Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-04-18
aeon lines or less. For fourteen lines or less.
TO AMERICAN POETIC
TALENT!
5000 EMIJInJ

TALENT!
$500 PRE- MUM.
DRESSED as [ am with the controlling influence |
sch Is exercise by tie fine arts upon the direc-
destiny of human affairs, it has given me in
peasure to wltaess the bountiful manner in
f. from tine t, time, painting and statuary have
encouraged and rewarded by the Councils of the
[n.
| :. while this ackn ,wledgment is due to the dis
n, and worthy patrous of these noble arts it is
a. source of humi iation aud sorrow to behold
oJareut apathy AMI indifferen - with which they
+ regard the incomparabiy more valuable Gre
u Of poetry.
.e them adorn the walls of the Capitol with the
/ n, revelations of the pencil, aud decorate the
" grounds With the costly chef d'oeuvres of the
i al omen of good which will be hailed and
Il1el by ali a. cheering pledge of the progress
|,dlemelt. But, whilst they lavish their thous-
gp)a these iInmobie products of canvass and
e and bronze, they offer no reward for the more
[.=l, more enduring aud renowned ovations Of he
10 fostering hand from these high places has
/ yet invited the promethan fire of poetry to ami
the history Of our country, which, with all its
|asly Of form and Wonder OF proportion lies asleep
|ai the humble vault OF Mount Vernon, ready to
into life and beauty DIT the first kindling touch
BIS g:nial inspiration.
surely were work of supereroration to introduce
prOfs that crowd the records OF the past to show
far above all other stands the "divine art" :" of
f.. What are all the paintings statues, and rega-
1i Versailles, of Fontainbleau, and the Tuileries,
llred with the g Marseiiies Hymn?' What the
!, pInOply of gold and gems heaped up in the
Er Of LondOn; what the collections of the Royal
EknY Or even the time .hallowel shriues of West
|Ir Abbey, when compared with the songs of
ls, AMI Dibien, and Campbell? Or what has the
i that We would take in exchange for Hail Co
h1ir aud the s. 'Star-Spaugled Bannerf" Well
or .fos.f .lass
T. tue bllats of a nation, and l care not who
IaeSit3 laws"
far IS the living. breathing man is above the cold
kI,ate marble that is made to represent him; as
r the RI liant skies Of summer are above the per-
I5e canvass 10 which the pal uter has transferred
i feeble resemblance, so far is poetry above all
r arts that have their mission to console and ele
Z aud inspire the immo rtal mind Of man.
3 vie" OF these facts, and considering the lament
pauciiy of patriotic songs in my distinguished
beloved couatry, and with the hope of beiug the
nhie means of proper public feeling upon this in
ktns subject, have been induced to offer, and
hereby of r, the sum of five hundred dollars as q
Ie for the best National Poem, Ode, or Epic.
+ae rules which will govern the payment Of this
: re az follows:
/. have selected (without consulting them) the
SIag persons to act as judges or arhiters of the
l2 thus offered, namely:
IA Presid 1T of the United States
Ion \. y. 2. Nicholson. OF Tennessee.
ll Chas- Sumner, of U. 8. Senate.
Hon. K VI I. Hunter, do
"a Jas o. Jones, do
|oaJ K Chandler, of o.. s. House Representatives.
9l- Aiiisou hhite, dc do
E'l Ihos III Blyly, do do
Ja D. T. Disney. do do
/ 10. John ?. Kennedy, Secretary of the Navy.
John " G. Evans, of New Jersey.
Fhos. Saunders
sph tales,
3 q: !; 5,'.7. ARMSTRONG of the Press.
II ". S.atOn,
E.sor Henry, ofthe smithsonian Institution.
s9lien, late Treasurer of the United States.
W NJ Butter, Episcopal Church.
9 Il H. GurieF, Presbyterian Church.
T. f'H =. Roszell, Methodist Z E,isdopal Church.
r.. hr Doneian, Catholic Church.
4H'Sr Gentlemen, or any three of them, are
y authorized to meet at the Smithsonian Insti-
"a Tue Seco I'd Monday of December next, at such
a 'aey may appoint, and there proceed to read
Aduilne the various poems which may have
'e'eived, and to determine which of them Is
nqfitorious and deserving of the prize. And l
ond myself to pay the sum aforementioned
'Hl' u VIII ever they shall present to me as the
~ sho mas written within the time prescribed the
NNonal Patriotic Poem, and upon the represen-
.t .nat he or she is an American citizen.
\ :: hh comm aEicatiOns must be sent to me at
Eios'on 'postpaid) before tae first Monday in De-
.' u.xt with full and complete conveyance Of
'F!fisht to me and my heirs and assigns for
~ hereby bind and obligate myself to sell the
- Is sent to me as soon as practicable, for the
:. pIee, and to give the proceeds to the poor of
. ny y Of Washington.
:" 10 poem viii be considered as subject to this
>; 'Aeh shsli not have been written subsequent
smt Ite' and received before the first Monday in
w44rf next R. w. LATHAM.
NapGroN, FEB. 10, 1853 feb II