The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-07-14
VICTOR HUGO.
HIS ADDRESS Ar THE OPENING OF
TRE INTERNATIONAL LITERARY
CONGRESS IN PARIS.
Translated for the Democrat

Gentlemen-What constitutes the
grandeur of the present memorable
? year is that, supremely, above all ru-
, mors and clamors, presenting majestic
front to astonished Hostility 1t leads the
> way to civilization. It Is year that
has made its authority felt. What it
wished to do it has done. It replaces
the old order Of the War-by the or
der of the new day-Progress. It Is
right to take its stand. Menaces thun-
der, but united nations smile. The
work Of the year 1873 will be indestruct-
ible, complete; one feels, in everything
that has been done, something definite.
This glorious year proclaims, by the
Paris Exposition, the alliance Of in
dustries, by the centenary OF Voltaire,
the alliance Of philosophers, by the
; congress here assembled, the alliance
Of literatures. Vast federation Of
works August edifice Of human Rrater-
nifty having for its base peasants and
: workmen, for it's crown geniuses.
| Bravosl.
Industry seeks the useful Philosophy
the true Literature, the beautiful. Be-
hold the triple end Of all human effort.
The triumph Of that sublime effort is,
gentlemen, civilization and peace
among men.
1t Is to insure this triumph that, from
every point of the civilized world, you
are gathered here. You are the illus
trious intelIects that nations love and
venerate, the geniuses, the soul in the
work Of progress. You are peaceful
oombatants, bringing with you the halo
Of renown, the am bassadors Of humanity
to great Paris. Welcomed
| Writers, orators, poets, philosophers,
France salutes you. Prolonged ap-
plause.
We are all fellow citizens of q univer-
sal city. Hand In hand let US de clare
our unity, and enter that great I'M
troubled country, the Absolute, which
is justice, the ideal, which Is Truth. Is
1t for personal interest or obligation
you are gathered here2 It is for the
interest of the universe.
What is literature2 The march OF
human intellect. Literature and ciVili-
zation are Identical.
Nations are measured by their litera-
ture. An army OF two millions OF men
passes away; an Llliad remains; Xerxes
with an army vanish; an epic poem re-
mains. Greece is email in territory,
, great by Eschylus. Rome is only city,
: but by Tacitus, Lucreus, Virgil and Ju-
, venal, that city fills the world. IL you
evoke Spain, Cervantes springs up.
Mention Italy and Dante rises, while
, England owns Shakespeare. At GER
tain epochs France Is persOnfied In q
genius, and the resplendence Of Paris
} miDgles with the lustre Of Voltaire Re-
peated bravos.l
: Gentlemen, your mission is exalted.
You are sort of constituent assembly
of literature, and IL not entitled to make
the laws, at least to dictate them.
Say what Is right, express true ideas,
! and, IL possibly you are not listened to,
legislation is wrong.
You are about to lay the foundation
OF literary proprietorship and introduce
it into the code. For, declare, an &C.
count OF your proceedings shall be kept.
You are going to explain to legislators,
, who wish to make literature local fact,
that it is universal fact. Literature is
the government Of human kind by hu-
man mind. Bravo Literary propri-
; etorship Is Of general utility. Old
: monarchical legislation limited it's
power for purposes Of servitude. The
,, free writer is the true proprietor; take
, from him this right and you destroy his
independence.
But the book is distinct from the
thought, tangible, so tangible that 1t is
sometimes seized. [Laughter.l The
book, the result Of printing, belongs to
, industry, and produces under all it's
Is bought and it Is sold. It Is property
value created and not acquired, riches
added by the writer to the national
wealth, and certainly from every point
OF view the most incontestable OF prop
critics. This inviolable ownership,
Z despotic nations violate. They confls.
cate the book, hoping thus to confiscate
the writer. This gives rise to the sys-
, tenn OF royal pensions. Taking all and
Z giving back but little; spoliation and
subsection Of the writer! He is robbed
, the author escapes free, but has been
made poorl Applause.
Who could buy those grand con-
, sciences, R4belais, Molliere, Pascal
The attempt was made, the result dole
full. Monarchy is a terrible suction
force OF the vitality of nation. His
torians gave to kings the title, father
Of the nation" and "father Of letters"
Dangeau, the fatterer, on the one side,
| buDbus bU0 S5N6I0S Uh GLlO COAOA' Ao
for the So called "Grand Century,"
when kings were fathers of the people
and fathers of letters, it ended by these
, two dark facts! The people without
bread and CorneiIIe without shoes.
Long applause What dark blot on
J the Great Reign!"
Gentlemen, let US go back to the pri-
r mary respect for property. Support lit
erary ownership, but at the same time
! lay the groundwork OF public domain.
! Let US go further still; let US enlarge
[ the view. Let the law give to editors
. the right to publish all books, after the
> death of the authors, on the sole condi-
Y ton OF paying to the heirs a thrilling tax
7 which will not in any case go beyond 8
D or per cent on the whole profit. This
simple system, which reconciles the in
contestable title of the writer with the
no less incontesrable rights OF the pub
l lie, has been presented in the first COM
II