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aroused from their slumbers by a series of severe shocks that filled 
every living creature with consternation and horror, Vast chasms 
opened, from whence issued columns of water, steam, sand and 
coal, then closed, and the earth rocked to and fro, while flashes of 
electricity gleamed through the troubled clouds, rendering the dark- 
ness of night more terrific. Parties who were at New Madrid at 
the time, state that the whole land was moved and swayed like waves 
of the ocean, and that the largest oaks bent to the ground like reeds. 
The heaving of the earth had piled up an alluvial barrier in the 
channel of the Mississippi River below, that solled back a volume 
of its waters, and a flood was following in the desolating track of 
the earthquake. Every species of river craft—barks, keel-boats, 
etc., were swiftly swept to and fro; and as the river broke away 
the obstructions the rushing waters swept down the new made cas- 
cade with fearful rapidity. The shocks continued at intervals for 
several months, lessening in violenee, but leaving lasting traces of 
their ruinous effects, such as stagnant lakes and ponds, where whole 
farms and sections had sunk several feet. Congress subsequently 
partially remunerated the sufferers by this appalling phenomenon, 
in grants of public lands, embracing some of the most valuable 
tracts in the State. 
On the ist of October, 1816, Governor Howarp, by proclama- 
tion reorganized the ‘‘districts,’’ as heretofore called, into ceunties, 
viz: St. Charles, St. Lortis, Ste. Genevieve, Cape Girardeau and 
New Madrid. The State was admitted to the Union in 1821, 
under the much discussed Missouri Compromise. 
A history of the war in Missouri would be but a leaf in the his- 
tory of the national struggle, and will not be expected in a work of 
this character. A brief notice, however, of the actions of the 
State in 1861, will not be out of place. 
Missouri was so deeply involved in the troubles in Kansas that 
the subject of the conflict between the North and the South was 
developed in this State almost at the very beginning of the move- 
ment. In alluding to this subject, and as expressing what he 
believed to be the true policy of the State, Governor R. M. 
Stewart, in his valedictory on the 3d of January, 1361, said : ‘‘ Our 
people would feel more sympathy with the movement had it not 
originated amongst those who, like ourselves, have suffered severe 
losses and constant annoyance from the interference and depreda- 
tions of outsiders. Missouri will hold to the Union so long as it 
is worth the effort to preserve it. She cannot be frightened by the 
past unfriendly legislation of the North, or dragooned into seces- 
sion by the restrictive legislation of the extreme South.”’ 
Governor JACKSON, his successor, in his inaugural, on the day fol- 
_ lowing, insisted that Missouri must stand by the other slavehold- 
ing States, whatever course they might pursue. But the people 
were in favor of remaining in the Union so long as there was a 
hope of maintaining the guarantees of the Constitution. A con- 
vention was called to assemble at the Capital, February 28, 1861. 
The election of Union men as delegates, by a large majority, 
showed clearly that the public sentiment had unquestionably settled 
in hostility to secession, and in favor of a continuance of Mis- 
souri within the Union. The Convention met, but failed to trans- 
vact any business, and adjourned after a short and stormy session, to 
meet at St. Louis March 4th. Here, by a vote of sixty-three 
ayes to fifty-threee nays, after organization, the Convention con- 
sented to hear from Mr. GLENN, a Commissioner from the State of 
Georgia, who submitted the articles of secession adopted by his 
State, and earnestly urged Missouri to join the Southern Confeder- 
acy. A large number of citizens were present, in the lobby, who 
made demonstrations of displeasure and dissatisfaction, which the 
Chairman found it impossible to suppress. On the next day, a 
Committee from the Convention waited on Mr. GLENN, stating that 
** Missouri emphatically declined to share the honors of secession.’’ 
The Convention, on March rgth, passed unanimously a resolution 
declaring that there was no cause for Missouri to dissolve her 
eonnection with the Union. Afterwards, the following resolution 
was adopted—yeas 86, nays 6. ‘‘ That the Convention cherish an 
earnest desire to prevent civil war, and that this would be prometed 
by the withdrawal of the Federal troops from those forts where 
there is danger of collision, and that the Convention recommend 
this policy.”’ After appointing seven delegates to the proposed 
Border State Convention, this body adjourned. 
In the Legislature, a resolution was passed, sixty-two to forty- 
two, declaring it inexpedient for that body to take any steps for a 
National Convention to propose any amendments to the Constitu- 
tion, thus dissenting from the recommendation of the State Con- 
vention. The Governer, in a message in April, declaring his 
policy to be in favor of peace, urged the President of the Conven- 
tion not to convene that body for the consideration of a secession 
ordimance, and expressed himself in favor of retaining the present 
status of the State, leaving it to time and circumstances as they 
might arise to determine the best course for Missouri to pursue. 
While the Military Bill was pending, the news of the surrender of 
Camp Jackson was announced in the Legislature,—a panic ensued, 
and the Military Bill was passed at once, creating a fund for arm- 
ing and equipping the militia—appropriating all the money in the 
Treasury, as well as that to be received from the assessments for 
1860-61, and the proceeds of the moneys levied for other purposes, 
except a sufficiency to carry on the State Government and support 
its penal and benevolent institutions. The Governor was author- 
ized to purchase arms and munitions of war. Every able-bodied 
man was made subject to military duty, and required by oath to 
obey only the Governor, who was made Commander-in-Chief. 
The results of the war—the abolition of slavery, and the inau- 
guration of increased prosperity to the whole country—are equally 
enjoyed by the participants on either side; and the officers and 
soldiers of both armies now work side by side, for the permanent 
peace and prosperity ef the country and its institutions. What- 
ever of strife, antagonism or bitterness that may still exist between 
the citizens of the North and the South, is mainly agitated by those 
who were not actively engaged in either army. 
As an incident of the war worthy of record, exhibiting the 
Christian sympathy, humanity and philanthropy of the people of 
Missouri, was the ‘‘ Mississippi Valley Sanitary Fair,’’ inaugura- 
ted and conducted so successfully that $625,000 were realized for 
the benefit of the Sanitary Commission. 
