f said complaint, and if the same be found true, to take at recognizance and security of such author or proprietor, that he shall within such reasonable time, as said court publish and offer for sale in this State, a sufficient number 5 such book, pamphlet, map, or chart, at such reasonable court shall, on due consideration affix: And if such author r shall, before said court, neglect or refuse to give such foresaid, the said court are hereby authorized and impowsuch complainant, a full and ample licence to re-print 10 such book, pamphlet, map or chart, in such numbers h term as said court shall judge just and reasonable: id complainant shall give sufficient security before said ford said reprinted edition at such reasonable price as all thereto affix. 15 further, enacted, That any person or persons who shall - print any unpublished manuscript, without the consent tion of the author or proprietor thereof, first had and such author or proprietor be living, and resident in, or f these United States) shall be liable to suffer and pay to 20 nor or proprietor his just damages for such injury; to be y action brought on this statute, in any court of law in proper to try the same. always, That nothing in this act shall extend to affect, confirm the rights which any person may have to the 25 publishing of any book, pamphlet, map or chart, at comcases not mentioned in this act, or to screen from legal any person or persons who may be guilty of printing or any book, pamphlet or paper that may be prophane, treaamatory, or injurious to government, morals or religion. 30 also, That this act shall not extend, or be construed to vour, or for the benefit of any author or persons residing itant of any other of the United States, until the State or hich such person or persons reside or dwell, shall have ar laws in favour of the authors of new publications, and 35 nd assigns. This act was repealed by the act, Chapter IX, October sesf the general assembly of State of Connecticut, "Public of the State of Connecticut, Book II, October Session, 4. For text of this act see note 1, page 113.) ts and Laws of the State of Connecticut, in America [Compiled by erman and Richard Law]." fol. New-London, printed by Timothy 84, pp. 133-134. ts and laws of Connecticut [by R. Sherman and R. Law." 2d issue.] rtford, E. Babcock, 1786, pp. 133–134. ets and laws of the State of Connecticut. [Compiled by Chauncey Jonathan Broco and Enoch Parking 1 Que Hartford Hudson & 40 45 laws of the State of Connecticut." 8vo. Hartford, Hudson & pp. 282-284. olic statute law of the State of Connecticut. [Compiled by J. och Perkins, and Thomas Day.]" Book 1, 8vo. Hartford, win, 1808, pp. 474-476. MASSACHUSETTS. a rpose of securing to authors the exclusive right and benefit of ing their literary productions, for twenty-one years. hereas the improvement of knowledge, the progress ivilization, the public weal of the community, and the ncement of human happiness, greatly depend on the I and ingenious persons in the various arts and sciences: encouragement such persons can have to make great ertions of this nature, must exist in the legal security their study and industry to themselves; and as such f the natural rights of all men, there being no proparly a man's own than that which is produced by the ad: encourage learned and ingenious persons to write the benefit of mankind: by the Senate and House of Representatives in Genbled, and by the authority of the same, That all books, her literary works, having the name or names of the s thereof printed and published with the same, shall be of the said author or authors, being subjects of the America, their heirs and assigns, for the full and comenty-one years, from the date of their first publication. ther enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if any ■s shall print, re-print, publish, sell or expose to sale, be printed, re-printed, published, sold, or exposed to reatise, or other literary work, not yet printed, writct of the United States of America, whose name, as e been thereto prefixed, without consent of the author eir assigns, during said term, shall forfeit and pay a ng three thousand pounds, nor less than five pounds, to author or authors, or their assigns; to be recovered in any court of record proper to try the same. Prot every author of such book, treatise, or other literary der to his holding such sole property in them, present es of each and every of them to the library of the mbridge, for the use of the said university; and prior to he said forfeiture, or any part thereof, shall produce, in esting early "order" of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, enacted ded for the enforcement of contracts between authors and print more conics of an outhows books then the author him. open court w treatise, or o for the time to extend in or subjects o of which suc securing to a literary prod (This act passed by th Begun and thence contin following, a In "Act B. Edes & In "The fol. Bosto In "The to 1822. editor.' 1783, April 21. B t and other wri of such book therefore suc II. Be it e author of any and not printe his executors, printing and r term of fourte ing of the san time granted a import or bri imported or b or writings, w thereof first ha or more witnes imported or b prietors, shall er literary work from the librarian of the said university ng. Provided also, that this act shall not be construed vor or for the benefit of any author or authors, subject ny other of the United States, until the State or States 5 authors are subjects shall have passed similar laws for hors the exclusive right and benefit of publishing their etions. sed March 17, 1783. Chap. 26, of the "Acts and laws great and general court or assembly of Massachusetts: 10 ld at Boston, the 29th of May, A. D. 1782; and from ed by adjournments to Wednesday, the 29th of January then met.") and laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts." fol. Boston, ns, 1781-['83], p. 236. erpetual laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1780 to 1789." Adams & Nourse, 1789, pp. 369-370. eneral laws of Massachusetts, from the adoption of the Constitution, Asahel Stearns and Lemuel Shaw, commissioners; Theron Metcalf, 1. 1, 8vo. Boston, 1823, pp. 80-81. MARYLAND. AN ACT respecting literary property. 15 20 Whereas printers, booksellers, and other persons may ke the liberty of printing, reprinting, and publishing, r causing to be printed, reprinted, and published, books 25 tings, without the consent of the authors or proprietors s and writings, to their great injury: For preventing practices, and for the encouragement of learned men, nacted by the general assembly of Maryland, That the book or books, writing or writings, already composed 30 ed or published, or that shall be hereafter composed, and administrators, or assigns, shall have the sole liberty of reprinting such book or books, writing or writings, for the een years, to commence from the day of the first publishme; and that if any other person whatsoever, within the 35 and limited by this act as aforesaid, shall print, reprint ing into the State, or cause to be printed, reprinted, brought into the State, any such book or books, writing without the consent of the proprietor or proprietors ad and obtained in writing, signed in the presence of two 40 esses, or knowing the same to be so printed, reprinted, brought into the State, without the consent of the pro1 sell, publish, or expose to sale, any such book or books, ritings, without such consent first had and obtained as or writings, to the proprietor or proprietors; and very such offender or offenders shall forfeit two-pence twhich shall be found in his, her, or their custody, or printing, published or exposed to sale, contrary to and meaning of this act. ereas many persons may through ignorance offend against some provision be made, whereby the property in every intended by this act to be secured to the proprietor thereof may be ascertained: Therefore, be it enacted this act contained shall be construed to extend to subwhatsoever to the forfeitures and penalties herein meneason of the printing, reprinting, importing, bringing or causing to be brought into the State, selling or e, of any book or books, writing or writings, without he proprietor or proprietors, unless the title to the copy · books, writing or writings, hereafter published, shall, plication by the proprietor or proprietors, be entered to be kept by the clerk of the general court for that register may, at all reasonable and convenient times, and inspected by any person, for the purpose before hout any fee or reward; and the clerk aforesaid, when thereunto required, shall give a certificate under his try or entries, and for every such certificate may take ee of three shillings and nine-pence. it enacted, That all actions or informations for any ll be committed against this act, shall be brought and hin twelve months after such offence committed, or the bid and of none effect. always, That after the expiration of the aforesaid term rs, the sole right of printing or disposing of copies shall uthors thereof, if they are then living, for another term rs. to commence and be in force from and after the time vs shall be passed respecting literary property in all e United States. f Maryland, made and passed, at a session of assembly, begun and y of Annapolis on Monday the 21st of April, 1783." fol. Annapprinter to the State [1783], chapter 34. are not numbered.] NEW JERSEY. CT for the promotion and encouragement of literature. Whereas learning tends to the embellishment of human ure the honour of the nation and the general good of to the prepa may arise fr or resident i or persons w be recovered Taken fro piled b the sale of their works secured to them: Therefore, t enacted by the council and general assembly of this hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That the book or pamphlet not yet printed, being an inhabitant 5 the United States of America, and his heirs and assigns, exclusive right of printing, publishing, and vending the is State for the term of fourteen years, to commence of its first publication in this State; and if any person hin said term of fourteen years, as aforesaid, shall pre- 10 - any such book or pamphlet within this State, or to this State for sale any copies of such book or pamphlet d the limits of this State, or shall knowingly publish, distribute the same without the consent of the author thereof in writing, duly attested, every such person or 15 forfeit and pay to the author or proprietor of such book ouble the value of all the copies of such book or pamed, introduced, distributed, vended, or exposed for sale, ed by such author or proprietor in any court of this he same may be cognizable: Provided, nevertheless, That 20 signee, or proprietor of any such book or pamphlet ed to the benefit of this act until he shall duly register uthor, assignee, or proprietor, with the title of such book in the secretary's office of this State, who is hereby ter the same on record. 25 it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That at the said term of fourteen years, in the cases herein before e exclusive right of printing and disposing of any such phlet in this State, shall return to the author thereof, if is heirs and assigns, for the term of fourteen years more; 30 nd every person or persons who shall re-print, import, or distribute in this State any copies thereof without the ch author or proprietor obtained as aforesaid, during said of fourteen years, shall be liable to the same penalties, to in the same manner as is herein before directed. Burlington, May 27, 1783. his act was repealed 23d session, 3d sitting, 1799.) 35 om "Acts of the seventh general assembly of the State of New Jersey, begun at Trenton, on the 22d day of October, 1782, and continued ments, being the second sitting." fol. Trenton, printed by Isaac 40 Enter to the State, 1783. Chapter 21, p. 47. nted in "Acts of the general assembly of the State of New Jersey, establishment of the present government to December, 1783. Cometer Wilson.' 6-2 fol. Trenton, Isaac Collins, 1784, pp. 325–326. |