Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-02-06
By PAUL ALLEN, ESQ.
TO TIE, PUBLIC.


IF seems iille surprising that amongst
q 50 many subjects as nave 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 that
these United Colonies were, and of right
ought TO be, free, sovereign, and indepcn-
dent states;" while we are better acquant-
ed with the handwriting than with the cha
racters of many of those iIustrous men
who have added their signatures to that m
s,rument. The founders OF the only IT,
naming republic on the globe. have, with
a few splendid exceptions, gone TO their
graves, and il behoyes generous posterity,
sensible of their obligations, to preserve
their fame. The longer we neglect the
payment of so sacred debt, the more dill
cult does the payment become. Traits oi
individual character are fugitive and eva.
nescent; and if Trey are not snatched by
the hand Of the Geographic Muse, at n ear
y season, from the cold grasp of death, will
soon partake of the oblivion of the body
It is not tie object OF The presen: attempt,
10 deal in that prolusion OF indiscriminate
and unsparing panegyric, so often and 50
falsely digni6ed with the name of BiogI1-
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 these re-
evolutionary patriots all the information that
will tend to a Development of character.
Man is the creature of circumstance, and
we wish to 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
10y familiar acquaintance with the lives of
these men, and whoever of the surviving
friends or relatives will furnish facts End
circumstances in their possession TO untold
and illustrate their characters, shall be en-
titled 10 copy of the work as a recon-
pense. II is contemplated, wherever it Is
practicable, further to embelIish the 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 eI-
craving or portrait from which copy may
be taken, the original shall be faithfully re-
turned, and shall likewise be remunerated
will, 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
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 engravings OF
the signatures. We have now compendi-
ously stated the objects OF our present I'M
dertaking, and We hope that il will be I'M
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 be de-,
handed, by the avidi,y so recently display
ed for the possession Of the Declaration OF
Independence, since it 10 .! very little I'm
port to become acquainted with a mans
hand writing without previous knowledge
of the man. The secret History OF our De.
clarstion OF Independence, the lives of those
who have affixed their signatures to thatin
strumenl, accompanied by their Iikenesses,
and finally the Declaration itself with fac.
SMILES of the signatures, will bring into one
compact view The prominent facts Of that
CONDITIONS.
! !. The work will be published in mum.
beers, or half volumes, of $50 pages octave,
and will be contained In ten numbers.
IL. 1t will be printed on fine paper made
expressly for the'purposc, and delivered to
subscribers at two dollars and fifty cents per
half volume or number, payable on delir-
cry.
pSubscriptions will be received attic