Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-02-10
By PAUL ALLEN, Ese.
TO TEi, PTBJN

1T seems a little surprising that amons.t
! so many subjects IS have been pres, nj
cd for American Bographv, the lives OF
those VINO have affixed their signatures 10
the Declaration of Independence have been
overlooked or disrcgarded. The eyes ot
thousands have dwelt with rapture upon Ike
document that announced 10 the word Tat
8 these United Colonies were, and Of right
ought TO be, free, sovereign, and indeprn-
dent ststes;" while we are better acquaint-
ed with the handwriting than with the cha
racters of many OF those iluslriors men
who have added their signatures to that IN
slrumtnt. The founders of The only rs-
naming republic on the globe. have, with
few splendid exceptions, gore 10 their
graves, and il behoves generous poslerity,
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 if they 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 tie object OF the present attempt,
TO deal in that profusion of indiscriminate
and unsparing panegyric, so often and so
falsely digniiied with the name of Bogra-
ply: we wish to represent the characters
as they were /; they stand in need of no pa
neeS ric and we earnestly solicit from the
surviving relations and friends of those re-
voIusionary patriots all the information that
will tend to Development OF character.
Nan is the creature of circumstance, and
we wish TO show the progress of those pa.
triots from their first resistance OF colonial
aggression, until they stnoG forth the NOBLE
and undaunted champions of their Country'S
Independence. All this can only be done
these men, and whoever of the suryyin.
friends or relatives will furnish facts and
circumstances il their possession 10 untold
and illustrate their characters, shall be en-
titled to a copy Of the work as recon-
pense. II is contemplated, wherever il i
practicable, further to enbellisb the medi
tated work with correct likenesscs 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 remuneratea
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 lndepen-.
dence itself, with fac-simile engravings OF
the signatures. We have now compendl-
ously stated the ebjecis OF our present un-
! dertaking, and we hope that il will be I'M
necessary 10 mention tina! no exerti0ns or
our part shall be spared.
! The public are now in possession OF our
project, which does indeed seem to be de-
manded, by the svidiiy so recently display.
ed for the possession of the Declaration OF
independence, since il is Of very little I'M
4! port to become acquainted with mans
hand writing without previous knowledge
I of the man. The secretkistory OF our De-
/ claration of Independence, the lives Of those
who have affixed their signatures to thatln-
strument, accompanied by their Iikenesses,
and finally the Declaration itself with TAG
Smiles of the signatures, will bring into one
compact view the prominent facts OF thai
interesting crisis.
| CONDITIONS.
l. The work will be published in mum
bers, 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 70
subscribers at two dollars and fifty cents PEI
half volume or number, payable on dei'-
cry. $50, ..L,
| rrSubscriptions will be received sttne
Office of The Alexandra Gazette.
! Deeenbey2 90