The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-02-14

that road, that road intereres lf there is really
anv interference in the case which is denled)
with them. We hope the Legislature will
have the justice to grant Mr.. Edgington and
the people of he Pan Handle what they ask.
INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT.
In the treaty made by Mr.. Webster and MIR.
Champion, was included an International copy
right law, by which the authors of works in
England ere placed Oh the same footing with
regard TO their productions here, that they
have at home, and rice rersa. We hope the
Senate will not reject this clause. We re-
gard it as one of leer justice, for we have
long looked with shame and adherence upon
the enormous system Of literary piracy which
has prevailed in this country. Wecan see no
reason On earth why an author should not lie
protected in his possessions as well as any
other person, or why the products Of the brain
should not enjoy at least as many privileges
as the products Of the loom, of the anvil,
or Of the plough. If British merchant
sends bale of broad cloth to this coun-
try, and it is stolen, the perpetrator of the
theft is, upon conviction, severely punish
ed. But if British man Of genlus-gene-
rally poor man, and, therefore, standing much
more in need of protection than a me. chant
because he can much less afford to lose-send
here the product OF his toll, it may be seized
by any man who may think proper to print it
and convert it to his own use. There is no JUS
tice in this distinction. 1t is true that Adam
Smith placed authors among the anprodxctire
classes of socisty; but we see not why their
property should not, for that reason, be pro
tected.
We have never heard more than one substan-
tial objection urged against an International
copyright law, and that is, in its nature, SO pi-
raticaI, that those who offer it. ought really to
be ashamed of it. 1t is that we derive great
benefit IN this country from the cheap publ
cations of English works, made by those who
pay nothing for them but the cost of trans
portation. Upon such reasoning as this the
system pursued for so many ages by the Alge.
rine Corsairs mig hit be justified. That system,
doubtless, rendered go1 DIS much cheaper in Al
giers than they would otherwise have been, for
it cost nothing bat the expense of fitting out
cruiser to get them. 1t would justify SNUG
Cling, or any other system of organized resist
ance to the laws. 1t strikes at the very root of
national morals. Our own doctri is, that a
great people should take nothing from others
for which they are not willing to pay.
That the want of an internati copyright
law has assisted greatly in depressing the cha
racter of American literature, we have never
doubted. AS the older country, and the country
containing, by far, the larger number of pro-
fessional writer's, Great Britain has much most
largely of the two contributed to the literature
of the day. Painful as it may be to American
pride to confess the fact, it is nevertheless true,
that her literature 1--WE speak of present lite
rature) is superior to ours, and under any cir
cumstances. will be more read than ours. What
chance, then, does an American author stand
when, in the same bookstore, his writings,
which have been paid for by the bookseller, are
put in competition with those of British au-
thors, for which nothing has been paid1 The
very difference in the retail price drives him to
the wall, and prevents the bookseller from en-.
conraging him to write.
The system piracy, is in the meantime, be
coming quite as extensive in England, from all
accounts, as ii is here. Very nearly million
OF Mrs. Stoves work 1.-THE famous Uncle Toms
Cabin'I have been sold in London, Edinburgh.
and Dublin, while the publishers have paid
not cent for the copyright. II piracy is
to be committed, we prefer that its effects should
fall on that class of writer's certainly. But
we do not wish to see il committed at all. We
wish authors, who are generally poor men, TO
have fee simple in the productions of their
brains, whether they live here or in England.
ne Ia" opens mighty field to genius. 1t
gives market Of fifty millions, probably more,
Whereas before. neither Great Britain nor this
country gave one more than half as large.