Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-10-27
BIZ JOHN S.4.NDERSON.
TO THE PUBLIC.

III IHE PUBLIC.
When we consider the personal qualities
of the statesmen whose names are Affixed to
The Declaration Of indept ndence, the peri!
lous occasion Which demanded the exercise
OF tne;r wisdom and deiibcratI0n, and the,
influence OF their councils on the interests OF /
mAnkind, we must acknowledge thai very
rarely amore imposing spectacle has been
offered 10 the world, and We shall s.ek in
VAIN IN the annals OF nations, Tor ali event
more worthy OF commemcral'on, and OF icing
cherished torefer in he hearts of a grateful
and generous peup.e. / he love ut iudepen-
dcnce is inlerwdyen IS tb the frame ana con-
.,tutiun ofihe human mind. h is almost
thu first sentiment that anImales the iDfauts
features in the cradle /; ana amongst ali the
actions md enterprises OF man, none has
a:yaked into ac,Ivit! greater extIliOn al Inc
yIrtuous energies OF his'uature, none has ex-
cited d greater warmth OF vtneratiun. and
has more i'm rerous claims upon our graft.
tu'ie. than resistance 10 tyranny and poiHlcaisss
aggression.
/, In AZ republican states the first tribute of I,
genus has been paid IL the patriot or the he:
TO who has pryJnOted lie cause O liberty and 1
maintained the independents and dignity OF I
MN. line animated CANVAS and breathing
marble have rescued his features from tho {
crap OF death, and the pen of The historiaR;a
has inscribed tue achievements. 10 the impe-
rishaDle records o. tame. Ii would ind, ed
be- 10 favor bic prog hostlc of lie perpstuty
of our republican insiilu IONS u discover all
nsensibIlity 10 the Obligations we owe the /
memory oi the illusirioLs patrons Of Amer ie an
freedom. They have raised US, 10y tneir 4
magnanInlty, from IN, arbitrary dominn OF
foreign power, to the distinguished elevation, Z
of sovereign and independent people they'll.
have asserted and maintained the imprescrip.s
tinle rights of humanity by the ''mutual I
pledge OF their pledge OF their lives, their for
tunes and their Sacred nonor> !" and, as long
as virtue holds her EN-, ,re in the hearts OF
their successors, the example Of these gene-l
rous benefactors " i'll not be lost to the world;
their names will not pass away nor he toIgot-
ten. or their glorious deeds be confOunded in /:
the common and Casuai transaction OF lile.-H
lngratitude IS vice that IN nations, as " ell /
az individuals, indicates the last degree of
degeneracy anu corruption ii is a vice thatt
implies the absence of every yiriue il WASH
in the age OF Caligula that the name Of thes
ScipIos was prescribed, that the state Of
Brutus brought death on it, possessor. K
g The glory of our ancestors is the light OF
posterlty," and the homage of the livi can-k
not be offered to The merits ot the ilustriuu1k
dead with an etfectual or sterile admiration.
Great and splendid actions will seldom be 4
achieved by men who have hum Die or ordi.l
nary objects in prospect. II is by copl.mpIa-f
ting the life and character OF those " be are
marked out from the multitude by their emil.
nent qualities, that we become emuIous oil:
their virtues and their re nown. The trophiesE
of Miltiades interrupted the sleeps of 'rhemis;s
toces and Theseus, hearing the exploits OF
Hercules, was fired " it'll his spirit, and hs-yh
came the successful rival OF his fame TheH
rude savage OF the desert listens with rapturo8
to the deeds of his ancestors, and hangs an
round bis hut the emblems of his fathers vaslS
luuf. u
More need not be said to enforce the utlIty{
OF the publication we have undertaken ADD
which we nov submit TO the patronage Of OUT
fellow. citizens. with hope, that from th6t|
liberality Ut their encouragement, we shall3|
be able TO present il TO the public worthy Of
their appreciation. We must depend for the
illustration oil many of the characters of our
biography, upon the generosity OF their sur-
viving relatives aad friends, Ia furnish us with
whatever int, resting materials may he in their
possession for which, with our grateful ac-!
acknowledgements. we promises copy Of the
entire v orr, as a compensation.
CONDITIONS. -
l. The work will be pubiihed in numbers or
half volumes of 200 pages. octave. and
contained in ten numbers To the frsy
will be preixed an appropriate frontisl
piece-and the work will b. commt need
with the declaration Of inde peRdenee, with
engraved fac simi'es of the signatures. and
cnmpendiou, detail of the proceedings IL
congress, during the passage OF the law
Each oil thu lives, unless when j, is im-
practicable, will b. preceded by ike
ness of the person, engraved by the beg
artists IN the United States.
IL. II will he printed on fine paper. MAIDS
expressly tor the purpose, and delivered
to subscribers at tuo dotlars and yftiy csnss
pernnmt'er, payable or DELIVERIES
Z ~ inscriptions lsssiysa at tLs.efice.