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The Constitution

We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the Common Defense, promote the General Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

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Article I. . . . Section 8. The Congress shall have power . . (Clause 8) To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries.

"The Constitution does not establish copyrights, but provides that Congress shall have the power to grant such rights if it thinks fit. Not primarily for the benefit of the author, but primarily for the benefit of the public, such rights are given. Not that any particular class of citizens, however worthy, may benefit, but because the policy is believed to be for the benefit of the great body of people, in that it will stimulate writing and invention to give some bonus to authors and inventors". -From Report No. 2222, 60th Congress, 2d Sess., February 22, 1909, accompanying the bill embodying the present Copyright Act approved March 4, 1909, effective July 1, 1909.*

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This document is no longer available through official channels; because of its inherent value it is reproduced in the Appendix to this volume.

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