Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-05-05
TERMS OF ADVERTISING
lines or less. For fourteen lines or les
ENCOURAGEMENT TO AMERICAN POETIC
TALENT!
$500 PREMIUM.

SOOO FIX Il M1U M.
IMPRESSED as am with the controlling infuencp
which Is exercised by tie fine arts upon the direc
sl AMI destiny of human affairs, it has given m. in
nit: pleasure to witness the bountiful manner ;n
sa;l, from time e time, painting and statuary have
ea encouraged and rewarded by the Councils of the
}1!0n.
bat while this acknowledgment is due to the dis
ruius and worthy patrons OF these noble arts It is
equal source OF humiliation and sorrow to behold
apparent apathy and indiifercn ,e with which thev
zen t. regard the incomparably more valuable Gre
.loas of poetry.
10 them aOrn the walls of the Capitol with tho
Owing revolutions of the pencil and decorate the
I1lc grounds with the costly chef d'oeuyres of the
4'ei, Is an omen of good which will be hailed and
2iautel by all cheering pledge of the progress
tehhement But. whilst they lavish their thous-
sak upon these immObie products of canvass and
r3le and bronze, they offer reward for the more
-1ut1i, more enduring and renowned ovatious of he
pen. No fostering hand from these high places has
y yet invited the PrOmethan fire of poetry To ami
nate the history of our country which, with all its
'rm0ny OF form and wonder OF proportion lies aseen
r1lni the humble vault OF Mount Vernon. ready to
y'in5 INTO fe and beauty at the first kindling touch
i this g:nial inspiration
itsurely 4 work of supererouatiou to i,tro1uoo
n proofs that crowd the records of the past to show
l'E lar above all other stands the divine art of
ey " nat are all the paintings, statues and rera-
"a. ei versailles OF Fontainbleau and the Tuileres
impaired with the MarSelileS Hymn % What the
la5y p,noply of gold and gems heaped up in the
o~er oil London; what the collections of the RovaI
icaiemy or even the time hallowed shrines of West
master Abbey, when compared with the songs of
brns and Dlbien, and Campbell9 Orwhat has the
f1ftI that We would take exchange for Hail Co
4nbm' and the "Star-S pangled Banner?" Well
mn the British statesman eXclam ssIet me hut
write the baila'is of nation, and 1 care not who
makes It, laws
A> fir the living breathing man is above the cold
inSeuslte marble that is made to represent him; as
lar as the IA liant skies of summer are above the per-
hsbe canvass to which the painter has transferred
4er feeble resem bance so far Is poetry above all
n-r arts that have tn 1r mission to console and ee
Flt and inspire the immortal mind Of man.
Ia view OF these facts, and considering the lament
1e paucy of patriotic songs in my distinguished
sl beloved country, and with the hope of being the
-lnbe means of proper public feeling upon this in
resting subject, have been induced to offer, and
hereby offer, the sum of five hundred dollars as u
1r1e for tue best National Poem, Ode, or Epic.
The rules which will govern the payment of this
,4al follows:
st have selected (without consulting them) the
lowing persons to act AS judges or arbiters OF the
.nle thus offered, namely:
Ihs Preside It of the United States.
jiDl. 4 .. z. Nicholson. OF Tennessee.
ion Chas Sumner, of U. 5. Senate.
lion. K VI. l.. Hunter, do
ll'n. Jas. g. Jones, do
Ion r Chandler, of U. S. House Representatives
lion. ThOs. Ii Bayly, do do
ZION. ID. L. Disney, do do
HOn John p. Kennedy, Secretary of the Navy.
Dr. John W. C.. Evans, of New Jersey.
Dr. FhOs Saunders.
Joseph Gales
DrG Bailey, u 'n0 Ae
". W S.atOn.
froeSSor Henry, ofthe smithsonian Institution.
hm Seiden, late Treasurer of the United States.
lev. Z. VI. Butler, Episcopal Church.
heV t. K Gureg, Presbyterian Church
k7V ). :. Roszell. Methodist Il Efisdopal Church.
lev. Mr. DOuelan, Catholic Church.
Il These gentlemen, any three of them, are
7eby authorized to meet at the Smithsonian 1nsti-
e on the second Monday of December next, at such
'r as they may appoint and there proceed to read
El examine the various poems which may have
zen received, and to determine which of them Is
-I't meritorous and deserving of the prize. And
t'roy bind myself to pay the sum aforementioned
'hEith, II whoever they shall present to me as the
rpa who has written within the time prescribed the
eNational Patriotic Poem, and upon the represen-
'!ln tnat he or she is an American citizen.
81 All communications must be sent to me at
Washington post-pad before the first Monday in De-
-noer next with a full and complete conveyance of
.le Copyright to me and my heirs and assigns for
ever
TN. hereby bind and obligate myself to sell the
EhS thus sent to soon as practicable, for the
-At price, and to give the proceeds to the poor OF
eGty of Washington.
H. No poem will be considered as subject to this
.Ls which shall not have been written subsequent
'as date and received before the first Monday In
Deenber next K. w. LATHAM.
"AsHINGT0N. FEB. 10, 1858. feb IL