Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-04-13
lines or less. For fourteen lines or less
c0URAGEMENT TO AMERICAN POETIC
TALENT!
5000 PRE- 3IIIIN

$500 PREMIUM.
VPRESSED as L am with the controlling influence
which Is exercised by tie fine arts upon the drec-
a AMI destiny of human affairs it has given ME in
RI. pleasure to wlt1ess the bOuntltul manner in
In from time to time, painting and statuary have
n encouraged and rewarded by tie Councils of the
ion.
IT, while this acknowledgment is due to the dis
nng and worthy patrons of these noble arts it is
clual source of humi iation and sorrow to behold
apparent apathy and indfferen e with which they
n 10 regard the incomparabiy more valuable Gre
! n; Of poetry.
70 see them adorn the walls of the Capitol with the
ging revelations of the pencil, aud decorate the
,i; grounds with the costly chef Hoeuvres of the
I sci, Is an omen of good which will be hailed and
.auded by all as cheering pledge of the progress
-sfnenent. But, whilst they lavish their thous-
L, upon these immobile products of canvass and
r5e and bronze, they offer no reward for the more
t,.tel, more enduring and renowned ovations of he
| .. No fostering hand from these high places has
vet invited the Promethan fire of poetry to ami
lie the history of our country, which, with all its
rmOny OF form and wonder OF proportion. lies asleep
gInl the humble vault OF Mount Vernon, ready to
into life and beauty at the first kndling toucn
! this genial inspiration
isurely were work of supererogation to introduce
proofs that crowd the records of the past to show
far above all other stands the "divine art of
~. What are all the paintings, statues and rega-
Of Versailles, of Fontainbleau. and the Tuileries
npared with the g Marseies Hymn 2" What the
s.y ptnoply of gold and gems heaped up in the
ser Of London; what the collections of the Royal
9lemy, or even the time hallOwed shrines of West
nt;r Abbey, when compared with the songs of
l'ns, AMI Dibden, and Campbell? Or what has the
I'll that we would take in exchange for " Hail Co
aoa" and the "Star-Spangled Banner?" Well
mt the British statesman exclaim, ''let me but
lie the ballads of nation, and care not who
taSeSits laws"
l. f,r ~ ,h Iv;nr braotbipr mon ;S aboyo tho ,old
tnsate marble that is made to represent him; as
the liant skies of summer are above the per-
Gble canvass to which the painter has transferred
III feeble resemblance, so far is poetry above all
her arts that have their mission to console and ele-
Il and inspire the immortal mind of man.
In view OF these facts, and considering the lament
e paucity of patriotic songs in my distinguished
beloved country, and with the hope of being the
nble means of proper public feeling upon this in
Sung subject, / have been induced to offer, and
hereby Offer, the sum of five hundred dollars as q
re for the best National POem Ode or Epic.
le rules which will govern the payment of this
follows:
: have selected without consulting them) the
'Flng persons to act as judges or arbiters of the
u thus offered, namely:
a7 President of the United States.
Hon 4 o. P.NNicholson. of Tennessee.
i'n Chas Sumner, of u SaSenate.
Hon K. VI. I. Hunter, do
I'm Jas. G. Jones, do
9a.J R Chandler, of U. s. House Representatives.
t'l Allison White, do do
ioa ThOs. III Bayly, do do
Jn D. L. Disney dc do
l'a. John P, Kennedy, Secretary of the Navy.
John W. G. Evans, of New Jersey.
' ThOs. Saunders
%ph tales.
Ien. L. ARMSTRONG
JiG. Bailey, Vi the ress'
" ". SeatOn.
r'a<Ser Henry, ofthe Smithsonian Institution.
Fm selden, late Treasurer of the United States.
..' !. " Butler, Episcopal Church.
''' h H. Gurlef Presbyterian Church.
S'' IS RoSzell. Methodist Episdopal Church.
az s5'. ,ir DOnelan, Catholic Church.
u IheSe gentlemen, or any three of them are
%! authorized to meet at the Smithsonian Insti-
oa the second Monday of December next, at such
N Iley may appoint, aud there proceed to read
'AaWne the various poems which may have
leoelved. and to determine which of them Is
"Fri'oriouS and deserving of the prize. And
y END myself to pay the sum aforementioned
-1"G' to whoever they shall present to me the
~ u ~ho mas written within the time prescribed the
a"ohai Patriotic Poem, and upon the represen-
I .aaI ne or she is an American citizen.
:, All communications must be sent to me at
S HSon 'post-paid) before the first Monday in De-
- next, with full and complete conveyance of
'p!fisht to ME and my heirs and assigns for
% hereby bind and obligate myself to sell the
nus nus sent to me soon as practicable, for the
-. pFe, and to give the proceeds to the poor OF
l u - G Washington.
r., W poem viii be considered as subject to this
u n, 1ch sch shsll not have been written subsequent
ME and received before the first Monday in
W. next. r. W. LATHAM.
-a'S'loN FEB. 10, 1858. feb17-