A Resolution for the relief of the Inhabitants of the County of New Madrid

Whereas in the catalog of miseries and afflictions, with which it not pleases the supreme king
of the universe, to visit the inhabitants of this earth, there are none more truly
 and destructive than Earthquakes -- Man's wisdom can not forsee nor [take]
precaution guard against them to whatever sections [of] the habitable world; This wreck of
matter, these convulsions of nature occur; They do not fail profoundly to impress us with awe,
and to ignite our astonishment at these terrible effects. As members of the great human
family, our deepest consideration should not fail to be , and our hearts expanded
with charity for the relief of those whose lives [were] saved from the general wreck -- We
ought never to forget that what was their fate yesterday may be ours tomorrow -- And whereas
[it is] notorious to this general assembly, that the inhabitants of the late district now
County of New Madrid in this history have lately been visited with several calamities of this
kind, which have deluged large portions of their county and involved in the greatest distress
many families whilst others [have] been entirely ruined, whole districts of county have been
 and many valuable farms [totally] destroyed -- Many of these our unfortunate
fellow citizens are now wandering about without a home to go [to] and a roof to shelter them
from the pitiful storms -- And whereas the [best] light in which [the] calamities are
[grieved] by the enlightened humane government of the United States, has been conspicuously
manifested by their liberal   of the  at ,
this general assembly can therefore  but what it will be equally to extend relief
to a portion of its own citizenry, under similar circumstances -- Be it therefore resolved by
the General Assembly of the Territory of Missouri, that they do recommend the inhabitants of
the said County of New Madrid, who have thus suffered to the consideration of the national
agriculture, and that in the opinion of the said general assembly provisions ought to be made
by law, for granting to the said inhabitants relief, either out of the public [funds] or which
other way as may  meet to the wisdom and [liberality] of the general government.

St Louis, January 12th 1814

William Clark                         
Governor of the Missouri Territory

Geo Bullitt
Speaker of the House of Representatives

S Hammond
President of the Legislative Counsel