Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-04-12
: less. For fourteen lines or los
fc0URAGEMENT TO AMERICAN PoET]
TALENT!
$500 PRE- MUM.


$500 PRE- MUM.
upRESSED as AN with the controlling influence
which Is exercise1 by tie fine arts upon the direc-
and destiny Of human affairs, it has given ME in
T.. pleasure To witoess the bountiful manner ia
.n from time Il time, painting and statuary have
n encouraged and rewarded by the Councils of the
Ion.
ut while this ackn wledg gment is due to the dis
1ing and worthy patrons OF these noble arts it is
sIull source of humiliation and sorrow to behold
| apparenI apathy and lndliferen with which they
sn t. regard the incomparably more valuable Gre
rs Of poetry.
Is gee them aiorn the walls of the Capitol with the
VIM revelations of the pencil, ami decorate the
,ie grounds with the costly chef d'nuvres of the
| ,. is an omen Of good which will be hailed and
audel by all as cheering pledge of the progress
reiaement. But, whilst they lavish their thous-
IL upon these immobie products of canvass and
r5le and bronze, they offer reward for the more
ltei, enduring aud renowned ovations of he
L No fostering hand from these high places has
yet invited the Promethan fire of poetry to ami
.:e the history of our country, which, with all its
nony of form and wonder OF proportion, lies asleep
3Inl the humble vault OF Mount Vernon, ready to
in. inte life and beauty at the first kindling toucn
! this nial inspiration.
sure were work of supererogation to introduce
proofs that crowd the records of the past to show
far above all other stands the ssdivine art :" of
%y What are all the paintings, statues, and rega-
L
cmpared with the I" Marseilles Hymn? % What the
kasy pineply of gold and gems heaped up in the
WI OF London; what the collections OF the Royal
4i4my, even the time .hallOwed shrines of West
+.ast.r Abbey, when compared with the songs of
Irns. and Dibden, and Campbell? Or what has the
)ci that we would take in exchange for So Hail Co.
aabia' and the "Star-Spangled Banner?'' Well
,nt the British statesman exclaim, ''let me but
! Hte the ballads of nation, and l care not who
lakes its laws
;u;p II; Z,
sensate marble that is made to represent him; as
the raIiant skies of summer above the per-
liable canvass to which the painter has transferred
er feeble resemblance, far is poetry above all
her arts that have their mission to console and ee
! itt and inspire the immortal mind Of man.
In view of these facts and considering the lament
pie paucity of patriotic songs in my distinguished
nd beloved country, and with the hope of being the
lmoe means of proper public feeling upon this in
sreStins subject have been induced to offer, and
hereby offer, the of five hundred dollars as
ne for the best National Poem, Ode, or Epic.
The rules which will govern the payment of this
] IN ale as follows:
h- have selected without consulting them) the
owing persons to act as judges or arbiters of the
le thus offered, namely:
The President of the United States
Hon. A. y. P Nicholson, of Tennessee.
Hon Chas. Sumner, of U. S. Senate.
Hon. + VI L. Hunter, do
Hoa. Jas. q. Jones, do
HOLJ. II Cnandier, OF U. >. House representatives
hOn. Addison White, dc do
lion. Thos IL Bayly, do do
don. D. I. Disney do do
Hon. john P Kennedy, seeretaryof the Navy.
". John v. T.. Evans, of New Jersey.
D. ThOs. Saunders
Joseph Gales,
DrG. Bailey, VI 'ne f'eSS'
Wv Seat0n.
pr1fesSor Henry, ofthe Smithsonian Institution.
nn Seiden, late Treasurer of the United States.
M4'' ~ VI Butler, Episcopal Church.
ne'. H. X Gurle., Presbyterian Church.
HT.SS Roszell. Methodist Episdopal Church.
Ns'. hr. Donelan, Catholic Church.
n - IheSe gentlemen, any three of them, are
.s'y authorized TO meet at the Smithsonian Insti
on the second Monday of December next, at such
~ Ia S tney may appoint, and there proceed to read
- examine the various poems which may have
- received, and to determine which of them is
- merltorlouS and deserving of the prize And 1
-E oind myself to pay the SUM aforementioned
invita-, tn whoever they shall present to me as the
a Rho has written within the time prescribed the
Na1onal Patriotic Poem, and upon the represen-
~ Ju at mat he or she is an American citizen.
All communications must be seat to me at
1Ioston pestpaid) before the first Monday in De-
'0er next with full and complete conveyance of
ever ' " nie aho aiy neiio Oh" "'sisn' 'oi
- hereby bind and obligate myself to sell the
- sent to soon practicable, for the
,' Prlce, and to give the proceeds to the poor of
~ aIy of Washington.
Sa' NO poem will be considered as subject to this
"a :; Snich shall not have been written subsequent
Ia, G'te aud received before the first Monday In
Taoer next. K. W. LATHAM.
"A'aSGTOS, FEB. 10, 1853 feb17-