Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-02-21
TO AMERICAN poKr.
ef3-.t5 &c TALENt!
80, AJOO PR 4 M HIM


s.t $500 PR Il MUM.
I IMPRESSED as MN with. 1he eontroiline inhuence
which i, ex rciseu by tie fine arts upon tn. dirpo-
Ton aud destiny Of humsn sfrs, itlhas given M in
flute pleasure ~ wit ess the boun iui manner in
which, from time t. time, pair ting and statua have
been encouraged AID rewarded by t.e Coun,i vf the
Nation.
But While th. aekn ,wl. dsment is due 70 tho d;..
eerning aud worthy patrons OF these noble art il il
an equal eoulcs Of humi iAtio aud sorrow tn tehoid
tn: apparent apathy an indif with which thew
seem t. regard the iucompa, ably more valuable cre-
auons of poetry.
10 see them adorn the walls the Capitol with tn.
glowing revelations Of the peLcil anu u. co ate the
public grounds with the costly chef duvres of the
chise, j. an omen Of good VINE b will he hailed aud
appiaudel by all Cheering pledge CT the progress
OF Refinement But, whist they lavish their thO,s-
Ands upon these immoiise oducts Of canv ss ard
mArb and bronze, they offer for The NOR.
exalted, more enduring crowned ovatlons # Ia
ren. NO fostering hand from these high places has
ever Yet invi ed the romethan FIRE of poetry to AMI
mate tie history Of country, hi b. with ali its
'rnlouy OF foi aud onder OF ropOrli lies a. cen
srount the humble vault O. Mount Vernon ready 10
spring into f, aud teauy ut the d st kidding touca
OF this nial inspiration.
1t surel were work of supererogaion to Introduces
the proofs that crowd the records the past to thov
how far above all o her s'sBds the d lie art" of
poesy hat are all the paintings, statues and regs
la Of Versailles. Of Fontainblesu. an the Tuiier g.
eompar, vi the - Marcel lea lily mn 2" HIT the
King ,nopiy of gold and gems hraped I'D in tn.
Tower OF London; what the so,lec ions of the koyA
Academy, or even the time hnlowed shrin of est
m MT ,r Abbey, when compared with the SOM. Of
Burns, AMI Iibten, and Campbell! Or what has the
world that we would take exchange for Hail Co
umbis' and the " Star-,rsng'ed Bann.r!" Well
mi ht the British stateSmau e1rlain, .'let me but
write the ballads Of Lation, aid care lot WHO
make it. laws"
As far as the living breathing il alb we the cold
ntensate marble that is made n represent him "A
>r ~ the "a iaut skies OF summer above the per
shabe Canvass 10 which the Tai as tr usferr.d
their feeble Resemblance, far is poetry above all
other arts that have their mission console snd Gle
Fate aud ln>piie the immo tai mind man.
IN vle" uI There facts aud onsdering the lament
able paucty OF patrio ic songs in my distinguished
anu beloved country and vi u hope of teiug the
humble means Ut prOp~s puuic Dg upon this ill.,
tore ting sui Ject, have cen induced to Offer and
do hereby I'll r, tie sum of five tund, ed dollars az
prize Tor the bert Nat o ,nl 70. m Uue, or Epic.
The r"les which will govern the payment Of this
sum = y as follows:
LIST have selected wi hout con.u ting theu) the
following lerous to act judge, arbters cf the
plize thus offered. npm.ly
The Presids Of the United States
ho'. A y. p. Nicholson OF Tenness o.
lion Chas. Sumner, of U. s. senate.
Hon. Il VI. L. Hunter, do
liou. JAS =. jones, d.,
lion CHAM er, of US. House Representatives.
Hon. Thos III B.yly, do do
lion. John 2. Kennedy, Secret .ry of the Navy.
Dr. John w. Z, hvans, Of New Jersey.
Joseph Gales,
Gep. K Al strong RI,
Dr.G. Bailey, "a 'u' 1Fe's'
w. ". S.aton,
Proe>s or Henry, of the Sn hso. i'm Institute
VIM Seden. a,e rrcss Of the United St.tes
Rcv.C NJ. But er, Episc pal Church
Kew X. Cure Presbyterian Church.
lt"v.S . Resell. Me hodi f. siopal Lhu ch.
Kew. MIR Do.:ean, Catho,ic Church
3D. These gentl men, ur any three IT them are
hereby autho lied 10 meet at he Smi hsoni m Insi
tute on the second Monday Of De enter next SUI
hour as they may app int, aid there r. CO u t read
ana examine u g var.o s. pU ms which may have
been received, and TO Diet. rhine which OF them is
most merltoi Ious anu deserving of the rizs. And
hereby bind myse to lay the sum aforeme n toned
for hxith, VIII they shall present ME ~ the
per WHO has iteu thin the tim, rres criled The
ct National Patriotic Poem, and UPON the lepresen
t,'lon that he or she is An american citizen.
81 All communications must be seut to me IT
Washington Iost-paid) before tiret Monday in De
cember xt VII, full aud cumpie e conveyance of
the copyright to me aid my heirs and assigns for
ever.
4th. hereby bind and oblgate myself to sell the
poems III IS sent to practicable, Tor ,h-
highes st rce, and to give the pro eeds 10 the luor
tue city of WaSEi. gton.
STR. N" loem VIII be consi Tered subject to this
Irizs which sh ii not h,s. been written u bseque,
to this data. aud received before The first Moi i'll
peceiuo"r next. +. ". LATHAM.
WASHINGTON, FEB. 10. 1858 f.h,7