The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-05-07
International .Copyrighs.

This subject, the reproach Of American
legislation for so many years, seems at last
to.be exciting some attention in the proper
quarters. A meeting of authors and other
literary men was lately held in New York,
at which the venerable Mr.. BRYANT presi-
ded, and which had for its object the exam
ination Of the defective system of interna-
tional copyright as regards this country.
Nothing Of importance seems to have been
effected at the meeting, however, and the
question may be said to be still in embryo.
Meanwhile, q memorial has been addressed
to Congress by various literary men gilmore
or less eminence throughout the country,
praying the establishment Of system Of
mutual copyright between the United States
and Great Britain, SO that the property Of
American authors, in their literary wares,
may be secured. A counter memorial has,
we believe, been presented by numerous
publishers who are interested in the other
side of the question, and it is doubtful
which Of the opposing partiesywill prevail
OF course, as question of simple abstract
honesty, there can be no doubt Of the pro-
priety Of the contemplated law. a mans
ideas are as much bis own property as his
clothes. and that q publisher should be
allowed to make q fortune out Of theprinted
thoughts Of foreign author, who would be
secure from his spoliation were he "to the
manner born," is preposterous on the face
of it. But it has become very much the
custom in these enlightened days to"make
utility the test of national action, and .e1-
pediency the law Of national intercourse;
and the balance of benefit has been so long
and is likely to continue 80 much in favor
Of America under the present system, that
we imagine there is but little hope Of sue
cessful reform. AS things are at present,
we get the cream 9 English literature at
less than half the ice the same supply
would cost were it protected by copyright.
Publishers are enriched and the literary
taste Of the public gratiied by system,
into the intrinsic dishonesty Of which few
care to inquire. And on the other hand,
those American authors who really suffer
from the want of an international copyright
are undoubtedly few in number. The array
of English authors, who are widely read in
this country, is out Of all proportion TO the
number Of Americans who have achieved
literary notoriety abroad; and though these
considerations do not affect the justice of
the matter, and should not, of course, be
counted for an instant against the manifest
dishonesty of the present system of literary
piracy which prevails between the TWO
countries, yet the fact is, that the solution
of most questions of practical import in the
world depends very much on just such con-
ditions. Great Britain has made frequent
efforts to procure the establishment of an
international copyright, but they have been
persistently rejected in this country. We
do not believe that the present effort, though
it come from this side of the water, will be
any more successful. The interest Of the
large and influential class of Northern pub
fishers is oil the other way, and the repu-
tation Of the present Congress hardly war
rants the belief that measure like this,
which has nothing save it's intrinsic justice
to recommend it, can prevail against the
opposition Of powerful lobby.