New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-12-22
ATTTHOR AND PUBLISHER
rrIMpsEs OF THEIR RELATIONS In EMU
LAND AND AMERICA.

Ne ravard Marion appeals to ME through me
<,ne.rxm Ia correct the statement telegraphed you
,oucbiup his firm In tho matter OF Mr. Ciars
r,ussslls copyright grievance. Mr. Mareton III ono
bresth says il is my "conment" which IL incoi.
rect and in the next that IL is my "stateneh'
which casts a reflection on the English puoiisner
.xn,oh no desires removed. When Mr.. Marston
ba. ns,inted out the error, whether in comment OF
abatement. which ho wishes set right no'n-
inc will give mo more pleasure than to rec
tify t. At present. after ro-perusal OF mo
letter Of Mr. Sampson Low. ny telegram anu .no
l.ttrr of Mr. Marston, am wholly unable 10 us"
cover my mistake.
The letter of which telegraphed you summary
was written by Mr. Sampson Low ana puoHsneu III
The sthenaum of November i. Nj. Sampson 10"
md Mr. Edward Marsion are partners ana are INC
English publishers Of Mr.. Clark Russell noVe's'
Mr.. Low. IN answer to Mr. Rnsselfs complaint 'ha'
the HaIpers had paid him nothing. SAID expressly
that Messrs Harper had arranged with MeSsrs. 10"
themselves for the publication in America Oh MI
pusssIps novels. aud that they had paid Messrs
Low between two and three hundred pounds Tor
early sheets-"a fact of which Mr.. Russell had
nrubably not informed himself when he wrote 10
The zthen9am' Upon this telegraphed US ioi-
lows: IN
Mr. SAMPSON Low contradcts in to-daV's AMe'
napta Mr. Rnssels charge against Inc halpeIs VI W
printing bis novels without repayment sayi1s ''S
The iJnruors did paw the English publishers I1I Va,
advance sheets over goo, which they pocKe'ou
unknown to MT. RUSSELL >, ,
what il there incorrect" in thatY Every "oro
in IL is borne out by Dir. Sampson Lows letter.
Rut Mr. Edward Marston appears on the
soene TO qualify and TO some extent cOhtraulc Vho
abatement of his own partner. Mr.. Low. he saws
Ala not correctly state the sum paid by Messrs
Uarner and ont Of the small portion referablo to
the hooks specifed 81 Mr. Russell, an honorarIum
.ees handed to MIR Russell by his English publish
ers. do not SEQ that Air. Marston takes much by
this but whatever it be. let him have the beneht oil
g. Itnvne the less revnans true that as summary
OF aud necessary inference from Mr. Lows letlef'
my telegram was entirely accurate. Accepting MI
Marston's contradiction of Mr.. Low. have now to
say that Messrs Simpson Low, Son d Co.. claim
ing 10 have bought Mr RusselPs American rights
pocketed the HaTpers payment minus inc hohorar-
un-whatever II was-handed tn Mr.. Russell MI
Marston hopes will remove the reflection cast
upon the English publishers" II made no "reHec-
ton He asks me to correct my statement nave
,o,scted. not my statement, which was accurate
Int the error if il were one. OF Mr.. Marstons pait-
ner. II is to Mr. Sampson Low and not to me chat
Mr. Edward Na,ston should appeal. And he must
allow me to add that until he and his partner can
aeree as to the facts of the case, he has no title 10
complaip of any public comment based on hls part
ners statement
Rut Mr. Marston's sensitiveDess to the statement
of fact which seemed to him reflection il surely
good sign hat he objects to in my telegram is OF
course MY saying that he aud lis partners pocketed
In, pa yments mode by Mlessrs. Harpers on account
OF the advance sheets of Dir. RusseIGs novels. III
there DO anything offensive to Mr.. Marston in the
word "pockcted" shall be delighted to substitute
INV other word or phrase for it which shall clearly
evnress the fact For the fact IS what concerns us
nil Tho question raised by the correspondence
which The4genGua has been publishing has an iIn
portancc far beyond Its merely controversial inter
est. IL is. in tiuth, one of the burning questions
growing out of tue present chaotic condition of copy
right Ms between England and the United States.
Taking Mr.. Sampson Lows letter as truo &C
count OF hat has passed between his firm and MIR.
Clark RUSSELL should he justified IN making re-
Neetions~ upon that firm of much more ex-
plicit kind than any have yet offered. IL that
letter meant anything 1T meant this W.: that Mr.
Clark Russell had disposed OF his right to pay ment
for advance sheets in America to Messrs. Sampson
Low Marson & Co.. and did not kHow he had disposed
Of Them Mr. Russell supposed himself to be selling
one thing and Mcssrs. Sampson Low d Co. TER
fecily understood that they were buying that and
something else. They are business men. MI Rus-
cell is not business man. They probably drew. or
canned to be drawn. the contract which Mr Russell
signed They knew that thus contract gave them
right or a claim to receive such money as might be
obtainable by disposing of Mr.. RusselPS novels in
the United States! Did Mr.. Russell know III
And if he did not what is the proper reflection
IN make GU the conduct OF his English publishers
Mr. RUSSELL OF course. on this suppostion acted
foolIsnly in bargaining away his rights. he might
ptobably rely that he never knew he had any
rights. But Messrs. Sampson Low & Co. knew
Again. Mr.. Sampson Low is the English agent Tor
Messrs Harpers. He has undertaken the double or
treble taex Of making out good case both Tor them
aud Tor himself AMI for his lirn. But the facts are
to say the least, awk ward. Messrs. Sampson Low ~
Co. publish for Mr. Clark Russell in London
Messrs. Harpers buy advance sheets through their
agent who is senior partner in the English ARM
Mr. Sampson Low as partner sells to Mr. Sampson
Low as agent for tho Harpers advance sheets of MI
Russelrs novel. and receives payment for them
Mr. Russell, according to Mr. Low, receives moth
ing. And slr. Low remarks calmly, when the trans
action comes under discussion. that the fact oil the
payment by the IIarpers is one of which MrRussell
had probably not informed himself when he wrote
TO The Iteaqam!"
Nor, excepting with reference to the honorariun
which Mr. Marston says was paid Mr. Rassell, can
see that Mr. Marstons letter improves the situation
for his firm Mr. Russell after reading Mr.. Lows
letter. deliberately reiterated his declaration that
he had never received penny from America on
account of his books there. We shall see what he
has to say In reply TO aI. Maiston. who vituously
complains of Nj. RussOlPs want of righteousness.
But Mr.. MarSton himself only says that an honoTa-
rum was handed TO Mr.. Russell, not ii Is true, by
Messrs Hxrpers but by lie English publishers" The
words used leave il an open question whether Mr..
Russell knew that his honorarium included any
thing on American account.
Now the sgni fcance and Importance of all this
depend IN q measure upon the answer to another
question: Are English publishers. OF any of them
A.. loni;