The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1844-01-19
From the y. Y. Erening Posi-
THE COPYRIGHT QUESTION.

| You Will see no general copyright law passed by
this Congress II you expect them 10 egislate intel
ligenly and justly on that subject you will expect in
vain sad literary friend TO us yesterday and we
could not help agreeing with him. Let us address
ourselves for moment the members of Congress on
| this subject
"lf we believe, gentlemen that you will no, leeis.
late justly and nelligeny this subject, it is not
because We suppose that you have sufficient intel
ec honesty 10 do So fyou would take the trouble
to unde rstand the question, but there is no pobabi.
ty that you will take the trouble. on are
In other matters you have great game to play YOU
are divided into democrats and wings and YOU have
ID watch each others movements and to provide for
securing victory al the next Presidential election
The copyright question is no part of this game Some
OF you VIII regard II Idle and impernent epi.
sode, which no man has right TO thrust upon your
attention while you are occupied with affairs of so
much greater Importance Others, seeing that it is
not made party question, will take il for granted
that 1t may be safety left to make its way thI, ugb
Congress 10y lis own merits, and therefre, will not
interest themselves 10 examine il. Others again not
seeing II discussed in the principal journals OF The wo
part es, VIII never be aware that such question is
before The country. We happened to mention il NOT
long since 10 distinguished representative of one of
our Oldest and most populous States who ack now ep
ed that he had not heard Of it before.
We fear, gentlemen that these three classes in
clude almost every member of Congress If YOU
would take the pains TO understand the subject we
we fear that You will not pay attention enough to the
matter to look beyond the superficial considerations
which have made our copy right law he partial and
mi C lievous thing II is.
One Of your members, Mr.. c. j. Inrcrsoll, Of
Philadelphia has Just Introduced bill extending the
term OF copyright and making some other provisions
Tor The security of literary property. We Doubt nd
me Iler my OF his Intentions toward the literature of
our country, but the final section of his bill which
limits the copyright TO citizens or residents in this
fla-Frn IL. Il Il
Tor which we seek remedy is this, that in conse-
quence of our copyright laws American literature is
unVen from the market and supplantcd by the Ii era
fure OF Great Britain The authors of Britain form
the minds OF our people from The earliest uetiod of
life, and our own authors are overpowered and silenc
ed by the multitude of British rrpublications The
true remedy l., to lot foreign au hors and American
authors on an equal footing in regard to capytiobt
but tbs Mr. lngersoll's bin does not contersIl,te.
III what use Is IT TO extend the term Of literary
property, and hedge IT round with new securities If
you allow law to stand which depryes it OF all va
lue' How can it be expected that publishers will
ever purchase book from American author
when they can get book from England for nothing
The law as 1t now stands says: This mans pro
perty is sacred but hat mans you may plumber
freely you must buy this mans goods if you want
them, but you may take that mans goods without
paying for them How can it be expected that he
whose goods you protect from robbery will be able
to sell them, as long as you point to another whose
ment with my constituents to confde in the Demo-
cratic party Who shall say that it is reserved for
ths congress 10 blast all our hopes, and dishonor
and abuse our confidence
Mr. Speaker, voted TO reconsider the vote by
which Tins question was postponed and | voted
against laying the subject on the table Ii s whis-
pered around me that the postponement of the re-
port OF the committee, or laying il on the table
would leave the rules of the last Congress of force
in this Hall. ] know it. But ! will not resort to
this sort of legislative snesse TO retain temporarily
what we have right openly to demand as per-
manent rule OF the House. | will not con-
sent to Juggle this rule into sort Of temporary
equivocal existence, by art6ce and parliamentary
man9uvre. No, sir, we ask it, we demand it, boldly
and fearlessly, but respectfully, of our political
friends, upon direct pote. | want it openly and di-
recty voted or not at all. Give us the rule as it
stood in the last Congress, or vote it down If
there be any flinching let us know it, Those " no
not for us are against us there can be no half
way house here. have no policy, no compromise
on this question. The South has lost too much by
compromises to make her eager for them now Talk
not 10 me Of Democrat or Wing, of policy or man.
agement on this question for, however am disposed
to conhde in my political brethren, when Abolition
ism lifts its Gorgon head in this House know no
party but that which sustans the rights and interests
of my constituents and the guarantees of the Consti-
tuition. when TINS question comes again before the
House from the committee, | will speak more at
large on the subject ] have but to repeat emphsti-
cally the hope have so ardently INDUCED that the
Rouse VIII instruct the committee to reenact the
Ola trule and drive from among US the wild fana
TIC who would apply his torch TO our homes and hab
itat'ons, ana TO this fair temple Of Liberty. Admit
him not into this Hail. for he will day after day
cast hreorands among us, that will eventually burst
this glorious Union into a thousand atoms asL
Mr.. Speaker, that the yeas and nays may be record
ed on my motion,