Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-06-14
Encouragement to American Poetic Talent
$500 Premium,

IMPRESSED as | am with the controlling in
j fuence which is exereised By the fine arts
arts upon the direction and destiny Of human
affairs, it has given me infinite pleasure to
witness the bountiful manner in which. from
time to time, painting and statuary have been
encouraged and rewarded by the Councils OF
the Nation.
But, while this acknowledgment is due to
the discerning and worthy patrons of these
noble, it is an equal source Of humiliation and
sorrow to behold the apparent apathy and in-
difference with which they seem to regard the
incomparably more valuable creations of
poetry.
: To see them adorn the walls of the Capitol
with the glowing revelations of the pencil and
decorate the public grounds with the costly
chef d 'oeuvres Of the chise. is an omen of
good which will be hailed and applauded by
al as cheering pledge Of the progress Of re-
fnement. But. whilst they lavish their thou
sands upon those immoble products of canvass
and marble and bronze, they offer no reward
for the more exalted, more enduring and re-
newned ovations of the pen. No fostering
hand from these high places has ever yet in
yited the Promethean fire Of poetry 10 animat
the history of our country. which, with all its
harmony of form and wonder Of proportion.
lies asleep around the humble vault of Mount
Vernon, ready to spring into life and beauty
at the first kindling touch of this genial in-
spiration.
1t surely Were & work Of supcrcrosation to
introduce the proofs that crowd the records of
the past TO show how far above all other stands
the divine art Of poesy. What all the
paintings statues, and regalia of Versailles
of Fontainblcau and the Tuiileries, compared
with the * Marseilles Hymn ?' What the
kingly panoply of gold and lens hcaped up
in the Tower of London what the collections
Cr tbo A,o bn bol
lowed shrines Of Westminster Abbey. when
compared with the songs Of Burns. and Dib-
den. and Campbell? Or what has the world
tlat VIC would take in exchange for 9 Hail
Columbia and the = Star-SpanG!ed Banner2"
Well might the British statesman exclaim
let me but write the ballads of nation,
4ld | care not who makes its laws
Is far as the living. breathing man is above
the cold insensate marble that is made to
present him. as far as the radiant skies of
summer are above the pershabie canvass to
which the painter has transferred their feeble
resemblance, SO far is poetry above all other
arts that have their mission To console and
elevate and inspire the Immortal mind OF
man.
In view Of these facts. and considering the
lamentable paucity of patriotic songs IN my
distinguished and beloved country and with
the hope of being the humble means of a pro-
per public feeling upon this interesting sub
i,.et, l have been induced to offer, and do
hereby offer the sum of five hundred dollars
as a prize for the best National Poem Ode or
Epic
The rules Which will govern the payment
0! this sum- are a. follows:
Ist [ have selected (Without consulting
theml the following persons to act as judges
Or arbiters of the prize thus offered. namely ;
The President of the United States.
n hnlc of TaunPSgpp
Hon Chas Sumner, Of L. ;. Senate.
Hon t. NJ I. Hunter, do
Hon. Jas. c. Jones, do
Hon. J. r. Chandler, of L, S. II; Reps
Hon. Addison White. do do
Hon. Thos II, Bayly, do do
Hon. d. T. Disney, do do
Hon. !. P. Kennedy Secretary Of the Navy.
pJ W. c. Evans, of New Jersey.
d. Thos. Saunders.
Joseph Gales,
DR.. G. Bailey,
w w Seaton,
Prof Henry, Of the Smithsonian Institution.
VIM Seldom late Treasurer of the u. ,.
Rev. C. NJ. Butler, Episcopal Church
Rev. r. r. Gurlev Presbyterian Church.
Rev. S. 5 Roszell, VI. E. Church
Rev Mr. Donelan. Catholic Church.
2i These gentlemen. or any three Of them.
sonian Institutute. on the second Monday of
December next at such hour as they may ap-
roint, and there proceed to read and examine
The various poems which may have been re-
ceiyed and TO determine which of them is
most meritorious and deserving of the prize.
And I hereby binl myself to pay the sum
aforementioned forthwith. to whoever they
shall present to me "a the person who has
written, within the time prescribed, the best
National Patriotic Poem. and upon the repre-
sentation that he or she is IN American citizen.
81 All communications must he sent to me
At Washington (post paid) before the first
Monday in December next, with full and
complete conveyance of the copyright to me
AMI nv heirs and assigns forever.
4th. | hereby bind and obhgate myself to
sell. the poems thus sent to me as soon as prac-
tjcabIe. for the highest price. and to give the
proceeds to the poor of the city OF wash
lngton
5th. No poem will be considered as subject
to this prize which shall not have been writ
ten subsequent to this date, and received be-
fore the first Monday in Deaemher next
r. ". LATHAM.
WASHINGTON. FEB. 10. 1853. feb IL
Light Kid Gloves, Black Nett Mit-s, &C.
y, mn 20 doz. Bajou's light colored Kid Gloves
filrpllf 10 do white do.
tIILi Is doz. Black Nett Mitts