Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1816-08-17
Philadelphia, March, 1916.
Plan and Terms Of Subscription.

take this national puDHCdttoh, dltlYuSn u
had long occupied his reflections. ne wa,
not fully aware of its Importance, for he
had never suspected what the tact real',
is, that there is no where extant an au-
thentic published copy ofthe most impor
tant State Paper in the annals oil the
world.
The Original Declaration of lndepen
dence, as deposited in the Secretary o.
States Office, was happily preserved
when so many valuable papers were con
sumed by the enemy. Without dwelling
upon slight differences, inaccuracies, O.
omissions. the first words which present
themselves in our printed copies, and
even as they arc of record on the Journals
of the Old Congress, are as follow:
ga Declaration by the Representatives
of the United States Of America ID Con
eress assembled, "-whereas in the origi
nal the Declaration is thus headed =
s.The Unanimous Declaration of the
Thirteen United States of America"
This is not mere verbal distinction
it involves difference in principle. Does
it become Americans to be careless on
this subject, or ought Interpolation or al
teration of any kind to be permitted in a
public document SO sacred? Ought it not
to be faithfully preserved and transmit
ted to posterity word for word, letter for
letter, and point for point (? rhe Anne
rican public will unhesitatipgl answer
Yes and the publisher stands pledged
to have it so engraved, and to accompa-
ny it with the requisite proofs Of authen.
ITCHY.
The size of the PAPER will be So inches
by "a. 1t will be manufactured by Mr..
Amies, in his best manner and OF the very
best materials.
The Design, which is from the pencil
of Mr.. Bridport, will be executed in imi-
tation of Bias Relief; and will encircle
the Declaration as a Gordon of honor. sur
by the Arms of the United
States. Immediately underneath the
arms will be large medallion portrait of
General George Washington, supported
by cornucopiae, and eMbellished with
Spears, Flags, and other Military trophies
aud emblems. On one side of this me-
dalton portrait, will be similar portrait
Of John Hancock, President Of Congress.
Jul, 4, 1875 and on the other, a pol
trait of Thomas Jefferson, author OF thc
Of Independence.
The Arms " of the Thirteen Unitee
states," in meda!lions, united by wreath
Of Olive Leaves. will form the remainde
Of the Gordon, which will be further eli
riched by some of the characteristic pro
luctions Of the United States such a
the Tobacco and Indigo Plauts, the Coz
ton Shrub. Rice, &c.
The whole Of the design, excepting the
portraits, will be engraved by MIR. Muir
ray, of Philadelphia, who has for some
weeks been at work on the plate.
Mr.. Leney, Of New-York, will en-
grave the portraits.
By the advice OF all the artists engag
ed, the publisher has abandoned the idea
of printing the Declaration with Typesi
and has determined to have the whole o.
it Engraved. The ornamental DISPOSE
ton and style of the engraving of the De-
claration of independence. which will oc-
capy the interior Of the Gordon, will be
designed and executed by Mr.. Fairman.
The fac SMILES will be engraved by
Mr.. Valance, who will execute this i'm.
5ortant part of the publication at the city
IF Washington, where, by permission Of
.e Secretary OF State, he will have the
original Signatures constantly under his
we.
The public are we'll apprized that the
Santiemen whose names have been men
aoned, as undertaking particular depart
ents in the proposed publication are the
lrst artists in the United States, and they