Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1820-05-03
BIZ JOHN S.aNDERSON.
TO THE pUBIIC.

a OLIlh
When we considE the personal oua;t;.,
of the statesmen whose names are affixed n
the Declaration of independence. the per.
lous occasion which demanded The exerticn
oil their wisdom and deliberation. and II,
influence of their councils on the interests n
mankind, we must acknowledge tia. yerv
rarely a more imposing spectacle has been
offered to the world, and we shall seek in
vain in the annals OF nations, for an event
more worthy OF commemOration, and oibejos
cherished forever in the hearts of a grateful
and generous people. Tb. love of indepep.
dence is interviewer with the. frame and con.
stitution of the human mind. 1t is almost
the first sentiment that animates the infant,
features in the cradle and amongst all the
actions and enterprises of man, none hs
awaked into activity a greater exertion ofthe
virtuous energies Of his nature, none has ey.
cited a greater warmth of yeneratioD. and
has more imperious claims upon our graft.
tude, than resistance 10 tyranny and political
aggression.
In all republican states the first tribute d
genius has been paid to the patriot or The be.
70 who has promoted the cause of liberty and
maintained the independence and digniyd
man. The animated canvas and breathing
marble have rescued his features from the
grasp Of death, and the pen of the historian
has inscribed the achievements to The impe.
risbabie records OF fame. 1t would indeed
be no favor sbie prognostic of the p~erpetuhy
OF our republican institutions to discover an
insensibility TO the obligations we owe The
memory OF tae illustrious patrons of American
4, noHnrn hru haun ~nnI 49,. - L.
magnanimity, from the arbitrary dominiono
a foreign power, to the distinguished elevation
of a sovereign and independent people tbey
have asserted and maintained the imprescrip.
tiole rights of humanity by the mutual
pledge OF their pledge of their lives, theirfC.
tunes and their sacred honors )" and, as long
as virtue holds her empire in the hearts Of
their successors, the example of these gene.
rous benefactors will not be lost to the world;
their names will not pass away nor be forgot.
ten, or their glorious deeds be confoundedn
he common and casual transaction OF life
lngratltude is a vice that in nations, as well
as individuals, indicates the last degree o.
degeneraCy and corruption (; it is vice thai
implies the absence of every virtue ; il was
in the age Of Caligula that the name OF The
Soipios was prescribed, that the state Of
Brutus brought death on its possessor.
"The glory of our ancestors is the lightOi
posterity," and the homage of the living can
not be offered to the merits OF the %illustrloui
dead with an efectual or sterile admiration
Great and splendid actions will seldom be
achieved by men who have hum Die or ordl'
nary objects in prospect. 1t is By contenpla'
ting the life and character of those who are
marked out from the multitude by their eH!:
nent qualities, that we become emulous o.
their virtues and their renown. The trophies
of Miltiades interrupted the sleeps Of ThenF,.
tocles and Theseus, hearing the eIplOlt:d
Hercules, was fred with his spirit, and BE-
came the successful rival of his fame. Is
rude savage of the desert listens with rapture
to the deeds of his ancestors. and hangs a.
round his hut the embiems ofhis father'sFa'
lour.
More need not be said to enforce the utility
of the publication we have undertaken, and
which we nov submit to the patronage OF our
ellow-citizens. with a hope, that from ths
liberality of their encouragement, we shall
be able to present it TO the public worthy
their appreciation. We. must depend for ts
illustration otmany of the characters OF of
biography, upon the generosity of their SUI.
viving relatives and friends, to furnish US WIN
whatever interesting materials may be in then
possession for which, with our grateful &C.
acknowledgements, we promise a copy OF the
entire work as a compensation.
CONDITIONS.
/. The work will be publiihed in nunbersG
half volumes of eco pages, octave, anu
contained in ten numbers. To the mrs.
will be pre6xed an appropriate fronts
piece-and the work will be commence
with the declaration of independence, WIZ
engraved fac SMILES of the signatures, anu
a compendious detail of the proceedings
congress, during the passage Of the lsS'
Each OF the lives, unless when it is 10
practicable, will be preceded by Iiks.
ness of the person, engraved by the be"
artists in the United States. J..
II. 1t will be printed on fine paper, mace
expressly for the purpose, and Delivers
to subscribers at too dollars and Wfycem
pernumber, payable on delivery
Subscriptions received at this once
Ocfoher ~ II