Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-03-12
RMS OF ADVERTISING,
For fourteen lines or less.
ENCOURAGEMENT TO AMERICAN POETIC
TALENT!
$500 PRE- MUM.


IMPRESSED as | am with the controlling inf uence
which exercised by tie fine arts upon the direc
\ and destiny of human affairs, it has given me in
init. pleasure to wItuess the bountiful manner in
mich from time II time, painting and statuary have
-n encouraged and rewarded by the Councils of the
ai0n.
hut while this ackn 1wledgment is due to the dis
nia, aud worthy patrons of these noble arts ii is
N piull source of hlmi iatiOn and sorrow to behold
~ apparent apathy and indifferen e with which they
pm t. regard the incomparabiy more valuable ere
s1ons Of poetry.
70 see them adorn the walls of the Capitol with the
lowing revelations of the pencil, and deco rate the
.l5ic grounds with the costly chef doeuvres of the
l5!ss i, an omen of good which will be hailed and
gIadei by all rs cheering pledge of the progress
reinement. But, whilst they lavish their thous-
zqs upon these lmmOblie pI oducts of canvass and
lrD.c and bronze they offer reward for the more
-lA.ed more enduring and renowned ovations Of he
.sa. No fostering hand from these high places has
Tr yet invited tine Promethan fire of poetry to ami
the history of our country, which, with all its
rmony OF form and "Onder of proportion, lies asleep
l7lni the humble vault OF Mount Vernon, ready to
.l-n, into life and beauty at the first kidding toucn
i this nial inspiration.
ltsurely were work of supererogatoa to Introduce
l pro f. that crowd the records OF the past show
tar above all other stands the ''disine art of
9.'y. What are all the paintings statues and rega-
i. Of Versailles of Fontainbeau. and the Tuileries
compared with the :" MarseiiieS Hymn ~ What the
,iag tnoply of gold and gems heaped up in the
lover Of London; what the coilec ions of the Royal
ia!-my, or even the time halowed shrines of West
na>t,r Abbey, when compared with the songs of
Burns, and Dibden, and Campbell? Or what has the
world that We would take In exchange for 50 Hail Co
umbn' and the :" "Star-Spangled Banner?" Well
night the British statesman eXclaim, ''let me but
write the ballads of nation, and l care not who
Make it, laws"
Il far the living, breathing man is above the cold
nensate marble that is made to represent him; as
r as the ra liant skies of summer above the per-
hable which the pal ter has transferred
neir feeble resemblance, so far is poetry above all
her arts that have their mission to console and ele
ate and inspire the immortal mind OF man.
In vie" Ot these facts, and considering the lament
.ble paucity of patriotic songs in my distinguished
md beloved country, and with the hope of being the
humble means of proper public feel ng upon this in
.-rr,ting subject have been induced to Offer and
10 hereby offer, the sum of five hundred dollars as
I'iLe for the best National Poem, ode, or Epic.
Ihe rules which will govern the payment of this
sun as follows
st have selected without consulting them) the
lowing persons to act as judges arbters of the
HIe thus offered namely:
IL Pres1eat Of the United States.
Hon. 4 U. Z. Nicholson. of Tennessee.
tmn ChaS Sumner, of U. 5. Senate
Hon T. NJ. L. Hunter, 60
Hoo. Jas e. Jones, do
Hon-J. Chandler, of Z. S. House Representatives.
Hon. Addison " hte, do 90
non. Thos IL. Bayly, do do
i'm D. I. Disney. do do
lion. John P. Kennedy, Secretary of the Navy.
~ John ". c. Evans, of New Jersey.
d. Thos Saunders.
Joseph Gales
n. ,,.a 4. R; r Armstrong, Of the Pres,
Dr.G. Bailey, vi 'no ie'''
v" W. SeatOn,
a''e'SOr Henry, of the Smithsonian Institution.
u Nm selden, late Treasurer of the United States.
@ n''. :. VI Butler, Episcopal Church.
,e'. H. X Gurley, PrrSby terian Church.
"-' :. Rpszell Methodist Episdopal Church.
He'. Ar Doneian, Catholic Church.
=. IheSe gentlemen, or any three of them,
.e'! authorized to meet at the Smithsonian InSti
' IN the second Monday of December next, at such
d. they may app' int, and there proceed to read
NJ examine the various poems which may have
received. and To determine which of them Is
''. merltorious and deserving of the prize. And
10y bind myself to pay the sum aforementioned
IaSIth II whoever they shall present to me as the
sa who has written within the time prescribed the
g' NATIONAL Patriotic Poem, and upon the represen-
'''a a mat he or she is American citizen.
~ All communications must be sent to me at
@nlnSton tpOst-paiL) before the first Monday in De-
euorr next, with full and complete conveyance of
F Copyright to me and my heirs and assigns for
ever
IN hereby bind and obligate myself to sell the
rA> thus sent to me as soon as practicable, tor the
>st price, and to give the proceeds to the poor of
~e ,lty Of Washington.
9h No poem will be consi iered as subject to this
!'It which shall not have been written subsequent
his Al date and received before the first Monday in
penemh"r next r. W. LATHAM
n1sHINGroS, FEB. TO- 1858. feb17--