# Primary Sources on Copyright - Record Viewer
Letter from Noah Webster to Daniel Webster, New Haven (1826)

Source: Morristown National Historic Park, Lloyd W. Smith Archival Collection

Citation:
Letter from Noah Webster to Daniel Webster, New Haven (1826), Primary Sources on Copyright (1450-1900), eds L. Bently & M. Kretschmer, www.copyrighthistory.org

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            Chapter 1 Page 4 of 4 total

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proprietor shall deposit eleven copies of the work
in Stationers' Hall, for the benefit of certain public
libraries. This premium will often amount to fifty
pounds sterling or more. An effort was made by the
publishers to obtain a repeal of this provision; but
it was approved by the institutions which were to re-
ceive the benefit, & the attempt failed.
      I have a great interest in this question; & I think
the interests of science & literature, in the question, are
by no means inconsiderable.
      I sincerely wish our legislature would come
at once to the line of right & justice on this subject, &
pass a new act, the preamble to which shall admit
the principle that an author has, by common law,
or natural justice, the sole & permanent right to make
profits by his own labors, & that his heirs & assigns,
shall enjoy the right, unclogged with conditions.
      The act thus admitting the right, would prescribe the
mode by which it should be ascertained, secured,
enjoyed, & violations of the right be punished, & further
perhaps make some provisions for the case of at-
tempts to elude the statute [by] slight alterations of
books, by mutilations & transpositions.
      Excuse me, Sir, for the trouble I give you -
            & believe me, with much respect
                  Your humble servant
                                          Noah Webster
                                          ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hon[ble] Daniel Webster __________


[Side: Noah Webster Sep. 30]

    

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Primary Sources on Copyright (1450-1900) is co-published by Faculty of Law, University of Cambridge, 10 West Road, Cambridge CB3 9DZ, UK and CREATe, School of Law, University of Glasgow, 10 The Square, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK