Mr. O.Ⓔexplanatory note called, and left the regards of Baron TauchnitzⒶtextual note. Mr. O. is here to arrange terms with several authors and the heirs of authors.Ⓐtextual note Terms for living copyrights, also terms for expired copyrights. So the honest son is following in the footsteps of the honest fatherⒺexplanatory note. This father and this son have one prodigious distinction which I believe no other publishers have ever enjoyed—to witⒶtextual note, that they were never thieves. I have known a great many publishers, and have cordially liked them and have not been above associating with them, but with the exception of these two, I have never known one who was not a thief.

I will explain. The Moral Law is above the Constitution of the United States, and says “thouⒶtextual note shalt not steal.” That is final. From that verdict there is no appeal. The Constitution—which is a thief and the pal of thieves—forbids perpetual copyright. Under protection of this power, and by warrant of it, the United States Government becomes a thief in its turn, and steals an author’s book in the 42d year of its ageⒺexplanatory note and gives it to the publishing trade. The publisher, in his turn, publishes the stolen book and steals the author’s share of the profit along with his own. And thus he becomes a plain, straightforward, unmitigated thief, and no cunning casuistries, no ingenuities of argument can cleanseⒶtextual note him from that stain. In spite of constitutions and statutes the [begin page 177] book remains the author’s perpetual property, and who so trespasses upon it without his consent belongs in jail.