Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-06-17
Encouragement to American Poetic Talent |!
$500 Premium.

IMPRESSED as [ am with the controlling in
il fuence which is exercised 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 acknowled sment 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'euvres of the chisel, is an of
good which will be hailed and applauded by
all as a cheering pledge Of the progress of re-
fnement But. whilst they lavish their thou
sands upon those immobile products of canvass
and marble and bronze, they offer no reward
for the more exalted, more enduring and
nowned ovatiOns of the pen. No fostering
hand from these high places has ever yet in
vted the Promethean fire of poetry to animal
the history of our country, which, with all It's
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 kindIing touch of this genial in
spiration-
1t surely were a work of supererogation 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 are all the
paintings statues, and regalia of Versailles.
of Fontainbleau and the Tuilleries, compared
with the 9 Marseilles Hymn 20 What the
kingly panoply of gold and gems heaped up
in the Tower of London what the collections
&c bo a
lowed shrines of Westminster Abbey, when
compared with the songs of Burns, and Dib-
den, and Campbell? Or what has the world
that we would take in exchange for . Hail
Columbia" and the :. Star-Spangled Banner?"
Well might the British statesman exclaim
let me but write the ballads of a nation,
and I care not who makes its laws
As far as the living, breathing man is above
the cold insensate marble that is made to re-
present him; as far us the radiant skies of
summer are above the perishable 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-
iect I have been induced to offer, and 40
hereby offer, the sum of five hundred dollars
as A nrize for the best National Poem, Ode or
Epic.
The rules which will govern the payment
of this sum, are as follows:
Ist. I have selected (without consulting
them) the following persons to act as judges
or arbiters of the prize thus offered, namely
The President of the United States.
Of Tnnn
Hon. Chas. Sumner, of L. :. Senate.
Hon r. NJ T. Hunter, do
Hon Jas C. Jones, do
Hon, J. R Chandler, of U. S. II; Reps.
Hon. Addison White, do do
Hon Thos II. Bayly, do do
Hon. D. T. Disney, do do
Hon. 7. P. Kennedy Secretary of the Navy.
DJW w C. Evans, of New Jersey,
D. Thos. Saunders.
Joseph Gales,
Dr. c. Bailey,
W w Seaton,
Prof Henry. of the Smithsonian Institution
VIM. Seldom late Treasurer Of the U. 5.
Rev. c. NJ Butler, Episcopal Church.
Rev. r. r. Gurlev, Presbyterian Church.
Rev s S. Roszell, NJ. +. Church.
Rev. Mr. Donelan, Catholic Church
81. These gentlemen, or any three of them
sonian Institutute on the second Monday OF
December next at such hour as they may ap-
point, and there proceed to read and examine
the various poems which may have been re-
;.eiyed, and to determine which of them Is
most meritorous and deserving of the prize
And [ hereby bind myself to pay the sum
aforementioned forthwith, to whoever they
shall present to me as the person who ha;
written, within the time prescribed the best
National Patric tic Poem and upon the repre-
sentation that he or she is an American citizen
81. All communications must be sent to me
at Washington (post paiN before the first
Monday in December next, with full and
complete conveyance of the copyright to me
and nv heirs and assigns forever.
4th l hereby bind and obligate myself to
sell the poems thus sent to me rs soon as prae
ticable, for the highest price, and to give the
proceeds to the poor of the city of Wash
ington
9TH 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 December next
r W. LATHAM.
WASHINGTON, FEB. 10, 1858. feb. IL
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