Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-04-09
PRINCIPLES AND EFFECTS NOT PArEsrABLE.

The Supreme Court Of the United States at its late
session decided that principles, power, new
results be patented but only the processes by
which the new result is obtained. Judge McLEAS in
announcing the opinion of majority Of the Court said
ssThe word principle is used by elementary writer's on
patent subjects and sometimes in dudications of courts
with such want of precision in its application as TO
mslead II is admitted that principle is not patenta-
ble principle in the abstract is fundamental TRUTH
original cause motive; these cannot be patented
as no claim in either Of them exclusive right.
Nor can exclusive right exist to power, should
be discovered in addition to those already known
Through the agency Of machinery steam power
may be said to have been generated but ap
proprate this power exclusively to himself under the
patent laws The may be said of electricity, and
of any other power in nature which is alike open to ALL
and may be applied to useful purposes by the use Of
machinery.
In all such cases the processes used extract modi-
y and concentrate natural agencies constitute the in
yenton. The elements of the power exist; the inven
on is not in discovering them, but in applying them to
the useful objects Whether the machinery used be
vel consist Of combination Of parts known, the
right of the inventor is secured against all who the
mechanical power, that shall be substantial
ly the patent is not good for effect the
result of certain process, that would prohibit all
other persons from making the thing by any
whatever This by creating monopoiies, would dscour
age arts and manufactures against the ayowed policy of
the patent laws.
a new property discovered in matter when practi-
cally applied in the construction of useful article Of
through which the property lis developed and apP
cd must be stated with such as to enable an
binary mechanic to construct and apply the necessary
process This is required by the patent laws of England
and of the United States in order that when the patent
shall out the public may know how to profit by the
invention
The st. Louis Integencer of a recent date gives
account Of the suferngs of party of emigrans who
among the first to attempt pass the country
of the Rocky Mountains California. Two of the
party, Colonel EDDY and Mrs. PIKE, visit to
ca b,vio ~ al; nd
being among the oldest residents of that State The emf
grant party referred left the borders of the United
States in April 1916, and struggling along without any
well-marked direct them, reached the Sierra
Nevada mountains in October Here they compelled
pause and shelter themselves in rude buts account
of the heavy snow which in places twenty feet
deep Here also famine starvation, and death visited
them thinning their numbers and threatening to exter
inmate them all Six Of the party, Col. VIM. H. EDDY
Mr.. FOSTER Mrs HARRIET PIKE and three other ladies,
finally resolved push forward the mountains and
if possible reach settlement and send back relief to the
others still living They left their hazardous journey
about the last of December with snow on the ground
during their whole progress They finally arrived at
small settlement the 18th Of January, reduced nearly
the last extremity from starvation and exposurethey
having subsisted their journey mostly grass and
roots and had for months previous to their starting
eaten food possessing but little more nourishment
When they arrived the gentlemen weighed scarcely hun
dred pounds though they Of large proportions
and heavy weight and the ladies reduced that
they weighed less than sixty pounds each. During their
route the American Fork by the gentlemen
several times they having to support the ladies in the
hazardous undertaking. Soon after their arrival at the
settlement relief sent to the other persons in the
mountains and the survivors arrived few days subse-
queny 0ut of the party of eighty but four men, nine
ladies' and about dozen children only arrived at their
destination.