Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-01-19
By PAUL ALLEN, rse.
TO THE PUSLF.

At seems little surprising hat amones.
i so many subjects as have been present.
ed for American Biography, tEc lives o,
those who have affixed tkcir signatures T.
the Declaration Of independence nave been
overlooked or disrcgarded. Tie eyes %
thousands have dwelt with rapture uptnlhe
document that announced to the world ;i,ss
s. these United Colonies were. and of rigif
dent states" while we are betteracquainl.
ed with the handwriting than with the cha
racters of many OF those lluslrious men
who have added their Signatures to that in.
s!ru,apnt. The founders of the only r..
naming republic en- the globe, have. with
few splendid exceptions, gone 10 their
graves, am il bthoves generous pos,erN
sensible OF their obligations, to preserve
their fame. The longer we neglect The
payment of So sacred a debt, the more dit.
cult does the paymeh! bccome. Traits OF
individual character are fugitive and eva
nesceni; and if they are no snatched by
the hand OF the Geographic Muse, at snsI.
~ season, iron, the colo graspof death, Va
soon partake of the obIiviou Of the BODY.
1t is not tire object OF the present ATTEMPT
TO deal in that profusion of indiscriminate
and unspa,ing panegyric, so often md So
talSeIy digniIied with the name OF Biogra-
ply: we wish to represent the characters
as they were; they stand in need Of no pa.
negy rio and we earnestly solicit from the
surviving relations and friends of those re-
voutionary patriots all the information tina.
will tend to development of character.
Nan is the creature Of circumstance, and
we wish 10 show the progress of those pa.
triots from their first resistance of colonial
aggression, until they stood forth the noble
ana unlaunted 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 and
circumstances il their possession TO unfold
and illustrate their Characters, shall be en-
titled 10 a copy Of the work as recon-
pense. 1t is contemplated, wherever il IS
practicable, further to embellish the medi-
tated work with correct lkenesses of the
subjects of our biogra ply, executed by the
most eminent artists in the country. For
this purpose we again solicit the assistance
of their surviving relatives and friends #
they will transmit 10 The publisher any en-
craving or portrait from which copy may
be taken, the original shall he faithfully re-
termed, and shall likewise be remunerated
with copy of the work. In the first num-
Der il 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 pnonise to add to our
last number the Declaration Of lndepen.
dence itself, with fac-simile engrayings of
the signatures. We have now compendi-
ously stated the objects of our present un-
dertaking, and We hope that il will be I'M
necessary to mention that no cxertions On
our part shall he spared.
The public are now in possession CT our
project, which does inGeed seem to be de-
manded, by the ayidty so recently display
ed for the possession of the Declaration of
Independence, since ii is of very little i'm
port to become acquainted with a mans
hand writing without a previous knowledge
of the man. The secret history OF our De-
claraton of Independence, the lives of those
who have affixed their signatures to that in
strument, accompanied by their likenesses,
and finally the Declaration itself with fac
SMILES of the signatures, will bring into one
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 len numbers.
ii. Ii will be printed on fine paper made
expressly for the purpose, and delivered "
subscribers at two dollars and fifty cents per
half volume or number, payable on deliv-
cry.
GTSubscriptions will be received at the
office OF the Alexandria Gazette.
December 90
Engineer Department.