Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-06-16
Encouragement to American Poetic Talent!
$500 Premium


IMPRESSED as L am with the controlling in
i Duence which is exercised by the fine arts
arts upon the direction and destiny of human
affairs, it has given me infinite pleasure to
witness the boantiful manner in which. from
time to time, painting and statuary have been
encouraged and rewarded by the Councils of
the Nation.
But, while this acknowledgment is due to
the discerning and worthy patrons Of these
noble, it is an equal source of humiliation and
sorrow to behold the apparent apathy and in
difference with which they seem to regard the
incomparably more valuable creations Of
poetry
10 see them adOrn the walls of the Capitol
with the glowing revelations of the pencil, and
decorate the public grounds with the costly
chef d'Guyres Of the chisel. is an omen of
good which will be hailed and applauded by
all as a cheering pledge Of the progress of re-
tinemcnt, But, whilst they lavish their thou
sands upon those immobile products of canvass
and marble and bronze, they offer no reward
for the more exalted, more enduring and re-
uowned oYations of the pen. No fostering
hand from these high places has ever yet in
yited the Promethean fire of poetry to animal
the history of our country, which, with all its
harmony of form and wonder of prL portion
lies asleep around the humble vault of Mount
Vernon, ready to spring into life and beauty
ct the first kindlins touch Of this genial in
spiration.
1t surely were work of supcrerogation to
introduce the proofs that crowd the records of
the past to show how far above all other stands
,he d, divine art of poesy. What are all the
paintings statues, and regalia of Versailles,
uf Fentainbeau and the Tullerics, compared
with the Marseilles Hymn p What the
kngly panoply of gold and gems heaped up
IN the Tower of London; what the collections
Of the Royal Academy, or even the time hal
lowed shrines Of Westminster Abbey, when
compared with the songs of Burns, and Dib-
den, and Campbelll Or what has the world
that We would take in exchange for 9 Hail
Columbia and the = StarSpangled Banncr?'
Well might the British statesman exclaim
let uae but write the ballads of nation,
and care not who makes its laws
As far as the living, breathing man is above
the cold insensate marble that is made to re-
treSent him; as far as the radiant skies of
>ummer are above the perishable canvass to
which the painter has transferred their feeble
resemblance. so far is poetry above all other
arts that have their mission to console and
elevate and inspire the immortal mind of
man
In view Of these facts, ard considering the
iimentabie paucity of patriotic songs In my
distinguished and beloved country, and with
the hope of being the humble means of u pro-
per public feeling upon this interesting sub
icct. [ nave been induced to offer, and DO
hereby offer, the sum Of five hundred dollars
as prize for the best National Poem, Ode Or
Epic.
The rules which will govern the payment
Of this sum, are as follows:
ISt I have selected (without consulting
ihcml the following persons to act as judges
or arbiters of the prize thus offered. namely:
The President of the United States
Hon. A. 0. p Nicholson. Of Tennessee.
Hon Chas Sumner, of U. s. Senate.
Hon. R. NJ T. Hunter, do
Hon JAS G.. Jones, do
Hon. J. r. Chandler. of l. S. H. Reps.
Hon. Addison White, do do
lion Thos- II, Bayly, do do
Hon n II Disney. do do
Hon. J. P. Kennedy Secretary of the Navy.
H. J. W c. Evans, of New Jersey.
-. Thos Saunders
Joseph Gales,
'1en R. Armstrong, of the Press
Dr. c. Bailey,
" w Seaton,
Prof. Henry, of the Smithsonian Institution.
Vim seldom late Treasurer of the L. 5.
Rev. C. NJ Butler, Episcopal Church.
Rev. r. R. Gurley, Presbyterian Church.
Rev s S Roszcll, M. f. Church
Rev Mr. Donelan. Catholic Church.
Sd These gentlemen or any three of them
are hereby authorized To meet at the Smith
sonian Institutute, on the second Monday of
December next. at such hour as they may ap-
peint. and there proceed to read and examine
she various poems which may have been re-
ecived, and to determine which of them is
most meritorious and deserving of the prize.
And hereby bind myself to pay the sum
aforementioned forthwith. to whoever they
shall present to me as the person who has
written, within the tims~prescribed,. the best
National Patriotic Poem bnd upon the repre-
sentation that he or she isan American citizen.
Sd. All communications must be sent to me
at Washington (post paid before the first
Monday in December next with full and
complete conveyance of the copyright to me
and nv heirs and assigns forever.
4th l hereby bind and obligate myself to
sell the poems thus sent to me as soon as prae-
'cable, for the highest price, and to give the
proceeds to the poor of the city of Wash
lngton
9TH. No poem will be considered as subject
10 this prize which shall not have been writ
,"n subsequent to this date, and received be-
tore the first Monday in December next
R. w. LATHAM.
Foh