New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1844-02-01
International Copyright


| The Cincinnati Morning Herald argues that
authors have no natural moral right of property
| in their own works, but that whatever night OF
property they may have is conventional ana
created by law! The man who has produced a
bin Of grain, or box Of axes, has natural right
| IN use them or sell them on such terms as ne
pleases: but the man who, with equal labor and
greater genius, has in the same time produced a
Poem or Hstory-why he has no right at all to
| his product He may read it, indeed, if he can
find sly place where he shall not be observed ;
but the moment he attempts to realize share OF
bread and clothing for his labor, the first man who
buys copy to read or sell again may set to work
in opposition to the author, producing copies Tor
the mere cost of copying, and go strike dead the
right founded on absolute production There is
| moral unsoundness want of heart, implied IN
| this argument that strikes US most revolving
We instinctively clap hand on our money
pocket-if there happens to be any thing IN 1t
whenever we hear man arguing against Inter-
national Copyright.
But the Herald, after inferlng, correctly
enough, that Copyright, if absolute, ought to be
worldwide and perpetual, atfirms-
God never gave intellect be thus locked by these
miserable devices Of monopoly The does not deserve
genius who wouldemapd any further protection for IT from
Government, than enough 10 secure MIN Id s'die VI e
good things of this life"
Well, sir, how do you know that the author to
whom you deny the right of fixing price on the
products of his own labor-whose books you insist
on reading without paying him a farthing-is not
thereby deprived of ga fair share of the good
things of this life" We all know that WALTER
| ScoTr lived long bankrupt and died martyr
to his superhuman efforts to pay his debts, when
one cent per uolune from those who in this coun-
try read with delight his works would have ensur-
ed him an old age of atiiuence and case
WORDSWORTH and CoLERlDGE have been needy
and straitened while the best ntellects throughout
our land were irradiated and elevated by their
genius. HENRY NEELE and THOMAS HAYNES
RAyuEY died early in life. victims of restitution
misery, blighted hopes while our country was
ringing with their still rising fame-a fame which
never brought them from their hundreds of thou
sands of American admirers the price of loaf Of
bread.-We might swell the catalogue indefinitely
but the task is thankless.
But test the Herald's logic. Mr.. Alison devotes
twenty years to the compilation of his History ;
and, being subject of Great Britain, he will re-
ceive therefrom, we will suppose, an adequate
remuneration. But suppose he had been born in
Switzerland instead, or suppose Scotland were
still an Independent kingdom, his recompense, in
the absence Of international Copyright would
not have been one-tenth so much as now. Yet
would his necessities, his wants. his just deserts
have been less {? Would he not have a just claim
for recompense ON all who chose to avail them
selves of his labors ? And can we better deter
mine the Just measure Of his due than by securing
to him what people choose to give for his produc
tons rather than not have them ?-The logic O.
the Cincinnati man is as loose as his honesty.
} Coles PA1NrINGs.-We are informed that the
exhibition of these fine paintings will soon close
and they be finally removed. Those who do moi
see them will lose an opportunity of seeing gooc
paintings that does not often occur. The Notch
in the White Mountains - is admirably painted
The old trees-the bald mountain with the mist
round the summit-the variegated foliage-the
waterfall, are all so like nature that one scarcely
seems to be looking on painting, but the scene
itself. "The Past and Present" are both ad
mirably painted, though badly named 1t is diff
hcult to conceive the hustle and freshness and
animation of life to be the Past, and the dilapda
ted castle-the ruined moat, and the shattered
Keep, as representing the Present, although it is
all strictly true. Ruins and the Past are too In
tately associated in our minds to be easily sep
| arated. But the " Present" is finely finished
and how gioriously the fading sunlight streams
: through the ruined archway before you The
effect of light there is admirable. The aqueducts
stretching across the Campagna of Rome arc
drawn also just as they stand. The only objec
ton to tie picture is Mr.. Cole has given too great
luxurancc to the country around. The barren.
ness and sterlty, or at least the stmted growth Of
that Campaigns, adds to the loneliness of the scene
and, even if it had not existed an artist we think
would have been apt to have made it so, for the
effect instead of erring on the other side of Ma
ture. Mr.. Cole has lately added new painting
:. to this collection, CA Scene on the Catskill."-
This is in his natural vein and is surprisingly
beautiful. The declining sun defines the hugo
Catskill Mountains with that peculiar clearness
against the evening sky which is observed only
! at sunset. The stream sleeps in quiet beauty be-
low, and the smoke of locomotive that is speed
ing over it floats back along the hillside, and the
deep shades fall over the green-sward, all just as
they are seen by the lover Of nature who rides Of
a summer evening back Of the beautiful village
of Catskll But with all his beauty and natural
ness, MIR. Cole will color too much. He cannot
get the green, green enough, and the luxuriance
of nature, luzurians enough. Weregard this as