Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-05-26
Encouragement to American Poetic Talent!
$500 Premium.

$500 Premium.
IMPRESSED as | am with the controlling in
L fuence which Is exercised by the fine arts
arts upon the direction and destiny of human
affairs, 1T 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 acknowlelg lgment is due to
the discerning and worthy patrons of these
noble, 1t 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'nuyres of the chisel. is an omen of
good which will be hailed and applauded by
all Il cheering pledge of the progress of re-
fnement. But, whilst they lavish their thou
sands upon those inmobile products of canvass
and marble and bronze, they offer no reward
for the more exalted. more enduring and re-
uowne1 ovations of the pen. No fostering
hand from these high places has ever vet in
yted the 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 10 spring into life and beauty
a; the first kindling touch of this genial in
spiration-
L surely were work of supererogation to
.ltroduce the proofs that crowd the records of
he past to show how far above all other stands
ne = divine art of poesy. What are all the
.IinjingS statues, and ,alia of Versailles
o. Fontainbleau and the Tuilleries. compared
with the = Marselles Hymn % What the
sinsy panoply of gold and gems heaped up
in the Tower of London what the collections
Il the Royal Academy. or even the time hal
owed shrine5 of Westminster Abbey, when
rJmpared with the songs of Burns. and Dib-
lcu. and Campbell Or what has the world
lat we would take in exchange for - Hail
,uIuba'' and the = Star-Spangled Banner?"
Well might the British statesman eXclaim
-e' me but write the ballads of nation,
.aI care not who makes its laws
As far as the living breathing man is above
he cold insenSate marble that is made to re-
rrcsent him. as far the radiant skies Of
>Gmmer are above the perishable canvass to
whi:h the painter has transferred their feeble
rcscmblance 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
1mcntable paucity of patriotic songs in my
the hope of being the humble means of a pro-
Der public feeling upon this interesting sub
ieet | have been induced to offer. and do
hereby offer the sum of five hundred dollars
a, a prize for the best National Poem, Ode or
Epic.
The rules which will govern the payment
Of this sum, are as follows
Ist [ have selected (without consulting
them) the following persons to act as Judges
or arbiterS of the prize thus offered, namely :
The President of the Unite1 States.
Hon. A 0. p Nicholson of Tennessee.
Hon Chas. Sumner, of L. s. Senate.
Hon r. NJ T. Hunter, do
Hon Jas. C. Jones, do
Hon J. r. Chandler, of L. 5. Ill. Reps.
Hon Addison White, do do
lion Thos. H. Bayly, do do
Hon D. r. Disney, do do
Hon J. P. Kennedy Secretary of the Navy.
DJ. W. C. Evans, of New Jersey.
D. Thos Saunders.
ssD, ss''PR R: 'a'Sa: Armstrong, of the Press,
DIR. G. Bailey,
W. W. Seaton,
Prof Henry. of the Smithsonian Institution.
Wm Seldom. late Treasurer of the I. 5.
Rev. G.. NJ Butler, Episcopal Church.
Rev. r. r Gurlev. Presbyterian Church.
Rev. s. s. Roszell, NJ. E. Church.
Rev. Mr. Doneian, Catholic Church.
a. These gentlemen, or any three OF them.
are hereby authorized to meet at the Smith
nan Tnstitutute. on the second Monday of
bc.ember next, at such hour as they may ap-
elint. and there proceed to read and examine
The various poems which may have been re-
reiyed, and TO determine which of them is
most meritorious and deserving of the prize.
Ind hereby bind myself to pay the sum
aforementioned forthwith, to whoever they
hall present to me as the person who has
written. within the time prescribed, the best
National Patriotic Poem, and upon the repre-
sen,ation that he or she is an American citizen.
81 All communications must he sent to me
n Washington post paid before the first
Monday in December next with full and
eomnlete conveyance of the copyright to me
and my heirs and assigns forever.
It'll. hereby bind and obligatc myself to
sell the poems thus sent to me as soon as prac-
icahle, 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
% this prize which shall not have been writ
zen subsequent to this date, and received be-
lore the first Monday in December next
r. W. LATHAM.
WASHINGTON, FEB. 10, 1853. feb. IL