Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-05-10
TERMS OF ADVERTISING,
For fourteen lines or less
COURAGEMENT TO AMERICAN POETIC
TALENT!
$500 PREMIUM,

$500 MUM,
g.RESSED as am with the controlling Influence
shch Is exercised by tie fiue arts upon the direc
and destiny Of human affairs, it has given me- in
pleasure TO witness the bountiful manner in
!. from time u time, painting and statuary have
eacourased and rewarded by the Councils of the
X, while this ackn 0wledg gment is due to the dis
A.. and worthy patrons of these noble arts it is
,lll source OF hum ldtlOn and sorrow to behold
.ppareut apathy and indifferen e with which they
:, regard Il incomparably more valuable GRE
! j Of poetry.
them adorn the walls of the Capitol with the
.i. revelations of the pencil, and deco rate the
i -rOunds with the costly chef dOeuvres of the
| Il, IS an omen of good which will be hailed and
! Ilel by all as cheering pledge of the progress
.Iaement. But, whilst they lavish their thous-
! upon these immobiie products of canvass and
-je and bronze, they offer no reward for the more
! III, more enduring and renowned Oyations of he
W G1Sterlng hand from these high places has
vet invited the Promethan fire of poetry to ami
the history of our country, which, with all its
llly OF fJrm and ~Ondcr Of proportion, lies asleep
nj the humble vault OF Mount Vernon ready to
a.; into life aud beauty at the first kndling toucn
Is mini inspiration.
,Irely were work of supererog CATION to introduce
- i that crowd the records OF the past to show
tdr above all other stands the ''divine art of
T. hat are all the paintings, statues and rega-
!erSallles. of Fontainbleau. and the Tuileries
.rtd with the " Marseiiles Hymn 20 What the
p'noPly OF gold and gems heaped up in the
~ 0f London; what the collections of the ROYAL
my, even the time hallowei shrines of West
- Abbey, when compared with the songs of
rs. AMI DID len, and Campbell? Or what has the
! IlIt W. would take in exchange for 50 Hail Co.
'I AMI the Star-Spangied Banner?" Well
L TIE British statesman eyclai,n, ''let me but
= the ballads of a nation, and I care not who
i.,I,, laws
tlr - th- living breathing man is above the cold
l>a,e marble that is made to represent him: as
i = tl1 RI liant skies of summer are above the per-
J,r canvass to which the pai ter has transferred
i-''oIe resemblance, so far is poetry above all
arts that have tn .lr mission 10 console and ele-
lul inspire the immortal mind Of man.
seS of these facts, and considering the lament
-tucIy OF patriotic songs in my distinguished
--1yeI country, AMI with the hope of being the
30. means Of proper public feeGng upon this in
rag subject have been Induced to offer, and
-te5y Offer, the sum of FIVE hundred dollars as a
.)r the best National Poem, ode, or Epic.
rules which will govern the payment of this
{. aS follows:
have Seectei (without consulting them) the
'.lt persons to act as judges or arbters of the
mus offered. namely:
Preside t of the United States.
\ D. p Nicholson. OF Tennessee.
Chas. sumner of U. 5. Senate.
d K NJ r. Hunter, do
jas. &. Jones, do
II EudulieT. Vi U .. House representatives.
Allison Whit, dc do
J. Thos IL Bavly, do do
D. T. Disney, do do
Iohu P Kennedy, Secretary of the Navy.
5ola W. e. Evaus, of New Jersey.
Ido'. Saunders
IL tales.
T. Armstrong, Of tbs PROSE
bliiey, VI 'ne RUSS
".>.Iton,
-''3r Henry. ofthe Smithsonian Institution.
>'ll"n, late Treasurer of the United States.
= VI. Butler, Episcopal Church.
]" Ii. Gure Presbyterian Church.
- sell. Methodist Epis1opal Church.
IL Donelan, Catholic Church
,h'h gentlemen, or any three Of them.
ilihorizeJ To meet at the Smithsonian Insti-
;n- second Monday of December next, at such
,a-y may appoint, and there proceed to read
mine the various poems which may have
7-''I and to determine which of them is
--,NorlouS and deserving of the prize. And
'aI myself TO pay the sum aforementioned
"- - wh"eyer they shalt present to me as the
$40 has written within the time prescribed the
.-1lal Patriotic Poem, and upon the represent
,-i' ne or she is an American citizen.
IL. communications must be sent to me at
-l't3l post paid before the first Monday in De-
h-Xt with full aud complete conveyance of
:!h:At 10 me and my heirs and assigns for
hereby bind and obligate myself to sell the
II 'A!' sent to me as soon as practicable, for the
FL lfi,e, and To give the proceeds to the poor of
~ % Washington.
W Poem will be considered as subject to this
~ i'tl shall not have been written subsequent
81 A". aud received before the first Monday in
'aext, 4. W. LATHAM.
ESi'oN, FEB 10. 1858 ftb17-