COPYRIGHT. (Hansard, 27 January 1841)

§ Mr. Warburton

could assure the House, that he did not intend to let even a stage of the bill pass without offering to it his most strenuous and determined opposition. When the matter was formerly discussed, either upon the introducing of the bill, or the second reading, Gentlemen on that side of the House stated, that they entirely disagreed, both with respect to the principle and details of the bill, but if he would allow the hon. and learned Member to bring in the bill, when it came into 135 committee they would assist him in opposing the details of the bill, and then there would be no difficulty in getting rid of the question. He divided the House on the second reading, and those Gentlemen voted with the hon. and learned Gentlemen. He of course supposed, that when the bill came to the committee, he should have had the assistance of those Members, amongst whom were her Majesty's Attorney-general, and some of the Cabinet Ministers, but when the bill came into committee, he had as much reason to complain of the state of the House as the hon. and learned Gentleman had. Those who had promised him their support were not in attendance, and he had to fight against the bill single handed. He would not commit the same mistake again, and therefore it was, that he was determined to fight it in every stage, and if he could not get support in that House, he would endeavour to get it out of it. He considered the bill as one that was calculated to inflict the greatest injustice on certain portions of the community. In the very outset of the question, the hon. and learned Gentleman and himself were at issue upon the true principle on which the judgment of Members ought to be guided with respect to the measure. He considered, that that judgment ought to be formed upon its utility. He did not agree with that mode of meeting the question. He contended, that the interests of authors and the interests of the public were both to be considered, and properly and duly weighed. It was upon these grounds that the discussions before the judges and the House of Lords proceeded. On former occasions, when this question had been argued, the hon. and learned Member had said, "I have the common law right with me."