The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-04-28

The National Intelligencer, upon the authori-
y of letters received from Rio, and upon that
ofthe Minister Of Brazil. positively conradicts
the statement in New York paper of the 23d
inst. that the yellow fever was prevailing in
thatciis to an alarming extent, when the Isa-
bella HYDE left, on the 18th of last March. As
this city has intimate connections through
the -four trade with Rio. il is proper that this
fact should be known.
INTER NATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAW.
There is a very animated discussion in pro-
gress between the New York Times and the
New York Tribune, with regard to the propri-
ETY. of establishing an International copyright
system, the latter journal taking the affirma.
tive side Of the question, and the former defend
ing the negative with infinite zeal. For our
swn part, laying aside the intense bitterness
IN which the editor of the Tribune is apt to in
dnlge whenever he is contradicted, he seems to
US TO have much the best of the argument
The reasoning of the Times resolves itself
simply into this /: that if there were a monopo-
las he is pleased to call the exclusive right
Of man to the profits of his own labor
books would be much dearer than they are
now-in other words, he argues entirely upon
the ground of expediency, upon subject, in
to the discussion of which, inasmuch as ii in.
wolves high principle, expediency should not
enter. The effect, moreover, of this doc
trine, as applied to this case, and to all 9TH
ers in which the inventive faculties of man are
exercised, would be to put an end, at once, to
all farther Improvement, moral and physical,
and to leave the world precisely where it
stands. Who will be at the trouble to write,
fhe cannot secure the profits of his labor?
1t may be said, perhaps, that thers is already
sufficient encouragement to induce English
authors 10 publish in their own country. 1t
may be so. But we cannot, for the life Of us.
see why man should not be entitled to the
profits OF his labor, merely because he is the
native of another country. Because a man is
an Englishman, is that any reason why per-
sons in this country should make profit upon
his industry, paying him nothing in return there.
for? la point Of morality, would it not be just
as proper to do the same thing with regard to
our own countrymen Surely the laborer is
worthy Of his hire, let him be in what part of
the world he may, in London, or in Calcutta,
in New York, or in Canton We think it just
as fair TO appropriate the goods manufactured
at Manchester or Sheffield. because they are
English goods, as to appropriate the writings
Of Dickens or Macaulay because they are
English writer's. This system of publishing
books, without paying for the copy right, has
been called "piracy" by the Trade, for many
years, and we think. with perfect justice, no
matter whether the author live in the same
country with the pirate or not. When English
books are sold here, no money having been
paid for the copyright, they sell cheaper, of
course. So would the products of Manchester
and Birningham,fit were allowable to appro-
pirate them without paying for them and as
they are both the products of labor, though of
different kinds Of labor, we see not why the
one may not be appropriated with as clear
conscience as the other.
There can be no doubt, that the system at
present pursued by our publishing booksel-
lers, has been productive of great injury to
American original gent US. No bookseller
will give half the price, even to an author Of
established reputation, that he would give un-
der other circumstances. When he can get the
very best E pglish publications for Nothing. it
it is not to be supposed that he will give much,
for the very best American. As for any new
authors getting his name before the public, I'M
less he choose to give away his manuscript,
that is not to be thought of, unless his books
be some Of the filthy trash with which the
press abounds now, more than at any previous
period. @
We are far from thinking that rise in the price
Of boo ks would be Of any disadvantage. 1t
would encourage men oftrue genius to write.
at the same time that it would induce persons
who read TO buy fewer books than they now do.
and to be more careful in their selection. The
very cheapness OF literature, as Voltaire fore
told, hundred years ago, when there were
no steam presses, has rendered it of not half the
value il ought TO be. 1t is surprising to find
how many young men there are, of the present
day,even welleducated young men, who are
entirely Ignorant even ofsuch we'll known Eng
iish classics as Addison and Swift, while they
are perfectly familiar with ali the trash that the
press poars forth from week to week with
endless profusion. A rise in the price of books
would throw them back upon English stand
ard literature, and by reforming the public
taste confer public benefit.
JAPAN.-MUST WE FIGHT7
Our readers saw from Mr.. Webster's letter