Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-06-18
Encouragement to American Poetic Talent !!
$500 Premium.

IMPRESSED as / am with the controlling in
i fuence which is exercised by the fine arts
arts upon the direction and destiny of human
affairs, it has given me infinite pleasure to
witness the bOuntiful manner in which, from
time to time, painting and statuary have been
encouraged and rewarded by the Councils of
the Nation.
But, while this acknowled gment is due to
the discerning and worthy patrons of these
noble, 1t is an equal source of humiliation and
sorrow to behold the apparent apathy and in
difference with which they seem to regard the
incomparably more valuable creations of
poetry.
To see them adorn the walls of the Capitol
with the glowing revelations of the pencil. and
decorate the public grounds with the costly
chef euvres of the chisel, is an omen of
good which will be hailed and applauded by
all as cheering pledge of the progress Of re-
fnement But, whilst they lavish their thou
sands upon those lmmobile products of canvass
and marble and bronze, they offer no reward
for the more exalted, more enduring and
newned OyatiOns of the pen. No fostering
hand from these high places has ever yet in
vited the Promethean fire Of poetry to animal
the history of our country, which, with all its
harmony of form and wonder of proportion,
lies asleep around the humble vault of Mount
Vernon, ready to spring into life and beauty
at the first kindling touch of this genial in
spiratiOn.
1t surely were work of supererOgatiOn to
Introduce the proofs that crowd the records of
the past to show how far above all other stands
the divine art of poesy. What are all the
paintings statues, and regalia of Versailles,
Of Fontain bleau and the Tuilleries, compared
with the q Marseilles Hymn ?" What the
kingly panoply Of gold and gems heaped up
in the Tower of London what the collections
: a., II tbn hot
lowed shrines Gf Westminster Abbey, when
compared with the songs of Burns, and Dib-
den and Campbell? Or what has the world
that we would take in exchange for " Hail
Columbia and the . Star-Spangled Banner2"
Well might the British statesman eXclaim
let me but write the ballads of nation,
and | care not who makes it's laws.
As far as the living, breathing man is above
the cold inscEsate marble that is made to re-
present 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
iamentable paucity of patriotic songs In my
distinguished and beloved country, and with
the hone of being the humble means of pro-
iect | have been induced to offer. and do
hereby offer the sum of FIVE hundred dollars
.. q prize for the best National Poem, Ode or
Epic.
The rules which will govern the payment
Of this sum, as follows:
1st 7 have selected without consulting
theml the following persons to act as judges
or arbiters of the prize thus offered, namely ::
The President of The United States.
-. FTa,o
Hon Chas Sumner, of I. : Senate
Hon r. NJ T. Hunter, do
Hon Jas C. Jones, do
Hon. J. R. Chandler, of l. S II. Reps
Hon Addison White, do do
Hon Thos II. Bayly, do do
Hon. D. T. Disney. do do
Hon. J. P. Kennedy Secretary of the Navy.
u J. W. c. Evans, Of New Jersey.
i. Thos. Saunders.
Joseph Gales,
DR.. G. Bailey,
W. W. Seaton,
Prof Henry, of the Smithsonian Institution
VIM Seldom late Treasurer of the [. S.
Rev. C. NJ. Butler, Episcopal Church
Rev. R. r. Gurley, PRESBYTERIAN Church.
Rev. S. s. Boszell, NJ. E. Church.
Rev Mr.. Doneian, Catholic Church.
ID These gentlemen. any three of them.
fTe hereby authorized 10 meet at the smith
oman Insttutute, on the second Monday of
december next. at such hour as they may ap-
pent. and there proceed to read and examine
tne various poems which may have been re-
ceived, and to determine which of them is
most mcritoriOus and deserving of the prize.
Aud l 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-
sentation that he or she is an American citizen.
Sd. All communications must be sent to me
at Washington post paid) before the first
Monday in December next, with full and
complete conveyance Of the copyright to me
and nv heirs and assigns forever.
4th hereby bind and obligate myself to
sell the poems thus sent to me as soon as prac-
ilcable for the highest price, and to give the
proceeds to the poor Of the city OF wash
lngtOn
5th No poem will be considered as subject
TO this prize which shall not have been writ
ten subsequent to this date. and received be-
lore the first Monday in December next
R. W. LATHAM.
WASHINGTON, FEB. 10, 1858. feb. IL
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