BIBLIOGRAPHY OF COPYRIGHT I. BILLS FIRST CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION ΤΟ 1789 (June 23).-A bill to promote the progress of science H. R. bill, no. and useful arts by securing to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and inventions. Presented by Mr. Benjamin Huntington, of Connecticut. H. R. bill, no. 10. Printed, 11 pp. 4°. (1) NOTE. This was the first Federal copyright bill. Its presentation followed the filing of petitions from various well-known authors urging Congress to enact a law to protect books and maps (see Chronological Record, p. 114). This bill included also patents, the larger part of the bill relating to the latter subject. Later on, in the second session of the first Congress, separate bills were introduced for copyrights and patents. This bill as amended became the first Federal copyright law, approved May 31, 1790. FIRST CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION 39 1790 (January 28).-A bill for securing the copy-right H. R. bill, no. of books to authors and proprietors. Presented by Mr. Ædanus Burke, of South Carolina. H. R. bill, no. 39. (2) NOTE.-Reported from committee on February 1, with amendments; on February 2, ordered to be recommitted, and a substitute bill (1st Cong., 2d sess., H. R. bill, no. 43) presented on February 25. 43. Ist Federal copyright law 1790 (February 25).-A bill for the encouragement of H. R. bill, no. learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, books, and other writings, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the time therein mentioned. Presented by Mr. Elias Boudinot, of New Jersey. H. R. bill, no. 43. (3) NOTE. This bill was passed by the House of Representatives on April 30, 1790, and by the Senate on May 14, with amendments, which were agreed to by the House on May 17, and the act was approved by the President on May 31, 1790, and became law on that date, being the first Federal copyright law. H. R. bill, no. 123 H. R. bill, no. 170 Senate bill, no. 8. Amendatory Copyright act: FIRST CONGRESS, THIRD SESSION 1791 (February 9).—A bill for increasing the penalty contained in an act passed the second session of Congress, entitled "An act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned." Presented by Mr. Benjamin Huntington, of Connecticut. H. R. bill, no. 123. (4) NOTE. On February 10 this bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed to a Committee of the Whole House on the following Saturday, but this order was postponed from day to day to the end of the session. SECOND CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION 1792 (March 7).-A bill to amend the act, entitled "An act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned." Presented by Mr. John Page. H. R. bill, no. 170. (5) NOTE. On March 8 this bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed to a Committee of the Whole House on the following Wednesday, but this order was postponed from day to day to the end of the session. SEVENTH CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION 1802 (March 24).-A bill supplementary to an act, entitled "An act for the encouragement of learning, by securing of historical the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned." Presented by Mr. Bradley. Senate bill, no. 8. prints. (6) NOTE. This bill, amended, passed the Senate April 2, 1802, the House of Representatives, April 27, and was signed by the President on April 29, on which day it became law. TENTH CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION 75 1808 (March 7).—A bill for the encouragement of learn- H. R. bill, no. ing, and for the promotion of the useful arts. Presented by Mr. Joseph Clay. H. R. bill, no. 75. Printed, 16 pp. 4°. (7) NOTE. This bill covers both copyrights and patents, sections I to 13 relating wholly to patents, and sections 14 to 21 wholly to copyrights; while of section 22, lines 1 to 9 repeal the previous patent laws, lines 10 to 19 repeal the former copyright acts, and lines 20 to 26 provide that no action or right accruing under the repealed acts shall be invalidated thereby. It was ordered to be committed to a Committee of the Whole House on the following Friday, but this order was postponed from day to day until the close of the session. ELEVENTH CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION 66 1810 (January 18).—A bill for the encouragement of H. R. bill, no. learning, and for the promotion of the useful arts. Presented by Mr. Bacon, from the committee appointed December 11, 1809. H. R. bill, no. 66. (8) NOTE. Read the second time, and ordered committed to a Committee of the Whole House on the following Monday, but this order was postponed from day to day until the close of the session. ELEVENTH CONGRESS, THIRD SESSION 182 1811 (January 19).-A bill for the encouragement of H. R. bill, no. learning and for the promotion of the useful arts. Presented by Mr. Mitchill, from the committee appointed on December 12, 1810. H. R. bill, no. 182. (9) NOTE. Read the second time, and ordered committed to a Committee of the Whole House on the following Monday, but on that day failed to come up, and seems to have received no further attention during the session. FIFTEENTH CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION 1818 (December 29).-A bill concerning suits brought on copy-rights. Reported by Mr. Nelson, from the Committee 254 on the Judiciary. H. R. bill, no. 254. Printed, I p. 4°. (10) NOTE. Read the first and second time, and ordered to lie on the table. See Senate bill no. 22, January 6, 1819, for same object. H. R. bill, no. Senate bill, no. 22. Amendatory 1819 (January 6).-A bill to extend the jurisdiction of act: Jurisdiction the circuit courts of the United States to cases arising under in copyright the law relating to patents. Presented by Mr. Otis. Senate cases H. R. bill, no. bill, no. 22. (11) NOTE.-Passed by Senate January 26, 1819; by the House of Representatives January 30, and was signed by the President February 15, 1819, on which day it became law. EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION 1824 (March 23).-A bill extending the benefit of copyright to the authors of paintings or drawings. Presented by Mr. Lowrie. Senate bill, no. 77. Printed, 2 pp. 4°. (12) NOTE. Read the second time on March 24, 1824, and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Reported March 30, without amendment, and the question of a third reading was determined in the negative on April 12. TWENTIETH CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION 1828 (April 17).-A bill to continue a copy-right to John Rowlett. Reported by Mr. Seymour, from the Committee on the Judiciary. Senate bill, no. 141. Printed, 2 pp. 4°. (13) NOTE.-Passed by the Senate May 19, 1828, and by the House of Representatives May 23; signed by the President May 24, on which day it became law. TWENTIETH CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION 1829 (January 9).-A bill explanatory of an act to continue a copy-right to John Rowlett. Reported by Mr. Philip P. Barbour, from the Committee on the Judiciary. H. R. bill, no. 359. (14) NOTE.-Passed by House of Representatives, January 12, 1829; read a second time in Senate on January 13, and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary; reported, with amendments, February 9, but no action taken. TWENTY-FIRST CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION 1829 (December 21).—A bill to amend the act to concopyright act tinue a copy-right to John Rowlett. Reported by Mr. 7. 2d private Buchanan, from the Committee on the Judiciary. H. R. bill, no. 7. (15) NOTE.-Passed by the House of Representatives on December 24, 1829; read the second time in the Senate on December 28, and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary; reported without amendment on January 11, 1830; passed February 8; signed by the President on February 11, 1830, on which day it became law. 145 1830 (January 2r).-A bill to amend and consolidate the H. R. bill, no. acts respecting copy-rights. Reported by Mr. Ellsworth, from the Committee on the Judiciary. H. R. bill, no. 145. Printed, 9 pp. 4°. (16) NOTE. Read the first and second time and ordered committed to a Committee of the Whole House on the following day, but was not brought up on that day. On May 14 it was ordered that the committee be discharged; on December 14the bill was recommitted to the Committee on the Judiciary, and on December 17 an amended bill was reported. TWENTY-FIRST CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION 1830 (December 17).-A bill to amend the several acts respecting copy-rights. Reported by Mr. Ellsworth. H. R. bill, no. 145. (An amended issue of previous bill of same number.) Printed, 9 pp. 4°. (17) NOTE.-Passed by the House of Representatives, January 7, 1831; see next entry. 1831 (January 10).-An act to amend the several acts H. R. act, no. 145. Ist general respecting copy-rights. Passed by the House of Represent-revision atives, January 7, 1831. H. R. act, no. 145. Printed, 10 pp. 4°. (18) NOTE.-Reported from Senate Committee on the Judiciary, without amendment, January 19, 1831; passed by the Senate, January 29, signed by the President on February 3, on which day it became law, being the first general revision of the copyright laws of the United States. TWENTY-THIRD CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION 419. Amenda 1834 (April 9).-A bill supplementary to the act to amend H. R. bill, no. the several acts respecting copy-rights. Reported by Mr. tory act: AsBell, of Tennessee, from the Committee on the Judiciary. signment of H. R. bill, no. 419. Printed, 2 pp. 4°. (19) NOTE.-Passed by the House of Representatives on June 28, 1834, and by the Senate on June 30, on which day it was also signed by the President, and became law. TWENTY-FOURTH CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION copyrights 1837 (February 16).-A bill to amend the act entitled Senate bill, no. 'An act to amend the several acts respecting copy-right.' 10469-No. 805-3 223 |