Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-03-10
By PAUL ALLEN, Esq.
TO THE PUBLIC.

seems NILE surprising that amongst
: so many subjects rs have been ores, NJ.
cd for American Biography, the lives Of
those who have affixed heir signatures n
the Declaration Of independence have been
overlooked or djsrcgarted The ewes Of
thousands hay dwelt with rapture u6on the
document that announced to the word that
these United Colonies were, and OF riqIr
pught to be, Tree, sovereign, and injcprn.
lent st les" while we are betteracauarHt.
ed with the handwriting than with the cha.
raciers of masy o. those IiUslrious men
who have adde! their s,gnsiure, to that IL
s'rumcnt. The founders OF the only re-
naming republic en- the globe. have, with
Jew splendid exceptions, gone to they
graves, ant II behoves generous pOstrrity,
.ensible of their obligations, to preserve
their fame. The longer we neglecl the
payment Of so sacred debt, the more ditE.
cul' does the payment become. xTrails OF
individual character are fugitive and eva
ne.cent; an' if they are not snatched by
,he band OF the Geographic Muse, at snear-
y season, from the CO! grasp of death, viii
soon ptriake Of the oblivion of the body.
1t is not tie object OF the present ATTEMPT,
10 deal in that protusioT of Indiscriminae
anu unSparing panegyric, so often and 20
ialsriy dignihei with the name OF Biogra-
phy: we wish TO represent the characters
a. they were they sand in-need OF no pa
negyric and we earnestly solicit from the
sur, wing relations and friends OF those re-
voiu,jona:y patriots all the information that
will tend to a development of ch ;acter
M1n is the creature of circumstance, and
we wish ~ show the progress of those pa.
tr!o,s from their first resistance OF coionii
aggression, until they stood forth the noble
anG uniaunted champions of their Country's
independ, nee, All this can only he done
uy 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, lIaIi lie en-.
titled to a copy of the work as a recon.
pense. 1t is contemplated, wherever II IS
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 to the publisher any en-
craving or portrait from which copy may
be taken, the original shall be taithiulIyre.
turned, and shall likewise be remuneratea
with 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 a law, ape.
Rod embracing much curious and secret
history: finally, we promise to add to our
last number the Declaration of lndepea:
dence itself, with fac-simile eugravngs 0!
the signatures. We have now compendf-
ously stated the objects of our present I'M
dertaking, and We hope that it will be us'
necessary to mention that no exertions On
our part shall he spared.
The public are now in possession Of our
project, which does indeed seem 10 he de-
manded, by the avidity so recent display.
ed for the possession of the Decl,ration Of
independence, since it is of very little IN
port to become acquainted with mans
of the man The secret history OF our De-
claration of independence, The lives ofthose
who have affixed their signatures to thatIn'
strument, accompanied by their Licensees
and finally the Declaration Itself with !ac'
SMILES Of the signatures, will bring into one
compact view the prominent facts 81 thai
interesting crisis.
CONDITIONS.
|. The work will be published in num-
bers, OF half volumes, Of $50 pages octave,
and will be contained in ten numbers.
IT. n will be printed on fine paper made
expressly for the purpose, and delivered 10
subscribers at two dollars and fifty cents per
half volume or number, payable on delI''
cry. a..
hrSubscriptions will be received atthe
office OF the Alexandria Gazette.
Bpcenb199