Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-02-24
BIZ PAUL ALLEN, ESQ.
TO The, PUBLIC.

] l seems little surprising that amongst
J. 81 many subjects Il, have been present.
ed Tor American Biography, the lives Of
nose wno have affixed their signatures 70
the Declaration OF independence have been
overlooked or disrcgarled. The eyes Of
thousands have dwell. with rapture upon the
document that announces To the world that
these United Colonies were. and of right
ought 10 be, free, severe ign, and indepen,
dent states" while we are better acouaint.
ed with the handwriting than with the cha
ratters OF many of those illustrious men
who have added their signatures to that IN.
sirumeat. The founders of The only re.
manning republic Gu the globe, have, with
few splendid exceptions, gone TO their
graves, AM it beloyes generous posterity,
sensible of their obligations, to preserve
their fame. The longer we neglect the.
payment Of so sacred debt, the more diki.
cult does the payment become. -Trait. NJ
individual character are fugitive and eEess
nescent; and if lney are not snatched tfR
the hand of the Geographic Muse, at an eaH
~ season, from the cold grasp Of death, en-
soon partake Of the oblivion of the body,G&j
1t is not the object o, the present altemtx
10 deal in that profusion Of iudiscriminste )
and unsparing panegyric, SO often and 50
falsely dignifei with The name of RiogsS.
ply: we wish to represent the charactes
as they were hey stand in need of no pa
nesyric; and we earnestly solicit from ~
surviving relations and friends OF those III
evolutionary patriots all the information lli5
will tend to Development of chsiacter
Nan is the creature of circumstance. and
we wish TO show the progress of those pa
trots from their first resistance of colonial
aggression. until they stood forth the noble
AMI undaunted champions of their Countr,'s
independence. All this can only he done
hy familiar acquaintance with the lives OF
these men, and whoever of the surviving
friends or relatives will furnish facts End
circumstances IL their possession 10 unfold
and illustrate their characters, shall be en-.
titled to a copy Of the work as recon.
pense. 1t is contemplated, wherever il is
practicable, further to embellish the medi-
tated work with correct likenesses 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 10 the publisher any en-.
craving or portrait from which copy may
be taken, the original shall be faithfully re-
turned, and shall likewise be remunerated
with copy of the work. In the first num-
her il is proposed to give all account of the
Declaration of Independence, from tht 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 70 add to our
last number the Declaration Of indtpen-
dence itself, with fac-simile ehgravinss o.
the signatures. We have now compeDdi-
ously stated the objects of our present un-
dertaking, and We hope that il will be IN.
necessary 10 mention tina! no eycrtions OF
our part shall be spared.
The public are now in possession of our
project, which does indeed seem TO I've de-
manded, by the avidi!y sorecently displaS.
ed for the possession Of the Declaration O!
Independence, since it is Of very little irp-
port TO become acquainted with a mans
hand writing without previous knowledge
OF the man The secret History OF our De-
ciaration of Independence, the lives of!hcss
who have affixed their signatures to thatin-
strumenl, accompanied by their likenesses,
and finally the Declaration itself Giih iac-
SMILES of the signatures, will bring intoonc
compact view the prominent facts OF tina.
crisis.
CONDITIONS.
|. The work will be published in mum.
beers, or half volumes, OF $50 pages oc,avo,
and will he contained in ten numbers.
ii. 1t will be printed on fine paper made
for the purpose, and delivered 10
at two dollars and fifty cents per
half volume or number, payable on deiiv'
cry.
trSubscript;ons will be received atthe
Office Oh the Alexandra Gazette.
DeesHbcr 60