Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-03-24
By PAUL ALLEN, ESQ.
To THE pyTRTT

TT seems little surprising that amongst
I so many subjects as 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 dweit with rapture upon the
document that announced 10 the world that
these United Colonies were, and of rigtr
ought TO be, free, sovereign, and indepen.
dent stltes;" while we are better acqualnt-
ed with the handwriting than with the cha
racters of many OF those illusirious men
who have added their signatures to that III
strument The founiers of the only re-
naming republic on the globe. have, with
few splendid exceptions, gone 10 their
graves, AM i'behoves generous posierity,
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 they are not snatched by
the hand of the Geographic Muse, at an ear
ly season, from the cold grasp of death, will
soon pariake of the oblivion of the body
1t is not the object OF the present attempt,
to deal in that profusion Of ndiscriminate
and unSparing panegyric, SO often and 50
lalseIy dignitied with the name OF Biogra-
ply: we wish tn 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 tha:
will tend to Development of character.
Nan is the creature of circumstance, and
we wish To show the progress of those pa.
triots from their first resistance OF cOloni4
aggression, until they stood forth the noble
AMI undaunted champions of their Countrys
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, md
circumstances il their possession 10 unfold
and illustrate their characters, alalI he en-
titled to copy of the work as recon-
pense. 1t is contemplated, wherever II Is
practicable, further to embelish the medi.
tated work with correct likenesses of The
subjects of our biography, executed by the
most eminent artists in the country. Fg
this purpose we again solicit the assistance
OF their surviving relatives and friends. L
they will transmit TO the pu Usher 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 mum.
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, a PEI
Rod embracing much curious and secret
history: finally, we promise to add to OUT
last number the Declaration of lndepen..
dence itself, with fac-sinlile engravings Of
the signatures. We have now compendi-
ously: stated the objects of our present un'
dertaking, and we hope that il will be un'
necessary to mention that no exertions 0a
our part shall be spared.
The public are now in possession OF our
project, which does indeed seem to be dc.
manded, by the avidity so recently display.
ed for the possession of the Declaration oil
Independence, since il is of very little Inn.
port to beeome acquainted with mans
hand writing without previous knowledge
of the man. The secret history OF our De-
claration of Independence, the lives oflbose
who have affixed their signatures to tbatin'
strumenl, accompanied by their Licensees,
and finally the Declaration itself with lac
Smiles Of the signatures, will bring into one
compact view the prominent facts OF that
interesting crisis.
CONDITIONS.
[. The work will be published in NUM-
bers, or half volumes, Of 50 pages octSVo'
and will be contained in len numbers.
II. II will be printed on fine paper made
expressly for the purpose, and delivered 70
subscribers at two dollars and fifty cents ner
half volume OF number, payable on deIT-
cry. n,
rrSubscriptions will be received at the
Office OF the Alexandra Gazette.