Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1820-08-02
By JOHN S.4NDERSON.
TO THE PUBLIC.

TO THE PUBLIC.
When we consider the personal qualities
of the statesmen whose names are affixed 10
the Declaration of independence, the peri.
lous occasion which demanded the exertiOp
OF their wisdom and deliberation, and the
influence OF their councils on the interests Of
mankind, we must acknowledge tina, very
rarely more imposing spectacle has been
offered to the world, and we shall seek in
more worthy of commemoraton, and OF being
cherished forever in the hearts of a grateful
and generous people. Tb. love of injepen
dence is interviewer with the. frame and con-
s.itution of the human mind. 1t is almost
tie first sentiment that anImates the infants
features in the cradle and amongst all The
ations and enterprises of man, none has
avaked into activity greater exertiOn ofths
vi'tuous energies of his nature, none has ey
cited greater warmth of veneIation, and
hal more imperous claims upon our grail
tute, than resistance 10 tyranny and political
aggression.
IN al republican states the first tribute Of
ge,ius has been paid TO the patriot or The be.
TO Who has promoted the cause OF liberty and
maintained the independence and dignity oil
MAJ. The animated canvas and breathing
malble have rescued his features from The
grap of death, and the pen of the historian
has inscribed the achievements to the mps.
risIable records oil fame. 1t would indeed
be 10 favor bic prognostic Of the perpetuiy
of or republican institutions to discover a.
inselsibility to the obligations We owe tie
memory of the illustrioLs patrons of America
freedom. They have raised US, by then
magranimity, from the arbitrary dominicnO
a foreign power, to the distinguished elevation |
OF a sovereign and independent people they
have asserted and maintainedthe impreScHp
tiole rights of humanity by the mutnI
pledge OF their pledge of their lives, theiG
tunes and their sa cred honors )" and, as long |
as virtue holds her empire in the hearts d
their successors, the example of these gene |
rous benefactors will not be lost to the word;
their names will not pass away nor be forget.
len, or their glorious deeds be conioundedh
the common and casual transa ction OF life Il
Ipgratitude is vice that in nations, as wei
as individuals, indicates the last degree o.
degeneraty and corruption il is vice tEs /
implies the absence of every virtue ii wis
in the age OF CaHgula that the name Of bel
Scipios was prescribed, that the state III
Brutus brought death on its possessor.
The glory of Our ancestors is the lighta
posterity,'' and the homage Of The Inns can /
not be offered to the merits OF the iilustrNGI
dead with an eflectUaI or sterile admmatGf
Great and splendid actions will seldOD j
achieved by men WHO have humble or cEt
nary objects in prospect. IL is b. cOnttnPtE
ting the lite and chara cter OF those wbo ri
marked out from the multitude by then eur
nent qualities, that we become enUICus
their virtues and their renoWn. The tIoPhHI
of EIiltiades interrupted the sleeps Oh lheDEE
tocles and Theseus, hearing the exploits
Hercules, was fred with bis spirit, and lr
rude savage OF the desert listens with rsp'T. !
to the deeds of his ancestors, ard hang, a.
round bis hut the emb!ems OF his fatbeIsT
lour.
More need not be said to enforce tbe utility
of the publication we have undertaken, anu
| which we now submit TO the patronage olC9f
fellow citizens. with hope, that from Es
| liberalty of their encouragement, we shj
be able TO present it to the public WORTHY
| their appreciation. We must depend tT@
illustration OF many of the characters Of @
biography, upon The generosity of ;her;nltt
wing relatives and friends, to furnish wa
whatever interesting materials may he intfD
! possession; for which, with Our grateia! ~
| acknowledgements, we promise a copy Of W
| entire ork as q compensation.
! CONDITIONS.
|. The work will be pubIiihed number
half volumes of geo pages, octave,
contained in ten numbers TO The
will be pre6xed an appropriate tToIIs
piece-and the work will be ccmnthG
with the declaration of indepentenee,Ep
engraved fac Smiles of the Signatures
a compendious detail of the proceeding,
congress, during the passage Of The T.
| Each OF The lives, unless when II En-
practicable, will be preceded by a ~ ~
ness of the person, engraved by lne "
artists in the United States. IN
II. 1t will be printed on fine paper; . mss
expressly for the purpose, and d sa',s
to subscribers at tao dollars ard 3y"
| pernumber, payable on delivery a.,
*x* Subscriptions re ceived at this o|.aI
| Ocfnhnr 70 " 4