The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-08-05
INFERENCE OF OPINION
o.v1s AT VARIANCE WITH AP-
=, ~ g CO., his PUBLISHERS.

r-,,l share Of the FroSSedS : AOii4
Sole of His Book-His Contract
r -, ADpIeton & Co.-The Matter
~ raearee-An Interview With
william Appleton.
Copyright 1880
vrw ORLEANS, Aug. 3-Among 'ne
- hooks Of the war of secession, rank
''1---- -r-,,or-alce with the works OF Gems.
- a5d sheridan, for the future his
-, and s-gldent OF history, IS "Ihe hiSe
lTa1 Of the Confederate Government,
1-u 1 : Davis. 1t was published in the
y sa.ial vear. by D. Appleton q Co., OF
- vork and is catalogued by that house
.+,lss and prices as follows: Two
vo. subscription, cloth, $40;
sbsep. sl2; half morocco, Sl4; fuli morocco
$50" 4 hos boor
y, that differences exist between the
/ thor and publisher, and of so serious a
a.,,ra owing to the prominence OF the
nartias in dispute, as to give the matter
r,hIic and national interest and import
ance. 4ol5 oor,,ino, from q
Tr5aad the story as IOlu, COMING =. OiAA
& so,rca the authenticity and reIlaOlhIy Oh
YrEicb cannot be impeached, appears 10
81 - he GREAT publishing house at as
P"-,a,rqqe in its relations to the ex-head OF
g., c,0faierate government as an author
Il and literary client.
the views of Mr.. Davis himself, backed
Nm bv the opinion of a few friends OF
n hi. Who have come in possession OF the
toes rs be understood them, give color TO
tbe 5elief that his returns IN cash as an
q artbor from his publishers-through an IN
n fortunate misunderstanding perhaps
Rave neither equaled his expectations nor
81 tbe amount to which he is really entitled
bv the terms of the contract between
Mr. Davis and the Messrs. D. Appleton q
Co. ,,..-
Without going into great particulsrlity
of details the alleged facts in the case-or
q What Is understood to be the facts, so far
as they re.ate to Mr.. Davis interest and
rights in the matter-may be briefly pre-
sented.
n1S74. D. Appleton s. Co.. communi-
Gated with Mr. Davis, desiring him to write
for them a history of the war, including as
much as possible Of his own life, and par
ticuarly covering his connection with the
confederate government. After some cor
Il respondence, Mr.. Davis consented to I'M
dertake the preparation of such a work.
h Mai. Wglt4all an ex-otficer Of the confeder-
q ate army and a personal friend of Mr.
Davis was empowered by the latter to rep
resent him at arranging the details of CON
3 tract with the publishers and also to obtain
q copies # official documents and similar
& material for the use of Mr.. Davis in the
Il preparation Of the manuscript.
81 For such service, under the contract,
4 Maj. Walthall, for a specified term of
a eight months, was to receive a salary of
g. $3.50 with an allowance of $50 a month for
expenses. His total compensation of
&, 400 was to be advanced by the pub
4 fishers, and was so advanced, to be- de-
Quoted from the amount payable to Mr..
Davis.
Then, it is stated, two subsequent con-
& tracts were made by the publishers with
Maj. Walthall for a continuance of his
4 services, III procuring material aud veri-
4 fylng the accuracy of Mr.. Davis manu-
script in parts containing official rec 1rds.
The two supplementary contracts with Mai.
Walthall, covering a period of fourteen
months, were without the authority or au-
thorization of Mr.. Davis, at an expense of
4 $50 month, but without the previous al
B lowance OF $50 month for expenses The
II gross amount Of money paid Maj. Walthall
81 by the Appletons. according to their two
latter contracts, although uncelled for in
8 tue contract between Mr.. Davis and his
q publishers, was also charged against the
account OF Mr.. Davis. In addition to these
n charges for the services of Maj. WalthaI.
D. Appleton & Co., charged Mr.. Davis
interest at 8 per cent. on the money adj
s vaced IL the procuring of material
ana verltication Of documents and records.
In the controversy now going on between
y Mr.. Davis and his publishers. as to money
& claimed to be due him-which claim is not
acSnowledged-a still more important and
very much larger amount is alleged to be
q involved. The contract between Mr. Davis
ana d. Appleton q Co. calls for payment
= oi royalty OF 81 to the author, on each
set sold Of the work, in the two volumes
q bound i'll cloth" The author retained fine
II copyright, simply empowering he publish
& ers TO issue his work in cloth" at the stin-
ulated royalty.
Inc statement is made that Mr.. Davis has
only received returns for about q 600 sets
uouha IN CLOTH" as stated in express
.srills IN the contract; while, in addition to
Il the sets IN cloth, still larger number of
sets have been sold in the more exnensiyya
bindings at yl2, sl4 and $50 per set re spec
llVely, Tor which no return has been mada
W the author, for the reason that the CON
tract Only called for a ROYALTY on sets
4 bound in clothp' vi SOUS
AS long ago as 1879 or 1880, Mr.. Davis
cali5u the attention Of his publishers To
4 tne TACT that he thought he was not owing
Il " aolne lnadYertency or mistake. receivin9
statements fully covering the sales o 5
winch ne was entitled to receive tire stinII-
4 lated royalty. 'ne sVipu-
4 he AcSG1 at to statements made, and be-
4 Mr. 6a ~ rom that time to the present
isfoot"'. 10 mas o9el unable to receive a sat-
4 sidcvory accounting or the correspond
lhgiy satisfactory refnittances Froq,t 49,,
4 years mentioned, at VARYING intervais AZ
& w .ppiIespondence has been continued On
49, o,lls G5oIifeSpQndence Mr. Davis has simnIv
to- lor JUSTICE that his publishers shond
q " 0 az mn as they would desire themsaIvac
- ueated, We're the positions of sutbo,.
So puDhsher reversed. He has urga5
"A .uaV Ne was an old man and feeble that ba
II oas unable to endure tine fatigues and anno1y-
t tn;Ces winch would be involved in SUCH q
-. a. would enable him to have a personal
no nor we we" with them in New York. On his
a ma VIC correspondence has been gentle
n said Io az u4gulned, and only once. it is
81 he fao LeS ms sense Of the injustice of which
ne ices himself to be the victim, Id i Ii-11
S hi, al al exhibition OF strong feeling In
~. Instance ne simply suggested thai thara
81 Is ,s,lo oe an idea on the part of mis- NH
arch t.o oGat 1t would be impossible 'fo the
81 obtai~ o al OF the war OF the rebellionn to
q the otber expect 51pect Jqsticein the north. On
Is carr oCuer nand, it is alleged that while tba
e,s p0huenee on the part of the nnb1ish
f tbair lbs aI uoen equally courteous, it has haan
t t5eT apparent policy to studiousIv i,n oon
po,s iIIal claims at issue, so far as Il was
q Co mas uas been assorted that D. Appleton E.
d F9l 'l 90 sola more copies of THE Rise and