Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-05-14
TERMS OF ADVERTISING,
For lines or less For fourteen lines or less
ENC0 0URAGEMENT TO AMERICAN POETIC
TALENTi
$500 PRE- MUM,

$500 PRE- MUM
IMPRESSED as L am with the controlling influence
which Is exercised by tie fine arts upon the direc-
and destiny of human affairs it has given me in
.nltt pleasure TO witness the bountiful manner in
which, from time t, time, painting and statuary have
encouraged and rewarded by the Councils of the
NaIpn
But, while this acknowledgment is due to the dis
ning and worthy patrons of these noble arts it is
a equal source of humiliation and sorrow to behold
III; apparent apathy and indifferen with which they
eem to regard the incomparably more valuable Gre
sI0ns of poetry.
lowing revelations of the pencil, and decorate the
flhc grounds with the costly chef deuyres of the
u!sel, Is au omeu of good which will be hailed and
apauded by all as cheering pledge of the progress
Il refinement But whilst they lavish their thous-
ants upon these immObile products of canvass and
marble and bronze, they offer reward for the more
eIted, mere enduring aud wned oyations of he
per- No fostering hand from these high places has
yet invited the remeth fire of poetry to ami
mate the history of country which, with all it's
ul0ny OF form and wonder of proportion lies aseep
arouni the humble vault of Mount Vernon ready to
prius lnte life and beauty at the first kndnc touch
d. this genial inspiration.
tSurety were work of supererogaton to introduce
ne proofs that crowd the records of the past to show
l1S far above all other stands the ''dvine art of
9oey. What all the paintings, statues and rega-
IA Of Versailles, of Fontainbleau and the Tuileries
couParei with the . Marseies Hymn 20 What the
lln-iy pinOply of gold and gems heaped up in the
Academy. or the time hallowed shrnes of West
nln>tsr Abbey, when compared with the songs of
Bl'nS and Dlblen, and Campbell? Or what has the
Torl that We woald take in exchange for Hail Co
l ium5!4" and the Stars Spanged Banner?" Well
might the British statesman eXclaim, slet me but
"Hte the ballads ct q nation, and care not who
makes its laws
star as the living breathing man is above the cold
nse2saIe marble that is made to represent him as
ar the ratiant skies of summer above the per-
shiae canvass to which the painter has transferred
;her feeble resemblance, far is poetry above all
ohsr arts that have their mission to console and ele
Fata aud inspire the immortal mind of man.
In view of these facts and considering the lament
able pauclty of patriotic songs in my distinguished
AMI beloved country, and with the hope of being the
humble Means of proper public feeling upon this in
triStng subject, have been induced to offer, and
10 hereby otter, the sum of five hundred dollars as
E'l1e for the best National Poem, Ode, or Epic.
SUN are follows:
isI. have selected without consulting them) the
lowing persons to act judges arbters of the
me thus offered, namely:
Inc President of the United States.
Hon A D. p. Nicholson, of Tennessee.
Hon Chas Sumner, of U. S. Senate.
Hon. T. VI. L. Hunter, do
Hon. Jas. c. Jones, do
HJn.J. T. Chandler, of u S. House Representatives
ION. Addison White, do do
ton. Thos. H. Bayly, do do
Hon. John 2. Kennedy Secretary of the Navy.
d. John W. c. Evans, of New Jersey.
Dr. ThOS. Saunders.
|jSeph tales,
DIT. Bailey, "a 'n0 Aie''
Wv S.atok
fr1iessOr Henry, of tue smithsonian Institution.
YIN Seiden, late Treasurer of the United States.
.i'. T. W. Butler, Episcopal Church.
.eV- K k. Gurley, Presby terian Church.
'-Ts. :. ROszell. Methodist EpisdOpal Church.
Nv Mr. Donelan, Catholic Church.
-" IhtSe gentlemen, any three OF them, are
|eoy authorized to meet at the Smithsonian Insti
cen the second Monday of December next, at such
a as they may sppoint, and there proceed to read
Il examine the various poems which may have
"a received, and to determine which of them is
~ meritOriOus and deserving of the prize And
-E bind myself to pay the sum aforementioned
aFith. tt whoever they shall present to me as the
~ who has written within the time prescribed the
E. NATIONAL Patriotic Poem, and upon the repreSen-
'~!a tnat he or she is an American citizen.
~ All communications must be sent to me at
%llnstOn tpost-paii} before the first Monday in De-
-je- next, with 4 full and complete conveyance of
c1pyrisht to me and my heirs and assigns for
81 ',a hereby bind and oblgate myself to sell the
s. lS thus sent to soon practicable, for the
'i price, aud to- give the proceeds to the poor of
n NY OF Washington.
IN No poem will be considered subject to this
-.r which shall not have been written subsequent
a 'n' late, aud received before the first Monday in
I TsI5.r next r. W. LATHAM.
Fl LEXINGTON, FEB. 10, 1858. fabl7-