Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-05-02
TERMS OF ADVERTISIS,
ZEN lines or less. For fourteen lines or less.
ENCOURAGEMENT TO AMERICAN POETIC
TALENT
$500 PRE- MUM.

SjOO PR Il NJ i U NJ.
IMPRESSED as [ am with the controlling influence
which Is exercised by tie fine arts upon the direc
an and destiny of human affairs, it has given me- in
-rt- pleasure to witness the bOuntifuI manner in
sacn, from une to time, painting and statuary have
~ne encouraged and rewarded by the Councils of the
{t-i1n
But while this acknowledgment is due to the dis
.rung and worthy patrons Of these noble arts it is
81 iual source OF humiliation aud sorrow to behold
apparent apathy and indifference with which thew
n u regard the incomparably more valuable Gre
.aa1s Of poetry.
70 them adorn the walls of the CaptoI with the
.lTing revelations of the pencil, aud decorate the
IaE grounds with the costly chef d'0euvres of the
G.,eI, Is al omen of good which will be hailed and
-. aulet by all as cheering pledge of the progress
,ednement. But whilst they lavish their thous-
2Tis upon these iInmobile products of canvass and
,rbe and bronze, they offer reward for the more
-IItet, more enduring and renowned oyations of he
.-n No fostering hand from these high places has
'sr YET invited the Promethan fire of poetry to ami
ntc the history CT our country, which, with all its
nony of forCi and wonder of proportion lies asleep
ar5unl the humble vault of Mount Vernon ready to
'rint into life and beauty at the first kindng touch
his z Rial Inspiration.
icsurrly work of supereroratiop tn Introduce
ne proofs that crowd the records of the past to show
IS far above all other stands the divine art of
a'y nat are &ll the paintings statues, and rega-
a 0f Versailles, of Fontainbleau, and the Tuileres
impaired with the Marscilles Hymn?o What the
in-y panOply OF gold and gems heaped up in the
}@er " LondGn: what the collections of the ROYAL
spteRy Or even the time. .hallowed shrines of West
Nnsttr Abbey, when compared with the songs of
Burns. and Dibien, and Campbell? Or what has the
@JTLl that We would take in exchange for "Hai Co.
.labia and the 'Star-Spangled Banner?" Well
n-;lt the British statesman eyclaim, "let nae but
write the ballads of a nation, and care not who
4Iiesit5 laws
is far the living BREATH ng man is above the cold
1sensate marble that is made to represent him; as
II as the Liant skies of summer above the per-
habe canvass to which the painter has transferred
AeIr feeble resem Sance far is poetry above all
ae arts that have their mission to console and ele
'lte and inspire the immortal mind OF man.
III View OF these facts, and considering the lament
able paucity Of patriotic songs in my distinguished
ni beloved country, and with the hope of being the
laulbe means of proper public feeling upon this in
'-festlns subject, have been induced to Offer and
10 hereby offer, the of five hundred dollars as
ne for the best National Poem, Ode, Epic.
The rules which will govern the payment of this
sam ale follows:
st have selected without consulting them) the
-Hi)Elng persons to act judges arbters of the
}Hle thus offered, namely:
Inc President of the United States.
Hon i. y. Z. Nicholson, of Tennessee.
Hon Chas. Sumner, of U. S. Senate.
Hon. X. VI L. Hunter, do
Hon. Jas C. Jones, DO
Ion j. Il Chandler, of s.. House Representatives.
Hon. ThOs. IL BayIy do do
Lion. u. L. Disney do do
19n John p Kennedy, Secretary Of the Navy.
III. John ". Z. Evans, Of New Jersey.
Dr. ThoS. Saunders.
Joseph Gales !
,iea r. Armstrong, f ,ho p-oss
DIG. Bailey, VI 'iie i'SS-
~ W. S-dtOn,
sffesSor Henry, Ofthe Smithsonian Institution
"m' sehteR late Treasurer of the United States.
lev T. VI Butler, Episcopal Church.
,eF- H. H. Guriey, PreSby teran Church.
ht' :. Rpszell, Methodist Episdopal Church.
new hr. Donelan, Catholic Church.
Il These gentlemen, any three of them, are
Feoy authorized to meet ut the Smithsonian Insti
he' OF the second Monday of Decent Der next at such
I'f as they may appoint, and there proceed to read
taI examine the various poems which may have
'''n received, and to determine which of them is
It mertorious and deserving Of the prize And [
-"F,hE bind myself to pay the sum aforementioned
rAEith, to whoever they shall present to me as the
t.l"n rho has written within the time prescribed the
National Patriotic Poem, and upon the represen-
''.'A tnat he or she is an American citizen
~ All communications must be sent to me at
'dhingten post-p;id) before the first Monday in De-
ni1er next, with full and complete conveyance of
,-1 e9pyright to me and my heirs and assigns for
'th. hereby bind and obligate myself to sell the
ha>t price, and to give the proceeds to the poor of
- 1ty of Washington.
tn. No poem will be considered as subject to this
i'Le which shall not have been written subsequent
y hls date aud received before the first Monday in
Ugember next. r. W. LATHAM.
-"ASHISGTON FEB. 10, 1858. fb11-