Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-01-18
Tx PAUL ALLEN, ESQ.
TO THE PVBJH

Ut seems little surprising that amongst
q so many subjects as have been present.
ed 70, American Biography, the lives Of
those who have affixed their Signatures to
the Declaration of Independence have been
overlookel or disrcgarded. The eyes of
thousands nave dwelt with rapture upon the
document That announced to the world that
these United Colonies were, AMI Of right
ought 10 be, free, sovereign, and ndepep-
dent statcs;" white we are better acouaint.
ed with the handwriting thar with the cha.
racters of many OF those llustrious men
who have added their signatures to that in.
strument The founders OF the only 70.
naming republic On the globe, have, with
few splendid exceptions, gone 10 their
graves, and i, hehoves generous oslerity,
sensible of their obligations, to preserve
their fame. The longer we neglect the
payment of SO sacred a debt, the more djt.
cult does the payment become. Traits of
individual character aic fugitive and eva
nescent; and if they are not snatched by
the hand of the Geographic Muse, at an ear
iy season, from the coIdgrasp of death, will
soon partake of the oblivion of the body
1t is not the object OF the present ATTEMPT,
to deal in that profusion of indiscriminatc
and unsparing panegyric, so often and so
falsely dignfed with the name of Bioera.
ply: we wish to represent the character,
as they were they stand in need of no pa
negyric and we earnestly solicit from the
surviving relations and friends of those re-
volulionary patriots all the information that
will tend to Development of character.
Mn &c fko craafIIrp nj -
we wish TO show the progress of those pa.
triois 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 viii! furnish facts and
circumstances il their possession to unfold
and illustrate their characters, shall he en-
titled to a copy of the work as recon-
pense. 1t is contemplated, wherever it is
practicable, further to emhellisb the medi-
tated work with correct Licensees 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 transIpit to the pu Usher any en-.
craving or portrait from which a copy may
be taken, the original shall be faithfully re-
turned, and shall likewise he remunerated
with copy of the work. In the first num-
her il is proposed Ia give an account of the
Declaration of independence from the first
motion that was mace 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 engrayings Of
the signatures. We have now compendi.
ously stated the objects of our present UNI
iertaking, and We hope that it will be IN
necessary to mention that no exertiohs on
Our part shall be spared.
The public are now in possession OF our
project, which does indeed seem to be de-
handed, by the svidity so recently display
ed for the possession of the Declaration OF
Independence, since ii is of very little i'm
port to become acquainted with a mans
hand writing without previous knowledge
of tine man. The secret history OF our De.
oaration Of Independence, the lives oflhose
who have affixed their signatures to thatln-
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-
bers, or half volumes, of $50 pages octave,
and will be contained in ten 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.
G-Subscriptions will be received at the
office OF the Alexandria Gazette.
December go
Engineer Department,