Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-04-22
ess. For fourteen lines or less
FC0URAGEMENT TO AMERICAN POETIC
TALENT!
$500 PRE- MUM.

SOOO
\ VPRESSED as am with the controlling influence
which exercised by tie fine arts upon the direc-
and destiny OF human affairs, it has given me in
~ pleasure To witness the bountiful manner in
n, from time to time, painting and statuary have
a encouraged and rewarded by the Councils of the
;l;. while this acknowledgment is due to the dis
ming and worthy patrons of these noble arts it is
ajual source of humiliation and sorrow to behold
apparent apathy and indifferen with which they
n to regard the incomparaby more valuable Gre
rls Of poetry.
70 sae them aorn the walls of the Capitol with the
! 7ug revelations OF the pencil, aud decorate the
t. rounds with the costly chef d'uuyres of the
! ri. is omen of good which will be hailed and
.luieI by all as cheering pledge of the progress
-.jnement. But, whilst they lavish their thous-
upon these immobile products of canvass and
-ble and bronze they offer no reward for the more
,54l more enduring and renowned ovations of he
l No fostering hand from these high places has
- vet invited the PrOmcthan fire of poetry to ami
.a the history of our country, which, with all its
-ucny OF form and wonder OF proportion, lies asleep
ami the humble vault of Mount Vernon, ready to
m life and beauty at the first kindling touch
! lis NAL inspiration.
tsureiy were work of supererOgation to introduce
roofs that crowd the records of the past to show
far above all other stands the "divine art" of
-. What are all the pointings, statues, and rega-
ii Versailles, of Fontainbleau, and the Tuileries
nPared with the g Marseilles Hymn % What the
a:7 panoply OF gold and gems heaped up in the
! ser Of London; what the collections of the ROYAL
lhmy, or even the time .hallowed shrines of West
aSt-r Abbey, when compared with the songs of
nus and Dibden, and Campbell2 Or what has the
,ai that We would take in exchange for ' Hail CO.
.loa and the I" "Star-Spangled Banner?" Well
;lt the British statesman. eXclaim, ''let me but
1tt the ballads of nation, and 1 care not who
llaesitS laws"
i, fir the living breathing man is above the cold
sasate marble that is made to represent him; as
the ra liant skies of summer are above the per-
ible canvass TO which the painter has transferred
dr feeble resemblance, so far is poetry above all
er arts that have their mission to console and ele-
u aud inspire the immortal mind of man.
In view of these facts and considering the lament
lie paucty of patriotic songs in my distinguished
IL beloved country, and with the hope of being the
b!e means of proper public feeling upon this in
r~ins subject, l have been induced to offer, and
hereby offer, the sum of five hundred dollars as q
e. for the best National Poem, Ode, or Epic.
lie rules which will govern the payment Of this
III as follows:
Il have selected (withOut consulting them) the
owing persons to act judges or arbiters of the
ls thus offered, namely:
i ne President of the United States
i Hon. 4. D. Z. Nicholson. of Tennessee.
i Ion Chas. Sumner, of U. S. Senate.
I Ion. r. VI. L. Hunter, do
/ hln. JAS T.. Jones, do
i1nJ X, Chandler, of Q. S. House Representatives.
I5n Addison White, dc do
Lou. ThOs. III. BayIy, do do
i1u. b. I. Disney, do do
t'n John z. Kennedy. Secretary of the Navy.
F.J9hn ". G. Evans, of New Jersey.
d. Thos. Saunders.
>eph Gales,
l:tf Bailey, vi 'no IreSe'
w" Seat0n,
-.'I;'S0r Henry, Oft the Smithsonian Institution.
IA satlen, late Treasurer of the United States.
he'.C. NJ Butler, Episcopal Church.
L@'' H. H. Gurleg, Presby terian Church.
~ ) :. Roszcil, Methodist Episdopal Church.
" Nr Donelan, Catholic Church
7 Il These gentlemen, any three of them, are
-! authorized to meet at the Smithsonian 1nsti-
~.,9A The second Monday of December next, at such
1 they may appoint, and there proceed to read
sAalilne the various poems which may have
received, and to determine which of them is
nerltorious and deserving of the prize. And
~ bnd myself to pay the aforementioned
-7Nn' To whoever they shall present to me as the
VI ~ho has written within the time prescribed the
'-l0nal Patriotic Poem, and upon the rcpresen-
ID mat he or she is an American citizen.
All communications must be sent to ME at
-lSton Postpaid before the first Monday in De-
r' n-xt- with a full and complete conveyance of
'Pyrsht to me and my heirs and assigns for
81 hereby bind and obligate myself to sell the
@ mus sent to me as soon as practicable, for the
~ price, and TO give the proceeds to the poor Of
l ~ o. Washington.
"' No poem will be considered subject to this
sI "hlch shall not have been written subsequent
@ iate, and received before the first Monday in
\ 5EIa'-r next r. w. LATHAM.
A saSTT0N. FEB 10, 1853 feb17-