Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1820-07-21
By JOHN S.4NDERSON
TO THE PJTRIJc

~ III ODLIN/,
When we consider the personal ousE;..
OF the statesmen whose names are afiyeSs
the Declaration of independence. the N.Y.
lous occasion which demanded the eye rts
OF their wisdom and deliberatiop. and i.
influence OF their councils on the Interests u
mankind, we must acknowledge tha, vsr,
rarely more imposing spectacle has hes,
offered to the world, and we shall seeI !.
vain in the annals of nations, for an even,
more worthy OF commentator, and ofbeim
cherished forever in the hearts of prateh1
and generous people. The love of i1densn'
dence is interviewer with the. frame and eor,
stitution OF the human mind. 1t is almO.
the first sentiment that animates the infant,
features in the cradle T; and amongst all As
actions and enterprises of man, none h.,
awaked into activity greater exerton ofN
virtuous energies of his nature, none has ey.
cited greater warmth of veneration, and
has more imperious claims upon our gpt.
tude, than resistance 10 tyranny and political
aggression.
In al republican states the first tribute Of
genius has been paid to the patriot or the be.
70 who has promoted the cause OF liberty and
maintained the independence and dignity Of
man. The animated canvas and breathing
marble have rescued his features from III,
grasp of death, and the pen of the historian
has inscribed the achievements 10 the imp..
risbable records oil fame. 1t would indeed
be no favor Bile prognostic of the perpetuiy
OF our republican institutions to discover an
insensibility 10 the obligations we owe the
memory of The illustrioLs patrons OF America
freedom. They have raised US, by theil
magnanimity, from the arbitrary dOmincns
foreign power, to the distinguished elevation
of sovereign and independent people they
have asserted and maintained the imprescEp'
tiole rights of humanity by the g mutul
pledge OF their pledge of their lives, theirir
tunes and their ga cred honors - and, as Ion:
as virtue holds her empire in the hearts q,
their SUCCESSORS, the example of these gene.
rous benefactors will not be lost to the word;
their names will not pass away nor be forgot.
ten, or their glorious deeds be confoundedl
the common and casual transaction OF life
lugratitude is vice that in nations, as Wei,
as individuals, indicates the last degree d
degeneracy and corruption it is vice thai
implies the absence OF every virtue il wa
in The age of Caligula that the name OF Tie
Scipios was prescribed, that the state
Brutus brought death on its possessor.
" The glory of our ancestors is the lighd
posterity," and the homage of the living can
not be offered to the merits OF the illustriOg
dead with an effectuaI or sterile admIratiOD
Great and splendid actions will seldom b
achieved by men WHO have hum Die or Clar
nary objects IN prospect. |, is BY contenpIi
ting the life and character of those wbOsh
marked out from the multitude by their enr
nent qualities, that we become emuous q
their virtues and their reDown. The tIOphs
of Miltiades interrupted the sleeps OF gbeDr,
toCles (; and Theseus, hearing the exploits
Hercules, was fred with his spirit, and b.
came the successful rival of bis fame TIE
rude savage of the desert listens with rapVF
to the deeds of his ancestors, and hangs g.
round his hut the embIens ofhis f4tbersH
lour.
More need not be said to enforce The utility
of the publication we have undertaken, and
which we now submit TO the patronage oicH
fellow citizens. with hope, that from thss
Iiberality of their encouragement, we 'b'l
be able to present it to the public WORTHY
their appreciation. We must depend for @
illustration of many of the characters Of gu
biography, upon the generosity of ;beirsnlr
vlving relatives and friends, to furnish wTIa
whateverlnteresting materials may be in hsn
possession for which, with our grateful ss'|
Acknowledgements, we promise copy oil Us
entire ork as compensation.
CONDITIONS.
l. The work will be publiihed in numbeHq|
half volumes of 200 pages, octave, sy|
contained in ten numbers. To the o.
will be prefxed an appropriate froalFt
piece-and the work will be cemmtDftt
with the declaration of independence, WIZ
engraved fac SMILES ofthe signatures, sr
a compendiou: detail of the proceedng:p
congress, during the passage OF the s'
Each OF the lives, unless when it is 10
practicable, will be preceded by In
ness of the person, engraved by the gel
artists inthe United States. IA
II. 1t will be printed on fine paper, nsoI|
expressly for the purpose, and delHasr
to subscribers at t~e dollars and Ejfy""
pernumber, payable on delivery g..
~ Subscriptions received at this of.'
October 10