Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1818-12-31
By PAUL ALLEN, ESQ.
TO THE PUBLIC.

EFT seems little surprising that amongs.
4 80 many subjects as have been present.
cI for American Biography, the lives OF
lhg:e who have affixed their signatures 10
the Declaration OF independence have been
overlooked or di.rcyaIded. The eyes ii
;llusln,iS have dwcit with rapture upon the
document that announced to the wor.d taat
= these tinted Colonies were, and OF right
gu sht 10 he. tree, sovereign, ana !ndePeE-
sent States while we ale better aCquaInt-
e.. with the handwriting t!an with the cha
ractefs Of many OF those LIuS;roIs men
WHO have added their signatures 10 that III
sirument. The founders oil the Only re-
main;ng republic CT the globe, have, with
few splendid exceptions, gone 10 their
graves, and il be!oycs generous poSterity,
sensible of their obligations, 10 preserve
heir fame. i he longer We neglect the
payment vi SO sacred debt, the more diff
cub docs the payment become. -Iraits If
Individual character are fugitive and eva.
nr,cent; and it tney arc not snatcbed b.
the hand OF the Geographic Muse, al an ear.
~ season, from thc cold grasp o! death, viii
soon pariake OF the o5.ielnn Cl the body
Il is not the object OF the present attempt.
10 deal in that prOiusion oi rlalscrlminatc
and unsparing pane2yric, SD often md so
IA !seiy dignitied with The name OF Riogra-
ply: we wish 10 represent the characters
rs they were they stand III need OF no pa
ncgyric and we earnestly solicit from the
surviving relations and friends OF those re-
volu,ionary patriots all the information that
wIll tend to Development OF character.
Man is the creature Of circumstance, and
we wish To show The progress VI those pa
triots from their first resistance OF colonial
aggression, until they stood forth the noble
AM undauuteL champions OF their country
independence. AL this can only be done
by familiar acquaintance with the lives OF
these men, and whoever of the surviving
friends or relatives will furnish facts and
circumstances il their possession 10 unfold
and illustrate their characters, shall be ell
titled TO a copy OF the work as recon-
pense. 1t is contemplated, wherever il Is
practicable. further 10 embellish the medi-
tated work with correct likcnesses OF The
subjects of our biography, executed by the
most eminent artists in the country. For
this purpose we again solicit the assistance
of their surviving relatives and friends. II
they will transmit 10 the publisher any en-
craving or portrait IRON which copy may
be taken, the original shall he faithfully re-
turned. and shall likewise be remuDerated
with copy of the work. In the first num-
Der it i proposed TO give an account OF the
Declaration of Independence, from the first
motion that was made on the floor of con-
sress mill lis final passage into law, Pc
Rod embracing much curious and secret
history finally, we promise to add to our
last number the Declaration Of lndepen.
dcnce Itself, with fac-simile engraxinss-0 oil
the signatures. We have now cOmpendi-
ously stated the objects of our present un-
drfaking, and VIC hope that il will be IN
NECESSARY 10 mention that no eyertiOns on
our part shall be spared.
The public are now ia possession OF our
project, which does indeed seem TO be de-
manded, by the avidiiy SO recently display
cd for the possession Of the Declaration OF
Independence, since il is oil very little I'M
port to become acquainted with mans
hand writing without previous knowledge
OF the man. The secret history OF our De-
cIaraton of independence, the lives OF those
who have affixed their signatures to thatln-
st.sment, accompanied by their Licensees,
and finally the Declaration itself with fac
SMILES of the signatures, will bring into one
compact view the prominent facts OF that
interesting crisis.
CONDITIONS.
|. The work will be published in num-
bers, or half volumes, of $50 pages octave,
and will be contained in len numbers.
II. II will be printed on fine paper made
expressly for the purpose, and delivered to
subscribers at two dollars and fifty cents per
half volume or number, payable on deliv-
cry. en-,
Office OF The Alexandria Gazette.
December 90
Enrineer Denartment.