Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-07-11
ENCOURAGEMENT to American Poetic Talent!
$500 Rreminna. T INT

4
+ $500 Premi ann ! TIT
IMPRESSED as am with the controlling in
i fuenee 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 acknowledgement 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 9d 'i'' 81 .Flij"i r7'o '1'isN2f g.
To see them adorn the walls of the Capitol
1 with the glowing revelations of the pencil, and
/ decorate the public grounds with the costly
chef d'euvres of the chisel, is an omen of
good which will be hailed and applauded by
! all as cheering pledge of the progress of re-
| fnernent. 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 re-
| newned ovations of the pen. No fostering
| hand from these high places has ever yet in
yited tho Promethean fire of poetry to animal
| 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.
spiratien, r. -.....-.... r-.- ,.-..e .-.,r-- .
It surely were work of supererogation to
introduce the proofs that crowd the records of
the past to show how far above all other stands
the g divine art of poesy What are all the
paintings statues, and regalia of Versailles.
| Of Fontainbleau and the Tuilleries, compared
with the Marseilles Hymn? What the
kingly panoply of gold and gems heaped up
in the Tower of London what the, collections
of the Royal Academy or even the time hal
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 e Hail
Columbia" and the - Star Spangled Banner2'
Well might the British statesman exclaim
Z. let me but write the ballads of nation,
and 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 as the radiant skies of
summer arc 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. -; .-- r-.-.'-- -r-.-'i q. ...~..nr9
In view Of these facts, and considering the
lamentable paucity of patriotic songs in my
distinguished and beloved country and with
per public feeling upon this interesting sub
ject I have been induced to offer, and do
hereby offer, the sum of five hundred dollars
as prize for the best n ational POEM Ode or
Epic,
The rules which wilt govern the payment
of this sum. are as follows:
LIST | have selected (without consulting
them the following persons to act as judges
or arbiers of the prize thus offered namely:
Tha don't nf the tod tat
Hon A O P. Nicholson of Tennessee
Hon. Chas. Sumner. of. U. S. Senate.
Hon r NJ T. Hunter, do
Hon. Jas C. JONES' -.s, do
Hon J. F. Chandler, of L. S. H. Reps
Hon. Addison White. do do
Hon Ihos H. Bayly~ do do
Hon. D. T Disney, do do
Hon. J P Kennedy, Secretary of the Navy
D. J W. c Evans, of New Jersey
D. Thos Saunders.
| Joseph Gales, - ..- -,--.....-
Gen R Armstrong, IS .h.
DR. G. Bailey, u - :" ee.iFll's' -e
W W Seaton. ........ O. .....
Prof Henry of the Smith oni an Institution
VIM. Seldom late Treasurer of the L S
| Rev G. NJ Butler Episcopal Church
| Rev R Il Guriey, Presby Church
Rev. s S Roszell NJ E Churcl
Rev Mr. Donelan Catholic Church
Cd These gentleme n, or any three Of them.
are hereby authorized to meet at the Smith
sonian Institutute, the second Monday Of
December next, at such hour as they NAV ap-
point and there proceed to read and examine
| the various poems which may have been re-
ceived and to determine which of them is
most meritorious and deserving Of the prize
And I hereby bind myself to pay the sum
! aforementioned forthwith to whoever they
shall present to mo as the person who has
written, within the ii me prescribed. the best
| National Patriotic Poem, and upon the repre-
sentation that he or she is an American citizen
Sd. All communications must be sent to me
| at Washington post paidN before the FIRST
| Monday in December next, with full and
| complete conveyance Of the copyright to me
| and my heirs and assigns forever
| 4th I hereby bind and obligate myself to
| sell the poems thus sent tome as soon as prac.
| ticab1e. for the highest price, and to give the
proceeds to the poor of the city of Wash
| ington. ~ fcf -..,-E Ee-r ,.-... .
! 9Th No poem will be considered as subject
1 to this prize which shall not have been writ
| ten subsequent to this date, and received be-
! fore the first Monday in December next.
! .' 1..F r. ~ R. w. LATHAM
WASHINGTON, FEB. 10, 1853. -7 feb. II
CHARTER OAK LIFE INSURANCE COM
! PANY. -..--. .... -.- r...
| HARTFORD, CONNEC TICUT.
Capital .u-- :, 100000
Securely invested under the official appro-
val Of the Comptroller of Public Accounts of
| this State. 8
| Office, ccrner Of Main and Asyt3m street,
! THIS Company will issue Policies on the
i Joint Stock principle, and upon the Mu-
tual plan, thus combining the benefits of both
systems at the option of the insured; and
make contracts upon any and all conditions ap-