Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-05-11
FOR seven lines less For fourteen lines or less
;gC0 FRAGMENT TO AMERICAN POETI
TALENT,
$500 PRE- MUM.

$500 PREMIUM.
IPtESSE Ed as am with the controlling influence
which Is exercised by tie fine arts upon the direc-
AMI destiny of human affairs, it has given me in
IL pleasure to witness the bountiful manner in
.I,h. from time to time, painting and statuary have
n encouraged and rewarded by the Councils of the
tor
bII, while this acknowledgement is due to the dis
-aln5 and worthy patrons of these noble arts it is
eIual source of humiliation and sorrow to behold
apparent apathy and inliiferen 70 with which thew
n 70 regard the lncomparabiy more valuable Gre
1ols OF poetry.
them adOrn the walls of the Capitol with the
wing revelations of the pencil and deco eate the
.l; grounds with the costly chef Hoeuyres of the
>ii, Is an omen of good which will be hailed and
ilu1ei by ali as cheering pledge of the progress
'4iuement. But, whilst they lavish their thous-
.s upon these lmmObie products of canvass and
r5e and bronze, they offer reward for the more
iL.rt, more enduring and renowned oyatiOns of he
n. No fostering hand from these high places has
yet invited the Promethan fire of poetry to ami
te the history OF our country, which, with all its
rmony OF form and wonder of proportion lies asleep
Ilt the humble vault OF Mount Vernon ready to
into life aud beauty at the first kiudlng toucn
'as ..nial Inspiration.
surely were II work of supererogatioa to introduce
proofs that crowd the records OF the past to show
far above all other stands the - divine art of
~ hat are all the paintings, statues, and rega-
Of versailles of Fontainbleau. and the Tuileries,
nPlrrd with the - Marseies Hymn" What the
a;y panoply of gold and gems heaped up in the
lFer OF London; what the collections of the Royal
a!emy, or even the time hallOwed shrineS of West
muster Abbey, when compared with the songs of
Sl;nS, AMI Dlbclen, and Campbell? Or what has the
I'D That We would take in exchange for " Hail Co
\ n'n and the ''Star-S pangled Banner?" Well
fai;hi tue British statesman exclaim, ''let but
jSr. the ballads of a nation, and L not who
4liteo l., laws"
A'ftr as the living. breathing is above the cold
tn'ensate marble that is made to represent him; as
~ the raiiant skies of summer are above the per-
tDle ctnvaSS to which the PAL ter has transferred
eir feeble resemblance, so far is poetry above all
r arts that have their mission to console and ele
T. and inspire the immortal mind of man.
In view OF these facts, and considering the lament
pauci.y of patriotic songs in my distinguished
beloved country, and with the hope of being the
mole means off proper public feeling upon this in
i%tlng subject, have been induced to offer, and
Lereby oftr, the sum of five hundred dollars as
D for the best National Poem, Ode, or Epic.
IN as follows:
~ have selected without consulting them) the
wing persons to act as judges or arbiters of the
q thus offered, namely:
-la Preside 1T of the United States
h'n y. Z. Nicholson. of Tennessee.
I'n Chas. Sumner, of U 5. Senate.
Hon. K VI. L. Hunter, do
ION. Jas. Q. Jones, do
l'a-J Chandler of U S. House Representatives.
iiJa. rhOs. H. BayIy do do
ln. d. L. Disney, do do
tn John ?. Kennedy, Secretary of the Navy.
W. John W. z. Evans, of New Jersey.
IT. rhoS. Saunders
>eph tales
E.!i Bailey, VI 'ne rreSS'
W. S!atOn,
t''sor ilenry, Ofthe smithsonian Institution.
% oeiden late Treasurer of the United States.
AZ T. VI Butler, Episcopal Church.
II H. Gurles, PreSby terian Church.
- ). Roszell, Methodist Episdopal Church.
:. Nr D0neian, Catholic Church.
:" lheSe gentlemen, or any three OF them, are
, authorized to meet ut the Smithsonian Insti-
III The second Monday of December next, at such
Il they may appoint, and there proceed to read
-Aillne the various poems which may have
n''elved and to determine which of them is
Ieritorious and deserving of the prize. And
bind myself to pay the sum aforementioned
VITA, t. whoever they shall present to me as the
d Who has written within the time prescribed the
'4lonal Patriotic Poem, and upon the represen
mat he or she is an American citizen.
1H communications must be sent to me at
a'1-ton post-paid) before t1e first Monday in De-
not nrxt with full and complete conveyance OF
Upright TO ME and my heirs and assigns for
~ hereby bind and obligate myself to sell the
az thus sent to me as soon as practicable, tor the
- price. and to give the proceeds to the poor of
=! OF Washington.
M poem will be considered as subject to this
'aeh shall not have been written subsequent
~', hte aud received before the first Monday in
AO'r next r. W. LATHAM.
Il t'iiNGT0y FyR 10 lS53 feb Ii