put in
communication with the members of the General Committee of Relief,
appointed by you, with those of the several subsidiary committees, and
with many intelligent citizens, from whom and from eminent professional
engineers made diligent enquiry as to the area of the country overflowed,
the number of people made destitute by this stupendous calamity, the
extent of damage to crops and live stock, the probable continuance of the
inundation, the nature and amount of relief absolutely necessary to
prevent loss of life by famine, and as to the plan of relief adopted here.

I am grieved to find the overflow to be wider in extent, more disastrous
in effect, and causing distress and destitution to far greater extent than
represented by you in your first appeal for aid from the chief cities of
the Union--greater than is generally believed and greater than can be
conceived of by those not familiar with the nature of the vast flat
alluvial region which the waters of the Mississippi and its lower branches
now cover. The calamity surpasses in extent and ruinous consequences any
that has occurred from fire, storm or flood on this continent during the
current century.

To see for myself the nature of the great inundation, I went to Brashear,
eighty miles west of New Orleans--the last twenty-three miles through an
unbroken flood which pours from the distant crevasses on the Mississippi,
and devastates an immense region. I shall not here relate what I saw, but
it was sufficient to give me a realizing sense of the magnitude and
destructiveness of the great flood, and of the reasons why the suffering,
destitution and danger caused by it, must continue for a long time.

I have made careful examination of the workings of your committees of
relief, which I am pleased to find composed of citizens of high character
and distinguished ability, who labor zealously and constantly in the noble
work to which you have called them. Their method of purchasing and
forwarding supplies, and their rules and regulations for the distribution
of relief met my approval in all respects. By the system adopted the
donations of the charitable are sure to do the most good to those who are
made destitute by the flood. Wise precaution is taken to avoid the
encouragement of idleness by strictly withholding relief from such as find
work on lands not overflowed, and who refuse to labor; a precaution which
I commend and approve. Careful, systematic economy is employ