Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-03-11
TERMS OF ADVERTISING
For fourteen lines or less
ENCOURAGEMENT TO AMERICAN POETIC
TALENT,
$500 PRE- MUM.

L
IMPRESSED as [ am with the controlling Influence
which rcised by tie fine arts upon the direc-
5u and destiny OF human affairs, ii ha, given M iu-
init. pleasure tu wit the boun;iful manner in
which, from time t. time, paiutag and statua have
t.,u encouraged and rewarded by tle Councils ot the
Nation.
Bat while this ackn Judgment is due to the dis
c,runs aud worthy patrons or these noble arts it is
an rItl of humi iAtiou and sorrow to behold
IN. apparent apathy ami ntferen with which they
u regard the lncUmpai ably more valuable
atoms Of poetry.
II see them dOrn the walls of the Capitol with the
cpsing revelations of the pencil, and ate the
public grounds with the costly chef dnuvres of the
cli>el, is omen of good which will ne hailed and
piauel by all as Cheering pledge Of the progress
refinement But, whilst they lavish their thouS-
md, upon these immObie p. oducts of canvass and
Ia rbe and brDnza they offer reward for the more
lIltei more enduring and renowned ovations Cf he
-u. No fostering hand FROM these high places has
Yet invited the irOmethan fire of poetry to ami
me the history OF Our country which, with all It's
rmOny OF form and onder of proportiJn lies asleep
OIni tn humble vault OF Mount Vernon, ready TO
ns into life and beauty at the first kndiug touc,
this niai insp piratiOn
surel were work of fsupererogatioa to Introduce
e pro + that crowd the records OF the past to show
g far above all other stands the di ,ne art - of
JeSy What all the paintings, statues and rega-
OF Versailles of FOntainbleau and the Tuilerles,
ompar,d with the :" MarsrilieS Hymn What the
,iEs tnoply of gold and gems hpaped up in the
lower Of London; what the coec ions of the Royal
laiimy, even the time hallowed shrineS of est
nu>tr Abbey, when compared with the songs of
jIrnS anl DlbIeD, and Campbell? Or what has the
)rft that We would take IN exchange for Hail Co.
lmhia' and the I" Star-Spangled Bannsr?' Well
n,ht the British statesman exclaim, "let me but
Tnte the ballads of Il nation, and care not who
knldes it, laws"
A5 far the living. breathing is above the cold
\ Elsensae marble that is made To represent him; as
thu liant skies OF summer above the per-
- thar hos
leir feeble resemblance, far is poetry above all
her arts that have their mission to console and eie
at and inspire the immo rtal mind o. man.
In vie" OF these facts, and considering the lament
&e paucity Of patriotic songs in my distinguished
nd loved country, and with the hope of being the
mb!e means Of proper public feeling upon this in
n~tng subject, have heen induced to offer. and
i hereby OF T, the of five hundI ed dollars as d
! re Tor the best National Poem, Ude Epic
The rles which will govern the payment of this
m 4 e follows:
- have selected without consulting ther) the
Dovins persons to act AS judges arbiters of the
Is u.us offered namely:
Ia" Preside of the United States.
tJhA - p NicuOlsnn OF Tenness e.
Hon ClaS- Sumner. of L. :. senate
Hoax VI. L. Hunter, do
i'aJ Chan Ter, of U. s. House Representatives.
,'l ttiison y hit, do do
!;'1 Ta's IL BIyly, do do
IllH D. [. Disney do do
Y.
rfJohn ". G. Evans, of New jersey.
IT. Iho' Saunders.
"eph tales,
'e1. Il. ARMSTRONG
DIG. Bailey, VI Tue fress'
~ ". S'atpn,
I, f;,,or Henry, Ofthe Smithsonian Institution.
4 'm S-iien. late TredSurr of the United States.
d '''.I W. Butter, Episc pal Church.
.e' Ia X. Cure. Presbyterian Church.
49,. R1szeii. Methodi, t L is,iopal Church.
d "e'.hr Donean, Catholic Church.
= iAeS- gentlemen, "r any three Of them. are
r rF authorized TO meet at he Smithsonian Insti
IS N The >eco I'd Monday of December next, at such
IA tA"y may app int, and there IrDce ID to read
p FA'nine the variOdS poems which may have
t.! received, and to determine which of them is
IrrItoFiouS and deserving of the prize. And
e Il elnd myself to pay the sum aforementioned
ri 1'Ah Il wis ever they shall present to me the
"a Rho has written within the time prescribed the
;" '4piai Patriotic Poem. and upon the represen
II ~ NAT he or she is an American citizen.
IN Al communications must be >eut to me at
n ".'S0n VOst-paid) befor. ne first Monday in De
Ell '' u"xt. with full and complete conveyance of
q aiyEsht 10 me and my heirs and assigns for
q ia hereby bind and Obligate myself to sell the
tc Il A> MS sent to ME practicable Tor the
on | Irlra, and to give the proceeds TO the poor OF
eli ny OF Washington.
H. M Poem will be considered rs subject to this
"GFh sh@ll not have been written subsequent
n il Na'r and received before the first Monday in
,th tmb"r nest r w LATHAM
2HINGToS FEB. 10. 1853. fehl7-
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