often slaughter--are the saddest
scenes earth can present. Who can paint the terrors of that winter
retreat of the French from Moscow? Fortunately, in our war we have had
nothing to equal in horrors the retreats of European armies, but no one
who passed through those trying seven days fighting and marching which
closed the Peninsula campaign, can ever fail to shudder at the
sufferings imposed on humanity by a retreat.

VIOLATIONS OF LITERARY PROPERTY.

THE FEDERALIST.--LIFE AND CHARACTER OF JOHN JAY.

Among the rights which are ill protected by law, and yet of essential
importance to the individual and society, are those of literary
property. If any bequest should be sacred, it is that of thought,
convictions, art--the intellectual personality that survives human
life--and the 'local habitation and the name' whereby genius, opinion,
sentiment--what constitutes the best image and memorial of a life and a
mind, a character and a career, is preserved and transmitted. And yet,
with all our boasted civilization and progress, no rights are more
frequently or grossly violated, no wrongs so little capable of
redress, as those relating to literary property. Herein there is a
singular moral obtuseness a want of chivalry, an inadequate sense of
obligation--doubtless in part originating in that unjust legislation, or
rather want of legislation, whereby international law protects the
products of the mind and recognizes national literature as a great
social interest. Within a few months, the biography of our pioneer
author,[13] whose memory his life and character, not less than his
genius, had singularly endeared to the whole range of English
readers--was prepared by a relative designated by himself, who, with
remarkable tact and fidelity, completed his delicate task, according to
the materials provided and the wishes expressed by his illustrious
kinsman. A London publisher reprinted the work, with eighty pages
interpolated, wherein, with an utter disregard to common delicacy toward
the dead or self-respect in the living, unauthentic gossip is made to
desecrate the reticent and consistent tone of the work, pervert its
spirit, and detract from its harmonious attraction and truth. A greater
or more indecent and unjustifiable liberty was never taken by a
publisher with a foreign work; it was an insult to the memory of
Washington Irving, to his biographer and those who cherish his fame.

Not many weeks ago, an eloquent young