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AN ACT supplementary to an act, intituled "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 time therein mentioned," and extending
the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving,
and etching historical and other prints.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives
of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
That every person who shall, from and after the first day of
January next, claim to be the author or proprietor of any
maps, charts, book or books, and shall thereafter seek to
obtain a copyright of the same agreeable to the rules prescribed
by law, before he shall be entitled to the benefit of the
act, intituled "An act for the encouragement of learning, by
securing the copies of maps, charts, books, to the authors
and proprietors of such copies, during the time therein
mentioned," he shall, in addition to the requisites, enjoined
in the third and fourth sections of said act, if a book or
books, give information by causing the copy of the record,
which, by said act he is required to publish in one or more of
the newspapers, to be inserted at full length in the title-page
or in the page immediately following the title of every such
book or books; and if a map or chart, shall cause the following
words to be impressed on the face thereof, viz: "Entered
according to act of Congress, the _________________ day of
_________________ 18 _________________ (here
insert the date when the same was deposited in the office)
by A. B. of the State of _________________ (here insert the
author's or proprietor's name and the State in which he resides)."
SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That from and
after the first day of January next, every person, being a citizen of
the United States, or resident within the same, who shall
invent and design, engrave, etch or work, or from his own
works and inventions, shall cause to be designed and engraved,
etched or worked, any historical or other print or prints,
shall have the sole right and liberty of printing, re-printing,
publishing and vending such print or prints, for the term of
fourteen years from the recording the title thereof in the
clerk's office, as prescribed by law for maps, charts, book or
books: Provided, he shall perform all the requisites in relation
to such print or prints, as are directed in relation to maps,
charts, book or books, in the third and fourth sections of the
act to which this is a supplement, and shall moreover cause
the same entry to be truly engraved on such plate, with the
name of the proprietor, and printed on every such print or
prints as is herein before required to be made on maps or charts.
SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That if any print-seller or
other person whatsoever, from and after the said first
day of January next, within the time limited by this act, shall
engrave, etch or work as aforesaid, or in any other manner
copy or sell, or cause to be engraved, etched, copied or sold,
in the whole or in part, by varying, adding to, or
diminishing from the main design, or shall print, re-print, or
import for sale, or cause to be printed, re-printed, or
imported for sale, any such print or prints, or any parts
thereof, without the consent of the proprietor or proprietors
thereof, first had and obtained, in writing, signed by him or
them respectively, in the presence of two or more credible
witnesses; or knowing the same to be so printed or re-printed,
without the consent of the proprietor or proprietors, shall
publish, sell, or expose to sale or otherwise, or in any other
manner dispose of any such print or prints, without such
consent first had and obtained, as aforesaid, then such
offender or offenders shall forfeit the plate or plates on which
such print or prints are or shall be copied, and all and every
sheet or sheets (being part of or whereon such print or prints
are or shall be copied or printed) to the proprietor or proprietors
of such original print or prints, who shall forthwith
destroy the same; and further, that every such offender or offenders
shall forfeit one dollar for every print which shall be
found in his, her, or their custody; either printed, published,
or exposed to sale, or otherwise disposed of, contrary to the
true intent and meaning of this act, the one moiety thereof to
any person who shall sue for the same, and the other
moiety thereof to and for the use of the United States, to be
recovered in any court having competent jurisdiction
thereof.
SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That if any
person or persons from and after the passing of this act, shall print or
publish any map, chart, book or books, print or prints, who
have not legally acquired the copyright of such map, chart,
book or books, print or prints, and shall, contrary to the
true intent and meaning of this act, insert therein or impress
thereon that the same has been entered according to act of
Congress, or words purporting the same, or purporting that
the copyright thereof has been acquired; every person so
offending shall forfeit and pay the sum of one hundred dollars,
one moiety thereof to the person who shall sue for the same,
and the other moiety thereof to and for the use of the
United States, to be recovered by action of debt in any court
of record in the United States, having cognizance thereof.
Provided always, That in every case for forfeitures hereinbefore
given, the action be commenced within two years from
the time the cause of action may have arisen.
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