Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-03-12
By PAUL ALLEN, ESQ.
TO THE PUBLIC.

1T seems little surprising that amongst
50 many subjects rs have been Present
ell for American B'ogra phy, the lives of
those who have a:!iyri their signatures to
the Declaration of Independence have been
overlooked or dl,regar'ied. The ewes Of
thousands hav" dwe!t with rapture upon the
document that a',nouncei to The world that
these United Colonies were, anu of rgla
ought TO be, tree. sovereign, and inrlepen-
dent stpteS;" while VIZ are better aclulins,
ed with the handwriting than with he cha
RACERS OF many OF those ilustcious men
who have added their Slgnl;ures to that IN
s'run, Mt. The founders of the only re-
naming republic On the globe, have, with
few splendid exceptions, gone to their
graves, an it behoyes generous posterity,
sensible OF their obligations, TO preserve
their fine. The longer we neglect the
payment OF so sacred debt, the more ditE.
cult does the payment become Traits Of
Individual character are fugitive and eva.
nescent; AM if they are net snatched by
the hand of the Geographic Muse, at an car
" season, from the coll; grasp of death, will
soon p2rtake Of the oblivion of the boiy.--
It is not the Object OF the present tempt.
10 deal in toa, profusion of iudiscrimiraa
and unsparing panegyric, so often nj 80
alspiy dignihc with the name OF Bogra-
oily: we wish to represent the charac teIs
a. they were, they stand in need 81 no pa
neg rio; and we earnestly solicit from the
surviving relations aud lriends of those re-
voIuliona?y patriots all the information that
Will teni to development of Character.
Mn is the creature OF circumstance, and
we wish 70 show the progress of those pa
triOts from their first resistance OF colonial
aggression, unlil they ST OF forth the noble
All untauntrd champions OF her Country's
Independence All this Can only be done
ny familiar acquaintance with the lives OF
these men, and whoever OF the surviving
friends or relaiive- will iurnlsh facts and
circumst noes l.. their post sslon 20 untold
an! illustrate their chars crers, t!all be en-
titled to copy of the work as recon-
pense. 1t is contemplated, wherever II is
practicable, furthe to tnrhellish the medi-
tated work vi lh correct likenesses OF the
subjects Of our biography, executed by the
most eminent artists in the country. Fm
this purpose we again solicit the assistance
OF their surviving relatives and friend:. 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 remunernted
with copy of the work. In the first num-
Der il is proposed to give an account OF the
Declaration of independence, from the first
motion that was made on the floor of con-
gress until its final passage into law, PEI
riod embracing much curious and secret
history: finally, we promise to add to OUT
last number the Declaration of lndepea,
dence itself, with fac-simile epgravings oil
the signatures. We have now compendl-
ously stated the objects of our present un-
dertaking, and we hope that it will be un-
necessary TO mention tina! no excrtions on
our part shall be spared.
The public are now in possession Of Gun
project, which does indeed seem to he de-
manded, by The svidity so recently display:
ed for the possession of the Declaration Oh
independence, since it is OF very little I'M
port to become acquainted with mans
hand writing without previous knowledge
Of the man The secret history OF our DE.
cIaration of Independence, the lives Of those
who have affixed their signatures to that IN
strumenl, accompanied by their like Hes:es'
and finally the Declaration itself with lac.
SMILES Of the signatures, will bring into onf
compact view the prominent facts Of thai
CONDITIONS.
/. The work will be published in num-
bers, or half volumes, of $50 pages oc.aVo'
and will be contained in ten numbers.
ii. 1t will be printed on fine paper mace
expressly for the purpose, and delivered 10
subscribers at two dollars and fifty cents per
half volume or number, payable on deli''
cry. ,.h.
nrSubscriptions will be received at Inc
office ii the Alexandria Gazette