the Al~ {~gnehy, tb arl almost imt}1easurahle ex tent west and .nort-h, are to desc~no the Mississippi for a tnar~ let~d the importations; for that vast extent of ·~ountry ·; '-are' t ~ as-ceud 1his river to their respl"ctive dtktim\tiofis. Its ilav~gat ion , by the invention and itMbdUc~ian of :.team-boats, is improving with un expected taplaity~countries on its bdrdt·rs, once coqsidetH:l far distant fl·ofn each other, are now ~onderfully appidximated~Orl~ans and Natchez .are alreitdY, \vrtpiit two Clays j ourne~ of each othf'r. The ibtelilsf &f every f>ersoh from P earl river t6 t ~e 1\'tississippi i ~ - aepehdent on tht' navi~ t ion of the latter : arid can the propriety be Boubted ofbis be coming a men1 f:>et of a state, throuf?:h the centre of wliicb that river Sl}ontd Hb'w ;- and pmicipa1ing in th~ governm~nt, that shoula Ju?jlr jurisdiction of its ·waters from ifs motlth to the 33d. ·degree of North iatitude ?' Every o~e would certainly fc!el hiY'fn. terests more ~ecure, when he partici'pated in their management. A state- thus fOrmed would ~-<1.· ( 10 ) I • mise· a growth and prosperity unparalleled .. in. the rapid advancement of the si ~ter stat~s, of the UnioQ ~ • Local jealousies a!]d prejudices could . ~.ot exist rc a noxio•1 s extenr• . E very c;me would have the same interest, that powerful cement of society. Agri~ culture and commerct> are inseparably connected, and dependent on.e acp other for. ('X i ~tence_._ l.f the state cherished agriculture .and fostered comme t<;e~ the wealth and h :l ppi ne~s of every citizen must bt promoted , as the industry of every one would par- ticipate in their blessings. . , All ~ he commercial relations Qf th~j>eople l;>.e. Jween .Pearl ri"er and the Mis-.issippi are with the state of Louisiana; the whoie of their surp.Jus pro. duce . find~ its way to N ew-Orleans eilher dire~tly or indirecrly; a <::onstant intercoqrse with that state is necessarily kept up, and must ever cont\nue.-. - " Tho has not felt tht· great inconvenience, that be1 tween conntries th~ s natqralJy ancl necessarily cop. nec!ed different j n ri sdic~ions, systems of law~ and J>Ohcy should pre,•ail : that his property should be subjected to a different rule of decision ~s it might happ~ n to br found on one or t~e other \>ank of the Mi ... sisslopi-that the justice of eitf1er jurisrlic ion sh0•1ld bt· evaded bv rowing half across that rive that debts, contracted bv the inhal?itants of one with thoo;t- of the ot11er, should be subject to differ. cnt principles of collection as to time and aclju 'ic.J.to tinn-that prooerrv sent tp m~,r~t should be liable to attarhments-anrl srq nes tr~n · nS: as if'tht> 0\Yt'l r W~-' re an alien and f t re i gn ~" r? These vexation-, are felt by thefeople of Louisiana as wrll a-, rhose of that part o the Tt:rdtory alluded to : Would it not .... ( '11 ) I b~ m.ost desir~ble to do, them a\\ra,·, by emb~a,.ing b oth cQuntries under one harmonious sy st~m of laws and policy ?.-Every inhabitai1t of the portion of.Te rrit o.~y ; proposed to be ai1i1'ex ed~ woi..tld find his "property increased in value; and feel bis rn·ight ' all(\ consequence, as a citizen of a free government; augmented, when he found hi~se lf tile"?bt:r of a ~tate, that contained so great an emporium of com merce as New-Orleans is destined to be ; that con ~ined the u.!ti~ate market for th~ products of' his \Vc:-alth and industry '; that had tbe great high\\'ay of com,merce passing througll its ct-ntre, and held Jurisdictio~ of that river for a courSt- of more than five hundred miles: and when he " refloottlc~ that he ' participated in· the govemme'nt of sucfl'a state, and possessed all the tights and immunities it could be:. stow, he must feel his interest and freedom secure and his political destiny most happily cast: · · ·. · Hudson river, which traverses the state 'of New. York,' is far inferior to the Mississippi : but the foresight of those, who procured tl)e- limits of the an cient provi~ce i~ now appare'!lt-rthey ~id not I~ cate their province on one side of that 'river leaving it as a boundary; but, ·with a wisdom and foreca-.r, which their· postecity now venc:rate, includt'd tba't great navigabfe water with all its tributary streallli within their provincial limits. To this circum stance, in an eminent' dt' ~, the state of New york ows that rapid growth and prosperity which :has rendered it the most commc:rcial, wealthy and •powerful state in the Union; · · ' ..... h may be objeGted, that in the st_ate of.L . ·~ .( ~2 · ) cotporated: with it, clifterent sy s tems -of . 1aws-. n~ ·prevnil ; that the former has adl).err d mostly to tl1e P.ivil code, while the latttr has adopted, to a co~ ~ ckrable exttnt, the com{11on law • f 14 } • tainly, if qne l e~itimate ri ~~t 9r one principle of li. b e:-rty or self government Wt·re· to be surrenck·red by th<" 11ninn ir ought not ~o take place. ' ~nt again let it be aske f u ) '!Ju\sition. In tht" -late invasion of New-Orleans, eve~ ·fy. Lo~1i ;-; ianian ~rct:ived the necessity/ that the phy., sicai: (or~e or this part of rhe Tt.> rr ~ior~ should be corfibined with that of his. own state-tha~ the whole shotiia be moved under one system, ~"iil:i ~n C:nergy direct~d ' by, one will : and ~1tho ugh, , ori-. that occasion, the patrio5jc G:t:). yernor of thi~ Territory, ·. by prompt and dc;ci-;1ve ineasnre:;~ supplied the (le-fects of pelitic(} I organi~~~ tion in the most dlicient mam1tr in his power, }' e~ the people pf ~Oll~sian'! ha,,_e no-'~oarimke for su¢h an executive M <)gistra~e or for similar measH~es on a Ji ~~ emergeT)C)I: . The feeliogs rt?anifn;ted i~} . th1!f part of the territory, at rhatjuncture, show l'\ow 11a; tural the connection and t1ow intt'rmingJed t~1e in. ' t~.rests of tht-. two p('ople. EVery oue fdt that his deepd t lqterests w~re at s·tflk·e; ihat an attack was jtiaae; not pti ~ J;leighboring srate, but 9n his· own Jire-side. Whj shi1u!d not, a' peopk th_us situatt'd, return to their ancient friendships' and ho!lpitali ies; restor~ their former connection and combine:- tlw ir strength by the indissoluble union of a state go Vt'rnment.? While the accession of numbers to the state of ' .L ouisiana would incre-ase 1he military strength and combine the means of dt ft:nce, tht' ac,·ession of p mperty and wealth would d«·crease the burtheu of taxation upon the people. It can hardl~· be doubt ed, that a state government, ~mbraci ng the e -x ·t'nt uf country contemplat\':d C<•nld ~1txr'ra lt <• d~ ministered without iP crea~ed e-x pence. A 11 ae'kli. f tion,ll numbt>r nf rt p rt'~enta t i v e:- m d senat&;, in propvrtion to the l)opulauon of tl't: _!nntx.. ci lerri• .. ( 1'5 ) tory, and the enlargement of the jutliciary sttJfic~ ent to ~xtend it over that territory, woulct nearly comprise the additional source of.expenditure from the public trt·asury : and it is believed that this . drain could "be supplied by a more judrcious ap· portiortment of salaries, and econornisi~g itt such bra"lches of expen~iture as experi~nce slioutd ren der practica61e. In 1he mean time taxation in the· ;mnext"d part of the territory would decrease in th~ &arne proportion. ' By the propo~d connection, t1le weight arU'f importance of the State of Louisiana would be ' 'ast ty increased in the sca1t of 'the Union.-Af1 increasecl representation in the House of Represen• tatives of the Umted States, instead of a Solitary .. m ~mber, would impart c6nseqtr€'nce and influence to the State, calculated to secure and protect itt rights. The rich growth of the stapl~ comrtrodi ties, and the great advan~s in agriculture, n~ vigation and commerce arquireo bv the propose4: onion, would soon render Louisiana the mos~ wealthy and prosperous of the United States. In extending the free and independent constitd-. tion of th~ state of Louisiana to embrace that pa~ of the Terrltorv propost'd to be annexed, it is not perceived that anv chan~ would he effected in tha.t !nstrument derogating from the rigllts of that state ~ now limitted. It is said to f>e alreadv contem v.lated iJl that sta te~ ad! • •-. . o!i00 to mak!( sucb improveffients in the mtnor pnnc1ples of thetr eJtcellent constitution as experiPnce has pointed out. Jly th~ assent of Congress. and nf the Legi ~l at ure of the state o£ Lou~i!'~ members from ·thts· part '" ( 17 ) _ of the Territory might, at the same tim'e, be Sent td" j6h in that convention. The constitution of L ou isiana would require but little more than a new de finition of limits, provisions for extending repre sei•tation and sessions of the Suprc:me or Appel latt' Court to this' part of the T erritory; to bt"come applicable to the whole State in the f~rm contt m plated. The establishment of circ:uit and other courts as now organist.>d, in t.'acll coiJti'ty to be an nexed, or upot\ a more eligible plan would be for the con~idera t i on ol the Iegblative wi:>dottt. The fimn of the state would have such compact ness and convenience,rhat it is not perceived .vhere a collision ofinterests co•·ld arise. It is b· l eved that a ma.Jority in the state ofLoubiana, as uo\v formed, are in favor of · removing their seat of government to a more central situation on the Missbsippi; and that ~t :will be loeared as high up the river as Baton Rouge. That site would probably afford equal convenience to every part of the state iti the exttnt contemplated, taking into view th~: great facility of in~ercour "J e by the Vlississippi : and a constitution al provisioh for a suprem~ or appcllate court in 1he Ja~ t rl·sort to be holden in the annexed territory , as is now providt'd for the diMrict of Oppalu~as, would afford to e' ery portion of the state, as we Wish it to be formed, all 1he convenience and se.. cn~iry any people could enjoy. "That tht assent of Congre!>s wouldne yiehled to tlie m c:-asure cannot be doubred. The Unirc-<1 States would b~ more secure b) concemrating in a barrier arrd frontier state the military force ou the Mississippi; it will :secure concert in action, and ( 18 ) promote tne energy and means of '<1efence. The-. people of the wtstern country woul~ <::;x pc:rience tl}e bcndicial dfects of the union, in thd r trad~ an .~ ...... •- ( 19. ) to a territory. All its relations and connections of' . j nterC'st and husine!>s tend to those navigable :s tream ~. through which an intercourse i::. facilitated ' vith every pan of the world. The seat of govern- - m ent and the sites of public institutions of the great _ ..:s tatt' to be formt'd within the limits of that countrv would naturally be fi xed upon som e of those navi .. ~ble waters so central to its situation. vVI1y ~hou l d those natural relations and advantages of tl1_e .country be disturbt'd or turned into a m is,·hievotis -direction, b y connectin{} it with this part ofthc ter ritory, whol'y sc p-trated· m interest and intercourse ? 7he great accession of population, whit' h the late ~xtingu i sh ment of title to the lands of the- Creek N ation, m ust briog within tht~t country, will sperdi. ly entitk it to a state govern rn.c:-nt, and that under every advantage of limits and co mmercial convc ni e.nce. T o connect it in a slate with the Mississip .. pi part of. the territory, would deprive tt of its n;;. t ural advantagt>s and suhject it to division at some future period, when its navigable watt rs, instead of lle111g k ft central, m ight form boundaries of ri val states or territories. . · Madison countv is situated north of• the river ''fennt ssee, and \vi·hm a ~hor t di::.tance of the c.api. tal of that state. E w rv one must be at a loss to c onjecture what principle ofpolicy'shciuld ever have s~ges!ed its connection with this part of the territo .. ry; and, it is prc:sumcd,still more at a loss to discover what m otives of interest or convenit'nce to the peo. ple of that cou_nty s_houl.d continue the connection. If the geoe;raph1cal SitUation of that part of the te rri ~ tory be examined iq conntctiun with tht: con tiguou~ (· 20 ) ~ate of T ennessee, it would seem that the interest, and convenience of each pointed to an union. The people of that county may, however, be of opinion, from their easy communication with the waters, which empty into Mobile, that it would be ad van· tageous to their commerce to be embraced within the limits of a state, which contained such an out let tp the oceao. And if such indueements should continue the connection of that county with the second section-of the Territory, the limits of tbe State to be formed would be enlarge-d much bc:-yond the estimation before made; and the period of a state government 'accelerated. But can any citizen of Madison county discover one motive of interest or of possible convenience, which should induce the continuance ofa conuection of that county with this part of the T erritor)· ? \IVe fed the sincerest conviction that the welfare of every porti'on of the T erritory calls for a !>evcr ance of the Mis!>i ssippi parr of it from the other sec tions ; and hope the suhject w11l receive that dis passionate consideration trom the people, which its great importance deserves. I t is a question of constitutional limits, in which the original rights of the peopk are vitally affectt'd. The limits to t'mbrace a state are prescribed by its constitution; the formation of which pertains to the pf'ople " in their sovereign and unlimiredcapacity." This great and salutary pt iucip\e ft'n m8 :'R:e t>ae't& a£ self-governme-nT,and creates the va!>t difference be· twet'n the free institutions in America and the n:gal governmt>nts of Europe : in the latt<:r aU powu is derived frum the mouarch; justice administered .. - . "' . ~~------~~ ------ ( 21 } ~ . from his benignity, and honors imparted from hi.!l , b ounty : in the former. the people in their original capacity deleniate their form of govt rnment , aud prescribe its con!>tiwtional powc:rs, to which t:vt:ry branch is subjl· cted ; they remain the source or power; and the executive, k gislative and judicia ry branches, are c re~tted. by the constitutwu, which the people themselves. have formed. I t pertni;1s to ndtber of these branches to make ant- w, alter or challgt: th<' form of govem ment. Tb~ t act of unli mited sovc:rdgnty belongs to thepeople in their un represented capacity. This ftebk and hast) !>ketch is, therefore, solely addrc:ssed to them, not in the belief that Justice is doni" to the importance of the subject, but in the hope that enquiry will be excited and ~o re able investigation called forth. Opposition may be predicted from men in office and expectants of public favors under a contempla ted state government with our pn:sent limits. But if the proposed m<:asure be salutary and promotive of the interests and happiness of the peopk, it is ho p e-d that the patriotism ofsuch will prompt them to mingle their pretensi.ons with those of th~ commo11 m ass of their fellow citizen!>-these pretensions can be renewed under 'rhe auspices of a powerful and well formed state, where the theatre fur the display of merit will be much enlarged, and the execution of offices more extensivdy beneficial tothecommu ni~y. We s~ll close this attempt by suggesting to the- people of each county, between the Missis sippi and P earl rivers, the expeai(· ncy of petitioning Congress and the Le~islature of Louisiana to effect ... ; · tlte object, to which we have endeavored to call their attention. E~rttta -6th page, 16th line from top, for " conjirmatio11,'' r ead " confor·mat,oll. 8th page, 1st Line, between the words ·•or'' and" cortvellltmce," read" add" } 3th page, 2nd line in 2nd paragrAph, for "Jn~~," read "Jrte.'~ .. ...... •