Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-05-21
Encouragement to American Poetic Talent
$500 Premium.

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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, 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 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'9uvres 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 OyatiOns Of the pen. No fostering
hand from these high places has ever yet in
vited 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 to spring into life and beauty
at the first kindling 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 = Marseilles Hymn - What the
kngly panoply of gold and gems heapcd up
in the Tower of London what the collections
of the Royal Academy, even the time hal
lowed shrnes 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 g Hail
Columbia" and the = Star-Spangled Banner2"
Well might the British statesman eXclaim
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 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 Ia my
distinguished and beloved country, and with
the hope of being the humble means of pro-
per public feeling upon this interesting sub
ject, [ have been induced to offer, and do
hereby offer, the sum of five hundred dollars
rs a prize for the best National Poem, Ode or
Epic
The rules which will govern the payment
Of this sum, are as follows
1st. | 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.
Hon A. o. P. Nicholson, of Tennessee.
Hon. Chas. Sumner, of U. S. Senate.
Hon. r. NJ. T. Hunter, do
Hon. Jas. G.. Jones, do
Hon ]. r. Chandler, Of L. S. II. Reps.
Hon. Addison White, do do
Hon Thos, III. 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,
DIR. &. 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. Gurley, Presbyterian Church.
Rev S S. Roszell, M. E. Church.
Rev Mr. Donelan, Catholic Church.
ID These gentlemen, or any three of then,
are hereby authorized to meet at the Smith
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-
ceved, 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 me as the person who has
written, within the time 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 paid) before the first
Monday in December next with fuli 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 to me as soon as prac-
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
10 this prize which shall not have been VIII
ten subsequent to this date. and received oe-
fore the first Monday in December next;
r. W LATHAM
WASHINGTON FEB 10, 1858. feb. IL