The Express.
London, England, 1855-03-17 00:00:00

A COPYRIGHT FOR NEWSPAPERS.

Is copyright in news a just demand ? Such is the
question to be decided by the Legislature when the
Newspaper Stamp Act comes under its consideration ;
abd there cannot be a doubt of the reply. Copyright
is a species of property now folly recognised by law.l
The idea of the author and the imagination of the'
painter no sooner find expremion in words, or on the
canvas than a property is secured to those who
have thus added to the enjoyments of society. Even
when a smeller amount of mental exercise is shown
in the ingenious combination of well-known things,
or in designs of varied form, the originator of the
design, or of such new combination, is rewarded by
a copyright. The gain to the community of new
and valuable things, by rewarding those who in any
way bring them to the public, is the object of the
copyright u well as of the patent laws: and so fully
is this principle recognised with regard to patents,
that any one who simply imports a useful invention
from abroad which is new to this country is granted
a patent for it, just u much u if he had himself in-
vented it. The simple principle of the law is, that
he who first gives a reality and form to that which
before existed in an undefined shape shall, by right
of oopy, acquire a valuable interest in his creation;
but this is by no means all. It may be said that
in- the instances to which we have alluded copy-
right is granted on the ground that the
general stock of knowledge is added to; but
copyright goes much further. It is extended to
those who work up old materials into a new form.
There is a copyright in news—when it is stale. The
Household Narrative, for instants, places before its
readers the occurrences of the preceding month.
The facts are common property ; but the HOl4Bl-
- Narrative hu a copyright in the form and man-
ner in which it chronicles current events. In short,
everything which can be published, whether the
gifted imaginings of the poet, the laborious compilation
of scientific discoveries, or the compendious narration
of facts long since made known, is entitled to copy-
right ; bat news, fresh and original, is proscribed! As
news puma away into history—in the Household
Norratios—the Annual Repider—personal memoirs
—or regular history—it receives the protection of the
law; but in a commercial country like this, where the
early poeseasion of impartial news is of unspeakable
importance, and where privatoenterptise has hitherto
almost exclusively supplied that need, it cannot be
that the public are indifferent to the success of such
exertions; and yet a Government, when undertaking
to legislate on the sabjeot of news, treats the question
of copyright in it as one beneath or beyond its tore. The Liberal electors of Cambridge
True, that it is the late Chancellor of the Exchequer to imp pipresentatine, Mr. abaft Adair
who is responsible for the wry faulty and deem- in Widasedsi week.

nbjoin s list of members who have either pre-
viously voted for this measure or are known to be
favourable to it. It will thus appear that if to the
88 who voted last eight (tellers included) this addi-
tional list of 40 be added, there are now 126 members
in favour of the bill.

It is my intention, as long as I have health and
strength, to bring this motion forward every year,
until obtain an alteration in the law. Ido not feel
that the government or the house treated the strongly
expressed wishes of a great body of petitioners with
proper respect, as the only person who was put up
to say something against the bill was the Solicitor-
General. He wu obliged to admit he was answer-
ing a speech he had not heard, and accordingly
answered an argument which had not been used. He
resisted the measure with the old arguments employed
against every measure of law amendment by lawyers
of the Eldonic school for 40 years.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
London, March 16. P. J. LOCKE KING.

Adair, IL B. Crepos, & °Tana& J.
Bap, M. T. Grarromoraardi. Ms; T.
Mamie, Hoe. Z. P. Had. I& Wm. IP & Illassp W.
Brocklehont, J. Harmas.l&Has.i. Tilldisprs.J.
Brady, T.
&akar, C. K. Laidig. ir.
M/31;434 ;
Chasibera, M. Ler r. J.
Cowan, C. liits. R. D.
Didui, Mr J. 3100 m. L Piliglij 4
Snag, Mr D. L.
Tei rat J. T. Ihelkg. ekL V.
kka, M. J. Slasior, W.O.
Tamps, J. M. 0. Mow. it Bs. C. P.
1 Few.. J. Mancrag& J. P. Wino; &IL
1 Owdoricl, Visaosat