Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-01-16
Bv PAUL ALLEN, ESQ.
TO THE PEBLn.

/ seems HUE surprising that amOh9s-
I so many subjects IS 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 dwelt with rapture upon The
document that announced TO the world Ina
these Usi;ed Colonies were, and CT RICH,
ought to be, free. sovereign, and indeper-
dent states;" while we are better acquaint-
ed with the handwriting than with the cha.
racters of many ct those illustrious men
who have added their signatures to that in.
s;rument. The founders of the only re-.
naming republic en- the globe, have. With
a few splendid exceptions, gone TO their
graves, AMI il hehoves generous posterity.
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. Trails of
individual character are fugitive and eva.
nescen:; and if they are not snatched by
the hand of the Geographic Muse, at an ear.
IL season, from the cold grasp of death, vii!
soon rartake of the oblivion of the body
1t is not the object OF the present attempt,
to deal in that profusion of indiscriminate
and unsparing panegyric, so often and 50
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-
volutiouary patriots all the information that
will tend to Development of character.
Nan is the creature OF circumstance, and
we wish to show the progress of those pa
trio,S from their first resistance of colonial
aggression, until they stood forth the noble
ana undaunted champions of their country's
! independence. All Ibis can only be done
~ familiar acquaintance with tie lives OF
these men, md whoever of the surviving
friends or relatives will furnish fact, and
circumstances j., their possession TO unfold
and illustrate their characters, shall he en-
titled TO a copy of the work as a recon-.
pense. 1t is contemplated, wherever it is
practicable, further to embeiIish the medi-
tated work with correct lkenesses 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. If
theywiI transmit TO the publisher any en-
craving or portrait from which copy may
| be taken, tie original shall be faithfully re-
turned, and shall likewise be remuncrated
| with copy of the work. In the first num-
her 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, a pc
| rod embracing much curious and secret
| history: finally, we promise to add to our
| las, number the Declaration of lndt pen
| fence Itself, with fac-simile eDgravines of
| the signatures. We have now c0mpendi.
cusly stated the Objects of our present I'M
| d,riaking, and we hope that il will be I'M
! necessary to mention that no cxertlons 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 ayidily so recently display
! ed for the possession of the Declaration OF
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-
clara Son of Independence, the lives Of Hose
| who have affixed their signatures to tbatln-
| strunent, accompanied by their Licensees,
and finally the Declaration itself with fac
SMILES of the signatures, will bring into ore
compact view the prominent facts Of that
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. 1t will be printed on fine paper made
expressly for the purpose, and delivered to
! subscribers at two dollars and fifty cents per
half volume or number, payable on dellv'
cry. n
trSubscriptions will be received at ut
Office of the Alexandra Gazette.
| December %
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