Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-10-17
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP

tlmated IN. the Washington correspondence OF
distant newspapers, that this Government is
about to enter into an international copyright
treaty with England We doubt the fact, be-
cause it would be difficult to arrange any such
convention, the result of which would not be
injurious to tbe general interests Of this ooun.
try. Treaties are made for the benefit of the
community at large. Not for that of any small
class Of the community at the expense of the
great mass of their fellow citizens
In this case, the injurious effects of the
enactment of copyright law by Congress,
as the result Of the formation of a copyright
treaty with Britain, are positive and palpable.
For every American work for which there is a
demand in England there are fifty English
works for which there is demand in the United
states; and for every copy of a work written by
an American, sold in Great Britain, there are
two hundred copies OF works written by Eng
lishmen sold in the United States.
These will doubtless be unpalatable facts to
the mass of our readers. They are neverthe-
less true, however, and should be reflected on
ere the enactment of a copyright law by which
every American reader Of current English
works shall hereafter be taxed for the benefit
of the English author, when, without the enact
ment of such law, it is certain that the Amer
lean reader may obtain the work without pay
ing any such tax. Some of our contemporaries will
scold US for want of esprit du corps in refusing
to advocate protection" for those who, like
ourself, live on the popular demand for the
emanatiOns of the brain. In this case, however,
we have higher duty to perform than n duty
even to our own class in society. That is, to
American society at large. We are for keeping
good books cheap. For keeping the laws of the
United States in that connection so that our
fellow-citizens of all degrees may have the adj
vantage of the republication of all foreign
works worth republishing in this country, at as
low prices as possible. We would not quarrel
with American authors who desire to be able to
copyright their works abroad but We would
| not tax the American reading public sixpence
to enable the former to accomplish that object
The UNIoN.-The men who make the obec-
ton that the existence Of slavery in a region
units it for the purposes of white labor, taunt
the South with the fact that there are only three
hundred thousand Shareholders in the whole
South. Thus, we see, there are more than five
millions of non-slaveholders living in slave
holding States. If we recollect rightly, the las,
census, too, discloses the fact that there are dou
Bile as many persons from the North who have
chosen those States as their residences, in pref
erence to non-slaveholding States, as there are
shareholders in the Union
Again: large portions of Delaware, Maryland,
Tennessee Eentuotv nd Nilsson; NJ, nr,o,;
cally non-slaveholding Such would be the case
in any northern territory, and northerners set
thing in such sections would be no more affected
by slavery than the northern border States
They are affected byit, but benefcialIy affected
They find the bordering slave States excellent
and extensive markets for their merchandise
manufactures, mules, hogs and other produc-
lions. The South is the great market for the
North, as the North is for the South. Practi-
cal men understand this and are annually ex-
pending millions to open main lines of commu-
nicatiOn between the sections. The closer you
bring the two forms of society together, the bet
ter markets they afford for each other; and they
closest when both exist in the same State
But this is not close enough Thousands of
the most adventurous northerners annually en-
igrate into the very thick of slavery, as teach
ers, merchants, lawyers, doctors, clergymen and
mechanics; and some Of them are among our
most useful and enterprising citizens. We
would like to see this immigration continue and
increase. 1t would knit the Union more closely
together; for those who visit either section very
generally return cured of all sectional preju-
dice. 1t would not continue, however, a day
under Republican party ascendancy.
If even now, while an immense party at the
North is engaged in deadly hostility to the
South, endeavoring, many of them, to excite ser
vile insurrectiOn,-if even now, northerners
find the South a pleasant and profitable resi-
dence, how many more would come if Abolition
ism would but cease its wicked Vaccinations
As many from the South go North for business
or for pleasure as come from the North to the
South. This union and the intercourse is pleas
ant, profitable and natural, and we regret the
prevalence of the doctrines of Abolitionisn,
which contain the seeds of its dissolution
We have shown conclusively that the admis-
sion of slavery will not operate to the exclusion
of non-slaveholders, whether they come from
North or South. .-.
1t remains to consider, the effects of slavery
extension on the resident citizens of non
slaveholding States. Here the advantages
are still more manifest. They will not have
their scruples, their tastes, or their conscences
affected by being brought into juxtaposition
with slavery, and yet will enjoy the benefits Of
purchasing slave products at cheaper rates
selling their own at dearer rates, and obtaining
more extended market. Atpresent there are
more than enough slaves on the comparatively
unproductive lands of the Atlantic coas:-dif
fuse these slaves over the West and Southwest
and, without increasing the number of slaves al
all, the amount produced by them may be dou.
bled This will cheaper slave products, which
the North needs, and increase tho market 70,
northern products; for the purchases of the
South will only be limited by her ability to
buy, if Abolitionsm will but let her alone
Could Abolitionism succeed in blotting out nc.
gro slavery, how fatal would it be to the inter,
| ests of large portion Of their own section She
nav effect the same fbin1 by ,.ouoL;u.. -o..t