Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-03-09
By PAUL ALLEN, ESQ.
TO TIE PUBLIC


1T seems a little surprising that AMONGST
4 so many subjects IS nave been pres, M;
ed for American Biography, the lives of
those who have ainPd their signatures To
the Declaration of Independence have been
overlooked or disregarded The eyes Of
thousands have dwelt with rapture upon the
document that announced to the world ,i,at
these linited Colonies were, and of right
ought to be, tree, sovereign, and indcprn.
dent states;" while we are betteracuutin,.
ed with the handwriting than will, the cha
raCters of many OF those illustrious men
who have added their signatures to that M
s'rument. The founders of the only re-
naming republic en- the globe, have, with
few splendid exceptions, gone TO their
graves, ant ii behoves generous posterity,
,ensble 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 ana eva
ncscent; and if they are not snatched by
tie hand OF the Geographic Muse, lat an ear
~ season, from the cold grasp of death, will
soon partake Of the oblivion of the body
1t is not tire object OF the present a tempt
20 deal in that profusion of indiscriminatk
and unsparing panegyric, so often sni 50
'alSe|y dlgnilled with The name OF Biogra-
oily: we wish to represent the characters
as they were they stand in need OF 10 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
all! undaunted champions of their COuntry's
independence. All this can only be done
ny familiar acquaintance with the lives Oh
these men, and whoever of the surviving
friends or relatives will furnish facts and
circumstances il their possession 70 untold
and illustrate their characters, shall he en-
titled to copy Of the work as. recon-
pense. II is contemplated, wherever il is
practicable, further to embelIish tie 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 to the publisher any en-
craving or portrait from which copy may
be taken, the original shall be faithfuIlyre-
turned, and shalt likewise be remunerated
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, pc
Rod embracing much curious and secret
history: finally, we promise to add to our
last number the Declaration of Indepen:
dence itself, with fac-simile eDgravings q
the signatures. We have now compendi-
ously stated the objects of our present I'd.
dertaking, and we,hope that it will be IN
necessary to mention that no eYertions On
our part shall be spared.
The public are now in possession Of our
project, which does indeed seem TO he de.
handed, blythe avidity so recently display:
ed for the possession of the Declaration Oh
Independence, since ii is of very little n'
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 oftbose
who have atiiXed their signatures to thatln-
strumenl, accompanied by their likenesse,
and finally the Declaration itself with tao.
smiles of the signatures, will bring into ole
compact view the prominent facts Of that
interesting crisis.
CONDITIONS.
]. The work will be published in num-
bers, or half volumes, Of $50 pages octa'o,
and will be contained in ten numbers.
II. 1t will be printed on fine paper made
expressly for the purpose, and delivered 10
subscribers at two dollars and fifty centsper
half volume or number, payable on deli''
cry. ~.
rSubscriptions will be received atthf
office OF the Alexandra Gazette.
December %