Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-04-14
For fourteen lines or less
~ .agcn lines or less.
,0gRAGEMENT TO AMERICAN POETIC
TALENT
500 PREMIUM.

SoOU L Az Il VA u III.
. IPaESSED as am with tn, controlling influence
which : exercised by tie fine ar IS upon the drec-
AMI destiny Of human affairs it has given me in
r.. pleasure 10 wItoeSs the bountifuI manner in
h. from time t. time. painting and statuary have
Il! encouraged aud rewarded by the Councils OF the
L. while this acknowledgment is due to the dis
lt and worthy patrons OF these noble arts. it is
.iull source of hulpi iation and sorrow to behold
ayparent apathy and indiTeren - with which they
! I u regard the incomparably more valuable GRE
ls Of poetry
p ee them alorn the walls of the Capitol with the
sicr revolutions Of the pencil and deco rate the
i, rounds with the costly chef d'oeuvres Of the
! ei, Is au omen of good which will be hailed and
1IIeI by all rs cheering pledge of the progress
-sdnCnent But, whilst they lavish their thous-
! upon these lmmobile products of canvass and
-aa and bronze, they Gfer no reward for the more
] lied. more ndurIug and renowned ovationS of he
T. N9 fostering hand from these high places has
get invited the PrGmetRan fire of poetry to ami
r the history OF our country, which, with all its
a0ay OF torIa and wonder OK proportion, lies asleep
| mi the humble vault OF Mount Vernon, ready to
into life and beauty ut the first kindling toucn
! hi, s.nal inspiration.
surely we're work of supererOgation to introduce
grOJ that crowd the records OF the past to show
ar above all other stands the ''divine art" of
=. WHAT are all the paintings, statues and rega-
d Versailles. Ok FORtainbleau. aud the Tuileries
asared with the = Marseilles Hymn?'' What the
l;y p,noply of gold aud gems heaped up in the
srr Of London; what the collections of the Royai
.lamy. o. even the time. halowed shrines of West
l,;sr Abbey, when compared with the songs of
cas and D5blen, and Campbell? Or what has the
ti taat We would take in exchange for :. Hail Co
l-ia aud the 'Star-Spangled Banner" Well
n. tae British statesman eXclaim, ''let but
a;e the ballads OF nation, and care not who
&lscSi 1t; laws
! far as the living breathing man is above the cold
! Ate M hat IE adj IN n
AZ the n liant skies OF summer are above the per-
iDe canvass to which the paiater has transferred
II feeble resemblance, so far is poetry above all
ler arts that have their mission to console and ele
t, ami inspire the immortal mind of man.
IN view Of these facts, and considering the lament
Faucy of patriotic songs in my distinguished
beloved country, and with the hope of being the
lb.e Means Of a proper public feeling upon this n-
rstng subject, [ have been induced to offer, and
hereby offer, the sum of five hundred dollars as a
z. for the best National Poem, Ode, or Epic
ne rules which will govern the payment of this
n follows:
= have selected (without consulting them) the
wing persons to act as judges or arbiters of the
e thus offered, namely
a1 President Of the United States.
hon. A. D. 2. Nicholson. of Tennessee.
Hon ChaS. Sumner, of [. S. Senate.
I'h' H. VI l. Hunter, do
..ja JAS Z. Jones, do
an.J L Chandler, of Z. 5. House Representatives.
tn AlIisOn Whit, dc do
ll. fhoS IL. Bayiy, do do
.i'n. D. T. Disney do do
I1 JOAN z. Kennedy, Secretary Of the Navy.
w. John W. c. Evans, of New jersey.
d. InoS. Saunders.
5ePh Gales,
'sa t. Armstrong,
1r'' Bailey, oi -iie fess-
NV. Seaton.
'i5Ser Henry, ofthe Smithsonian Institution
'l seIien, late Treasurer of the United States.
~ VI. Butler, Episcopal Church.
7'. a H. Gurie., presby teran Church.
~. : foSzell, Methodist Epislopal Church.
LAr. Doneian, Catholic Church.
Aut>e Gentlemen, or any three of them, are
authorized to meet at the Smithsonian Insti
.'d Iae second Monday of December next, at such
: " 'Aey may appoint, and there proceed to read
eAtnine the various poems which may have
EcelFed and 10 determine which of them is
ItrtorlouS and deserving of the prize. And /
END myself to pay the sum aforementioned
>s"a to whoever they shall present to me the
.@ ~ me has written within the time prescribed the
'A'oha Patriotic Poem, and upon the represen-
% .ndt he or she Is an American citizen.
Al communications must be sent to at
'7'Sh Postpaid before the first Monday in De-
IVY next, with Il full and complete conveyance of
H1lsht to me and my heirs and assigns for
~ Hereby bind and obligate myself to sell the
- W s sent to me as soon as practicable, for the
a.. pice and to give the proceeds to the poor of
i .! e. Washington
- - W 40 poem will be considered subject to this
Nch shall not have been written subsequent
srl <' e. and received before the first Monday in
ws-D-f next. Il. W. LATHAM.
i,lLSfToS, FEB 10, 1853 febl7-