Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-02-26
By PAUL ALLEN, ESQ.
TO THE PUBLIC.

L seems little surprising that amonss;
4. so many Subjects as have been present
ed for American Biography, the lives OF
tHose who have ai!ly"i tseir signatures 10
the Declaration OF independence have been
overlooked or diSrcgardpd. The eyes Of
thousands have dwclt with rapture upon The
document that announced to the word t!at
9 these United Colonies were, ami of right
ought TO he, free, sovereign, and indepeR-
dent stites;" while we are betteracquaint-
ed with The handwriting than with the chg
ractcrs of many Of those iliustrioUs men
who have added their s'4natnres to that III
s;rument. The founders of the only re-
naming republic Gu the globe, have, with
few splendid exceptions, gone TO their
graves, ard il hehoves generous posteri,y,
.ensible of their obligations, to preserve
their fame. The longer we neglect the
payment of 50 sacred debt, the more did
cult does The payment become Trails OF
individual character are fugitive ana eva
nasccnt; and j. Trey are not snatchcd by
the hand OF the Geographic Muse, at an ear
" season, from the cold grasp of death, will
soon Dartake nf the oblivion of the body
it is not tie object OF the present attempt,
and unsparing panegyric, so often and so
falsely diyniticd with the name OF Biogra-
ply: we wish ID 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.
voluiiona:y patriots all the information that
will tend to a development of character.
Man is the creature of circumstance, and
we wish 10 show the progress of those pa
trioIs from their first resistance OF coIonid
aggression, until they stood forth the noble
and undaunted champions OF their couniry's
independence. All this can only he done
Ivy familiar acquaintance with the lives0t
these men, and whoever Of the surviving
friends or relatives will furnish facts End
circumstances ih their POSSESSION 10 unfold
and illustrate their characters, shall he en-
titled to a copy of the work as a recon-.
pense. 1t is contemplated, wherever II j.
practicable, further to embelish 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
he taken, the original shall be faithfulIyre..
turned, 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 trst
motion that was made en- the floor Of COB
gress until its final passage into a law, ape
riod embracing much curious and secrft
history: finally, we promise to add to oui
last number the Declaration of lndePen;:
dence itself, with fac-simile engravings OF
the signatures. We have now compendl'
ousIy stated the objects of our present un'
dertaking, and we hope that it will be W.
necessary to mention that no exertlOns oD
our part shall be spared.
The public are now in possession OF our
project, which docs indeed seem to he de'
handed, by the avidity sorecently display
ed for the possession Of the Declaration o.
Independence, since it is Of very little IN.
port to become acquainted with a man
hand writing without previous knowleGse
of the man The secret history OF our De-
claration Of independence, the lives OF 'hCse
who have affixed their signatures to thatIH'
strument, accompanied by their likenesse''
and finally the Declaration itself with lac.
SMILES of the signatures, will bring into one
compact view the prominent facts oil 'i''
interesting crisis.
CONDITIONS.
|. The work will be published in num'
bers, or half volumes, of $50 pages octave
and will be contained in ten numbers. :.
III. 1t will be printed on fine paper n'aas
expressly for the purpose, and delivered
subscribers at two dollars and fifty cents PEI
half volume or number, payable on del'
cry. - .,,hs
trSuhscriptions will be received al I'M
Office of the Alexandria Gazette.