Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1816-08-16
Philadelphia, March, 1916.
Plan and Terms Of Subscription.

ceJine notice of his intention TO under
take this national publication, although il
had long occupied his reflections. he was
not fully aware Of its Importance, Tor he
had never suspected what the fact reaIl
IS. that there is 40 where extant an au
thentic published copy ofthe most impor
tant State Paper in the annals OF 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 cor
sumed by the enemy. Without dwelling
upon slight differences, inaccuracies, Or
omissions, the first words which present
themselves in oar printed copies, ant
even as they are Of record on the Journals
Of the Old Congress, are as follow:
ga Declaration by the Representatives
of the United States of America in Con
rress Observation-Disclosures in the origi
nal the Declaration is thus headed -
The Unanimous Declaration of the
Thirteen United States Of America"
This is not a 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
etter, and point for point f? The Ame-
rican public will unhesitatingl answer
Yes ard the publisher stands pledged
to have It so engraved, and to accompa-
ny it with the requisite proofs OF authen-
ticity.
The size OF the Paper will be So inches
by "a. It will be manufactured by Mi.
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 iml-
tation of Bas Relief; and will enclrcle
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 embelIished with
Spears. Flags, and othe, Military trophies
and emblens. On one side of this me-
dalton portrait, will be similar portrait
of John Hancock, President Of Congress.
Jal, 4, 1776 (; and on the other, a po'
trait of Thomas Jefferson, author OF tn
Declaration Of Independence.
The Arms :. of the Thirteen United
States" in medaIlions, united by wreat!i-
of Olive Leaves, will form the relnainde'
of the Gordon, which will be further Ell
riched by some of the characteristic pro
ductiens of the United States /; such a.
the Tobacco and Indigo Plants, 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.
MIR. 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 Types
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 MIR. Fairman
The fac SMILES will be engraved by
Mr.. Valance, who will execute this i'm
'ortant part of the publication at the cit
If Washington, where, by permission o.
the Secretary Of State, he will have The
Original Signatures constantly under hi,
eye.
The public are well apprized that th'
Gentlemen whose names have been men
noned, as undertaking particular depart
,ents in the proposed publication are tho
irst artists in the United States, and the.