Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-03-25
: or less. For fourteen lines or less.
TO AMERICAN POETIC
TALENr!
$500 PRE- MIC NJ.

$500 PRE- MUM.
\ IMPRESSED as am with the controlling influence
which i exercised by tie tine arts upon the direc-
nd destiny Of human affairs, it has given me in
=. pleasure tn witaess the boun;iful manner in
cb frem time t. time, painting and Statualy have
"a encouraged and rewarded by the Councils Of the
AMT while this acknowledgment is due to the dis
mia. aui worthy patrons OF these noble arts it is
eIual source of humiliation and sorrow to behold
apyarant apathy and indiffereu with which they
Il u regard the incomparably more valuable Gre
! Is Of poetry
= ee them adOrn the walls Of the Capitol with the
gay reyclati0ns Of the pencil, and deco rate the
G: grounds WITH the costly chef d'oeuvres of the
sell IS an omen of good which will he hailed and
alltl by all a cheering pledge OF the progress
| -.ilenlent But, whilst they lavish their thouS-
; upan these immObiie products of canvass and
-oe and bronze, they offer reward for the more
aLcd, more enduring aud renowned ovations of he
. Nc fostering hand from these high places has
vet invited tie rrOmethan fire of poetry to ami
the history of our country. which. with all its
rnOny OF form and Onder Of proportion lies asleep
III III: humble vault o. Mount Vernon ready to
Ia IRto life and beauty at the first Hndiug toucn
MS 'nai inspiration.
sursly work of superarogati n to introduce
pro - tndt crowd the records o. u past to show
ar above all other stands the " Iii inc art - of
~. What all the paintings, statues. and rega-
Of Versailles, of Fontainbleau. and the Tueries,
lglrei with the - MarsriiIeS Hymn:" What the
! a;y ,noply of gold and gems heaped up in the
5Erc Of London what the coilec ions of the Royal
li.ny, or even the time hallowe1 shrnes of West
GSt-r Abbey, when compared with the songs of
| rnS, AMI Diblen, and Campbell? Or what has the
foL that WE would take In exchange for Hail Co
4abll' aud the - Star-Spangied Banner" Well
D .hI the British st tttesman eIclaim, .'let me but
lte tRe ballads of 4 nation, and / care not who
IaseSit laws"
A,flr as tn, living breathing man is above the cold
f>ensate marble tlat is made to represent him as
r the liant skies OF summer above the per-
Is0le cinvass to which the pa ter has transferred
feeble resemblance far is poetry above all
arts that have their mission to console and ele
~ and inspire the immortal mind OF man.
In OF these facts, and considering the lament
psuci:y Of patriotic songs in my disting guished
nd beloved country, and with the hope of being the
Iut.e means Of proper public feeling upon this in
-,-.tng subject, have been induced to offer, and
aarsUy oil r, the sum of five hundred dollars as
le far the best National Poem, Ode, OR Epic.
iae rules which will govern the payment of this
IN as follows:
| i have selected without consulting them) the
wing persons to act judges or arbiters of the
re thus offered, namely:
The Preside L of the United States.
H0a. U. p. Nicholson. of Tennessee.
Hon Chas Samuer, of Z. s. Senate
a0a. T. VI. L. Hunter, do
AJn. Jas. {. jO1eS, do
Hon. J. Chandler, of g. S. House Representatives.
tDG. Addison Whit, de do
ion. fnos. Ill Bayly, 90 do
-la. D.. I. Disney DO do
.'a. John p. Kennedy, Secretary of the Navy.
j. John ". Z. Evans, Of New Jersey.
~ ihoS, Saunders
JlsePh GALES,
1ea X. Armstrong,
DrG. Bailey, oi 'he rress-
". ". SeatUn.
stI''sOr Henry, OF the smithsonian Institution.
HR Seiden, late Treasurer Of the United States.
h7f NJ Butler, Episcopal Church.
- Il H. Gurle. Presbyterian Church.
az 50. Roszell, Methods Eiisdopal Church.
"57. Hr- Donelan. Catholic Church.
- IaeS7 gentlemen, or any three of them, are
80! authorized 20 meet at the Smithsonian Insti-
@-0a the second Monday of December next, at such
- ." u'ey may app int, and there proceed to read
- eAamne the various poems which may have
l'eteYel and TO determine which of them is
Atrtorious and deserving of the prize. And L
y" olnd myself to pay the sum aforementioned
win, u whaeyer they shall present to the
x VINO has written within the time prescribed the
,'ALonai Patriotic Poem, and upon the represen-
\ = I .ia' ne or she is AR American citizen.
Al communications must be sent to ME at
\ ls'on poStpad) before le first Monday ia De
.' hrAt' with Il full and complete conveyance Of
-, ''Efisht TO me and my heirs and assigns for
- hereby bind and obligate myself to sell the
-, III Is sent In as soon practicable, tor the
- pcp' and to give the proceeds TO the poor of
/ q" ~ Of Washington
| ~. W poem Will be considered as subject to this
i ~ LEA shall not have been written subsequent
| a. -''- and received before the first Monday i'll
1 NJ next Il. W. LATHAM.
/ -----3NGToy, FEB. 10, 1853. ftbl7-