# Primary Sources on Copyright - Record Viewer
Remarks on Literary Property (1838)

Source: Biblioteca de Catalunya, DR Hospitalet, C-92

Citation:
Remarks on Literary Property (1838), Primary Sources on Copyright (1450-1900), eds L. Bently & M. Kretschmer, www.copyrighthistory.org

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            Chapter 1 Page 27 of 28 total



                        27
            
            
      of our political persecution, let's open, if you want, the bloody annals
      of the Inquisition, and give me at least one example of a bookseller
      who, because he introduced or sold books in romance printed abroad,
      has been given the death sentence or either the loss of his belongings,
      or that of perpetual exile, or even four years of imprisonment. Moreover,
      when the one of 1838, and the Penal Code of 1822 reduced them in
      art. 603 to a fine of fifteen to thirty five duros, Does
      Mr. Escriche dare to claim its application? A considerable lack of criteria
      is needed, or a huge surplus of heat, to appeal to similar extravagancies
      and to add those that are related to the use that can be given to a work
      introduced by virtue of the Order of 28 August 1834. Whoever brought
      it for their own private use, can give or transfer it;
      so it is not strange to find some of them at the disposal of the first buyer
      in shops in La Trinidad or the Puerta del Sol, that could well be re-printed
       (and nothing can prevent this) if the bookseller can sell them.
      
      Something a little more worthy from the pen of the author of a Diccionario de
      legislacion, would be to plead just for the opposite principle,
      to use his zeal in expressly abolishing these laws, which
      luckily only existed in writing, and are a real blot of our Code. He should
      ask for art. 18 of the 1823 decree to be reinstated so that we are not in
      dispute with the practices of some more advanced and civilized countries.
      
      13. And lastly, what Mr. Escriche says finally about the French laws
      that recognise property rights for the author and his widow throughout
      their lifetime, and for their children for 20 years, is not completely
      accurate and as clear as it should be. The decree by the Convention
      of 19 July 1793 established in article 2, that in the ten years following
      the author’s death, his inheritors or cessionaries have ownership of
      his printed works. The imperial decree of 5 February 1810 extended
      this right to the whole lifetime of the author’s widow, and to 20 years
      for his children;
      


    


                        27
            
            
      de nuestras persecuciones políticas, regístrense, si se quiere, los
      sangrientes anales de la Inquisicion, y que se me cite un ejem-
      plo siquiera de algún librero, á quien por haber introducido ó
      vendido libros en romance impresos en el extranjero, se le haya
      impuesto la pena de muerte con perdimiento de bienes, ni la de
      destierro perpetuo, ni aun la de cuatro años de presidio. Y en el
      de 1838, y después que el Código penal de 1822 las habia redu-
      cido en el art. 603 á una multa de quince á treinta duros, ¿se atre-
      ve el Sr. Escriche á reclamar su cumplimiento? Se necesita mu-
      cha falta de criterio ó gran sobra de calor para apelar á semejantes
      extravagancias, y para añadir las que se vierten sobre el uso que
      puede hacerse de una obra que se haya introducido en virtud de
      la órden del 28n de agosto de 1834. El que la trajo para su uso par-
      ticular, puede darla ó enajenarla; y no es raro hallar algunas en los
      puestos de la Trinidad ó de la puerta del sol á disposición del pri-
      mer comprador, que bien puede reimprimirlas (no habiendo otro
      motivo para que se lo impida) si el librero ha podido venderlas.
      
      Algo mas digno de la pluma de quien escribe un Diccionario de
      legislacion, seria abogar por los principios contrarios, emplear su
      zelo en que se deroguen espresamente esas leyes, que por fortuna
      nunca han existido mas que escritas, y que son un verdadero bor-
      ron de nuestro Código, y pedir que se restablezca pronto el art. 18
      del decreto del año 1823, para no hallarnos en pugna con lo que
      practican los países que están mas adelantados en la civilizacion.
      
      13. y última. Lo que dice por fin el Sr. Escriche de que las le-
      yes francesas aseguran el derecho de propiedad al autor y á su viu-
      da por toda la vida, y á sus hijos por 20 años, no tiene toda la exac-
      titud y claridad que eran de apetecer. El decreto de la Convencion
      del 19 de juluo de 1793 establecio en su 2 articulo, que en los diez
      años siguientes á la muerte de los autores tuviesen la propiedad de
      sus obras impresas los herederos ó cesionarios de aquellos. El de-
      creto imperial del 5 de febrero de 1810 alargó este derecho á toda
      la vida de la viuda del autor, y á 20 años respecto de sus hijos;
      


    

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