The daily union., 1854-01-03
Fol As unin,
Colts Patent. and its Extsns,o.

Ik
suitable encouragement 10 persons ol geojns ~
natural right which man has in the productions
own labor, ingenuity, or ,hosght seems 10 he g. ~
upon more sound reason than any other right of sr
which society ncoaoisee, since its enjoyment 10y
no other person Of anything which he had beio,s
which was IN existence until created By him wbo !"
ii his Property in the SOIL OF in anv s' Naas
thing which Mature has furnished US wilbcp, onsa
labor, stands upon much narrower ground and ~
considered OF very inferior quality to that which
upon the claims of creation. The Constitution ~ u
United States recognises this distinction in thar l.s
which authorizes Congress 10 establish the system ~ 't
patent laws II declares that Congress shall have No..
"'o promote the progress OF science and useful a,
securing for limited times. TO authors and invsn,s'p
the exclusive right to their respective wu,ias. =,
"dscoyeries" The word used is .secunneDno, a,sAa
ing confeSring The rghI is in the author or mo-.
or but, ike all other natural rghls il must yi.la Nm,
perior force, unless secured b. the common consso,,
society and the same constitution which dseIa,
object TO be 40 secure the blessings OF liberbn,ho.a
blessings which the Declaration OF independence
'inalienabe rghts'--aso directs Congress ,o see,n
10 authors and inven,orsthe rights s.io their rssn.e;
writings and discoveries" Il is d very compoo e,v
however, against this provision OF the consloo0 ~.
It creates monopoly, and that i, is therefore odion
This cry IS raised generally By hosa who being unsb
TO prodace anything for themselves, seek 10 rob o,hs
OF their property Society, however is too much hsa.
fitted by the system, and under its fostering care ,o
much progress has been made in the useful ars 10 sn
der those assaults OF any value.
The subject which has induced these rema,ksi.A.
application Of Colonel Colt for an extension 70, sss10
years OF MS patent Tor firearms. The great ouesno
which must be raised s whether the general eoa !, w.
law is Observation-Disclosures the public good is promo,sd
4 by the extension Il appears in this case ,,a, Coas,
Colt made his invention in 1891 ; bat like many of ina
great improvements, came prematurey into .s,sIenee
No oos s-11'-u 70 recognise lis value and C,l,os
Colt sruggled on alone Tor five years supporting NM
sell by lectures on chemistry aai approprang the po.
cetds 10 the experiment with arms In ,sas co,an.,
Coli assigned his patent to the Patient Arms COMPANY in
New Jersey, and that company began 10 mannt,t,a,s
the arms IN that year TIE great Efforts which Colon.
Colt made to Introduce the into public use AZ.
well known 70 the government and TO the peo.e al M.
country; but The compexy aad expense OF lie weapoa
were so great, that governnen, officers reported against
them Colonel Coli, howcver him self toos n Florida
fifty OF The rifles. and Geperai Harncy reported IN 1850
that he believed !" That but for hese arns bs Ia
dams would now be luxltatias in the everglades Of
Florida" The temporary success OF this nial was
followed by permanent reverse, and Toe Paesl An,
Co. was sold out IN l5ll by the sheriff leaving Colonel
Colt win heavy debt, and losing all its capital Fraa
that time Till the Mexican war Cuonel Coli was sufet.
ing under the burden OF debt which his efforts 10 bling
his arms into usc had imposed upon hin, and struggling
against Judgments and sherifis 10 regain position 10
which hs talents entitled him. Living in the ,ower of
me university IN New York city, in sugle room be was
aooHng at his sabmarnc batteries. and other improve
mens, achieving reputation OF genas bat gain.
ing no money and scarcely able ad means Of sub
sisence The Mexican war broush, oct his invention
again, and Colonel Colt began TO manufacture his arms
The value of these arms mch upon the excel
lence OF their manufacture upon The pecuay OF their
conslraciion II made of the besi naefis aud
Wi thSyu
OF castron other nsuHicen, material they are Useless
and dangerous Success in the manufacture REQUIRES
very costly and varied machinery, well az great care
IN the production OF the material composing them Col
Col, began al The foundation, spending three months
himself in the steel works in Sheffield to test the various
grades OF material and the steel imported for him
10 known by his name. He has conlrised and bull, at
great expense machinery which is iii for no other use
than TO make these arms, but which makes them with
great perfection. The result OF all this s, that Major
thornton, the United States inspector OF arms, proved.
in one OF the suits against nfngers, that in his IN
spcton OF the last 1000 Coils pistols shooting 1000
shots, bat failed the test; but that the inspec
os OF the last 500 government caibines, shooting 500
shots, SO failed in the tesla result in avot Of Colts
arms over the government caTbinesia the proportion Of
Il l,272 TO /.
So, evident that the principe of these may be
used to construct weapons Of the dangerous sol
ana we nave seen specimens which were oefed fof fae
10 the mafketbut which have been suppressed by the
cours-o cast iron, bal oil such constructions and appear
ance as 10 deceive the Ordinary purchaser Oi couss
these things be made che aply than good arms
since they require but e machuery and are OF cheap
material Bot the public injured by soca things and
no one is benefited Il The markets led with such
arms, Cofs wnrks could 60 on except a, loss, and
all the machinery and tools created this purpose
would be useless yetno psrson would be any fchsr OF
better off What the public rant ia reliable and per-
feet weaponsuch as Colt farnishes ant II il cost
little more than poor one, the increased value oil ihs
arm is more than an equivalent
OF course, the time mast when Clt must meet
this competition. He says that seven.year extennoa
will eaabe him 30 oncrcise, subave, and perfect 0"
machinery tba, n, The expiration OF the term he can nes
it, The progress OF the pas, renders his anticipation mo
reasonable. He only became possessed Of bis patent IN
ls50ihe original term having been assigned TO lbe Pa'
tent Arms Company in 1899. an entirely oit 10 HIN as
well to them; and already he has been abe 10 eacn
tho psrfectcn which ~ now known 20 belong TO his
aims. What may not ~ expected in another seven
years. At any rate. be has not had, and will no hare
unless Congress extend hisps'en but ssven yeas Of s
use; and the general law intends an inventor to have
fourteen. II Congress- extend Tor seven years. that end
will be accomplished and MIR. Colt thinks that
leaouVh The public will be benefited BY The er-
tension. and be injured But, beyond
and above ali this. Colonel Col, is emitted 10 some
evidence OF the consideration OF this country. Iii
invention has been OF ncslimahle service TO The Teo
pie The galsnt achievements oi the Texan iangef'
sth these have been historical; some II the battles
ALI ~ ta.,