Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-05-17
Encouragement to American Poetic Tsle,+
$500 Premium

l. huence which is exercised 10y the fine arts
arts upon the direction and destiny of bpman
| affairs, 1T has given me infinite pleasure 70
witness the bountiful manner in which fro,O
time to time, painting and statuary have been
encouraged and rewarded by the Councils or
the Nation.
But, while this acknowled sment is dpe 20
the discerning and worthy patrons Of tbesa
noble, it is an equal source of humiliation onS
sorrow to behold the apparent apathy and in.
difference with which they seem to regard tha
incomparably more valuable creations of
poetry.
To see them adorn the walls of the Canito,
with the glowing revelations of the pencil and
decorate the public grounds with the costly
chef d'euvres of the chisel. is an omen of
good which will be hailed ard applauded by
all as cheering pledge Of the progress Of "a.
hnement. But. whilst they lavish their tbou.
sands upon those immobile products of canvass
and marble and bronze. they offer no reward
tor the more exalted. more enduring and 70.
noWned ovationS of the pen. No fostering
hand from these high places has ever vet in
vlted the Promethean fire of poetry to ANNA.
the history of our country. which. with all its
harmony OF form and wonder OF proportion,
lies asleep around tie humble vault of Mount
Vernon. ready to spring into life and beauty
at the first kindling touch Of thiS genial i'll
Spiration.
1t surely were work of supereroration 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 resalia of Versailles,
OF fOntainb!eau and the Tuillerics. comnared
with the " Marseilles Hymn 20 What the
klng'y panoply of gold and gems heaped I'D
IN the Tower of London what the collections
OF the Royal Academy, or even the time hal
lowed shrines of Westminster Abbev whom
compared with the songs of Burns. and nib
den, and Campbell? Or what has the world
that we would take in exchange for Hail
Columbia" and the - Star-Spangled Banner
Wei might the British statesman exclain
- 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 pcrishable 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 tbe
laInentablc paucity OF patriotic songs in my
distinguished and beloved country. and with
The hope Of being the humble means Of a pro-
ner pGhii: feeling upon this interesting sub
Ject, L 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.
The rules which will govern the payment
OF this sum, are as follows:
list L have selected without consulting
fhein2 the following persons to act as judges
or arblters of the prize thus offered. namely
The President Of the United States.
Hon. A. o. p. Nicholson. of Tennessee.
Lon. ChaS. Sumner of L. : Senate
lion. Il. VI. 7. Hunter, do
Hon. JAS. c. Jones. do
Hon. j. r. Chandler. OF L S II. Rcps.
Hon. Addison White, 90 DO
lion The II. Bayiy. do DO
Bon. ID. /. disney, do Go
lion. j. p. Kennedy. Secretary of the NAVY.
ID. }. ". c. Evans, OF New Jersey.
d. Ihos. Saunders
Joseph Gales,
Gen. X. Armstrong "a,
DIR. G.. Bailey Oh The Press
W. W Seaton.
Irof Henry. of the Smithsonian Institution
VIM. seldom, late Treasurer Of the L. 5.
hey. Z. NJ. Butler, Episcopal Church.
heV' II. H. Gurley. Presbyterian Church.
Rev. ). S. Roszell. NJ f. Church
Rev. Mr.. DoEeian, Catholic Church
"a. These gentlemen. or any three Of them.
are hereby authorized to meet at the Smith
a.
December next, at such hour as tEey G,av an.
'olnf, and there proceed 10 read and cxaDine
ne various poems which may have lccn re-
ceiTed. and to de ermine which of them is
most mcrl!oriGus and deserving of tie plize
And L hereby bind myself to pay The sum
aforementioned forthwith. to whoever tLev
shall present to me as the person who has
written. within the time prescribed the best
National Patriotic Poem, and upon the repre
sentatlon that he or she is an American citizen.
81. All communications must be sent TO me
a. Washington post paid before the first
Monday In December next. with n full and
complete conveyance Of the copyright to me
ana my heirs and asst gns forever
4th. ] hereby bind and obligate myself 10
sell the poems thus sent to me as soon as pra,-
hcabe. for the highest price and TO give the
proceeds to the poor of the city of Wash
in-t0n.
9TH. No poem viii he considered as subject
to this prize which shall rot have been writ
ten subsequent to this date and received be.
fore the first Monday in December NEXT.
II. ". LATHAM
WASHINGTON, Fer. 10. 1853. feb. IL
Wa I3GToN BRUNCH RnILR0sD.