New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-08-14
COPYRIGHT LAW.
A LETTER FROM Mr. CHARLES READE.

10 fhe EdttOr OF me IrtDhht.
SIR: INTERNATIONAL COFYRTGHT WITH AMER-
| CA:-The question has been mooted for forty years
and more and various British Governments have
made langmd movements towards obtaining justice
| for British and American authors These have
| failed languor generally does. So now faint
hearted souls say: "Oh, it is no yOu might as
well appeal to the Andes against Snow, or to hog
i'm his neighbors garden for clemency 10 Potatoes
ask the Americans for humanity to British authors"
Before | can quite believe this they must write
! out Of my head and my heart that this American
people torn by civil war, and heart-sore at what
seemed 10 them our want Of principle and just SYM
patty. sent a lsge sum Of money 10 relieve the
British cotton-spinners whom that war and their
own mprudent habits had brought low. Moreover,
| can never despair of a cause because il has been
imngled forty years. There is key to every lock:
and if people viii go trying the wrong keys for
forty years that il proof that the right key viii
! fail for forty more To find the right key we must
| survey-for the first time-the whols American sit
uation. 1t comprises five parties the iudges-the
| Legislature -the authors - the publishers - the
people.
THE COMMON LAW.
The jadqes-what III speaking to a Frcnchman. we
call the law Of England. IT, in America. the common
! law Of both countries common ancestors grew
il: the American colonsts carried II IN Their breasts
across the Atlantic and il has the same authority IN
the States as here it bows 10 Legislative enactn"nfs,
but wherever they are silent II j. the law 81 the
laud. An American lawyer nho cites it with the
reverence it really deserves. does not pay rs any
compliment. He Is going back to the wisdom and
/ Justice of his own ancestors.
! Now. Congress not having meddcd with m'"hH-
f;opn, CopyIi-Ht or ~tace-rirhr an English authors
/ ,.lt =: ~. yrl, , u r--5 IL ,yhat II Was
in LONDON before thc statute Of Qneen Anne, ana
ny FIRE 3 and " Ill., !.
Half our battle Is won in ;Ee courts: for the
American JUDGES roncate To- an English author stage
ight in imprinted dramas. "kcene AIT. Nhcatiey
/ o American Law ReE.. -. Grove AIT. Atken.'
4 Am Law Review % AID other eases.
They couc.Ce Coryriclt IN unpublished Manu-
! .,l.pts Palmer .-. dc Witt" etc.
- r - 1., l.i tho. ,I tI.. soil. II .,i,t
/ 49, 49, ,.,.,. .f ,,. Nh
! OF liii' .-i- q" ''' pup. am .''''' '''-
/ u-,r'pt. oar case would be- 10 pe.cs- Iui ih'y ol~-
/ own thi- theory. and g.Ve &C. British author the
hoor0'od ,ghf-that t. the sole mint 10 PRINT ms
| conip'> li"l-Fo"W "t P'N' ".5 ~ !" ~ '"'
poS'"''o" ~ 'oP5 a. O. "e F"''" F"'"" "
P'"'fa b'''.
'haIl no" prove 'a' '.''' ''''"' O"i' ''N'''
is lncInde' id ''a' '"'4.''''N.
HERE are tA'c tAr"'ie' OF N"iEI'- ''' 'o'''''"
| law:
! H. W. ,.-,..,,,.,, ,I.o..r,
/ The Mad >uph..,', theory.
! THE WAsHrEW nMA>.~ Theory mat there ear!
/ be- uo Iu,orpYg-al property al common I.y. Az
| ..,, H.. ...,..+, l. ,,...i.. an.
'i'-' '''''"~ j" - I.'i'''' - "-''"
| Urri1aies H. and iih'7 the ""'"'. 'Htt ' Uhi'"'"'
bu, the root of the os, u-e is ni~aPproprar ng TIE
material object. the authors own written papcf.
Thus II hen is taken un.avfaI1r to sell the cggs
Sine l,y. after ms .i,l-oor. ..iion is unlawful.
A,uNrD PROPERTY.
The Lawyer. and t1e ~crhi>t'~ theory both rest
~, ,,,e,.i fhaor,- ,r..,,I 10 line above VIZ: