Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1820-07-27
By JOHN S.9NDERSON.
TO THE PUBLIC.

TO THE PUBLIC.
| When we consider the personal oualitie,
| of the statesmen whose names are affixed n
| the Declaration of Independence, the peri.
! lous occasion which demanded the exertjon
! OF their wisdom and deliberation, and tho
influence OF their councils on the interests of
mankind, we must acknowledge that very
rarely 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 OF being
cherished forever in the hearts of grateful
and generous people. tn. love of indepen.
dence is interviewer with he,frame and con.
stitufion of the human mind. 1t is almost
the first sentiment that animates the infants
features in the cradle /; and amongst all the
actions and enterprises of man, none has
awaked into activity greater exertion Of the
| virtuouS energies of his nature, none has ey.
cited greater warmth of generation, and
has more imperious claims upon our graft.
tude, than resistance TO tyranny and political
aggression.
In al republican states the first tribute of
genius has been paid to ibe patriot or the he.
70 who has promoted the cause OF liberty and
maintained the independence and dignity Of
[ marble have rescued his features from the
grasp of death, and the pen of the historian
has inscribed the achievements to the impe.
rishabe records OF fame Ii would indeed
be no favor ible prognostic of The perpetuity
! of our republican institutions to discover an
insensibility 10 the obligations we owe the
memory of The ilustrioLs patrons of American
freedom. They have raised US, by Their
magnanimity, from the arbitrary dominion Of
foreign power, to the distinguished elevation
| of a sovereign and independent people; they
| have asserted and maintained the imprescrip.
tiole rights of humanity by the "mutual
pledge OF their pledge of their lives, theiTfor.
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 conioundedm
| the common and casual transaction of life -
| lDgratitude is vice that in nations, as well
as individuals, indicates the last degree Of
degeneracy and corruption it is a vice thai
implies the absence of every virtue it was
in the age Of Caigula 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 lightci
| posterity," and the homage of the Iivh can.
not be offered to the merits of the iIlustricU
dead with an efectual or sterile admiration,
! Great and splendid actions will seldom be
achieved by men WHO have hum Die or ordi.
nary objects in prospect. 1t is By conlomp Ia
ting the life and character Of those who are
marked out from the multitude by their eDl,
| nent qualities, that we become emuous Of
| their virtues and their renown. he hcp HES
| of Miltiades interrupted the sleeps Of TkeHis..
! tocles and Theseus, hearing the exploitsol
| Hercules, was fred with his spirit, and be-
came the successful rival of his fame The
rude savage of The desert listens with raptuE
| to the deeds of his ancestors, and hangs a.
round his hut the enblems ofhis f4tLer's,a.
| lour.
More need not be said to enforce the utility
| Of the publication we have undertaken and
which we now submit to the patronage ofou'
! fellow citizens with hope, that from Tie
| be able to present it 10 the public worthy o.
their appreciation. We must depend for The
illustration OF many of the characters OF Oui
| biography, upon The generosity OF their sur
vlving relatives and friends, TO furnish US VIII
whatever interesting materials may be in then
possession for which, with our grateluI &C.
Acknowledgements, we promise copy OF tbs
entire DIRK as compensation.
| CONDITIONS.
I. The work will be pubIijhed in npubcr'o;;
half volumes O.! 200 pages, octave, ana
! contained in ten numbers. To the hs
will be prehXed an appropriate fronts
piece-and the work will be commtnceTa
with the declaration Of independence, win
engraved fac SMILES ofthe signatures, an,
compendiou: detail of the proceedings"
congress, during the passage OF the la"
Each OF the lives, unless when il is Inr
practicable, will be preceded by a IKE,
ness of the person, engraved BY the bss
artists in the United States. }.
IL. 1t will be printed on fine paper. mace
expressly for the purpose, and deli'eIe.ul
to subscribers at txo dollars and fryer"
| pernumber, payable on delivery
| ~ Subscriptions re ceived at this once
October l9