Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-03-31
TERMS OF ADVERTISin
IS or less. For fourteen lines or less.
ENCOURAGEMENT TOANERICAN POETIC
TALENT!
$500 PRE- MUM.


$500 PRE- MIUM.
IMPRESSED as am with the controlling in fluence
4 which Is exercised by tie fine upon th direc
tlon and destiny of human aarS it has given IN. in
INIT pleasure t. wit2ess the bOunilul manner in
which, from time t. time pantn ng and statualy hav.
been encouraged and rewarded by tne Councils of the
Nation.
But, while this ackn owl"dgment is due to the dis
earning and worthy patrons OF these noble arts it s
equal sourc. of hRm iation and sorrow to behold
the apparent apathy anu iudiffnren with which they
t. regard the incomparabiy more valuable Gre
aConS of poetry.
To see alorn the walls of the Capitol with the
glowing revolutions of the pencil, aud deco ate the
public gcouuds with the costly chef F9uvres of tie
chisel, Is omen Of good whrh will be hailed and
appiaudel by all Cheering pledge of the progress
OF refinement But, whist they lavish their thous-
ands upon these mRobie p. .oductS of canva ass and
marble and bronze, they offer reward for the more
exalted, more enduring and renowned ovatons Of he
pen. No fostering hand from these high places has
yet invited the Promethan fire of poetry to ami
mate the history OF country, which, with all its
hIrnsay OF form and oader OF proportion, lies asleep
aroanj Ihe humble vault OF Mouat Vernon, ready to
spring into life aud beauty at the first kindiiug oucn
OF this z :nial inspiration.
1t surely were work of supererogatoa to Introduce
the pro Is that crowI records the past show
how far above all other stands the di ine art 4" of
poeSy What all the paintings, statues and reea
liza Of Versailles of Fantainbeau and the Tuileries
compared with the 'Marseitles Hymn 2" What the
kiHgiy psneply of gold aud gems heaped up in the
Tower of London; wEt the collec ions of the Royal
Academy or even the tIme haowed shrines of West
minst.r Abbey, when compared with the songs of
Burns, and Dibd. ,, and CsmpbeIt? Or what has the
i@nSi aUa shs ssnn.r aor al Co
might the British Statesman exclaim, "let me but
write the ballads of nation, and / who
makes it' laws.
As far the living, breathing is above the cold
insensate marble that is made to represent him; as
fir the liant skies of above the per-
ishsble to which the pail ter has transferred
their feeble resemblance, so far is poetry above all
other arts that their mission to console and ee
I'm ur1lr Sntrn fha lIna nj lIpin6 nF mo
In view of these facts and considering the lament
able paucity of patriouc songs in my distinguished
and beloved country, and with the hope eff beug the
humble means Of proper public feehng upon this in
teresting subject, have been induced to efer and
de hereby offer, the sum of five hundred dollars
prize for the best National Poem, ode, Epic.
The raes which will govern the payment of this
Spm al follows:
1st. have selected (without consulting them) the
following persons to act as judges araters of the
prize thus offered. namely:
The Preside of the United States
Hon. 4 U. 2. Nicholson. OF Tennessee.
Hon ChaS Sumner, of U. 5. Senate
Hon. h VI. L. Hunter, dc
Hon. Jas. Z. Jones, do
Hon.J R Chandler, of U. S. House Representatives.
Hon. Addison White, dc do
HoR- ThOs. Ii Bayly, do do
Hon. d. 4. Disney, do do
Hon. John r Kennedy, Secretary of the Navy.
DIR. John w. G. Evans, OF New Jersey.
Dr. Thos. Saunders.
.;ss. SssspR r. 's1ss, Armstrong, ,e H.. D-.,.
Dr.G. Bailey, " " ~
w. W. Seaton,
Professor Henry, ofthe SmishsoEiau Institution.
Wm Selden, late Treasurer of the United States.
Rev. G. VI. Butler, Episcopal Church.
Rev. Il X. Cure Presbyterian Church.
Rev. :. :. R)szel Methodi- t E. iSl0pal Church.
Rev. MIR. Donelan. Catholic Church.
ID These gentlemen, any three of them, are
hereby authorized to meet at the Smithsonian InSti
tute the second Monday Of December next ut such
hour they may appoint, and there proce to read
and examine the various poems which may have
been received, aud to determine which of them is
most meritorous and deserving of the prize. And
hereby bind myself to pay the sum aforementioned
forthwith tt whoever they shall present to the
person who has written within the time prescribed the
hest National Patrioticoem, and upon the represen-
t.tiou tnat he or she ia American citizen.
3d. All communications must be sent to me at
Washington postpaiG) before ,e first Monday in De
cember next, with full and complete conveyance of
the copyright to me and ny heirs and assigns for
4th 1 hereby bind and obligate myself to sell the
poems thus sent to me practicable, Tor the
highest price, and to give the proceeds to the poor of
the city of Washington.
5th No poem will be considered as subject to this
prize which shsll not have been written subsequent
to this date and received before the first Monday in
December next X. W. LATHAM.
WASHINGTON, FEB. 10, 1858. feb IL