Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-05-13
ERMS OF ADVERTISING.
ines Or less. For fourteen lines or less
yC0URAGEMENTT TO OAMERICAN POETIC
TALENT!
$500 PRE- MUM.

SJOU PIX Il M u NJ.
NPGESSED as L am with the controlling influence
which Is exercised by tie fine arts upon the direc-
z aIl destiny of human affairs it has giyen m. in
= pleasure To witness the bountiful manner in
.h from time t. time, painting and statuary have
n encouraged and rewarded by the Councils of the
5I. while this ackn 0wled sment is due TO the dis
.-u9 anu worthy patrons OF these noble arts it is
Ga source OF humltlation and sorrow to behold
ipparent apathy and indifferan " with which they
Il t. regard the incomparabiy more valuable Gre
Of poetry.
, see them aIOrn the walls of the Capitol with the
r;u- rtvcl1tiOus of the pencil, and decorate the
=; grounds wltE the costly chef d'euvres of the
J., Is al omen of good which will be hailed and
1liei by all as L cheering pledge of the progress
-!aelnent But, whilst they lavish their thous-
up0n these Iinmobie products of canvass and
-le and bronze. they offer no reward for the more
lied more enduring and renowned ovations of he
q. Ne fISterinS hand from these high places has
yet invited the Promethan fire of poetry to ami
= the history OF our country, which, with all it's
lJly % iprul anu wonder of proporti0n lies asleep
Ii / the humble vault OF Mount Vernon ready to
1n- into life and beauty at the first kiudng toucn
Iis nal inspiration.
!. surely work of supereroeation to Introduce
pvlts that crowd the records of the past to show
Tar above all other stands the Z" divine art - of
~. What are all the paintings, statues. and reea-
Of Versailles, Oh Fontainbleau. and the Tueries,
aZy panopy OF gold and gems heaped up in the
ser ot London; what the collections of the Royal
@eay, or even the time. .hailOWed shrines of West
ll'tr Abbey, when compared with the songs of
rns and Dibien, and Cam mPbell? Or what has the
oil that We wOul1 take in exchange for .' Hail Co
iGlu and the ''Star-S Spangled Banner?" Well
-at the british statesman eXclaim, "let me but
Gt3 the ballads of q nation, and l care not who
laaeSit, laws"
A fr the living, breathing man is above the cold
Nensa:e marble that Is made to represent him; as
a as lie rdiiant skies of summer are above the per
,laoe canvass to which the pail ter has transferred
-er feeble resemblance, so far is poetry above all
l-T arts that have their mission to console and ele
l AMI inspire the immortal mind of man.
In view Of these facts, and considering the lament
ae paueily of patriotic songs in my distinguished
li beloved country, and with the hope of being the
ln5le means of proper public feeling upon this in
t'-'tns subject, have been induced to offer, and
hereby Offer, the sum of five hundred dollars as
e t'r the best National Poem, Ode, or Epic.
ne rules which will govern the payment of this
IA are as follows:
s: have selected without consulting them) the
1'sIa; persons to act as judges arbters of the
E7 thuS offered, namely:
Il' President of the United States.
a'a. 4 y. p. Nicholson. OF Tennessee.
Il Chas. Sumner, of U. s. Senate.
t,n. H. VI. L. Hunter, do
Il JAS. Q. Jones, do
t'lJ L Chandler, of q. S. House Representatives.
ln Allison White do do
.tn Fhos H. Bayly, do do
ln D. T. Disney, do DO
'l John 2. Kennedy, Secretary OF the Navy.
| -" JOIN W. T.. Evans, of New jersey.
IT, IhOS. Saunders.
i>eph tales,
"a X Armstrong, r.1,
10. Bailey, 'i 'Aio io'S-
~. S.atOn,
,!'Sor Henry, Ofthe Smithsonian Institution.
~ VI. Butler, Episcopal Church.
n IL Gurlef, Presby terrain Church.
80 RosLell, Methodist Epis iopal Church.
.Nr. DOnelan, Catholic Church.
i these gentlemen, or any three of them, are
! authorized to meet at the Smithsonian 1nsti-
on The second Monday of December next, at such
q ~ they may appoint, and there proceed to read
Atmlne the various poems which may have
l.fceyed, and to determine which of them Is
nrritOriOus and deserving of the prize And
~ ond myself TO pay the sum aforementioned
i'tl, to whoever they shall preseut to me as the
"a She has written within the time prescribed the
'alonal Patriotic Poem, and upon the represen-
Ilt he or she is American citizen.
! All communications must be seat to me at
F4i-ton tpost-pai) before the first Monday in De
~*' next. with n full and complete conveyance of
'jyrlsht to ME and my heirs and assigns for
u hereby bind and obligate myself to sell the
~ -AlS sent to me soon as practicable, TOR the
= price, and to give the proceeds to the poor OF
l.! Of Washington.
w. y, poem viii be considered as subject to this
which shall not have been written subsequent
- Iats, aud received before the first Monday In
o.Ao'r next II. w. LATHAM.
--.iSiroS, FEB. 10. 1853 feb IL