Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-03-04
BY PAUL ALLEN, ESQ.
70 IIIE, PEEIM

i | seems little surprising that AMONGST
so many subjects IS have been pr, sent
cd for American Biography, The lives of
iho.e who have 2iiyed their signatures to
the Declaration Of Independence have been
overlooked or di>rcgarded. The eyes Of
| thousands have dwclt with rapture upon the
document that announced to the world that
these United Colonies were, and OF right
ought to be, tree. sovereign, and indepeD-
dent st0tes;" while we are better acquaint.
ed with the handwriting than with the cha
racters of many Of those iluslrious men
who have added their signatures to that n
slrumcni. The founders of the only ~.
naming republic on the globe, have, with
few splendid exceptions, gone TO their
graves, AM il behoves generous pos,erty.
.ensi5,e Of their obligations, to preserve
their famc. Tie !ongrr we neglect the
payment vi 50 saCred debt, The more dill.
cult DOES the payment become. Trails OF
Individual character are fugitive and eva.
resent; and il they are not snatchcd by
the hand OF the Geographic Muse, at on ear
" season, from the cold grasp of death, will
soon partake of the oblivion of the body
1t is not tie object OF the present attempt,
10 deal in thai protusion of indiscriminate
and un>parlng panegyric, so often and 50
falsely 1igniiicd with The name OF Riosra-
ply: we wish to represent the characters
As the were they stand in need of no pa
neG'riC; and we earnestly solicit from The
surviving relttons and friends OF those re-
vo'uiona:y patriots all the information that
viii tend to a development of character.
,c fh,
we wish IN show the progress of those pa
triois from their first resistance OF colonial
aggression, until they st cd forth the noble
an ,.undaunted champions of their Counlry's
Independence. All this can only be done
Ivy familiar acquaintance with the lives Of
these men, and whoever of the surviving
friends or relatives will furnish facts End
circumstances ia their possession to untold
and illustrate their characters, shall be ell
titled to copy of the work as recon-
pense. 1t is contemplated, wherever it Is
practicable, further 20 embelIish 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. If
they will transmit to the publisher any en-
craving or portrait from which copy may
be taken, the original Shall be faithfully
turned, and shall likewise be remuncrated
with copy of the work. In the first num-
Der il is proposed to give an account OF the
Declaration of independence, from the first
motion that was made on the floor Of cor
gress until its final passage into law, ape
nhr,n ND
history finally, we promise to add to onr
last number the Declaration of lnaepen.
dence itself, with fac-simile engravings q
the signatures. We have now compendi.
ously stated the objects of our present un'
derlaking, and We hope that it will be uG'
necessary TO mention tina! no exertions on
our part shall be spared.
The public arc now in possession OF ou'
project, which docs indeed seem 10 be de-
manded, by the avidiiy so recently display.
ed for the possession Of the Declaration o.
Independence, since it is of very little M
port to become acquainted with mans
hand writing without previous knowledge
OF the man The secret history OF our De-
claration OF independence, the lives oflbo'e
who have affixed their signatures TO tbstIn-
strumenl, accompanied BY their likenesses'
and finally the Declaration itself with lac-
SMILES of the signatures, will bring intoop
compact view the prominent facts OF tha'
interesting crisis.
CONDITIONS.
!. The work will be published in num-
beers, or half volumes, Of $50 pages octave
and will be contained in Ten numbers.
IL. 1t will be printed on fine paper mace
expressly for the purpose, and delivered 10
subscribers at two dollars and fifty cents per
half volume or number, payable on deii''
cry. -, ,.h,
isTSubscript;ons will be received at'he
office OF the Alexandria Gazettc>