New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-08-10
COPYRIGHT LAW.
A1ErrER FROM Mr.. CHARLES READE

RIGHTS-"A PERFIDIOUS PROVISo' In HE AS'
LIMITATIONS OF FRENCH PrAYs-iNDidNA-
TON OF THE FRENCH Observation-Disclosures
FINALLY JUST.
To the EDITOR OF The Tribune
SIR: INTERNATIONAL CoPYRIGHT AND STAGE
RIGHT. A. d. 1851 Fit is instructive to look back
and sec how this great advance in justice and pup
lie policy was received by different classes.
/, The managers of our theaters and the writers
of good French pieces into bad English ones, showed
uneasness and hostility.
9. The British publishers, dead apathy. Mons.
Paguerre President of the "Cercle lie 10 hDralre'
came to London to invite their hearty cooperatioh'
"bu found them Indifferent, except as regards Amer
ica To the moral bearings of the question they APP
pearcd toleraby callOus'-AthenF'nn sept. Zo'
1851. This was afterward proved by the prodeous
silence of their organs. On this. tho greatest liter
ary event of modern times, The Quarterly Rer'e'r'
The Edinburgh The British Qadrcriy London and vest
minister, Byackwood Fraser, The Ner Monthly, Norf"
British Christian Obscrrp Eclectic Rcrior Daohn ne
riec Dublin University Rtrie'c, delivered no ho'ice
nor comment, not syllable. They shut out CO.
temporary daylight, and went on cooking the stale
cabbage of small old ages, by the light OF iarthhg
candle
COMMENTS BY JOURNALS AND WErKLIES.
2. This phenomenal obtusencss was not shared by
they have little personal interest in literary prep
crty being rcmuneratcd in different way, uttered
high and di3interrsted views Of justice ard public
policy They welcomed the treaty unanimously
Fortunately noted down a few articles at the
time and these may serve an index to the rest.
Er01iinG 1851, Nov. % 1852, Jan. ~, Sept. 4,
Oct. So Iealer 1851, Nov. Is. Nov. 90. sunday
Times. Dee. T. 1851. Era, same date. Critic, 1911
March 4, Feb. = 1852. The Tmcs 1871 Nov, ~, page
., column 6. Also Dee. |, page 4. column IT, H"S-
sroied London Macs 1851, May 81. Literary Ga'cffe,
1881, May 81, July ., Nov. -, Nov. %, Dee IL.
.ithennnm. 1851, Jan. IS, March 10 ard ~, june
r. Anr q Sept. 90, Nov. %. Art journal, lSol'
Sept and Now The NGr- Yorl Literary Uor'd' March
1851. II would DC agreeable to my owideeiings 70
90 through These articles they bristie with hard
facts proving that piracy up0n foreigners Is "a mere
blight on literature, and spccGl curse 10 Me hdo'
the nitrate Tires in. But, PERHAPS reader OF two IKE
those St. Paul calls NOBLE will search tie matter.
and to save time, the rest may believe me, Writih2
with the notes before me. WILL however, select
good specimen. letter from Cologne, ny IN OLD
observer of pratical translaions il Germany states
that 80 years before date good TRANSACTIONS OF Scott
came into the German market; Buiwer followed,
the, Dickens They were read with a7idiiy; SO.
not being property, rival tran stations came out by
the DOZEN This cut down the profits and the I1val
publishers were obliged to keep reducing tho pay Of
the translators-t Mt last it got to f6 Tor TRANSMIT
ing 3 vols. Act I.
A COMPLIMENT TO JOURNALISTS.
Act. .. Bad TRANSACTIONS by incompetent hands,
bad type bad paper: valnoless as literature, ana
fraud on the public yet, by English reputation and
cheapncss. undertaking the German inventor. Death
to the German novelist; mere fraud on the German
publjc-bad TRANSACTIONS being counterfeit coin-and
no good to any German publisher because they all
tore the speculation to rags at the first symptom OF
sale. liz. Gazette Nov. Is, 1851.
The Times Nov. 26. 1851, supported the proposed
treaty in Il leader taking the higher ground Of me-
rality Justice and humanity, but not ting sound
national policy. The leader contains Such oDserva-
tons as these:
"Intccctua produce has been The only descrip-
ton of goods excluded from equitable conditions of
exchange
"Genius hes been outlawel. The property it
should have owned. has by the comfy of nations,
been tree ed as the goods of convicted feon."
After giving examples Of French, English, and
American genius pilagel, the writer goes On fins:
"Still worse copies were mnldple1 at cheap
rate in Brussels and disseminated all over the con-
tircnt."
"Thecc has long existed profound immortality of
thought with regard to the productions OF genius
How shortss CITED tn policy has been, the OK
ample of Belgiur cvinces. the eject Of It's habit
ual piracy has simply been the extinction u literary
genius throughout Belgium
The Illustrated Loadon Ners, Nay 81, 1851, well
caned International Justice, and put the logic Of in
! ternation.i larceny rather neatly:
"An English book was treated Ike any other CON-
modify produced by sill and industry, ana 30
foreigners watch; bu not foreigners book"
In word, the British Journalists all those years
ago showed rare enlightenment, and peri nal gen
crosby; for there are writer's more able, and in
deed few so surprising to poor Ne, as the fist class
journalist whose mind can pour cut treasures With
incredible sWftness. and ut any hour, however un-
favorable to composition; bedtime to wit, or oven
digesiiOnti lime. Yet these remarkable men, IN their
business sacrifice personal reputation, and see il
enoyed by moderate writers of bools this would
som petty mind, and the would say. Eko Lord
Camden " Let authors he content with The reputa-
ton they gain; and what is Literary property 20 me?
Ihavc no stake in it," But these gentlemen showed
themselves higher minded than Lord Camden; they
.ilcnced egotism and unanimously to the lofty
levels OF international justice and sound policy;
end il would i'll become me, and my fellows iii Great
Britain and America, forget this good deed, or to
BASS it by without a word of gratitude and esteem.
HOW AUTHORS WELCOMED LITERARY JUSTICE.
4. With less merit, because We were inter sed,
every author worthy of the name hailed the new
morality with ardor. The American authors in par
ticllar conceived hopes that justice and sound policy
would cross a wider wafer than the ditch which
had hitherto Obstructed the march of justice in
Europe; and they organized club to support the
movement, with Mr. Bryant for President.
Imyself had glorious hopes now look back on
with bitter melancholy. was ono of the very few
men who forcsaw glorious future for the British
drama. 1t was then so thoroughly divorced from
literature and degraded, that scholars in general
believed it could again rear its head, which
once lowered above all nations. But was too well
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