Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-05-04
For fourteen lines or less,
yC3URAGEMENT TO AMERICAN POETIC
TALENT
$500 PREMIUM.

$500 PREMIUM.
IMPRESS Ed Us am with the controlling influence
which exercised by tie fine arts upon the iirec-
IA ami destiny of human aflirs, it has given me in
Ii. pleasure to wltaess the boun;iful manner in
scn, from time tt time, painting and statuary have
n encouraged and rewarded by the Councils of the
jIt while this acknowledgment is due to the dis
rain, and worthy patrons OF these noble arts it is
-juIl of humiiiat and sorrow to behold
apparent apathy and inditferen with which they
n t. regard the incomparably more valuable Gre
.lls OF poetry
10 see them aorn the walls Of the Capitol with the
1&iug revolutions of the pencil, aud deco rate the
,I: grounds with the costly chef doeuvres of the
,c, Is an oneu of good which will be hailed and
.auIel by all as a cheering pledge of the progress
r-Inement But, whilst they lavish their thous-
., upon these lnmobi'e products of canvass and
mole aud bronze, they offer reward for the more
-1ltt!, more enduring and renowned OvatiOns Of he
... No fostering hand from these high places has
,-- yet invited the prOmethan fire of poetry to ami
LIE the history OF our country, which, with all it's
rmOny OF form and wonder OF proportion lies aSeeD
,,lui the humble vault OF Mount Vernon, ready to
-us into life and beauty ut the first kndiur touch
tnlS Z g'nial inspiration.
!-Sureiy were work of fsupereroraton to Introduce
proofs that crowd the records of the past to show
y tar above all other stands the sd vine art " of
~ What are all the paintings statues, and rega-
u Versailles, of Fontainbeau. and the Tuileres
Iparrd with the 'Marscilles Hymn? - What the
.-cF Pinoply OF gold and gems heaped up in the
Ser OF London; what the collections of the Royal
iaItmy, Or even the time halowed shrines of West
-a>t'r Abbey, when compared with the songs of
jirls, ami Dibien, and Campbell! Or what has the
,l that We would take i'll exchange for - Hail Co.
.n5n' AMI the Star-Spangled Banner?" Well
n 4. the British statesman eXclaim, "let me but
-e the ballais of a nation, and L care not who
lli', it, laws
u far as the living breathing is above the cold
l'snsae marble that is made to represent him; as
Il, the rl liant skies of summer are above the per-
4lbe canvass to which the pal ter has transferred
;r feeble resemblance, so far is poetry above all
her arts that have their mission to console and ee
al. and inspire the immortal mind Of man.
Ia view OF these facts and considering the lament
se PIuci-y OF patriotic songs in my distinguished
Al beloved country, and with the hope of being the
410e means OF a proper public feeling upon this in
testing subject, have been induced to offer, and
hereby oifer, the sum of five hundred dollars
1e for the best National Poem, Ode, or Epic.
lae rules which will govern the payment of this
iG ale follows:
- have selected without consulting them the
wing persons to act judges arbiters of the
se thus offered, namely:
ne Presllert of the United States.
Hon \. .. u. Nicholson. of Tennessee.
lou Chas. Sumner, of U. S. Senate.
.iJl- H. VI L. Hunter, do
Ion JAS C.. Jones, do
,ion.J Il Chandler, of s.. House Representatives.
Hon. addison White, do do
lon Tho5. III. Bayly, do do
d1u D. L. Disney do do
,3u John 2. Kennedy, Secretary of the Navy.
w. John w e. Evans, of New Jersey.
Ir FhOS. Saunders
faseph tales,
ut. Bailey, VI ' '''
w. ). .atOn,
'h''or Henry. ofthe Smithsonian Institution.
WI Seden, late Treasurer of the United States.
~. VI Butler, Episcopal Church.
'.'' H. X. GurleJ PreSby yterian Church.
~ ~ Ro>zell, Methodist Epslopal Church.
~. 1lf DOnelan, Catholic Church.
:" lheSe gentlemen, any three of them are
D! authorized to meet at the Smithsonian Inst-
On the second Monday of December next, at such
IL 'ney may appoint, and there proceed to read
rAahllne the various poems which may have
-fr;eiyed. and to- determine which of them is
merltorlouS and deserving of the prize. And
E bind myself to pay the aforementioned
with, t. whoever they shall present to the
- VINO has written within the time prescribed the
NAIIona Patriotic Poem, and upon the represen-
I'd ..lit he Or she Is an American citizen.
Ill communications must be sent to at
''l-toa lpOSt-paid) before the first Monday in De-
ff next, with "A full and complete conveyance of
u i'syrisht to me and my heirs and assigns for
n hereby bind and obligate myself to sell the
II 'hIS sent to me soon as practicable, tor the
,>, price and to give the proceeds to the poor of
ny OF Washington.
II "' No poem will be considered subject to this
II nch shall not have been written subsequent
| -, late, and received before the first Monday in
II va'er next. II. W. LATHAM.
s. - -D',HINGTuX FEE 10 1858 feb17