Wabash express. [volume] (Terre-Haute, Vigo Co[unty], Ind.) 1841-186?, 1858-12-01

Literary properly.
The worlds convention Of literary ssvsns,
recently assembled At Brussels. had under con
Liberation. among other subjects. the question
81 a perpetrsl copy right. That -. ~hsthe'
the o~n srship an author ha. in h!s book shood
Be A. absolute s- the tenure by which the p'o
prieior holds his lands. vesi,ng in hfm and b.
hsirs forever, with full power 10 alien and
convey. the grantee tskiag AN indefsasitls
estate Of inhsritanes In fee simple"
The nature Of literary property. .. founded
IN abstract RICH, and public policy 's stopie
~ once interesting and difficult. l. IL sa,urai
tight. or the mere creature Of siatuts' How
far should The thoughts 81 the brsin--th.
skspe- Of the fsney-ihe bod wings forth Of III.
tnsgination-the t.shes Of genius. 10 suhjee,
10 the laws that gi<e 40 action for deceit In >
horse trade. upon = note overdue. or for land
vrongfully with held.
BY the Roman laws. 81 q tnnn wrote upos
the parchment Of another. the rrsperiy r.
manned in the owner Of tho parchment. the
writer being entitled 10 psy for his mechanical
labor. II. however. one painted picture epo,
the canvass Of another. the painter was al
Judged the owner Of the picture upon pay ~
shs value of the canvass. Thus di.iircfioi
vas resognixed between pictures Of nateria
objects in eoisr. and pictures Of thought il
words. To the former ease the srti.t Was IN.
ewner Of his work in the latter the labor Of
the hand in tracing the words should be paid
for. but where the golden scales that eouId
u ttl IN Ia hal II l.. -.
light Of the soni kat informed those word.
With immortal Teaning' Who should estmst
she price II The stately rhetoric Of Cicero, ,r
&c musical flow Of virgii'
The frat legislation upon the subject O.
copy right. protecting the property Of an su
thor IN his published book. vas by the senst.
Of Venice in 1869.
All civilized nations now recognize thi-
right in their own authors. but TO very differ
snt sxtsnis. In some OF the States of Ger.
many IL IL perpetual in this country and
England IL vests for twenty eight years after
publieation-in France during the l,fs Of The
suihor and for ten years after his death.
The whole subject has been freo,,nlly and
ably discussed NJ the Courts aud r,rli men
2lErSsT5d. Lord Camden concluded spies
did srgumen, against the principle OF li,erar,
property. with the following eloquent passage:
"Glory is the reward OF science, aud thos.
Who deserve il scorn all msansr views speak
not Of the seribblers for bread who tease ID,
press with their wretchcd productions. -Four.
teen years are too long period for their per
sk.ll IL -. l., L.. ID 1
Newton. Milton. Loo ke instructed and delight
ed The world. When The book seller offered
Milton five pounds for his Paradise Lost. he
did not reject It aud commit his poem to the
danes. nor did be accept the miserable pit
tsnse as the reward % his labor; he knew
that the real price Of his work was immortali
~. and that posteri,y would pay IL"
Lord Mansfield, upon the other hand. at one
time held in a judicial opinion. that litersr,
property was common law right That the
author owned his book n the builder owned
his house. By virtue Of the labor besiowed up
on Il. suppose for one moment this decision
had slwsy. been held to be the law. Mhat
msgnisce field fpr speculation and iayest
nsnt would the literature Of The past now
present Who would hesitate upon putting 4,
his funds. for safety and dividends. into ia. ,
wcrks Of Lord Baconf To what incaleulabl, /,
'um would the five pounds paid for Paradise ,
Lost have now attained What grand e. ate.
would there be in Shakespeare what untold :
wealth would there be in the heritage Of New !
ton Fancy the commercial column Of New ,
fort Dailies, after quoleg-