Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-02-25
Br PAUL ALLEN, ESQ.
TO TIE, PUBLE

Z seems A little surprising that amongs,
= so many subjects IS have been pres Mt
ed for American Biography, the lives OF
those who have affixed their signatures to
the Declaration of Independence have been
overlooked or di,rrgafded. rhe ewes of
thousands have dwell with rapture upon the
document that announced To the world that
" these United Colonies were, end of right
ought TO be, free, sovereign, and indepen-
dent st!tcs;" while we are better acquainl.
ed with the handw riting than with the cha
raciGrs of many OF those llustrious men
who have added their signatures to that N
sirument The founders of the only re-
naming republic on the. globe, have, with
a few splendid exceptions, gone to their
graves, and il behoves generous posterity,
sensible of their obligations, to preserve
their fame: The longer we neglect the
payment of so sacred debt, the more diii-
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 partake of the oblivion of the body
1t is hot the object OF the present attempt,
to deal in that profusion of indiscrimnate
and unsparing panegyric, SO often and so
falsely digniGed with The name of Biogra-
ply: we wish to represent the characters
as they were they stand in neeO of no pa
neg,ric and we earnestly solicit from the
surviving relations AMI friends OF those 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 cOIonid
aggression, until they stood forth the noble
ami undaunted champions of their country's
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 facts and
circumstances il their possession to unfold
and illustrate their characters, shall he ell
titled to copy of the work as recon-
pense. Ii is contemplated, wherever il is
practicable, further to embellish the medl-
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 faithfully re.
turned, and shall likewise be remunerated
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, pc
Rod embracing much curious and secret
history: finally, we promise to add to our
last number the Declaration Of lndepen-
dence itself, with fac-simile engrayings OF
the signatures. We have now compendl-
ously stated the objects of our present IN
dertaking, and We hope that il will be I'M
necessary to mention that no eYerions 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 svidity so recently display:
ed for the possession Of the Declaration o!
independence, since il 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-
claration OF Independence, the lives OF those
who have affixed their signatures to thatln'
strumen,, accompanied by their likenesses,
and finally the Declaration itself with TAG
similes Of the signatures, will bring into one
compact view the prominent facts oil tna'
interesting crisis.
CONDITIONS.
]. The work will be published in nun'
bers, or half volumes, Of $50 pages octave
and will be contained in ten numbers. ,,
II. 1t will be printed on fine paper mace
expressly for the purpose, and delivered 70
at two dollars and fifty cents PEI
half volume or number, payable on deiN'
cry. 49,, ..h.
rTSubscriptions will be received athe
Office OF the Alexandra Gazette.
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