The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-03-19
THE INTERNATIONAL col
RIGHT LAW.
COPY.
THE

The book-makers in this country are very
much exercised just now, over fact they have
recently discovered, that John Bull can steal
books as fast as we can. The Richmond Times,
handles, without gloves, these literary pirates
The editor declares that he admires matchless
impudence 1t is said to be the only way to
win the fair" Certainly no quality carries
one so successfully along the stream of life as
dauntless effrontery. 1t is to the man of the
world what charity is to the christian. With
out it all is as naught-a man may have all
the talent in the world, but if he is a mean
looking, modest little fellow, with thin
squeaking voice, ninety-nine cases in hun
dred, justice will not be done him, nor his merit
acknowledged; whilst some great big, fine
looking fellow, with loud voice and imposing
presence will, by at once taking a front and
reserved seat humbug the community into q
belief that he has genius, and, instead of being
set back, is pushed forward Our readers see
this every day. u
The coolest specimen, however, OF this quail
ty that we have witnessed lately is the hue
and cry set up by the descendants of Homer,
Gibbon, Byron, and others at the North, about
an International Copyright Law. We find
that petition has been sent into the United
States Congress, signed by George Washing
ton Greene, E. L. Godkin, Charles G. Halpne
L. P. Hickok, Parke Goodwin, and other dis
tinguished literateurs and authors of New
England, urging that body to pass such law
as will protect American authors and pub
fishers, and compel England to enact a srailar
one. Of course, all the publishers, nearly,
sign the petition, and Sumner for once letting
the negro alone, has agreed to take the matter
in hand in the Senate-a sure way, we opine,
of cffectually killing it. The New York Round
Table, in speaking of this new protective
scheme for New England's literary paintings,
says:
SAT present, treaty negotiations are we'll
nigh impossible, for satisfactory reasons given
tby Mr.. Seward, but which we may not at this
time make public. This obstacle, however,
may not continue for any length of time, and
when it shall be removed the Secretary of State
will be as cordial in the matter as Mr.. Sum-
ner. But there is nothing to prevent the enact
ment of a statute on the part of our Govern
ment, which, while it may not give full pro-
lection to American authors will be apt to
induce reciprocal action by the Government
of Great Britain, and thus the end may be &C.
complished as well as by treaty 1t will be
understood that when we speak of legislative
Ia ntion moon cI1ch 90 will ,,rova,t tlo o,Jl
ing of any English work or any English edi-
ton of an American work in this country
without paying therefor for copyright privi-
leges."
1t goes ON very innocently to state, "This of
course, would give our own books better
chance, by advancing the price of English
works, and thus prove more re,nunerative to
American authors and publisher" very
simple statement of which last proposition is,
that you should tax the whole country heavily
to put money into the pockets of the signers
of that petition, and build up colossal fortunes
for Boston and New York publishing houses
as odious class legislation as possibly could
be imagined.
After years Of literary piracy and plumber
ing of authors all over the globe, so much SO
that the American people became famous for
it; after having time and again refused to pass
an international law of copyright, to the
great indignation of British authors, whose
works have constantly been repubshed in
this country to the great profit of American
houses, and without putting dime in the
pockets Of the lawful owners, we now ask .e
be protected against the small stealing the
English do in this line of some few American
books The very impudence of the PROPOSE
ton strikes one dumb, though its gravity is
irresistibly ludicrous. We all recollect what
a rage Mr.. Charles Dickens went home in af-
ter having failed in his attempt here to get an
International Copyright Law passed-and
revenged himself by writing funny, but alb
surd book, with evident traces of brandy in
it, in which he gives up nearly half the chap
ter on the great city of New York to a de-
scription of fight between two pigs! Now
when we commence to talk about 'literary
piracy" and declaim about the wrongs of au-
thors, who have had the profits of their intel
ectaal toll fiched from them, it surpasses in
cool, downright impudence and effrontery
anything we have seen for long time. It
may not be appreciated, however, for the ar
ticle is SO common that it is scarcely noticed,
unless clever and artistic, like this specimen.
The plain truth is-for English republications
Of American works are nothing to make a
fuss about, they are so few--that since that
national blessings the Public Debt, with it's
internal revenue and swarms of officials, the