Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-07-07
Encouragement to American Poetic Talent !!
$500 Premiums.

IMPRESSED as I am with the controlling in
i huenee 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. 1855 u 'i~ al r
But, while this acknowledgment is due to
the discerning and worthy patrons of these
noble, it 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. ..- -.-... .-.. 5.-..-
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 a cheering pledge of the progress of re
| 6nement. But, whilst they lavish their thou
| sands upon those immobile products of canvass
| and marble and bronze, they offer no reward
| for the more exalted more enduring and re
| newned ovations 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 a 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 Fontainbleau and the Tuilleries, compared
with the Marseilles Hymn r.. 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
L L.. L LII n
| compared with the songs of Burns, and Dbl
| den, and Campbell? Or what has the world
that we would take in exchange for Hail
| Columbia and the - Star-Spangled Banner"
Well might the British statesman exclaim
. let me but write the ballads of a nation,
and [ care not who makes its laws"
| As far as the living, breathing man is above
| the cold insensate marble that is made to re-
present him; as far as the radiant skies of
| summer are above the perishablc 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
| lamentable paucity of patriotic songs in my
! distinguished and beloved country, and with
| the hope of being the humble means of a pro-
per public feeling upon this interesting sub
| ject, [ have been induced to offer, and do
| hereby offer, the sum of five hundred dollars
| as prize for the best National Poem, Ode or
! Epic. 49,.
The rules which will govern the payment
of this sum, are as follows: -. r.-"t-'-
lst. [ 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. A. o. p. Nicholson. of Tennessee.
| Hon. Chas. Sumner, of U S. Senate.
Hon. r. NJ T Hunter, do
| Hon, jas. C. Jones, do
Hon. J. R. Chandler. of I. S. H. Reps.
| Hon Addison White. do do
Hon. Thos. II. Bayly. do do
Hon. ID. T. Disney, do do
| Hon J. P. Kennedy. Secretary of the Navy.
D. J: w. c. Evans, of New Jersey.
| ID. Thos Saunders -... e..
Joseph Gales,
Gen. X. Armstrong, H.
| DR.. G Bailey, u 'ne USE -
w. w. Seaton,. - - .0..
Prof Henry, of the Smithsonian Institution
VIM. Seldom. late Treasurer of the u S
Rev. c. NJ Butler Episcopal Church
Rev K. r. Gurley. Presbyterian Church
Rev. S. S. Roszell, NJ. E. Church
Rev. Mr.. Donelan. Catholic Church -.-..
I'd. These gentlemen, or any three of them.
are hereby authorized to meet at the Smith
sonian 1nstitututc, on the second Monday of
December next. at such hour as they may ap-
point, and there proceed to read and examine
the various poems which may have been re-
ceived, and to determine which of them is
most meritorious and deserving of the prize
And | hereby bind myself to pay the sum
| aforementioned forthwith. to whoever they
shall present to me 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 a full and
complete conveyance of the copyright to me
and my heirs and assigns forever.
4th. hereby bind and obligate myself to
sell the poems thus sent to me as soon as prac-
ticable. for the highest price, and to give the
proceeds to the poor of the city of Wash
ington. :7-.-
9Th. No poem will be considered as subject
to this prize which shall not have been writ
ten subsequent to this date. and received be-
fore the first Monday in December next
r. w. LATHAM.
WASHINGTON, FEB. 10, 1853 feb u