The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-02-18

Of the first publishers liberal enterprise. and
leave him with half an edition unsold. and
fourth of his entire investment lost. This state
of things led to a general abandonment Of
standard literature for such trash as finds the
most immediate sale; and, for protection in
such rcpublications, whoever obtained first
copy, brought out his work in so economical and
wretched manner. that no one could produce
it meanly enough to undersell him, and make
any money by the operation. The book bust
ness was in hopeless disorder; and the whole
country to which it had minstcred received for
its previously healthful supplies, little else than
poisons. The criminal courts soon became I'M
precedently busy-divorce committees in legis-
latures were made standing instead of special,
every year yielded abundant harvests of profit
gate sons and daughters and patriotism de-
cayed and gave place to a general contempt for
the simplicity of republican institutions and
manners.
There were, undoubtedly, a great many i'm
portant works of all kinds reprinted between
1880 and 1850; but the old houses, and all
houses with adequate capital and facilities, he
STATED at the suggestion of heavy undertake
ings. Thus, Alison's History of Europe was
several years delayed-at least the earlier vo-
lumes were-by fears of dishonorable COMPETE
ton. 1t was advertised in Boston, Phlade-
phia, and New York, but no one dared to print
it. AT length the Harpers ventured to bring it
out, in large and very closely printed volumes,
in style entirely unsuitable for such per-
Torrance, and sold it at corresponding price.
1t was kept from us until it was what in these
times is called an old book, and at last given
us in such shape that no one was willing to
preserve it in his library. The author, even, at
the last, did not receive cent from his largest
audience; and he knows little of human nature
who discredits the influence Of this fact in the
growth of that hostility he has since evinced
against the United States and her Institutions
hostility he this year vindicates with his best
abilities, unanswered to fifty thousand Ameri-
can readers.
Here is the great point of interest and .ex-
pediency' involved in the international copy
right question. Lie about it, bubble about it,
deceive yourselves about it as you WILL the
makers of books are the educators Of mankind
the builders up and pullers down Of kings
the subtlest and most sovereign influence and
authority everywhere but most of all in a re-
public ; and to please a few American pub
fishers. staggering under the wealth they have
exacted from English" authors, the best class
Of these busy and powerful men are to be shut
out from the country. and the inferior classes
SO treated as to be made public enemies and
teachers Of contempt Of our law, Gus
TOM society, and tradition. And while
the most worthless descriptions Of foreigners
are thus employed, in shaping our private
morals and national character, the native author
is deprived of his vocation or if he persist in
writing. instead Of scattering through his pages
the warming and Illuminating fire Of truly
national spirit. is compelled to write in the
tone Of alien rivals. and to seek the approval
of foreign criticism, as condition of even the
most moderate home popularity. Generally.
men Of genius and fit cultivation, unless SO
rich that they can easily labor without pecu-
mary compensation, discard literature altogeth-
er for more profitable occupation, SO that the
absence Of international copyright keeps from
our presses our own best intelligence as well as
that Of foreign countries Mr.. Washington
Irving undertook to dispose of a production of
merit written by an American who had not
yet established commanding name in the
to get an offer from any Of the principal
publishers. They even declined to pub
lsh it at the authors cost" he says, al
leging that it was not worth their while to |
trouble themselves about native works. of |
doubtful success, while they could pick and |
choose among the successful works daily poured
out by thesDfitish press, for the copyright Of
,chieh they had nothing to pay" And not
only is the American thus in degree excluded
from the audience Of his countrymen but the
publishers, who have control over many Of the |
newspapers and other periodicals. exert them
selves. in the way of their business, to build up
the reputation Of the foreigner whom they rob,
and to destroy that Of the home author who
aspires to competition with him.
How false is the impudent assertion Of one of
the attorneys Of great publishing house OPP
posed to the copyright treaty, that :. American
writers, as class, meet with as fair and as just
rewards for their labors, as any other portion Of
the producing classes, it is hardly necessary to
suggest. The Lawrences and Appletons have
made immense fortunes in Boston by manufac-
lures and trade. Their next door neighbors
Mr. Prescott and Mr. Ticknor, in the meanwhile,
have not made cent. But will anybody, ac-
quainted with their works, deny that they must
have labored as industriously as the Lawrences
and Appletons, or that they brought to their
tasks as transcendant abilities? They were
rich men from the beginning, and SO could afford
to work for the happiness and glory Of the peo-
pie. Otherwise they would have been compel
led to devote their energies to something else
than the production of literature.
There are numerous points connected with
this subject which deserve careful considera-