The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1826-10-30

| Legislature for the making Of laws is the
most striking act Of sovereignty. An tx
ample of this tendency occurred 10 Eng
land during the Commonwealth, when the
popular branch Of the Legislature under
took TO model anew the whole COnstitu-
ton. And even at the present day, ii is
maintained in that country, that the an-
thority of Parliament has no limit, but Is
supreme aud uncontfollabe With us,
however, the Executive and Judicial de-
pariments are strictly coordinate with the
Legislative; and all are equally regulated
by the Constitution, which is the express
ed will of the People.
North american ReUieW.
...sOe
THE EARTHQUAKES AT NEW MA
DRlD IN 1912.
The following IL an interesting, and we
have no doubt accurate, account of the
Earthquakes which destroyed New Ma.
drd and the surrounding country on the
Mississippi IN 1912. Many of the parlicu-
lars here rrcitrd of this scene Of horror,
must be remembered by some of our rea-
ders, as they were generally known at the
time of the catastrophe. Congress wa
pelitloned by the sufferers, and consider
able donation of land was granted TO them,
which subsequently became distinct sub
ject of speculation by the land ;jobbers Of
Missouri
From Flnt's "Ten Years in the Valley of the
Mississippi
Earthquake al .NeW .Nad,id in 1919.
From al accounts, ca, rectcd one by a
mother, and compared with the very in
peI feet narrati es whice were published, |
infer that the shock of these earthquakes
IN thr immediate vicinity oi the centre Of
their force, must have eqnaIled in tnelr ter
rlbie hea,ings of the earth, any thing Of
the kind that has been recorded. do
nnt b Ilesr that the public have ever yet
had any adequate idea of the violence of
the conclusions. We are accustomed 10
measure this by tre buildings overturned,
and the mortality that results. Here the
country was thlniy settled. The houses.
fortunately, we're iral aud oflogs, the most
difficult To oyerturn that could be cUnstruc
ted. Yet, as it was, Who'll tracts were
plunged into the bed of the rver The
grave yard at New Madrid, vita all its
sleeping tenants, was precipitaled ioto ihr
bed of the strc.m 'Iost of The houses
were thrown dowo. Large lakes OF TWEEN
~ miles IN extent were made in an hour
Other lakes we're drained. The whole
country, 10 the mouth ut the Ono In one
direction, aud 10 ST. F,ancis IN The other.
including front of three bundled miles,
Vas convnsed To such dSree as Ia create
lakes and islands, thu n1mbrr of which Is
not yet known--iO C,t'er tract of many
miles ~ extent, uear the Lit IT, Ptalrle, With
water thlee or loul feet deep; AID "hcu
the water disappeared slratnm of saud
of the same thickness was leil IN IT. place.
The trees split IN The rnlds flashed Que to
another, aud are still visible Over great
tracts of county, inclinl N every dIrec
ior aud in ever, angle to the earth aud
the hoazon. The, described the ndula
tlon Of tina earth as resembling waves in
creasing in elevation az thry advanced,
and When they had attained u certain fear
ful btight, lht earth would bnlst, and VAST
, oIurncs Of water and sand and. pit coal
ntre discharged rs his as tie tops vi the
trees. have seen a hundred Of these
ehasms. which remain learluIIy deep, al
though in 4 very tender allu'lal soil, and
aitera lapse of seven yeofs. Whole dis
trcts were covered with white sand, 20 as
To become uninhabitable. The water at
Gfst covered the whole country, particular
ly at the LlttIe Prairie; and il must have
been, indeed, scene of horr' r, III these
deep furesrs and IN the gloom of the dark
est night, and by wadng in the water to
the middle, To fly from those concessions,
which were occurring every few hours,
with noise equally terrible to the beasts
aud birds, as to men. The birds themselves
lost nli power and disposition 10 by and
retrratud To the bus"ais of men, their fell
low sufferers in this general conyuslbn. A
few persons sunk IN these chasms, and
were providenlially extricated. Ono per
ished mlserably 90 an island, which retain.
ed IFS original level in the midst of IA wide
lake created by the earthquake, The hat
aud clothes of this man we're found. A
number persisted, who sunk WITH their
boats in the river. 4 bursting of the earth
Just below New Madrid, orrrsed this
mighty stream in its course, aud caused
rcflux of its waves, by Nhich in little
time great number of boats were swept
by the ascending current into the mouth
ri the Boyou, carried out and lelt upon
The dry earth, when the accommodating wa
tiers OF the river had again cleared their
current
There was great number of severe
shuCk ks, but two series OF cone usSluns nere
particularly terrible ; far more 50 than the
rest Aud they remark that THE shucks
were clcarI, dsllnsulshable into two class
es; those in winch the motion was hori-
znutal, and those Ia which 1t was psrpen-
dIcular. Thr latter were attended with the
eXplC slons, aud the terrible mixture of
noises, that preceded and accompanied the
earthquakes, ~ IA boulder degree, but we're
/ by no meaus So dtsolatlng ADD destructive
as the Other When they were ielt, the
houses crumbled, the trees waved together,
the ground sunk, and oil the destructive
phenomena were more conspicuous. La
! the interval of the earthquakes there was
one evening, and that brilliant aud cloud
! les one, IN which the western sky was d
continued slate vi WIND flashes of lightning
and OF repeated peals of sublerrenean thuu-