Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-03-05
By PAUL ALLEN, ESQ.
TO THE PUBLN

TT seems little surprising that amongst
=. so many subjects rs 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 disrcgarded. The eyes Of
thousands have dwelt with rapture upon the
document that announcei to the world that
9 these United Colonies were, and of right
ought to be, free, sovereign, and indepen.
dent states;" while we are better acauaint-
ed with the handwriting than with The cha
rac;ers of many of those illus,rious men
who have added their signatures to that III
sirument. The founders of the only re-
manning republic on the globe, have, with
a few splendid exceptions, gone TO their
graves, and il behoyes 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 if 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 tie object OF the present attempt
TO deal in that profusion of indiscriminate
and unsparing panegyric, so often and so
falsely digni6ed with the name OF Bicgra-
ply: we wish to represent the characters
as thcy were they stand in need OF no pa
neg rio and we earnestly solicit from the
surviving relations and friends of those re-.
evolutionary patriots all the information that
will tend to a development Of character.
Man 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 stood forth the robe
AM undaunted champions of their Couk ,ry's
independence All this can only be one
by familiar acquaintance with the lives of
these men, and whoever Of the surviving
friends or relatives will furnish facts end
crcumstances'in their possession 10 untold
and illustrate their characters, shall be en-
titled to a copy of the work as a recon.
pense. 1t is contemplated, wherever it is
practicable, further to en,bellish 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. II
they will transmit to the publisher any en-
craving or portrait from which copy may
be taken, the original shall! be faithfully re-
turned, and shall likewise be remunerates
with copy of the work. In the first num-
Der it is proposed to give an account Of the
Declaration of independence, from the FIRST
motion that was made on the floor OF coz
gress until its final passage into law, aPe.
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 objects Of our present un'
dertaking, and we hope that it will be up'
! necessary 10 mention that no exertlons Oh
our part shall be spared.
The public are now in possession OF our
project, which does. indeed seem 10 be de'
handed, by the avidily 50 recently display.
ed for the possession Of the Declaration. Oh
Independence, since it is of very little ln.
port to become acquainted with mans
hand writing without previous knowledge
Of the man The secret history OF our De-
elaration Of Independence, the lives Of those
! who have affixed their signatures to thatin'
/. strumenl, accompanied by their ikenesses'
! and finally line Declaration itself with lac
SMILES Of the signatures, will bring into orc
compact view the prominent facts Of lna'
CONDITIONS.
l. The work will be published in nun'
bers, or half volumes. OF $50 pages octave
and will be contained in ten numbers. >,
ii. II will be printed on fine paper mace
expressly for the purpose, and delivered "
subscribers at two dollars and fifty centsPef
half ysume or number, payable on delh'
/ r5-Subscript;ons will be received atue
Office of the Alexandria Gazette.