Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-02-22
By PAUL ALLEN, ESQ.
TO TIE PUBIC.


Z T seems Iit;ie surprising that amongst
3. so many subjects rs have been present
ed for Americas Biography, the lives Of
those WAC have affixed their signatures 10
the Declaration of Independence have been
overlooked or disrcgarded. The eyes of
thousands have dwelt viii, rapture upon the
document that announced 10 the world that
6 these United Colonies were, and Of right
ought TO be, free, sovereign, and indepen.
dent stltes;" while we are better acauaint-
ed with the handwriting than with the cha
racters of many oil those illustrious men
who have added their signatures to that IN
sirumeL.. The founders of the only re-
manning republic CT the globe. have, with
few splendid exceptions, gone 10 their
graves, and il behovcs generous posterity,
sensible of their obligations, to preserve
their fame. The longer we neglect the
| payment of so sacred debt, the more diff
| Gull daes the Payment become. Traits of
individual cha6cter are fugitive and eva
Descent and they are not snatched by
the hand of the Geographic bluse, 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 proiusion Of indiscriminate
and unsparing panegyric, so often md so
falsely dignitied with The name OF Riogra-
ply: we wish to represent the characters
as they were they stand in need OF no pa
negyric and we earnestly solicit from the
surviving relations and friends OF those re-
evolutionary patriots all the information that
will tend to development of character.
Man is the creature of circumstance, and
we wish 10 show the progress OF those pa
triots from their first resistance OF colonial
aggression, until they stood forth the noble
and undaunted champions of their Country's
independence All this can only be done
by familiar acquaintance with the lives OF
these men, and whoever Of the surviving
friends or relatives will furnish fact, End
circumstances j, their possession 10 untold
and illustrate their characters, shall be Ell.
titled to a copy of the work as recon-
pense. II is contemplated, wherever il IS
practicable, further to embellish the medl-
tailed work with correct likeneses of The
subjects of our biography, executed by the
most eminent artists in The country. FCr
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 a 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 con-
gress until its final passage into law, pc
riod embracing much curious and secret
history: finally, We promise to add to cur
last number the Declaration of lndepeR..
dence itself, with fac-simile engravings OF
the signatures. We have now compendl-
o,sIy stated the objects Of our present uu.
dertaking, and we hope that il will be I'M
necessary TO mention that no exertions On
our part shall be spared.
The public are now in possession OF our
project, which does indeed seem to he de-
manded, 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 mans
hand writing without previous knowledge
OF the man. The secret history OF our De-
claration OF independence, the lives ofthose
who have affixed their signatures to tlIatln-
strument, accompanied by their likenesss'
and finally the Declaration itself with iae.
SMILES of the signatures, will bring intoo one
compact view the prominent facts Of tbs'
interesting crisis.
CONDITIONS.
|. The work will be published in num-
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 70
subscribers at twodollars and fifty cents Per
half volume or number, payable on dei'-
cry. ~
ftrSubscriptions will be received ATM
Office OF the Alexandra Gazette.
Desenher2S