Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-03-08
By PAUL ALLEN, ESQ.
TO THE PUBLIC

seems lille surprising that amongst
l. so many subjects as have been present.
ed for American Biography, the lives of
those who have AFFIXED their signatures to
the declaration of independence have been
overlooked or disrcgarded. The eyes OF
thousands have dwelt with rapture upon the
document that announced to the world that
these United Colonies were, and of right
ought to be, free, sovereign, and indepen
dent states;" while we are better acuuan,-
ed with the handwriting than with the cha
racters of many oil those illustrious men
who have added their signatures to that M
sirument. The founders of the only re.
manning republic on the globe, have, with
few splendid exceptions, gone 10 their
graves, and il behoves generous posterjty.
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 character are fugitive and eva
nesccnt; and if they are not snatcbcd 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 tie object OF the present attempt,
to deal in that profusiOn of indiscriminaH
and unsparlng panegyric, so often and 50
false y dignifed with the name of Biogra-
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-
evolutionary patriots all the information that
will tend to development of character.
Man is the creature of circumstance, and
we wish 10 show the progress of those pa
t:iots from their first resistance of colonial
aggression, until they stood forth the noble
and undaunted champions of their country's
independence. All this can only be done
10y a 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 a recon-
pense. II is contemplated, wherever it Is
practicable, further to embelIish 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, 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 connpendi-
ously stated the objects of our present un.
dertaking, and we hope that it will be un-
necessary TO mention that no eXertions o.
our part shall be spared.
The public are now in possession Of our
project, which does indeed seem 10 be de.
handed, by the svidily so recently display.
ed for the possession Of the Declaration oil
Independence, since it is Of very little in
port to become acquainted with a mans
hand writing without previous knowledge
of the man. The secret history OF our De-
claration of independence, the lives oflbose
who have affixed their signatures to thatin-
strumenl, accompanied BY their Iikenesses,
and finally the Declaration itself with iae-
Smiles OF the signatures, will bring into ofe
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 ten numbers.
ii. II will be printed on fine paper made
expressly for the purpose, and delivered to
at two dollars and fifty cents per
half volume or number, payable on deliy,
cry.
6rSubscriptions will be received attic
office OF the Alexandra Gazette.