Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-04-26
yen lines or less. For fourteen lines or less
sCOURAGEMENT TO AMERICAN POETIC
TALENT!
$500 PREMIUM.

$500 PREMIUM.
+VPRESSED 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
/, pleasure to witness the bountiful manner in
D. from time to time, painting and statuary have
l. encouraged and rewarded by the Councils of the
Eln.
|at while this acknowledgment is due to the dis
Elng aud worthy patrons of these noble arts it is
,Iual source of humiliation and sorrow to behold
ipparent apathy and indfferen, 70 with which they
u to regard the incOmparably more valuable Gre
rs Of poetry.
zee them adorn the walls of the Capitol with the
sn, revelations of the pencil, and decorate the
n grounds with the costly chef doeuvres of the
ILL., Is an omen of good which will be hailed and
saded by all as cheering pledge of the progress
sinement. But, whilst they lavish their thous-
\ upon these immobile products of canvass and
|l.e and bronze, they offer reward for the more
fltd, more enduring and renowned Ovations of he
b No fostering hand from these high places has
4 yet invited the Promethan fire of poetry to ami
le the history of our country which, with all its
nony Of form and wonder of proportion, lies asleep
lni the humble vault of Mount Vernon, ready to
ns into life and beauty at the first kindling touch
| nj .2nial inspiration.
surely were work of supererogation to introduce
proofs that crowd the records of the past to show
1 far above all other stands the :" divine art" of
T
Versailles, of Fontainbleau, and the Tuileries.
Pared with the g Marseilles Hymn?'' What the
:! panoply of gold and gems heaped up in the
Err Of London; what the collections of the Royal
fkmy, or even the time .hallowed shrines of West
stsr Abbey, when compared with the songs of
M, and Dibden, and Campbell? Or what has the
! ii That We would take in exchange for " Hail Co
tn' and the "Star-Spangled Banner?" Well
| .. the British statesman exelaim, "let me but
II tAe ballads OF nation, and 1 care not who
! $iesit5 laws"
star as the living, breathing man is above the cold
-aate marble that is made to represent him; as
j. the railant skies of summer are above the per-
a5e canvass to which the painter has transferred
feeble resemblance, so far is poetry above all
r arts that have their mission to console and ele-
ani inspire the immortal mind of man.
view OF these facts, and considering the lament
paucity of patriotic songs in my distinguished
beloved country, and with the hope of being the
noe means of proper public feeling upon this in
sting subject, have been induced to offer, and
l'reoy offer, the sum of five hundred dollars as q
tor the best National Poem, Ode, or Epic.
s rules which will govern the payment of this
aIe as follows
have selected without consulting them) the
sns persons to act as judges or arbiters of the
thus offered, namely:
e President of the United States.
L. A. D. z. Nicholson, of Tennessee.
Chas Sumner, of U. S. Senate.
a. T. NJ. I. Hunter, do
n Jas. e. Jones, do
Nd r Chandler, of U. s. House Representatives.
0. addison White, do do
A. ThOs. II. Bayly, do do
a. John 2. Kennedy, Secretary of the Navy.
S0nn jon ". C. Evans, of New Jersey.
fhOs Saunders.
ss 4 i 4 lam Am: A';!%strons, of tn. Press,
v. SeatOn,
asSor Henry, the Smithsonian Institution.
Se.ien, late Treasurer of the United States.
=. u. Butler, Episcopal Church.
L. 4. GurieT, Presbyterian Church.
S;s Roszell, Methodist Episdopal Church.
mr. hr- Donelan, Catholic Church.
tlese gentlemen, any three of them, are
aq'norlzed to meet at the Smithsonian Insti-
a The second Monday of December next, at such
tney may appoint, and there proceed to read
NAaile the various poems which may have
a.ed, and to determine which of them is
-;Iorious and deserving of the prize. And
y'hu myself to pay the sum aforementioned
, "u, 70 whoever they shall present to me as the
NO has written within the time prescribed the
n'lai Patriotic Poem and upon the represen-
a., aa' he or she is an American citizen.
- communications must be sent to me at
LYON tpost-paid) before the first Monday in De-
next with a full and complete conveyance of
E'ight to me and my heirs and assigns for
hereby bind and obligaSe myself to sell the
-s sent to me as soon as practicable, for the
:. prEe, and to give the proceeds to the poor of
- d Washington.
J. No poem will he considered "a subject to this
'aeh shall not have been written subsequent
sD,- ,-se' aud received before the first Monday in
- next r. W. LATHAM.
~-&aSiloS, FEB 10, 1853. feb17-