Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-04-09
TERMS OF ADVERTISING,
To- seven lines or le'
For fourteen lines or less
rSC0URAdEMENTT TO AMERICAN POETIC
TALENT
$500 PREMIUM.

$500 PREMIUM.
In fIPRESSED as am with the controlling influence
which exercised by tie fine arts upon the direc-
n and destiny Of human affairs it has given me in
a,. pleasure to wtoess the bountitul manner in
hi;1 from time t. time, painting and statuary have
"a encouraged and rewarded by the Councils of the
{al.1n.
Jat, while this acknowledgment is due to the dis
-nng aud worthy patrons of these noble arts it is
l. elu4l of humi iation and sorrow to behold
apparent apathy and indifferen with which they
n t. regard the incomparably more valuable ere
kl0as of poetry.
70 them lorn the walls of the Capitol with the
wing revolutions OF the pencil, and deco rate the
Iam 5rouadS with the costly chef dOeuvreS of the
sci, is omen of good which will he hailed aud
sauie1 by all as cheering pledge of the progress
reinenent. But, whilst they lavish their thous-
! }lE upon these immobile p, oducts of canvass and
r5e anl bronze they offer ne reward for the more
\ .t1, more enduring and renowned ovations of he
! j. No fostering nand from these high places has
yet invited the PrOmethan fire of poetry to ami
lie the history OF our country. which, with all it's
rnOny OF form and "Onder Of proportion, lies asleep
Dlni the humble vault OF Mount Vernon, ready to
into life and beauty at the first kindling touch
his !, NAL inspiration.
lt,urely were work Of supererogation to introduce
f. pros that crowd the records OF the past to show
~ tar above all other stands the divine art of
~. What are all the paintings, statues and rega-
Of Versailles, of Fontainbleau. and the Tuieries,
olPared with the - Marseilles Hymn 2" What the
i:y inoply of gold and gems heaped up in the
VEL Of London; what the collections of the Royal
1lemy, or even the time hallowed shrines of West
instr Abbey, when compared with the songs of
aus, AMI Dibden, and Campbell! Or what has the
1rl tlat We would take In exchange for 60 Hail Co
ndd and the I" Star-Spangled Banner?" Well
;at the British statesman exclaim, ''let me but
dte the ballads of nation, and 1 care not who
alieSits laws
Is far the living breathing man is above the cold
'easate marble that is made to represent him; as
the liant skies of summer are above the per-
tble canvass to which the pai ter has transferred
ltlr fecbe resemblance, far is poetry above all
her arts that have their mission to console and ele
se aud inspire the immortal mind of man.
In View OF these facts and considering the lament
pc Pauci;y of patriotic songs in my distinguished
nd beloved country, and with the hope of being the
lAoe means of proper public feeling upon this in
1eung subject, have beea induced to offer, and
hereby Of;r, the sum of five hundred dollars as u
ne ior the best National Poem, Ode, or Epic.
ne rules which will govern the payment of this
IN follows:
st. have selected without consulting them) the
o"lns persons to act as Judges or arbiters Of the
ze thus offered, namely:
ils Preside t of the United States.
ioa U. p. Nicholson. of Tennessee.
inn Cnas. Sumner, of U. s. Senate.
t9a X VI. L. Hunter, DO
ith' Jas &. Jones, do
1 Hon. ,sd Chandler, of U.s. House Representatives.
,'L nos IL Bhyly, do do
llG D. L. Disney do do
ion John ?. Kennedy, Secretary of the Navy.
" " Joha ". G. Evans, of New Jersey.
~ Ghos Saunders
Joseph GALES
Iea H. Armstrong ! 80
3!G. Bailey, Oh the fress.
Wv. Seaton,
n .le~or Henry, ofthe smithsonian Institution.
sn Salden, late Treasurer of the United States.
S'' y " Butter, Episcopal Church.
Ts' h t. Guriey, Presbyterian Church.
"~7'. :. Raszell, Methodist Episdopal Church.
- ~: VT. Donelan Catholic Church.
Ihese gentlemen, or any three of them,
authorlzed to meet at the Smithsonian Insti-
oh Tue second Monday of December next, at such
uhey may appoint, and there proceed to read
eNnhne the various poems which may have
S'u'ed. and to determine which of them is
n5ltorlous and deserving of the prize. And
/! "ul myself to pay the SUM aforementioned
NH' U whoever they shall present to me as the
" Tho mas written within the time prescribed the
"'hai Patriotic Poem, ana upon the represen-
n ,. ,IaI he or she is an American citizen.
Lt an communications must be sent to me at
s'7'oh postpaid) before the first Monday in De-
-. n-xt with full and complete conveyance of
EriSht TO and my heirs and assigns for
!, hereby bind and obl;gate myself to sell the
M sent to me practicable, for the
IETr, , and to give the proceeds to the poor of
- ~ Of Washington.
-,. -, ~ poem will be considered subject to this
bi hEh shall not have been written subsequent
-ner next " LATHAM
i'sfoN, FEB. 10, 1858 febl7-