Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1820-07-12
By JOHN S.4.NDERSO.N.
TO THE PURI,Ic

TO THE PUBLIC.
When we consider the personal oual;,;o.
OF the statesmen whose names are af;ysa ~
the Declaration OF independence. the ner
lous occasion which demanded the eyertion
OF their wisdom and deliberation. and tfs
influence of their councils on the interests n
mankind, we must acknowledge tina. yer
rarely a more imposing spectacle has bee,
offered to the world, and we shall seek II
vain in the annals Of nations, for an event
more worthy oil commemoration, and OF heinz
cherished forever in the hearts of erate61
and generous people. Th. love of indepep,
dence is interviewer with the. frame and con,
stitution OF the human mind Il is alma9
the first sentiment that animates the infant
features in the cradle and amongst all hs
actions and enterprises Of man, none b.,
awaked into activity greater exertion of Il,
vjrtuous energies his nature, none has ey.
cited greater warmth of generation, and
has more lmperious claims upon our graf.
tude, than resistance TO tyranny and political
aggression.
In all republican states the first tribute Q,
genius has been paid to The patriot or the he.
70 who has promoted the cause OF liberty and
maintained the indepe ndence and dignity Of
man. The animated canvas and breathing
marble have rescued his features from The
grasp OF death, and the pen Of the historian
has inscribed The achievements to the inp..
risbable records OF fame. Ii would indeed
be no favor bile prognostic of the perpetuily
OF our republican institutions 10 discover an
insensibility to the obligations we owe the
memory Of the illustrioLs patrons of America
freedom. They have raised us, by Their
magnanimity, from the arbitrary domincnct
foreign power, to the distinguished elevation
Of sovereign and independent people; they
have asserted and maintained the imprescrip
tiole rights of humanity by the "mutu
pledge OF their pledge Of their lives, theiror
tunes and their sacred honors )" and, as Og
as virtue holds her empire in the hears d
their successors, the example of these gene
rous benefactors viii not be lost to the world
their names will not pass away nor be forgot
ten, or their glorious deeds be confoundeds
the common and casual transaction of lie
lngratitude is vice that in nations, as wei
as individuals, indicates the last degree o.
degeneracy and corruption il is a vice thai
implies the absence of every virtue il was
in the age Of Caligula that the name of tie
Scipios was prescribed, that The state Of
Brutus brought death on its possessor.
Z" The glory OF oar ancestors is the lightOl
posterity," and the homage Of the living can.
not be offered to the merits of the illusiriou:
dead with an efectual or sterile admiraticr
Great and splendid actions will seldom Lt
achieved by men who have humble or ord
nary objects in prospect. Il is by contemrl.
ting the lie and character OF those who aIs
marked out from the multitude by their emf
nent qualities, that we become emuious n
their virtues and their renown. The trophN'
of Miltiades interrupted the sleeps of Then!.
tocles and Tbeseus, hearing the explOied
Hercules, was fired with his spirit, end h,
came the successful rival of bis fame. 1bs
rude savage of the desert listens with rapUt
to the deeds of his ancestors, and hangs a.
round his hut tbG cnbiens ofhis l4tbersp'
lour.
More need not be said to enforc. tie utility
Of the publication we 1--we undertaken, and
which we now submit TO The patronage olcn
fellow-citizens. with lope, that from TIE
hberality of their encouragement, we s5'iii
be able 10 present it to the public worthy
.!ieir appreciation. We must depend for ih'
illustration OF many of the characters Of OIL
biography, upon the generosity OF ihersa9st.
yiving relatives and friends, to iurnishus wIll
whatever interesting materials may be in theE
possession I; for which, with our grateful az
acknowledgements, we promise copy Of H
entire v DIRK asa compensation.
CONDITIONS.
/. The work will be pubIiihe d in nunbeEG
half volumes Of go pages, octave, sna
contained in fer numbers. To The hs'
will lie prefxed an appropriate frcn'n.
piece-and the work will lie commtrc,sss
with the declaration of independence, VII
engraved fac SMILES oftbe signatures, aiy
sompendiou' detail of the proceedings
congress, during the passage OF the Ise
Each oil the lives, unless when il is w
practicable, will be preceded by a l,h
ness of the person, engraved ~ tie %
artists ia the United States. !,
II. 1t will be printed on fine paper, nav
expressly for the purpose, and dell'e a,'
to subscribers at taso dollars and Jtya"
per number, payable on delivery r..
~ Subscriptions received atthis one'