exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries;’ which implies that the origination and limitation of measures to those ends rest with the legislative rather than the treaty-making powers. Copyright and patents are on the same footing of regulation by federal legislation, and the executive branch of the government cannot be unmindful of the continued pendency of its consideration by the legislative department, or disregard the constitutional right of that department to conclude international treaties on this important subject. The question of international copyright is one of great interest to the United States. In fact, few other countries can lay claim to greater concern than that naturally felt by people distinguished for enlightened, extensive, and growing intellectual life, and while not infringing upon the constitutional prerogative of Congress to initiate and conclude copyright legislation, likewise to define the rights of aliens and citizens within its jurisdiction, the Executive, in his first annual message to Congress, inviting its attention to the conference of last September, said, ‘action is certainly desirable to effect the object in view;’ and the Secretary of State for foreign affairs, in his official despatches relating to this conference, freely expresses his concurrence with the principle sought to be enunciated by the proposed convention, and conveys the hope that the time is not distant when rights of property in the creation of the mind may be universally secured under conditions favorable alike to the author and to the world’s right to share in the diffusion of ideas. That the brain that creates is entitled to and should receive its just and full compensation, is a sentiment having its origin in the inherent sense of honesty. Literary property has been to some extent recognized in all ages, and is to-day guaranteed in almost every State by domestic legislation. This recognition and guarantee should be without distinction of nationality and without regard to political frontiers. It is a matter of congratulation, and redounds much to the credit of the Swiss government, through whose active efforts this movement was successfully inaugurated, and supplemented by the patient and intelligent labor of the several conferences assembled here at its invitation, that a just and permanent settlement, once for all, of the grave question of the protection of works of literature and art, so long and unjustly denied, is about to be realized by the instrumentality of a uniform, efficacious, and equitable international convention.”