Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1816-07-20
PLAN AND rnnMs OF sunscn1pr1oN.

When the Publisher submitted the prec.e,l;ne
notice OF his intention to undertake this national
publication, although it had long occupied his
rehectlons, he was not fully aware of lis mpor
lance, LOT ne had never suspected what the fact
really is, that there is 20 WHERE e.,tant On o,,.
thentic published copy Of The most important
stale Paper in the annals of the world.
The ORIGINAL Declaration Independence nc
.ueposfet IN the Secretary OF States Office. was
haPpiiy preserved when so many valuable papers
were consumed BY the enemy. Without iweIl
ing upon slight differences inaccuracies or o,nie.
SONS, us hrst words which present themselves
N our prins Ell Copies and even as tey are of re-
follow: -
pscLARAroS BY THE REpnEsxErAr1ys "a q,
rHB UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, III coyeRss.
ASSEMBLED, whereas in the original. the Decla.
ration is thus headed -
rnE UNANIMOUS DECLARATION or TIE rnIR.
TEEN uFIrED STATES OF AmERtcA.n
rms is not mere verbal distinction II in
voNes difference in principle Does it become
americans to be careless on this subject, or ought
interpolation or alteration of any kind to be per.
niitted in public document so sacred i-onrbt
IT not to be faithfully preserved and transmitted
70 Posterity word for word, letter for letter and
point Tor POINT The American public will IN.
hesitahngg answer YES and the pubI;shhr
stands pledged TO have it so engraved, and to ac
company 1t with regular proof of authenticity.
ne sac Of the Paper viii be SO inches by "
itwlh be manufactured by Mr.. Ames, in his best
manner and OF the very best materials.
The Design, which is from the pencil of alk
pilaporl, WILDE executed in imitation OF Bd,
heatj and viii eucircle the Declaration as q
GORDON OF honor, surmouHtsd by the arms of the
United States. Immediately underneath the
arms viii be large medallion portrait of Ge,,e.
raj GEORGE WASHINGTON, supported h,
cornueopie, and embslhshed loiM YSb.ars. Fz1gs.
ana Other Military troplies aud en,5Ies,s. On one
sue s. OF TINS madellon portrait, viii be similar
portrait OF JOHN HANCOCK, President of cou
gTess, July 4, 1776; and on the other. a nnrtro;,
OF THOMAS JEFFERSON, autho~ Of he lie.
ciaraton of Independence.
ihe Arms OF the Thirteen United States - IN
ihe,dailons, united with wresti,s of Olive ,esves
WIN FORM the remainder of The Gordon. which
wa. wa. De further enriched by some of the charac.
teIistic productions OF the United States such az
p rie oDacco & Indigo Plants, the Cotton Shrub.
III. Inc whole of the design excepting the por.
SIraltsS') Will De engraved by Mr. Murray ofPhjis.
deiPhs, who has for some weeks been at wo,L
on the plate WIZ
portraits 5'~'e u'e
by the advice of al the Artists engaged. the
Publisher has abandoned the idea of pPint,no. the
declaration with TTrIs, and has determined 10
rave the whole Of il ENGRAVED. The Ornamental
disposition and style ofthe engraving of the De.
;iaratlon OF independence which will occu,,v The
interior Of the Gordon, will be designed and exc
;uted by Mr. Fairman
Inc Jae-Si'Alies will be engraved By Mr.. VA.
SnSe' VINO will execute this important p.s,t Of
ne pubhcationa at the city of Washington. where
~ permission OF the Secretary OF state. nc V1JI
rave the ORIGINAL SIGNATURES constantly under
lis eye ''''O''r
The public are well apprized that IN. Gentle.
men whose names have been mentioned. as am. 1
lertakIng particular departments in the pronn. |
ed publication, are the first Artists in the I'M
ed States, and they have, one and ALI sgs,,rsJ !
ne Publisher that they will scdulously devote |
themselves TO the execution Of the several parts |
hey nave undertaken, and will finish them in such
manner, rs to do credit TO themselves and 10 I
nc country, so far as depends on the anxious |
np'oyinebt OF their respective talents ON tbs |
ational work 20
The resrRAITs will be engraved from o,.isiya
'alntIngs and The most esteemed likenesees'
Inc Arms fthe United States, and of the &c.
erai States, Will be faithfully executed rar,,
fFIcIAL DESCRIPTIONS ANg poco4Tvfs. and IN
ne manner directed by the most approved su.
hors on the science Of Heraldry.
From the arrangements made, and The disno-
ilions manifested by the artists, Il is Confidently
xpected that this engrsying viii be, when Ton.