Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-02-12
By PAUL ALLEN, ESQ.
70 TIE PLrRLE

1 seems little surprising that amongs.
81 many subjects IS have beer pres nj
ed !nr American Biography. the lives O..
those VINO have affixed their signatures TO
the Declaration of Independence have been
overlooked or di'regaried The ewes OF
thousands have dwrlt with rapture upon the
document that announces 10 the world la,
:" these United Colonies were, and of right
ought TO be. free. sovereign, and indeprn-
dent stttps;" while we are betteracuuligt-
ed with the handwriting than with the cha
raCters OF many OF those illustrious men
who have added their Signatures to that ~
srrumcnt. The founders of the only re-
naming republic On the globe, have, ni,h
few splendid exceptions, gone TO their
graves, and il behoves generous posterity
sensible of their obligations. to preserve
their fame. The longer we neglect the
payment Of s" sacred debt, the more did,
cult does the payment become. Traits o.
individual character are fugitive and eva
ucscent; ant if they arc not Snatched by
tre hand of the Geographic Muse, at an ear
~ season, from the cold grasp of death, will
soon partake of the oblivion of the body
It is not tie object OF the present attempt.
TO deal in that trolusion OF indiscriminate
and unsparing pancgyric, so often and Sc
falsely digni(ed with The name OF Rogra-
phv: we wish to represent the characters
as they were they stand in need of no pa
ncgvric and we earnestly solicit from the
surviving relations and friends of those re-
vouiionary patriots all the information that
will tend to development of character.
Man is the creature of circumstance, ami
we wish to show the progress of those pa
triotS from their first resistance of coonid
aggression, until they stood forth the noble
ana undaunted champions of their Country's
Independence. All this can only be done
10y familiar acquaintance with the lives OF
these men, and whoever Of the surviving
friends or relatives will furnish fact, and
circumstances IL their posse ssion to untold
and illustrate their characters, shall he Ell
titled to copy of the work as recon-
pense. 1t is contemplated, wherever it i,
practicable, further to embellish the medl-
tated work with correct likenesses of the
subjects of our biography, executed by the
most eminent artists in the country. Fox
this purpose we again solicit the assistance
of their surviving relatives and friends Il
craving or portrait from which copy may
be taken, the original shall be faithfully re-
turned, and shall likewise be reInunerated
with a copy OF the work. In the first num-
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, a pc
Rod embracing much curious and secret
history: finally, we promise to add to our
last number the Declaration of Indepen-
dence itself, with fac-simile engravings OF
the signatures. We have now compendi-
ously stated the objects of our present I'M
dertaking, and we hone that it will be IN
necessary to mention tina! no exertiOn. OF
our part shall be spared.
The public are now in possession Of OF!
project, which does indeed seem to be de-
handed, by the avidity so recently display.
ed for the possession Of the Declaration O!
Independence, since it is of very little i'm.
port to become acquainted with q man i
/ 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 thatin-
strumenl, accompanied by their Iikenesses,
and finally the Declaration itself with lac,
SMILES of the signatures, will bring into one
compact view the prominent facts OF tina,
interesting crisis.
CONDITIONS.
I. The work will be published in num-
bers, or half volumes, Of $50 pages octave.
and will be contained in ten numbers.
ii, 1t will be printed on fine paper made
expressly for the purpose, and delivered to
subscribers at two dollars and fifty cents PEI
half volume or number, payable on delI'-
cry.
| rSubscriptions will be received at In
office OF the Alexandra Gazette
December 90