The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-03-04
From the philadelphia North american.
INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT.

Boston, he has taken particular pains to refer 70 he
subject of international copyright, and WIN an u,e
earnestness which circumstances would Perin. -
TO exhibit, he has urged the propriey OF r, he
limited States 10 protect the foreign author from e
unlicensed publication Of his works py u,e IT,. s
press. The great commentator up" w -,
England in treating of the SUBJECT o. oopy ~
ters the sentiment that nothing Is SO peculiarly d
80, '"e 80 % The productions of his own mind.
Among the earliest fruits of that higher ciyiilzaton
which the art of printing has produced was the re-
cognton of this natural claim OF the writer upon his
,yorks-to use them, circulate them, and proht by
,bem "a well in pocket in reputaton-so far as
the endowment might be compatible with public mo-
rality. The perception of this privilege was duly
followed in Europe with statutes securing IN some de-
gree the exclusive possession oil IT, In England, the
duration of that privilege, limited to period often
too brief to secure the author or his representa-
tyes an adequate return for his labor has recently
been so extended that no reasonable exception now
exists to the comprehensive berality OF the law IN
that country.
The same spirit, however. which would give this
guarantee for the profits of any original publication
TO the writer in his country, would desire also
that should be enlarged TO every part Of the world
We talk of the Republic ofLeters but the phrase Is
meaningless, if its most abundanty endowed and laoo,
rious members may every where possess an equal
claim for the fruits of thar genius and their toll
The grain of the farmer be eaten but once the
cloth of the cannot equally serve two wearers
Each of these receives for the product Of his skill and
But the products of great mind may endure in their
freshness forever They remain in their integrity al
ter numberess multitudes have paIlaken OF them In
the knowledge Of this truth, with what degree OF JUS
tce may the possessor ofthat mind be denied reward
for the exercise Of it, which coners boundess graft
icationi Yet our laws do not deny this reward
Thus far they have refused to the foreign author any
interest in the publication Of his works by the press
OF the United States. Like Dickens, he may bring
intellectual amusement and moral instruction to hun
dreds of thousands Of American citizens, but II he be
not himself one it is in vain that he looks for any re-
Enumeration from bis readers. This is not consistent
with republican institutions. II is not conformabe to
the free spirit which comedies to every man the fru
tion of that which is indspuably his own. There is
no despotism in science, literature and the liberal
arts The rights of all who labor in these fields, in
whatever age, under whatever sun, are equal and in
aienable The community of productive intellect is
of the purest democracy where only the greatest
worth has the greatest honor but where the humbest
exertion not despoiled Of its earnings. These
the moral grounds which the Ihw Of copyright is
based If they are true of one country vie ed apart
they are true Of all regarded together We may not
rob writer of his works because his nation is not
ours any sooner than we may commit piracy upon
every vessel not bearing national flag. The la
borer is worthy Of his hire. But besides these moral
considerations, there Others of general policy in
volved in this question ofinernational copyright.
Regarding the question only it bears upon Brit
ish and American authors in this we are most
interested, the want of law protecting the British
author is alike injurious to him, to the American au-
thor, and the community of American readers. To
the first it is manfestly detrimental that no argu
ment is necessary TO prove the point. AS soon as
book is issued from the English press any publisher
in the United States may issue it, and without paying
the author a tarthing more than the amount OF his
interest in the one original copy may profit by the
reprint to extent which only home competition
limit. If the work be very expensive one, the
American publisher is generally secure that If he
throw his edition promptly into the market, he may
enjoy the benefit without rival. In any case the
English author receives nothing from his American
readers. They meanly content to share the seiZ
ure of his property without rendering him any
equivalent.
The absence of an international copy right act OPP
crates in the next place injuriously to the American
writer. Privileged as publishers to reproduce
the choicest literature of Great Britain without any
cost except for the mechanical work, it follows of
that they fill their shelves with cheap vol
umes, and leave but little chance to native talent to
procure any compensation for its exercise IN the same
departments The standard price of books is brought
down to range low, that it is impossible general
ly after paying the paper maker the printer, and the
binder, and the yenders commission, to add any sum
sufficient for the authors labor proportionate to
his talent. Hence the pursuit of literature pro-
tession is circumscrbed in this country 1t is under
hidden, driven out of Its legitimate possessions and
suffers all the consequences Of systematic neglect and
oppression.
Another fact connected with the want of any copy
law In favor OF
wing in their power to reprint English books, catch
at the worthless well The good, and in the eager
OF competition, keep up lncessant reissue OF
all the trash which by any possibility can find Amer-
readers. This trash is not less various than album
dant. Ii comes in the shape of novels, travels and
compilations, without generally any trace of magma
ton, any touch OF freshness any proof of judgment
and worse than ALL often presenting false morals and
false systems OF government and social lie. But IT
English authors had the right clam price for their
rka tba dn,ar n,,hi cho than nly
it be worth while for the latter to publish those OF
superior stamp, For really good books, in whatever
branch ofterature there is always 50 great demand
that when the choice rests between taking the good
at fair value, the bad at whatever they may blng
the former always sure of acceptance Small wits
cannot maintain prosperous war against active ge
MUS. Scots and Byrons cannot want readers, who
will pay for their works, matter what host OF DIR
vellers IN prose and rhyme may cry their own penny
The effect inter national copy
right law would be to keep he press of the American
publisher active with the issue of the best native and
foreign books. Nor need be feared that the law
would burdensome increase in the price Of the
latter. 1t is universally in political economy,
that consumption is increased greater proper
ton than the price Of the article is decreased.
The certainty Of the greater sale of ppular work,
if offered at reasonable cost, would always be suhl
cient security fol the community against any exac-
tons. The absolute necessaries vf life will be pro-
CURED at any sacrfice,-but that which belongs to
the class Of luxuries comforts must to be pro-
tabe to the producer if his demand for it be exorbi-
tant. There could therefore be apprehension of
rise in the price of good foreign books, which would
lessen the circulation Of them in any degree which
the clear privilege OF foreign authors and the interest
of American authors would not require The atten-
ton of Congress has several times been seriously
called to this subject and it is full time for action up
on it, Many patry affairs engaging their So
selmn deliberations when this one involving conside-
rations Of honor as well as right remains wholly neg
lected
FROM THE EAST
serious disturbance took place at the Italian the
atre Of Alexandra, on the 23d December, during the
representation of Della Lucid di Lammernioor in
g.. l.. L.