Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-03-06
By PAUL ALLEN, ESQ.
To THE PUPLN

] seems a iltiie surprising that amongst
so many subjects IS. have been present
ed for American Biography, the lives of
those who have affixed their signatures TO
the Declaration Of independence have been
overlooked or disrsgarled. The eyes Of
thousands have dwclt with rapture upon the
document that announced to the wori! That
these United Colonies were, and Of right
ought 10 be, free, sovereign, and indepen-
dent states;' while we are better acauain,-
ed with The handwriting than with the cha
racters of many Of those :;lustrious men
who have added their Signatures to that m
sirument. The founders of the only re-
naming republic en- the globe. have, with
few splendid exceptions, gone 10 their
graves, and /, behoves generous pOsterity,
sensible of their obligations, TO preserve
their fame. The longer we neglect the
payment of so sacred debt, the more diff
cult does the payment become. Traits of
individual character are fugitive and eva
nescent; and ii trey are not snatched by
the hand of the Geographic Muse, at an ear
ly season, from the cold grasp of death, will
soon partake of the oblivion of the body
1t is not tire object OF the present attempt,
to deal in that profusion of indiscrminae
and unsparing panesyric, so often End 50
falsely dign!hed with the name OF Biogra-
ply: we wish to represent the characters
as they were they stand in need Of no pa.
negYric and we earnestly solicit from the
surviving relations and friends of those re-
evolutionary patriots all 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
trio4s from their first resistance OF colonial
aggression, until they stood forth the noble
and undaunted champions of their country'S
independence All 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 End
circumstances il their possession to untold
and illustrate their characters, shall be en-.
titled to copy of the work as recon-
pense. 1t is contemplated, wherever it j,
practicable, further to enbellsh 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 copy may
be taken, the original shall be faithfullyre-
turned, and shall likewise be remuneratea
with copy of the work. In the first hum
Der it is proposed to give an account of the
Declaration of independence, from the frs
motion that was made on the floor OF con-
gress until its final passage into law, ape
Rod embracing much curious and secret
history: hQally, we promise to add to our
last number the Declaration OF lnd,pen:.
dence itself, with fac-simile engravings OF
the signatures. We have now compeDdl.
ously stated the objects Of our present un'
dertaking, and we hope that il will be W.
necessary TO mention that no eyertions OIL
our part shall be spared.
The public are now in possession OF our
project, which does indeed seem TO be de-
handed, by the avidity so recently display:
ed for the possession of the Declaration Of
Independence, since it is Of very little IN
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 OF those
who have affixed their signatures to thatln'
strument, accompanied by their Licensees
and finally the Declaration itself with tac'
SMILES of the signatures, will bring intoone
compact view the prominent facts OF tna'
interesting crisis.
CONDITIONS.
I. The work will be published in num-
bers, OF half volumes, of $50 pages octave
and will be contained in len numbers.
ii. 1t will be printed on fine paper MADE
expressly for the purpose, and delivered 70
subscribers at two dollars and fifty centsPel
half volume or number, payable on deli''
cry. at.
r-Subscriptions will be received at'he
Office OF the Alexandra Gazstte