X.
It is beyond our province to consider the inquiries of M. le Hardy de Beaulieu as to the best plan of securing to inventors exclusive right in their discoveries. To take up this question is to undertake the discovery of the philosopher’s stone, or the squaring of the circle; several generations have vainly grappled with it, and the different attempts made without satisfactory results in almost every country prove this conclusively.
But the honourable Professor seems to calculate on the improvement of public morals, in order to reach the point where every attempt against the property of the inventor shall be considered as guilty as robbery, or as any injury done to property existing in material shape.
Under the uncompromising Protective system also it was attempted to improve the morals of the public, who would not see the equal guilt of the smuggler and the robber, and always loudly protested when repression was enforced by bloodshed.
No reform of public morals will change the nature of these acts; they will always be received as the appeal of right against abuse; and we would deeply pity the country where it would be sufficient to say such is the law, and where no conscience might protest against it.