Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-01-07
lick, lst engineer; Jas. Farnswortb, "a do;
David Durham, "a do; James Crosby, I'd do;
B, Donaghan, Sd do; C. Hoffman, 81 do

lick, lst engineer JAS Farnswortb, 81 do;
David Durham, 81 do. James Crosby, I'd do;
B. Donaghan, Sd do; C. Hoffman, 81 do.
THE PRIzE THAT WAS NOT AwARDED.--R.
w, Latham, the banker, short time since
proposed TO give i've hundred dollars for the
best national poem, ode, or opic;0 but
disinterested committee declared that no best
had been presented; whereupon, certain edit
orr, instead Of scolding the poets for not wri-
ting well, or the best Of them for not writing
at oil, turn to and lecture Mr.. Latham for, we
know not what, unless it be that he did not
offer five thousand instead Of five hundred dol
lars as the prize A Cincinnati paper speaks
out on this subject, aud says, that anone Of
the poets Of established reputation, whose wri-
tings command cash any day, would compete
for such prize &c. Bnt this Is all moon-
shine. Poetry is not q profitable product in
our country and this prize, and the honor Of
being the victor in the contest, were sufficient
to arouse the energies Of tho best Of these who
would write at oil from such inducements.
Mr.. Latham was willing and anxious to pay
five hundred dollars for purpose in which he
had no more personal interest than the rest Of
lis, and he has much regretted that the judges
selected to decide the matter could not award
bis proffsred prize to some successful contestant
The remarks that have been made in relation
to this matter are equally unjust and ridicu-
lous.
.
THE ISLAND OF CoBa.--Two proclamations
lately issued by the Captain General Of Cuba,
are described as declaring the first, the Free
dom Of the emancipadoes found on tho various
prizes made prior to the year 1895, alleging
that they are at liberty to serve any master
they please, at wages not less than six dollars
per month for each male, and four dollars per
month for each female, subject to deduction
to indemnify the master for freeing him or
her. and the other denouncing the foreign
slave trade, and closing with 40 authority for
the introduction Of free laborers, consisting If
Indians, Asiatics and Spaniards.
RAILROAD TO THE PACIFIc.-Ion, the usually
well-posted writer for the Baltimore Sun, states
in that paper Of this morning that the Select
Committee Of nine Senators on the Pacific rail-
road will be announced by the President pro
tenn !. that Mr.. Gwin will be the chairman, and
that he is strongly committed against Col. Ben
toms route The following, ho says, will be its
cast viz: Gwin, Of California; Rusk, Of Texas;
Bright Of Indiana; Douglas, Of Illinois; Ever
ett, Of Massachusetts; Bell, of Tennessee;
Seward Of New York; Chase, Of Ohio; and
Dawson, Of Georgia
Hon. JOHN M BERNHIsEI, the Delegate in
Congress from Utah Territory, is q native OF
Perry county, Pa, where he was educated for
the medical profession but having located in
New York, he fell in with the Mormons, and,
uniting his fortunes with them, emigrated to
Utah. and was one of the most efficient agents
in building up the new settlement.-E rchange.
Mr.. Bernhisel is probably fifty years Of age,
very gentlemanly in appearance and demcanor,
intelligent and circumspect. No one would ever
single him out as the representative of COM
munity Of people who profess nss0sr religion
chan tlo Christia., and who taanh and praatiea
the virtues Of polygamy.
HONOR DEcLrNED.-The Boston Daily Times,
which has for eight years successfully claimed
the post Office advertising on the ground of
having the largest circulation of any paper il
that city, now surrenders tho privilege as not
paying its expenses. Il says that it can make
but four dollars above the cost of type-setting
on three columns Of the finest printed matter
In year, fftytwo insertions Of this large
amount of matter clear only 5000; while pfi..
vate advertising to the same extent would yield
tWo thousand tico hundred and eightyeighf dol
lars per annum.
The Times adds
e'To this should be added from tioo 10 fve
hundred dollars annual expense Tor defending
our rights under the law, and thus We find our
selves net loser each year Of nearly three
Thousand dollars for the privilege Of adverti-
sing this list Of letters"
CRANBERRIEs---Mr. Sullivan Bates Of BEL
lngham, Massachusetts, has made q successful
and profitable experiment in cultivating the
cranberry from the seeds. His improved plants
sell hb scNcu uOiidfh u buOusuuu ut uno iOT
transplanting is either in October and Novem-
Der, or in spring, from the opening Of the season
to about the 25sh Of May.
ANOTHER GREAT PAINTING nv LEuTz.-We
SEQ il stated that Leutz is now busily at work
on large painting, representing Washington
at the battle Of Monmouth, with the arrest Of
General Leo. This work Of art has been or.
dercd by David Leayitt, Of Brooklyn, who pays
$40 900 for il.
70 A Corn grain Trade Association has
been formed among the merchants Of Phila.
delphia
THE LIVING DRAMA--The Albany Register
says that dramatic version Of the Erie War
will soon DO presented ut the Museum in that
city, and that it will DO found to be both In