Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1816-04-27

ledge and art at ihe period in question, bu
with the literary attainments also Of Kins
l"hn. King Henry, Il their /" BarOns bold. ,
| We'll tits for the cause Of freedom in that
country, that reverence for this ancient
monument of public liberty, has melted
these repeated attempts to preserve it sa.
cred in public memory, and extend the
knowledge of its contents b, every splen
did decoration wherewith art can adorn II.
Lost in the Ob'curity of black letter legend,
or IN the unattractive pages of common
character, and conGded in great measure
to the library of the lawyer, it would have
remained unnoticed and comparatively un-
known out these circumstances of embeI-
lishment will greatly multiply its readers,
and tend to keep alive its principles in the
memory of the nation.
= Surely the declaration of .Gmerican In
dependence, is at least as we'll entitled to
the decorations of art, as the Magma Char
ia of England /; and if the fac-simiies of the
signatures of the Patriots who signed il
were published in America, they would
serve to crafty a curiosity at least as laud-
able, as that which calls for limitations of
the correspondents of Junius, or of the aris-
tocracy that wrested the English charter
from the reluctant monarchs Of the day.
We are firmly persuaded, that the more
our Declaration of Independence is spread
out before the eyes of the world, the more
it will be admired, if not initiated, Ey TO-
reign nations as well as our own; and eve
ry innocent and honest device that NAV
serve to attract attention toward it, will
serve also to promote the great cause of
public liberty. Such an embelished edi-
ton as will render it an ornament to an
apartment, will have tendency to spread
the knowledge Of its contents among those
who would otherwise have turned their
thoughts but lightly toward the subject
Such an edition will serve to place it con.
tinually under the eye of every man, wo-
man, and child in a family--it will associ-
ate with the pleasurable ideas of elegance
and ornament, with the history of the trans
action itself, and familiarse those princi-
Piles which form, or ought to form, the very
bond and cement of political society.
Nor is it of small moment, that such an
edition well executed, will serve as speci-
men of the state of the FINE ARTS amongst
us at the present day. Mr.. Barlow's g Co
WdS uCltClihC Ill tIliS RESPECT, III
asmuch as he thought it necessary to resort
to foreign artists to design and engrave the
plates which embellish that beautiful work.
Actuated by these views the subscriber
proposes to publish a SPLENDID EDITION Of
the DECLARATION OF INDEPEN-
DENCE, which shall be, in all respects.
, .dmericGR. All the necessary materials
shall be manufactured in this country, and
expressly for this publication. The de
| signs, the engrarinGS, shall be the work of
American Artists the publication through
out, shall afford evidence of what our citi-
zens haze done in politics, and can do in
art.
This edition shall be accompanied with
fac-SimitieS of all the signatures to our De-
claratiOn of Independence, faithfully copied
from the original. 1t shall be embellish-
ed with medallion portraits of GEORGE
WASHlNGTON, the then General a,lf
Commander in Chief of the Armies of the
u. States of America-of JOHN HAN
| COCK, the then President of Congress-
and of THOMAS JEFFERSON, the au.
thor of the Declaration; taken from
the most esteemed likenesses and orna.
mented with appropriate trophies, insig-
| mas anu utCOTdllOHS, anu also WIN engra-
wings OF the Arms of the u. States. and the
Thirteen States executed from official do
cuments and by the first Artists.
10 secure taste and elegance i'm the de
sign of these decorations, the subscribe
has consulted eminent Scholars & Artists
When all the Artists necessary to the, per.
feet completion of the work in the most
speedy, accurate and approved manner
shall he engaged, their names and depart
ments they undertake will be announced
their pride of character and country sha
be stimulated no means, no expence, shall
be spared to secure to the publication al
that Science and Art, Taste and Skill cal
furnish. So soon as estimates of the ex
pences to be incurred, and the time whel
the work will be ready for delivery can b.
ascertained, with tolerabIe precision,
more minute detail of the plan and terms O
subscription will be submitted. and the pa
trOnage of the public respectfully solicited
JOHN BINNS.
Philadelphia, March 90, 1916.
- Editors Of Newspapers ioiH mac
Oblige me By giving the aboue notice an IN
sertion in their respective papers.