Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-07-06
En- couragement TO- american Poetic Talent!
$500 Premiums. ILIf

IMPRESSED as | am with the controlling in
i fuenee which is exercised by the fine arts
arts upon the direction and destiny of human
affairs, it has given me infinite pleasure TO
witness the bountiful manner in which from
time to time, painting and statuary have been
encouraged and rewarded by the Councils of
the Nation. = - "a ? III -a-3f-i ..iAd
But, while this acknowledgment is due to
| the discerning and worthy patrons of these
noble, it is an equal source of humiliation and
| sorrow to behold the apparent. apathy and in-
difference with which they seem to regard the
| incomparabiy more valuable creations OF
poetry. az s,,-,,,E .rs'H ..--,;-- r. -" g;- d
To see them adorn the walls of the Capitol
| with the glowing revefation sof the pencil, and
decorate the public grounds with the costly
chef d Guvres Of the chisel, is an omen Of
good which will be hailed and app1auded by
all as a cheering pledge of the progress Of re-
| fnement. But whilst they lavish their thou
sands upon hoseimmobile products of canvass
and marble and bronze, they offer no reward
! for the more exalted, more enduring and re-
| newned ovations of the pen!s'N fostering
| hand from these high places has ever yetin-
yited the Promethean fire of poetry to animal
| the history of our country, which, with all its
harmony of form and wonder of proportion,
| lies asleep around the humble vault of Mount
Vernon, ready to spring into life and beauty
| at the first kindling touch of this genial in
| spiration. =
1t surely we're a work of supererogation to
introduce the proofs that crowd the records of
| the past to show how far above all other stands
the divine art of poesy. What are all the
paintings statues, and regalia of Versailles.
| of Fontainbleau and the Tuilleries, compared
with the q Marseilles Hymn 20 What the
kingly panoply of gold and gems heaped up
in the Tower of London what the collections
of the Royal Academy, or even the time hal
lowed shrines of Westminster Abbey, when
| compared with the songs of Burns, and Dbl
den, and Campbell? Or what has the world
that we would take in exchange for g Hail
Columbia and the g Star-Spangled Banner?''
Well might the British statesman exclaim
g let me but write the ballads of nation,
and aare not who makes its laws - a
AS far as the living, breathing man is above
the cold insensate marble that is made to re-
present him as far as the radiant skies of
summer are above the perishable canvass to
which the painter has transferred their feeble
| resemblance, so far is poetry above all other
arts that have their mission to console and
elevate and inspire the immortal mind of
man.
In view of these facts, and considering the
'amentable paucity of patriotic songs in Inv
distinguished and beloved country, and with
the hope of being the humble means of pro-
per public feeling upon this interesting sub
lect, [ have been induced to offer and do
rs prize for the best National Poem, Ode or
Epic. i"
The rules which will govern the payment
of this sum, as follows
LIST. | have selected without consulting
them the following persons to act as Judges
or arbiters of the prize thus offered, namely:
The President of the United States.
Hon. A. O.. P. Nicholson, of Tennessee
Hon Chas. Sumner, of q. S. Senate.
Hon r. M T. Hunter do
Hon. JAS C. Jones, do
Hon. J. r. Chandler, of L. S. H. Reps.
Hon. Addison White, do do
Hon. Thos. H. Bayly, do do
Hon. d. L. Disney, do do
Hon j. P. kennedy. Secretary of the Navy.
ID. j. W. c. Evans, of New Jersey.
D. Thos Saunders. .-r,- ..s-r. .a. -.s.-
e Gen: R. ' Armstrong. . :, n
DR.. q. Bailey, % wv 4
w w Seaton. ...
Prof. Henry, of the Smithsonian Institution
VIM. Seldom, late Treasurer of the U. S.
Rev. c. NJ. Butler, Episcopal Church
Rev. r. r. Gurley, Presbyterian Church.
Rev. S. S. Roszell. NJ. E. Church
Rev. Mr.. DOnelan. Catholic Church
I'd. These gentlemen, or any three of them
are hereby authorized to meet at the Smith
sonian Institutute, on the second Monday of
December next, at such hour as they may ap-
point. and there proceed to read and examine
the various poems which may have been re-
ceived, and to determine which of them is
most meritorious and deserving Of the prize
And L hereby bind myself to pay the sum
aforementioned forthwith, to whoever thew
shall present to me as the person who has
written, within the time prescribed. the best
National Patriotic Poem, and upon the repre-
sentation that he or she is an American citizen
Sd. All communications must be sent to me
at Washington (post paid) before the first
Monday in December next, with full and
complete conveyance Of the copyright to me
and nay heirs and assigns forever.
4th. hereby bind and obligate myself to
sell the poems thus sent to me as soon prac-
ticabIe, for the highest price, and to give the
proceeds to the, poor of the city of Wash
ington. 49,
9Th. No poem will be considered as subject
to this prize which shall not have been writ
ten subsequent to this date, and received be-
fore the FIRST Monday in December next.
r. W. LATHAM
WASHINGTON, FEB. 10, 1853. feb IL
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