Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-02-18
By PAUL ALLEN, ESQ.
TO T7iE PUBLIC.

\
Z I seems a iiille surprising that amonrsy
4 So many Subjects IS have been present.
ed for American Biography, the lives OF
those who have affixed their signatures 10
the Declaration of Independence have been
overlooked or disrsgaried. The eyes of
thousands have dwelt with rapture upon the
document that announced 10 the world tnat
these United Colonies were, and of right
ought to be, free, sovereign, and indepen-
dent states;" while we are better acqualn,-
ed with the handwriting than with the cha
racters of many of those illustrious men
who have added their Signatures to that NJ
s'rument. The founders of the only re-
naming republic On the globe. have, with
4 few splendid exceptions, gone 10 their
graves, and il bchoyes generous pos,erity,
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. Traits CT
individual character are fugitive and eva
nescent; and if trey 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
It is not tie object OF the present attempt.
20 deal in that profusion of ndiscriminatc
and unsparing panegyric, so often and 50
falsely dignifed with the name of Riogra-
phy: 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-
voiuionary 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
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 End
circumstances il their possession to unfold
and illustrate their characters, shall be en-
titled to a copy of the work as recon-
pense. II is contemplated, wherever il Is
practicable, further to embellish 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 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-
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, a 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 engravings Of
the signatures. We have now compendi-
ousIy stated the objects of our present un-
dertaking, and we hope that it will be un-
necessary to mention that no exertions 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 avidiy so recently display.
ed for the possession of the Declaration o!
independence, since it is of 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 thatn-
strumenl, accompanied by their likenesses,
and finally the Declaration Itself with fac
Smiles Of the signatures, will bring intoohe
compact view the prominent facts Of that
interesting crisis.
CONDITIONS.
l. The work will be published in mum"
bers, or half volumes, Of so pages octave,
and will be contained in ten numbers.
H.. II 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 dell''
cry. 4,
!-Subscriptions will be received atths
office OF the Alexandra Gazette,
Deeenber %