Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1820-07-22
By JOHN S.4NDERSON
TO THE PUBIIc


When we consider the personal ou.p,
OF the statesmen whose names are a1;ys5s
the Declaration of independence. tbe r.G
lous occasion which demanded the eyo E'
OF their wisdom and deIiberation .nd%
influence OF their councils on the nerss,. y
mankind, we must acknowledge that rs,.
rarely a more imposing spectacle has bs.
offered to the world, and we shall SooS '
vain in the annals Of nations, for an On
more worthy OF commemorative, and ofisi,, 1
cherished forever in the hearts of a ertsii I
and generous people. Th. love Of indsUs'
dence is interviewer with the. frame andrea
stitutlon of the human mind. Il is almo.,
the first sentiment that animates the mans,
features in the cradle and amongst ali 4.
actions and enterprises of man. none h..
awaEed into activity greater exertion of n.
virtuous energies of his nature, none b,ss,
cited greater warmth of veneration ana /
has more imperious claims upon our gr,ti.
tude, than resistance 10 tyranny and political
aggression.
In all republican states the first tribu. ot
genius has been paid to the patriot or the he.
TO who has promoted the cause OF liberty and
maintained the independence and dignity d
man. The animated canvas and brea6jp
marble have rescued bis features from d.
grasp Of death, and the pen of the historian
has inscribed the achievements to the imp.
risbable records OF fame. 1t would ndee.
be no favor tble prognostic of the perpetuiy
OF our republican institutions TO discover an
insensibility to the obligations We owe tbe
memory of The illustroLs patrons of America
freedom. They have raised US, by theii
magnanimity, from the arbitrary dominionOi
a foreign power, to the distinguished elevation
of sovereign and independent people; they
have asserted and maintained the imprescrp
tiole rights of humanity by the "mutus
pledge of their pledge of their lives, theirior.
tunes and their sacred honors :" and, aslow
as virtue holds her empire in the hearts d
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
the common and casual transaction of life
lngratitude is vice that in nations, as well
as individuals, indicates the last degree d
degeneracy and corruption il is vice tia.
implies the absence of every virtue; il W8
in The age of Caligula that the name OF III
ScipiOs was prescribed, that the state d
Brutus brought death OF its possessor.
" The glory of our ancestors is the lighta
posterity," and the homage OF the living Can
not be offered to the merits of the iIlusiriUa
dead with All effectual or sterile admiration
Great and splendid actions will seldom b
achieved by men WHO have hum Die OF Or(t
nary objects in prospect. Il is BY coDlenpa
ting the life and character of those who sr
marked out from the multitude by their emil.
nent qualities, that we become emuICus d
their virtues and their reDown. The trOplIa
of Miltiades interrupted the sleeps Of IheDls
tocles and Theseus, bearing the ezploisd
Hercules, was fred with his spirit, and BE-
came the successful rival of his fame. The
rude savage OF the desert listens with TapI
to the deeds of his ancestors, and hang. g.
round his hut the mbIens OF bis fathsI'sE.
lour.
More need not be said to enforce the Utility
of the publication we have undertaken, a1t
which we now submit TO the patronage ofcul
fellow citizens. with hope, that from ihI
liberality of their encouragement, we shall
be able to present it to the public worthy o.
their appreciation. We must depend for lbt
illustration OF many of the characters Of ouI
biography, upon The generosity of ,beirsoIr'
vlving relatives and friends, to furnish US VIII
whateverlnteresting materials may be in thei
possession; for which, with our grateful a.
acknowledgements, we promise copy OF ln'
entire " ork as compensation.
CONDITIONS.
|. The work will be publiihed in nunbeEo
half volumes of eco pages, octave, :sn
contained in ten numbers. To the hl'
will be prefxed an appropriate fronl'
piece--and the work will be commence!
with the declaration of independence, VIII
engraved fac SMILES of the signatures, aDs
a compendious detail of the proceedings
congress, during the passage OF the law
Each OF the lives, unless when ii is 10
practicable, will be preceded by Ib.
ness of the person, engraved by The pe'
artists in the United States. y
II. 1t will be printed on fine paper; mssii
expressly for the purpose, and deliver ~
to subscribers at t1so dollars and tDlye""
pernunber, payable on delivery r..
~ Subscriptions re ceived at this oH.''
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