The National Intelligencer And Washington Advertiser

For the NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER
Several persons, who are interested in the welfare of the City of Washington, and are desirous of encouraging the rational cultivation of those whose business calls them to it, have seen, with regret, that there is no establishment of a literary nature. We have, indeed, the Public Library, and the one established at George-Town, but we have no periodical publication by which entertainment and instruction might be communicated, and by which the mind might be relaxed and unbent from the fatigue of more important concerns.
Without detracting from the merit or usefulness of the Public Papers, it must be admitted that they are nearly confined to politics and news, and that they do not afford such aid to literary pursuits as might be derived from a well conducted Magazine. A Magazine, then, appears to be most likely to remedy this defect. It appears to be a thing highly necessary at the seat of the American government; and there is reason to hope, that from the talents of many gentlemen residing in the district, and from the aid to be derived from those who visit it, a valuable and entertaining work might be formed.
The limits of an address of this nature will not admit an enumeration of all the advantages to be derived from such a publication; and it is more essential to point out the means by which alone it may be accomplished.
Although pecuniary emolument is not the motive or object of this undertaking, it must be stated and clearly understood, that the promoters of it cannot agree to incur an expense and loss in addition to the contribution of their time and labor. And it will depend on the encouragement that may be given to the subjoined proposals whether the American Magazine shall be ushered into the world. With these preliminary observations,
The following plan or prospectus is submitted to the public.
I. The American Magazine will be printed monthly, in the city of Washington by A. and G. Way, and published under their direction.
2. The editorial department will be conducted by several gentlemen in the district, but will be under the particular superintendence of one only.
3. The price to subscribers will be 50 cents for each number to be paid on delivery, and no subscription will be taken for less than a year.
4. The American Magazine will contain original and selected compositions in prose and verse, the most important occurrences foreign and domestic, and a summary of the proceedings of Congress and of the administration-but no political essay or remark of a controversial or party nature will be admitted.
The work will be printed with a neat type on a medium paper-and will be of the usual octavo size.-Each number will contain 80 pages-It will commence on the first day of January, 1805, or as soon thereafter as 500 subscribers may be obtained.
Subscription to be received at the office of the publisher, and at that of the National Intelligencer in the city of Washington, and by Cotton and Stewart, and Robert and John Gray in Alexandria.