Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-02-16
By PAUL ALLEN, Esq.
TO THE pTELN

ST seems little surnri-ing ihat an1ong:.
! 50 many su2jcc's IS have been present
cd for American H'ography, the lives Of
those who bave affixed their signatures TO
the Declaration OF Independence have been
overlooked or disrc2arded. The eyes O.
thousands have dwell with rapture upon the
document that announced to the wufli tat
these United Colonies were, and of right
ought to be, free, sovereign, and ndeprn-
dent states;" while we are better acqu4ln,-
ed with the handwriting than with the cha
racters of many of those llusirious men
who have added their signatures to that m
strumeat. The founders of the only re-
naming republic en- the globe. have, it'll
a few splendid exceptions, gone TO their
graves, and II behovcs 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. Traits Of
individual ch aracter are fugitive and eva
nescent; and il 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
1t is not the object OF the present attempt.
70 deal in that profusion of indiscrimina,e
| and unsparing panegyric, so often and 50
;alsely dignifcd with The name of Biogra-
ply: we wish to represent the characters
a. they were they stand in need of no pa
negy ric and we earnestly solicit from the
surviving relations and friends of those re-
voluiionary patriots all the information that
will tend to 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. al this can only be done
Ivy 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 ell.
titled to copy of the work as a recon-
| pense. II is contemplated, wherever it is
practicable, further to embellish the med
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 a 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 secrc:
history: finally, we promise to add to our
last number the Declaration of lndepen.
dence itself, with fac-simile eugravings OF
the signatures. We have now compendi
ously stated the objects of our present IN
dertaking, and we hope that it will be un-
, necessary 10 mention tina! no eYertion. Oh
our part shall be spared.
The public are now in possession OF or:
project, which does indeed seem 10 be de
manded, by The avidiiy 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
band writing without previous knowledge
of the man. The secret history OF our De-
claration Of Independence, the lives oftbose
who have affixed their signatures to thatln'
strument, accompanied by their likenesse:,
and finally the Declaration itself with fac'
Smiles of the signatures, will bring intoooF
compact view the prominent facts OF tina!
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. II will be printed on fine paper mace
expressly for the purpose, and delivered 70
subscribers at two dollars and fifty cents per
half volume or number, payable on del''
cry. ,h,
t-Subscriptions will be received ATM
office OF the Alexandra Gazette.
! December 90