Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-01-20
By PAUL ALLEN, ESQ.
TO TIE PUBLIC.

~ III CDI<lI.
BT seems little surprising that amo tgs,
q so many subjects as have been pres, nt.
ed for American Biography, the lives ct
those who have affixed their sig natures 81
the Declaration of Independence have bee,
overlooked or disrcgarded. The eyes or
thousands have dwelt with rapture upon the
document that announced To- the world that
Z" these United Colonies wers, anil Of right
ought TO be, free, sovereign, and indei.en.
dent states;" whi'e we are better acqulint.
ed with the handwriting than with The cha.
RACERS OF lrany of those il!ustrious men
who have added their signatures to that in
sIrument. The founders Of tie only re-.
maining republic On the globe. have, With
few splendid exceptions, gone TO their
graves, AMI it brhoves generous posterjtv.
sensible OF their obligations. to preserve
their fame. The longer we neglect the
payment of so S ied debt, the more did,
cult does the payment become Traits Of
individual character are fugitive ana eva
nescent; anil il 1Gey are not snatchcd By
the hand Of the Geographic Muse, at an ear.
ly season, from the co'agrasp of death, will
soon pariake Of the oblivion of the body.
1t is not the object Of the present attempt,
to deal in that proiusion of indiscriminate
and unspar!ng paneSyric, SO often and So
falsely dignihed with The name OF Biogra-
ply: we wish to represent the characters
as they were; they stand in need of no pa.
ncgyric aud we earnestly solicit from The
surviving relations and friends of those re-
evolutionary patriots I'll the information that
will tend TO development of character.
Man is the creature of circumstance. and
we wish to show the progress of those pa
triols from their first resistance OF colonial
aggression, until they stood forth the noble
an undounted champions of their country's
Independence. All this can only be done
by, a familiar acquaintance with the, Lives of
these men, and whoever of the surviving
friends or relatives will furnish facts and
circumstances l.. their possession TO unfold
and illustrate their characters, shall he en-
titled to copy of the work as recon-
pense. 1t is contemplated, wherever it is
practicable, further to embelish the medi-
tated work with correct likenesses 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 TO the publisher any en-
craving or portrait from which a copy may
be taken, the original shall be faithfully re-
turned, and shall likewise be remunerated
with copy of the work. In the first num-
her it is proposed to give an account of the
Declaration Of independence, from the first
motion that was made on the floor Of con-
gress until its final passage into law, pc
Rod embracing much Curious and secret
history finally, We promise to add to our
last number the Declaration of Indepen-
dence itself, with fac-simile engray inc. Of
the signatures. We have now compepdi-
oGsly stated the objects Of our present UNI
dcrtaking, and we hope that it will be IN
necessary 10 mention tina! no exertions OR
our part shall be spared.
The public are now in possession Of our
project, which does indeed seem 10 be de-
manded, by the avidly so recently display
ed for the possession of the Declaration OF
independence, since il is OF very little i'm
port to become acquainted with a mans
hand writing without previous knowledge
of the man. The secret history OF our De.
claration OF Independence, the lives of those
who have affixed their signatures to thatn-
strument, accompanied by their likenesses,
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-
beers, or half volumes, of $50 pages octave,
and will be contained in Ten numbers.
III. Ii will be printed on fine paper made
expressly for the purpose, and delivered 10
subscribers at two dollars and fifty cents per
half volume or number, payable ON delv-
cry.
OTSubscriptions will be received at the
Office OF the Alexandria Gazette.
December99