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

Whereas in the Catalogue of miseries and afflictions with which it has
pleased the Supreme being of the universe to visit the
inhabitants of this earth there are none more truly awful and destructive
than Earthquakes -- Man's wisdom can not foresee nor [by]
precaution guard against them  -- In 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 [incite?] our
astonishment at their terrible effects.  As members of the great human
family, our deepest commiseration should not fail to be excited, and our
hearts expanded with charity for the relief of those whose lives [are]
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 Territory have lately been visited with
several calamities of this kind, which have deluged large portions of their
Country and involves in the greatest distress many families, whilst others have
been entirely ruined, whole districts of country have been [annihilated] and
many valuable farms utterly destroyed.  Many of these our unfortunate felow-
citizens are now wandering about without a home to [go to or] a roof to
shelter them from the pitiless storms -- And whereas the best light in which [these]
calamities are viewed by the enlightened humane government of the United
States, has been conspicuously manifested by their liberal contributions in [favor]
of the sufferers at Carracas; this General Assembly can not therefore doubt
but what it will be equally ready to extend relief to a portion of its own
citizens, under similar circumstances-- Be it therefore resolved by the
General Assembly for the Territory of Missouri; that they do recommend the inhabit-
-ants of the Said County of New Madrid, who have thus suffered, to the
consideration of the National Legislature 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 hand or in such other way as may seem 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
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I have improved the text by adding "contributions." The other two unknown
words might be "annihilated" and "by," and I inserted them in the text in
brackets.
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Martin Peters                     Phone: (81) 468 25 1500  ext 260
Department of Physical Sciences     Fax: (81) 468 25 0559
Kanagawa Dental College
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Yokosuka, Kanagawa 238-8580   JAPAN
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