Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-04-11
TERMS OF ADVERTISING.
For fourteen lines or less
r, seven lines or less.
TO AMERICAN POETIC
TALENTi
$500 PRE- MUM.

AnA6XNA
$500 PREMIUM.
kvpRESSED 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
ea from time to time, painting and statuary have
y encouraged and rewarded by the Councils of the
ION.
It. while this acknowledgment is due to the dis
ming and worthy patrons of these noble arts, it is
rlual source of humiliation and sorrow to behold
so9srent apathy and indiferen .e with which they
n t. regard the incomparabiy more valuable Gre
! rs Of poetry.
,ee them adorn the walls of the Capitol with the
sias revelations of the pencil, aud deco. .ate the
lie grounds with the costly chef doeuvres of the
II, is an omen of good which will be hailed and
audei by all cheering pledge of the progress
.einement. But, whilst they lavish their thous-
] I, upon these immObile products of canvass and
rbe and bronze, they offer reward for the more
4ai more enduring and renowned oyations of he
o. No fostering hand from these high places has
yet invited the Promethan fire of poetry to ami
te the history of country, which with all its
aony OF form and wonder of proportion, lies asleep
| lIlt the humble vault OF Mount Vernon, ready to
into life and beauty at the first kindling tOucn
! lis 5enial inspiration.
L,lrely were work of supererogaton to introduce
proofs that crowd the records of the past to show
far above all other stands the 'divine art of
y. What are all the paintings, statues, and rega-
! Of Versailles of Fontainbleau. and the Tuileres,
aPared with the Marseilles Hymn" What the
MY panOply of gold and gems heaped up in the
syr Of London; what the collections of the Royal
ylemy, or even the time. .halowed shrines of West
aSer Abbey, when compared with the songs of
acls and Dibden, and Campbell? Or what has the
Did that We would take in exchange for " Hail Co.
Enhn' and the Star-Spangled Bannsr?' Well
! mt the British statesman eXclaim, "let me but
hte the ballads of a nation, and care not who
takes it, laws
far the living breathing man is above the cold
fsensate marble that is made to represent him; as
as the IA liant skies of summer are above the per-
aabe canvass to which the pal nter has transferred
cir feeble resemblance SO far is poetry above all
asr arts that have their mission to console and ele
| NJ and inspire the immortal mind Of man.
IN view Of these facts and considering the lament
Pc Pauelty OF patriotic songs in my distinguished
i beloved country, and with the hope of being the
lnbe means ola proper public feeling upon this in
'snng subject, have been induced to offer, and
hereby offer, the sum of five hundred dollars as
nIe for the best National Poem, Ode or Epic.
Inc rules which will govern the payment of this
Pa ale as follows:
st. have selected (without consulting them) the
owing persons to act as judges or arbiters of the
4e thus offered, namely:
| me President of the United States.
Hon. A. D. P Nicholson. of Tennessee.
n Hon Chas. Sumner, of U. s. Senate.
Hon L. VI. L. Hunter, do
Hon. Jas. e. Jones, do
don D. 4 Chandler, of U. s. House Representatives.
| don Addison White, do do
Ion Thos H. Bayly, do do
tcu D. 7. Disney, do do
ION John p Kennedy, Secretary of the Navy.
VI VI, John W. c. Evans, of New Jersey.
d. ThOS. Saunders
J5seph Gales,
DrG Bailey, VI 'ns reSs'
| Nv. Seaton,
n rosssor Henry, OF the Smithsonian Institution.
nm seden, late Treasurer Of the United States.
new ps,' =, W. Butler, Episcopal Church.
new pt'. H. Gurley, Presbyterian Church
Ss'' = g RoSzell, Methodist Episdopal Church.
ny nv. MI Donelan, Catholic Church.
- IneSe gentlemen, or any three of them, are
'g authorized To meet at the Smithsonian Insti-
-on the second Monday of December next, at such
- y 'hey may appoint, and there proceed to read
SdIiine the various poems which may have
~ received, and to determine which of them is
1eritorious and deserving of the prize. And
E n!nd myself to pay the sum aforementioned
-s"p 70 whoever they shall present to me as the
no mas written within the time prescribed the
t'Wnai Patriotic Poem, and upon the represen-
n ,T ,rS' he or she is an American citizen.
h = All communications must be sent to me at
IuHg'en ipostpaiD before the first Monday in De-
!, ol vi hrxt, with full and complete conveyance of
"Wnsht to me and my heirs and assigns for
sn. % / hereby bind and obtigate myself to sell the
,T'A mus sent to me as soon practicable, tor the
a - price and to give the proceeds to the poor of
a! Of Washington.
-. No poem will be considered as subject to this
Il; "hieh shall not have been written subsequent
-an.t 0s4 and received before the first Monday in
W. next. r. W. LATHAM.
--salSsTOS, FEB. 10. 1858. feb17-
W,..