Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-06-10
TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION.
Encouragement to ..nerican Poetic Talent
500 PrcsniuNa.

A
4 1uence 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. 1T is an equal source of humiliation and
sorrow TO behold Inc apparent apathy and in
difference with which they seem 10 regard the
incOmparaby more valuable creations Of
poetry.
TO see them ad0rn the walls Of the Capitol
win the glowing revelations Of the pencil. and
decorate tire public grounds with the costly
Chef = tgugre5 u 0he chisel is an omen of
gOOd which VIII 90 nailed and appiauiel by
all IS 2 cheering pledge of the progress of re-
fnement. Bue. whilst they lavish their thou
sands upon chose imnobile 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
vted the Promethean fire Of poetry to animat
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 kindiing touch Of this genial i'll
spiration.
1t surely were a work Of supcreroration to
introduce the proofs that crowd he records of
the past to show how far above al 0-her stands
the divine art of poesy. WHAT are all the
paintings statues, and regalia of Versailles,
of FOntainbleau and the TuiIleries, 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. 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 . Hail
Columbia and the = : ar-Spanged Banner?"
Well might the British statesman exclaim
let me but write the ballads Of n nation,
and | care not who makes It's laws"
As far a. 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 are above the perishable canvass to
which the painter has transferred their feeble
resemblance, so far is n0etry above all other
arts that have their mission to console aud
elevate and inspire the immortal mind Of
man.
In view of these facts. and considering the
Iomen able pau:i+v Of patriotic songs in my
d i'm .uished and beloved country. and with
the hope Of being ;he hu1nh'e means Of a pro-
per publ. feeling upon his interesting sub
let have rre- induced TO offer, and do
hereby offer he mn ~ i've hurd cl dollars
as prize for he hes National Poem. Ode or
Eric
The ru' 'es which VIII govern the payment
Of this sum- are aS follows:
1st [ have selected without consE.ung
them 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. Chas. sumner, of I. :. Senate.
Hon r. NJ T. Hunter, do
Hon las c. Jones, do
Hon. ]. r. Chandler, of I. 5. II. Reps.
Hon. ldiSon White. do do
Hon Thos. II. Bayly, TO do
Hon. d. T. Disney, do DO
Hon. J. p. Kennedy Secretary Of the Navy.
DJ. w. C. Evans of New Jersey.
H. Thos Saunders.
JoSeph Gales,
zen. r. Armstrong, or tho pros-
Dr.. q. Bailey.
". W SeatOn.
pro- Tenrv Of the Smithsonian Institution.
tFrn Se'lon. late Treasurer of the u. ,.
tsy {. " Butler, Episcopal Church
Rev. r H. iurlev. Presbyterian Church.
Rev. : :; Roszeu VI. f. Church.
y,