TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES IN
CONGRESS ASSEMBLED.
We, your petitioners, do respectfully represent as follows, viz.: That
justice, plain and simple, is a thing which right-feeling men stand
ready at all times to accord to brothers and strangers alike. All such
men will concede that it is but plain, simple justice that American
authors should be protected by copyright in Europe; also, that European
authors should be protected by copyright here.
Both divisions of this proposition being true, it behooves our
government to concern itself with that division of it which comes
peculiarly within its province--viz., the latter moiety--and to grant
to foreign authors with all convenient despatch a full and effective
copyright in America without marring the grace of the act by stopping
to inquire whether a similar justice will be done our own authors by
foreign governments. If it were even known that those governments
would not extend this justice to us it would still not justify us in
withholding this manifest right from their authors. If a thing is right
it ought to be done--the thing called “expediency” or “policy” has no
concern with such a matter. And we desire to repeat, with all respect,
that it is not a grace or a privilege we ask for our foreign brethren,
but a right--a right received from God, and only denied them by man.
We hold no ownership in these authors, and when we take their work from
them, as at present, without their consent, it is robbery. The fact that
the handiwork of our own authors is seized in the same way in foreign
lands neither excuses nor mitigates our sin.
With your permission we will say here, over our signatures, and
earnestly and sincerely, that we very greatly desire that you shall
grant a full copyright to foreign authors (the copyright fee for the
entry in the office of the Congressional Librarian to be the same as we
pay ourselves), and we also as greatly desire that this grant shall be
made without a single hampering stipulation that American authors shall
receive in turn an advantage of any kind from foreign governments.
Since no author who was applied to hesitated for a moment to append his
signature to this petition we are satisfied that if time had permitted
we could have procured the signature of every writer in the United
States, great and small, obscure or famous. As it is, the list comprises
the names of about all our writers whose works have at present a
European market, and who are therefore chiefly concerned in this matter.
No objection to our proposition can come from any reputable publisher
among us--or does come from such a quarter, as the appended signatures
of our greatest publishing firms will attest. A European copyright here
would be a manifest advantage to them. As the matter stands now the
moment they have thoroughly advertised a desirable foreign book, and
thus at great expense aroused public interest in it, some small-spirited
speculator (who has lain still in his kennel and spent nothing) rushes
the same book on the market and robs the respectable publisher of half
the gains.
Then, since neither our authors nor the decent among our publishing
firms will object to granting an American copyright to foreign authors
and artists, who can there be to object? Surely nobody whose protest is
entitled to any weight.
Trusting in the righteousness of our cause we, your petitioners, will
ever pray, etc. With great respect,
Your Ob't Serv'ts.