Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-06-07
E22oaragement to american Poetic Talent
900 ErcxgsiGwn. .

~A<o-- SA@-~A-s ~ df-~SA -SSsA4 -S.S.AS
$500 E-rc1gsiGGa.
TM2RESSED as am with the controlling in
: hueace which is exercised By the fine arts
>r,s upon the direction and destiny Of human
-.4irs, it has given me infinite pleasure to
Fitness tbs bountiful manner III which, from
me TO time, painting and statuary have been
s4couraged and rewarded by the Councils OF
-le Nation.
But, while this acknowledgment is due to
:he discerning and worthy patrons of these
1j5!e, it is equal source Of humiliation and
5,rFow to behold the apparent apathy and in
difference with which they seem to regard the
in;0mpar&bly more valuable creations OF
ooetry.
To see them adorn tie walls of the Capitol
with the glowing revelations Of lie pencil, and
decorate the public grounds with the costly
cLef d'nuvres Of the chiscl, is al omen of
good which will be hailed and applauded by
ali as cheering pledge Of The proc yress Of re-
fnement. But, Wills y!.ey sagish their thou
sands upon those immooi:o PRODUCTS ofca1vass
and marble and bronze, they offer no reward
tor the more exalted, more endurin. and re-
nJwncl ovationS of the pen. No fostering
hand from these high places has ever yet III
viteI the Promcthean fire Of poetry to animal
tbs history of our country, which, with all its
hlrm0ny Of form and wonder Of proportion
lies asleep around the humble vault Of Mount
Vernon, ready to spring into life and beauty
1t the first kindlins touch Of this genial ia
splratlOn-
IL surely were work Of supererog CATION to
Introduce the proofs that crowd the records of
the past to show how far above all other stands
The divine ara" OF poesy What are all the
paintings statues, and resalia Of Versailles,
.: Fontainbloau and the Tuilleries, compared
with the ''Marseilles Hymn 20 What the
kingly panoply Of gold and gems heaped up
in the Tower Of London what the collections
Of the Royal Academy. or even the time hal
loved shrines of Westminster Abbey, when
compared with the songs Of Burns, and Dib
den, and Campbell? Or what has the world
tlat Be would take in exchange Cor - Hail
Colum5ia" and the - Star-Spangled Banner2''
EeI might the British statesman cxclaim
let NJ b.s wr.sc t..1 3-ia1s Of nation,
AMI care not who makes its laws
IS far rs the living. breathing man is above
the cold insensate marble that is made to re-
rresent 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
ianentahle pauci5y of patriotic songs III my
DISTINGUISHED and beloved country, and with
the hone ef being the humble means Of Il pro-
De. public feeling upon this interesting sub
ie:t | have been induced 20 offer, and 90
hereby offer, the sum Of five hundred dollars
prize for the best National Poem, Que or
Epic
The rules which will govern the payment
ii this sum, are as follows:
Ist. I 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. \. 0. p. Nicholson, Of Tennessee.
Hon Chas Sumner, Of I. 5 Senate
Hon r. VI T. Hunter, do
Hon Jas c. Jones, 90
Hon. ]. r. Chandler, Of l. S. II Reps.
Hon Addison White, do do
Hon Thcs II Bayly, do do
Hon. p. T. Disney, 10 do
Hon. !. P. Kennedy. Secretary Of the Navy.
D.J. W. c. Evans, of New Jersey,
D. Thos saunders.
5@1S'R asn R 'a'S9, arn.trons, oe II. Press.
Dr.. G. Bailey,
". W. Seat0n.
Prof. Henry of She Smithsonian Institution,
Wm. Seldon. late Treasurer Of the U. )
Rev. C.. NJ Butler, Episcopal Church.
Rev. R r. Gurlev Presbyterian Church.
Rev. $ S Roszcu, VI. +. Church.
Rev. Mr. Donelan, Catholic Church.
Il These gentlemen, or any three OF them
q, hereby authorized to meet at the Smith
.onian Institututc, on the second Monday OF
l.,enber next, at such hour as they may APP
aeint. and there proceed to read and examine
-ae various poems which may have been re-
-oivei and to determine which OF them Is
most meritorious and deserving Of the prize
AMI [ 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-
senta,ion that he or she is an American citizen
81 All communications must be sent to me
a. Washington post paid before the frs
Monday in December next, with tuil ano
comDlete conveyance of the copyright 10 ine
anil nv heirs and assigns forever.
4th | hereby bind and oblsate mysef 'e
sell the noems thus sent TO me as soon as prac
tea5le. for the highest price, and to give tnf
proceeds to the poor Of the city OF WASH
ing+on
5th. No poem will be considered as suoIec
To this prize which shall not have been writ
ten subsequent to this date and received De
fore the first Monday in December next;
R. W. LATHAM.
WASHINGTON, FEB. 10. 1858. feb IL
Light Kid Gloves, Black Nett Mitts &c.