The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-03-05


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The sanas SPIRIT however. whea wosM Ess th's
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cosn OF the Weaset eannot equAi serve Two wearers
nAc0 81 snsse Feeses of .ne pfoduct o. ny sSh and
lndussfy feeufn xopoffsoaed 70 ~ restricted use
But the Podpcss 81 great mand may enduFs n their
freshness forever iney remain "a tneE INTEGRITY a.
teE numberaess mun!udes nave psItaken oFsnem. In
the Ano~ieage q tnas srusn, wR wsss degree OF jas
ssce may the posseos Of enas mad - denss reward
fnrf ItA n -
6cations Yet our laws DC net deny thus reward
Thus far they nave c1scd to the forcgn AuthoF any
interest 10 the publication Of BIZ Woke ~ the press
OF the unised StAfea. AAke Ockeps, ne may bring
dreds Of thousands Of American citizens but if he be
not himself ons - Va vain that ~ ooks sor any re-
mnneraton from ~ readers. Ihn y not consialent
with republican institutions Als not conformable 70
ton of thai which 10 ndispstabiy HE There IL
no despotam in sciences, litsrature and thu liberal
arts The rights Of Al who labor IN klleae fields, IN
whatever age, under whatever SUM- are equal and IN
alsnahle. The community Of productive intellect y
OF the puHest democracy where only the greates
worth hasthe greatest hoaos but whore the hunbcst
exerton IS not despoicd Of it, earnlnGs These arc
the moral grounds on which the law OF copyright u
based lfthsy arm true Of one country vie "a apart
they are true OF ~ regarded t0gether we may NOT
rob writer Of hin works because his nation is not
ours, any sooner than we may commit piracy upon
every vessel not bearing our national nag The la
borer Is worthy OF his hire But besdes these moral
considerations there are others Of general policy in
VOWED IN THIS questlon OF INTERNATIONAL copyrgns.
hegaraing the question only as y pears upon BRIT
lsh and American authors since In this we are most
interested the want OF law protecting the Brush
aushor IS anKe injurious 70 hm 70 the Americah au-
thor and the community OF American readers. 10
the hrst so manfesty detrimental that no argu-
ment Is necessary 70 prove the point. AS soon Is
book IS issued from the English press any publisher
An the United States may issue It and without paying
the author farming more man tne snesant OF nis
interesr IN 1ne one original cQpy may Prons ~ me
reprint 70 an extent wnch oniy nome composition can
limit II the work pc a very expensive one, the
American publisher generaily secure mat II ne
throw his edition promptly INTO the market, ne may
enjoy the beneht without rival In any case u'e
English author receives nothing from ms American
readers They are meany content 70 snare tne selz-
ure OF his property without rendering MN any
equivalent.
The absence Of an international copy right act oP-
crates IN inc next place inluriousy 70 Inc
nsriter. Privileged as PuolIsners are 70 te,Prooucc
me choicest literature OF Great brtain wisnout any
cost except lor the mecnanical work, loiiO"s %
course that they can MI their shelves WIN cheap
umes. and leave out little chance 70 naive taient g
procure any compensation LOT us exercise a. me sae
departments. The standard price OF BOOKS Is nrougnt
down to range SO low, tnai u IS mpossiDie genera
~ after paying the paper MAKER, tne PrMsel ana ue
binder, and the vendors commission, 70 ada any sum
sufficient for the authors labor or proPortonate 70
his talent. Hence the pursuit OF iilerature as pro
fession is crcumscrbed In this country II 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
right law in favor of foreigners s that publishers ha-
wing it in their power reprint English books catch
al the worthless we'll the good, and in the eager
of competition, keep up incessant reissue of
all the trash which by any possibility can find Ameri-
readers This trash less various than album
dant It comes in the shape Of novels, travels, and
compilations without generally any trace ofimagina-
tion any touch of freshness any proof Of Judgment
and worse than ALL often presenting false morals and
false systems of government and social life But II