Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-05-25
TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION,
Encouragement to american Poetic Talent !!
500 Premium,

IMPRESSED as | am with the controlling in
/ huence 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 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 i'll
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 deuvres of the chisel, is an omen of
GOOD which will be hailed and applauded by
I'll 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 re-
nowned Ovations of the pen. No fostering
hand from these high places has ever yet in
Yted the Promethean fire of poetry to animat
the history of eur 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 kndling touch of this genial in
:piratiOn.
It surely were a work of supererogation to
introduce the proofs that crowd the records of
the past TO show how far above ali 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 . 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
clmpared with the songs of Burns, and Dib-
ioa and Campbell? Or what has the world
hat We would take in exchange for 9 Hail
Columhia'' and the Z" Star-Spanged Banner?"
Well might the British statesman esclaim
let NE 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 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
ltmen-ahle paucity of patriotic songs IN my
distinguished and beloved country, and with
the hope of being the humble means of pro-
| per public feeling upon this interesting sub
hereby offer the sum of five hundred dollars
asaprize for the best National Poem, Ode or
Epic
The rules which will govern the payment
| Of this sum. are follows:
lst. | 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.
Hon. A. o. p Nicholson of Tennessee.
Hon Cbos Summer of l. =. Senate
Hon. r. NJ 7. Hunter, do
Hon. Jas C. Jones, do
Hon. J. R. Chandler, of Z. s, Fl: Reps
Hon. Addison White do do
Hon. Thos 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.
ID. Thos. Saunders.
Joseph Gales,
DIR. g. Bailey,
W W Seaton,
Prof Henry, of the Smithsonian Institution.
VIM Seldom, late Treasurer of the T. 5.
Rev c. NJ Butler, Episcopal Church.
Rev r. R. Gurley. Presbyterian Church.
Rev. s. S Roszell. M. E. Church.
i Rey MIR. Donelan. Catholic Church.
/ q These gentlemen or any three of them,
4 are hereby authorized to meet at the Smith
| 'snian Instisutute. on the second Monday of
| December next at such hour they may ap-
9ont and there proceed to read and examine
he various poems which may have been re-
ceivel, and to determine which of them is
nast meritorious and deserving of the prize.
And I hereby bind myself to pay the sum
aforementioned forthwith, to whoever they
shall present to me as the person who has
4 s-i'ten. within the time prescribed, the best
Il National Patriotic Poem. and upon the repre-
sen'stion that he or she is an American citizen,
1 II. All communications must be sent to me
At Washington post paid before the first
Monday in December next, with full and
COMPLETE CONVEYANCE of the copyright to me
and nv heirs and assigns forever
4th. hereby bind and obligate myself to
seI the poems thus sent to me as soon as prac-
ncahle, for the highest price, and to give the
Proceeds to the poor of the city OF wash
lnston.
9th. No poem will be considered as sub1ect
% this prize which shall not have been writ
i en subsequent to this date. and received be-
''re the first Monday in December next
R. W LATHAM.
II WASHINGTON, FEB. 10. 1858. feb. II
i ~ 500 PARASOLS, of every quality
NJ very cheap
* 500 yards Printed BEREGES cheap
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