Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1816-07-06
PLAN AND TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION.

When the Publisher omitted The preceed;np
hotlce OF his intention q undertake this national
publication, although it u d long OCCUPIED his
rehections, he was not f:liy aware of its impor
tance, for he had never lspected what The fact
really IS, that there is 10 WHERE extant an au
e.@hic Pupished copy o;lhe most important
State Paper IN the annals { the world.
The ORIGINAL u claration Indenendepce 10
deposited in the Secretary Of States Office. was
haPPly preserved when so many valuable papers
were CONSUMED b. the enemy. Without dwell
ing upon slight differences, inaccuracies or omis
sions, the first words which present themselves
IN or prin ed copies, and even as th4y are of re-
cord on the Journals Of the Old Congress. are as
follow: -
"a nEcL'RArroN M Tar RtrersryrArIvEs OF
TIE UNi7En STATES OF AIEarcx, IS coSeRrss
ASSEMBLED, "-whereas in tie original. tl,a Decla-
ration is thus headed
TIKI UNANIMOUS DC; LRArsoz or THE THIR-
TEEN UNITED STATES or AMERICA"
ANS IS MT mere verbal distinction il in
VoVes difference in principle Daes it become
americans TO be careless on this subject, or ought
Interpolation CT alteration of any KIND to be per-
muted IN a public document so sacred i-Clirht
u not 10 be faithfully preserved and transmitted
20 fcsterIty word Tor word, letter for letter and
point tor point Tie American public will lin.
hesitatlnSiy answer YES and The Publisher
stands pledged to have it so engraved, and to ac
company 1t with regular proof of authenticity.
Inc SIZE cf th" PAPER viii be 35 inches BY 81
1t VIII &c manufactured by Mr.. Amcs, in his best
manner aad OF tie very best materials.
1he Design, which is from Tie pencil of Mr..
Bridport, wall be executed in imitation of 8as
Ref.f; and VIII encrcle the Declaration a. =
GORDON OF honor, surmouutsd BY tile arms of the
United States. Immediately underneath the
arms viii be large medallion portrait of Gene.
raj GEORGE WASHINGTON, supported by
coEiucopr, and embeiGshed .rih ,Sb.ars. SYogs.
and other 9lIilory trophies and e,r5,sas. On one
sac OF this madellon portrait, viii be a similar
portrait OF JOHN HANCOCK, Pres,den, Of con
gross, July a, l776; and on the other. POI trait
OF THOMAS JEFFERSON, author o. the De.
caration Of Independence.
The Arms " OF the Thirteen United States. y in
medallions, united with wreaths of Olive leaves.
will form the remainder of the Gordon. which
viii be further enriched by some of the oharac
terstic productions OF the United Sta Is SCI. h as
the Tobacco & Indigo Plants, the Cotton Shrub,
RICE, &c.
rho Whole Of the design (ozcep,ing the por.
iraits,) Will be engraved By Mr Murray of Phila.
delphia, who has for some weeks been at work
on the plate.
Mr. Leney, of New.York, will engravc the
portraits
by the advice Of al the Artists engaged. the
Publisher has abandoned the idea of printing the
Declaration WITH TYPES, and has determined to
have the whole of it rNeaAyYp. Tue ornamental
disposition and style ofthe engraving OF the De
claration Of Independence, which viii occupy the
interior Of The c0rlon, will be designed and exc
cuted by Mr.. Fdlrman,
The fac. sin,ies will pe engraved by Mr.. Val.
lance, who will execute tins important part of
the publication Al the city Of Washington, where,
by permission OF the Secretary OF State, he viii
have the ORIGINAL SIGNATURES constantly under
his eye.
The public are well apprized that the gentle.
men whose names have been mentioned, as un.
deItaking particular departments in the promo.
sed publication, are the first Artists in the Uni.
ted States, and they have, one and all, assured
the Publisher that they viii sedulously devote
'hemsrlyes p The exguiien Of the several parts