Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-03-22
For fourteen lines or less
EyCOURAGEMENT TO AMERICAN POETIt
TALENT!
$500 PRE- MUM.

$500 PRE- MUM.
! IMPRESSED AS am with the controlling influence
which exercised by tie fine arts upon the direc
IN and destiny Of human aFdirs, it has given me in
init pleasure to wItIeSs the bountiful manner in
shcB, from time t. time painting and statuary have
zen encouraged and rewarded by the Councils of the
Iau1R.
Bat. while this acknowledgement is due to the dis
crning and worthy patrons OF these noble arts it is
Al equal source Of humiliation and sorrow to behold
S apparent apathy and indifeIen with which they
t. regard the incomparaby more valuable Gre
iuans OF poetry
glowing revolutions Of the pencil, and deco rate the
,ubic grounds with the costly chef deuvres of the
hissl, i, omen of good which will be hailed and
,ppsuiei by all cheering pledge of the progress
refinement But, whilst they lavish their thous-
.Dk upon these immobile products of canvass and
Irbe and bronze, they offer no reward for the more
-xted, more enduring aud renOH ned ovations of he
"a Nc fostering hand from these high places has
Jet invited the Promethan FIRE of poetry to ami
nate the history of our country which, with all its
1rmeny OF ferR and ,Onder of proportion lies asleep
trodui the humble vault OF Mount Vernon, ready to
prng inte life and beauty at the first kinding touch
this g@nial insl liration
ItSUrel were work of supererogatiop to introduce
- Prsf5 that crowd the records OF the past to show
tar above all other stands the - divine art of
f0ey hat are all the paintings, statues and rega-
IA et Versailles, of FOntainbleau, and the Tueries
onpared with the :. Marseilles IIymn! ~ What the
sin.y panoply of gold and gen,s heaped up in the
lower of London; what the cellec, ions of the ROYAL
Aalemy, or even the time hallowed shrines of West
nn'tsr Abbey, when compared with the songs of
Burns, and Dibden, and Campbell9 Or what has the
S0rti that we would take IN exchange for Hail Co
.ambia' aud the "Star-Spangled Banner?'' Well
might the British statesman exclaim, "let but
/ write the ballads of nation, and L not who
ma6eSits laws"
far as the living, breathing man is above the cold
inSensae marble that is made to represent him; as
far as the raant skies of summer above the per-
Shabe TO which the pao ter has transferred
their feeble resemblance, far is poetry above all
other arts that have their mission to console and ee
yate aud Inspire the immortal mind Of man.
In View Of these facts, and considering the lament
able Paueity of patriotic songs in my distinguished
anl beloved country and with the hope of being the
humble means of proper public feeling upon this in
-restng subject, have been induced to Offer and
10 hereby oH-r, the sum of five hundred dollars a
qri.e for the best NationaSPoem ode, or Epic.
iAe rules which will govern the payment Of this
'uu as follows:
lSt have selected (without consulting them) the
''Tlng persons to act as judges arbiters of the
21'e thus offered, namely
inP President Of the United States.
i9n. 4. y y. Nicholson, of Tennessee.
Ion Chas Sumner, of U. 5. Senate
Hen. K VI H. Hunter, do
H'n. JAS C. jones, do
AonJ Chandler, of U. s House Representatives,
Hon. Thos III Bayly do do
don John p. Kennedy, Secretary of the Navy.
d. John W. c. Evans, Of New Jersey.
Dr. thos Saunders.
JIeph GaeS
ten <. Armstrong, -,
DE.ti. bailey. VI 'no ieS''
Wv S.aton
Lr'h>$or Henry, fthe smithsonian Institution.
"A Selden. lace Treasurer of the United States.
nv VI Butler, Episcopal Church.
NJ nF' Ia H. Gurie, Presbyterian Church.
Nv h.' > : R1Szell. Methodist Episdopal Church.
Nv VT Donean. Catholic Church.
u IheSt gentlemen, any three Of them. are
rE authorized to meet at the Smithsonian Insti-
e'n the second Monday of December next, at such
"a "a ~ Lhry may appr int, and there proceed to read
I Ainihe the various poems which may have
received, and TO determine which of them is
"tfitonou' and deserving of the prize. And
oild myself to pay the sum aforementioned
"'1n' [, Wrever they shall present to me the
IN W no mas written within the time prescribed the
is'.tional Patriotic Poem, and upon the represen
., Ina .la' he or she is an American citizen.
": Ni communications must be sent to me at
,.t HaVoh Postpaid before the first Monday in De
~ - h.A.- with full and complete conveyance of
.r 'FS'isht TO me and my heirs and assigns for
,os @ hereby bind and obligate myself to sell the
t,,b, 's Sent U me as practicable, for the
he % pTe' ana To give the proceeds to the poor OF
| NY of Washington.
pr, w % poem Will be considered as subject to this
(, tn Hch Hh snail not have been written subsequent
Depr, AT' and received before the first Monday in
W,+rrh next. X. W. LATHAM.
j --eNsroN, FEB. 10, 1853 feb If