The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-11-16
Our London Correspondence.
LONDON OcY. "A, 1854.

LONDON OCf. IA 1904
Ay,,,;can Authors and English Piracy.
A. an iadspend n advocate o. American int.
rests and equal justice, we appeal to the HERALD
for the insertion of Few facts illustrating the effect
OF TIE late decision in the House Of Lords respecting
copyright
Polished, Theoretical, and embodyng philosophi.
sal principles strang at variance with spirit Of
bsnsvosnse and justice. tie essay against interna-
tional copyright lately given to the world by Mr..
II. G. Carey. has had singular effect In aiding the
wholesale piracy Of American works now going on
in EUgisnd. Nothing could have so strongly en-
coursged dishonesty, completely set at nanght
that correct 81 stem Of trade which honest mon were
disposed TO protect. Could Mr.. Carey have foroseen
the singular revolution produced in the book trade
Of this city by the late decision sense OF Justice
for the poor writer whose bread Is eked from MS
penis poiut might have moved him TO withhold his
able advocacy Of wholesale plundering Gould ne
have seen hose poor but noble min bed men, whose
lessons have gone forth for q worlds good, strug-
giiag 20 live In povert' stricken tenements, the
bread saKen from the mouths Of honest hearted men
Who loving their profession, had barely subsisted by
their literary labors-the father who had main
tanned his little family respectfully by the fruits Of
"a me nta ,abors, deprived Of his sustenance and
driven 20 SEEK other means of livng-could he have
seen the pirate publisher gloating In his triumph
over his honest brother in trade, who, through the
inert prompting of principle, had acknowledged the
authors rights, and paid him for his labors and all
tue effect Of the very system he 80 philosophcally
advocates he would, in the very honesty Of frigid
beast. have hestatei before giving to the world an
essay The hoe Il, or OF which Ia TO got aside the
right CT an sutter 10 hs mental labors
We sre led 10 believe that Mr.. Carey, in his love
OF IN o.. old at times reason against his own bst-
ec judgmt MT forgetting the effect pirasica results
must bave forced upon his mind. rhs pirate pub.
Usher, in bis frenzy Of joy for the overthrow o.
honesty. carries of that Tor which his honest
brother has paid, approprates 1t TO his own use,
and laughs ia his sleeve while thinking how ably
he is defended In mis- plundering by she very phio
sophi al Mr. Carey The pi ate publisher has no in.
tention Of remunerating the wretched author NO!
His ready appropriation OF American literature,
with its bnghting influence and total prostration OF
hone system OF trade, Is sanctioned and advo-
Gated by Mr. H. G. Carey, an intelligent American,
who would perpetrate the grossest act o. injustice
against his own countrymen, wnose labor ne makes
handles his subject with camness oflogic that at
first sight might make him appear disinterested
believer in the dishonest IS stem he advocates;
but further investigation leads US to the conclusion
that, he We speak from results the very system he
advocates he's produ,ed) Is governed by that spirit
Of self protection which long association with
trade deriving its pecuniary advantages from 20
culiar system engen iers In the tradesman Bat the
anomaly Of Mr.. Carey's position is no less forcible
than strange; for while he processes to be bold ad
vocate Of high protective duties on articles OF con-
sumption AID qualification, the manufacture or
books must be q distinctive exception, and for
which he would neither have protection nor ac-
knowledge its being invested with property right.
In the eyes of Mr.. Carey, physical production Is pro-
perty which he would nave the government prote +
with high tariff-whie to mental production he
would der ali claims to property rights, and leave
il at the mercy Of every thief who saw tit to carry
it of In word, he would make all literary labors
secondary to the publishers interests, dvest men
tai production of its rights, and give mental con-
sumption the bros dest aud freest license to appro
pirate what may please it to its own use He would
have tie publisher alone remunerated, while de-
grading the author to q mere dependent being the
fruits Of whose labor he would have I'LL the pockets
OF dishonest tradesmen. To the same trsdesmen
he would give the power of influencing public taste
in It's demands for reading.
theoretical intrica les vita which his abOands,
oontentil & ourselves with giving few practical
Illustrations of the result Of the system OF no copy
right be so streLuously advocates Wnen we have
cone thS we shall submit to the American reader
whether it is Lot hign time something were done to
protect the interests Of American authors, to re-
move Il at stigma Of not having literature, under
which we have 50 long abored, and to put an end to
that system of international plunderiDg now being
o. actist by certain publishing houses on both sides
OF tie Atlantic, whose only object would seem tue
cOtAl sacrifice OF the auLnOr Interests OouBroSb
has hitherto turned deaf ear to the dem snds OF
Justice and set the clsime OF American authors at
naugbt-n the publishing power Yields lis money
influence at the Capitol to shut out tie reasonable
Claims of these who, though humble in life, have
enriched their counEy's fame by sheir mental la
bors, 60 much more the shame and ingratisuie.
Up to 1852 the merit OF American works was
sparingly acknowledged in England. This we are
constrained to say, arose ~ much from q spirit OF
prejudice as any other cause. Tnere were, never
thelese, q certain number of American authors the
intrinsic merit of whose writings Attracted admiar
ton and gained for them reputation and circular
ton Of no ordinary kind. Among these were Ban
croft, Prescott, Washington Irving, Cooper, Emer-
son, LongfeIlow, Abbott, Barnes, Dana, and few
others The star dayd reputation given to the works
Of these authors soon caused them to be sought
after by English publishers. Prominent among
these publishers was Mr.. John Murray, who, being
at the heas Of the publishing business in London,
produced the works OF several OF these authors IN
his very best style, gaining for them . reputation
among English readers not surpassed by their own
writers of distinction. To their shame be 1t said,
Mr. John Murray did that to raise the reputation Of
vain nom their own publishers: he put their works
prominently before the pubEc-nor spared expense
to make tie authors name known For all these
works Mr.. Murray, whose aiu Is TO protect the
personal honor, paid literally. In some instances
ne paid Washington Irving as much as one thousand
ponnds tos single work. This was not only tacit!y
cn0 sdsDg the just claims s., OF .s ansa0rs
stimulant OF American literature and the pub
Usher, having supposed protection for his
legal purchase, at that time respected BY
the pirate who would otherwise stsud ready to
carry of his nlgotsen spois, found his Amen an
commodity profitable 70 such an extent as TO war
rant him in making further advances. These ad
vanoes rot only stimulated American energy, bat
materially aided In removing that long endured
stigma American publishers had done 30 much
to Observation-Disclosures has no literature" In
addition TO this, the supposed projection gave Vie
respectable publisher limited power and control
pffec.pg or ,terfenng with the interests of English
authors. The demand for this literature seemed to
be Of distinctive character, and rather encouraged
tie nidoie class English writer than other wise,
tn fruits Of his labor not being shut out by all
sorts Of American trash thrown promscuously upon
the market
After Mr.. Murray follow the MessrA Bentley,