Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1820-05-31
By JOHN S.4NDERSON.
TO THE PUBLIC.

80 Il SbhILs
When we consider the personal qusGs,,
of the statesmen whose names are AFFIXED
the Declaration of independence. the rss,
lous occasion which demanded the exert,
OF their wisdom and deliberation, andls,
influence of their councils on the Interests 4
mankind, we must acknowledge that YER =
rarely a more imposing spectacle has tee
offered to the world, and we shall seek +
vain in the annals of nations, for an e,e,
more worthy Of commemoration, and ofbei,
cherished forever in the hearts of a eraefi
and generous people. Th. love of indeps.
dence is interviewer with the. frame and con.
stitution of the human mind. II is almost
the first sentiment that anllnates the infants
features in the cradle and amongst all Ii,
actions and enterprises Of man, none tu
awaEed into activity a greater eXertion d.
v~irtuous energies Of his nature, none has ex. +
cited a greater warmth of veneration. and
has more imperious claims upon our grat.
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 aud |!
maintained the independence and digniyd |
man. The animated canvas and breathing
marble have rescued bis features from tie
grasp of death, and the pen Of the historian
has inscribed the achievements 10 the inpe.
rishable records OF fame. Il would indeed
be no favor lble prognostic Of the perpetuiY
OF our republican institutions to discover az
insensibility TO the obligations we owe tie
memory of the il!ustrious patrons Of American
freedom. They have raised US, by ihel
magnanimity, from the arbitrary domininlD!
a foreign power, TO the distinguished elevation
Of a sovereign and independent people; they
have asserted and maintained the inprescTip.
tiole rights of humanity by the mutual
pledge OF their pledge of their lives, theirtor.
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 conioundedi in
the common and casual transaction OF lie
lpgratitude is a vice that in nations, as vel
as individuals, indicates the last degree q
degeneracy and corruption it is a vice thai
implies the absence of every virtue 1t was
in the age of Caligula that the name Of The
Scipios was prescribed, that The state Of
Brutus brought death on lis possessOr.
The glory of our ancestors is the fightd
posterity," and the homage of the living can
not be offered 10 the merits OF the ~lIIuslrlou'
dead with an eftectual or sterile admiration
Great and splendid actioIs will seldom Dc
achieved by men who have hum1le or OGF
nary objects in prospect. tx by coniemp!a'
ting the life and character OF those whoa are
marked out from the multitude by Their eHI,
nent qualities, that we become emulous o.
their virtues and their reDown. 1hetrophle'
OF MiltiadeS interrupted the sieeps0t heDEi
tocles !; and Theseus, hearing the eIplOIsd
Hercules, was fred with his spirit, and H'
came the successful rival of his fame. Ie
rude savage OF the desert listens with raptVf
to the deeds of his ancestors. and hangs
round his hut the emb!ems ofhis fdthersFa'
iour.
More need not be said TO enforce the utility
of the publication we have undertaken, anu
which we now submit 10 the PATRONAGE OtcE
tellow-citiZens. with a hope, that from uT
liberality OF their encouragement, we saSI
be able TO present it 10 the public worthy@
their appreciation. We must depend TO! lf
Illustration OF many of the characters Of oI
biography, upon the generosity OF theIrsM.
wing relatives and friends, TO furnish US WIZ
whatever interesting materialsm may be in theD
possession ; for which, with our grateful AZ
acknowledgements, we promise a copy Of D'
entire work as i compensation.
CONDITIONS.
|. The work will be publiihed innunber:g
half volumes Of 600 pages, octave, ss,
contained in ten numbers. To The hs'
VIII be prefxed an appropriate tIonia,
piece-and the work viii be commence
with the declaration of independence, Wiz
engraved fac SMILES Of the signatures, ay
a compendious detail of the proctedIlgs~y
congress- during the passage OF The isr,
Each OF the lives, unless VIXEN II is ~
practicable, will be preceded by a i,ss,
ness Of the person, engraved ~ lhe 20
artists in the United States. J.
II. 1t will be printed On fine paper, nav
expressly for the purpose, and tellVe =,
to subscribers at tupo dollars ondWye'"
pernumber, payable on delivery
- Subscriptions received al this oHCe'