New York Jan 9 11, 1844

Sir,

     I take the liberty of forwarding to you herewith a copy of an argument in the Unconstitutionality of the laws prohibiting private mails.

     I would also inform you that I propose soon to establish a letter mail from Boston to Balitmore. I shall myself remain in this city, where I wshall be ready at any time to answer any suit, which you may think it your duty to institute.

     Until I know the course intended to be pursued by the department, I can of course give no assurance as to the defence I shall choose to make.  I will say, however, that if an amicable suit only should be instituted, it is not my present intention to put you to any trouble in proving facts, or to take advantage of any defects in the existing law – but to meet the constitutional question fully and distinctly.

                        Very Respectfully,

                             Your Obedient Servant

                                  Lysander Spooner

 

Hon. Charles A Wickcliffe

     Postmaster General U.S.


* Declaration of Independence

† Chancellor Fortiscue

# See particularly your Chapter II &c, and Part II Chap XIV

* I find, since writing the preceding, that your "Part II" in 1847, you specify distinctly, as I had done, the objects of the Constitution, as set forth in the Preamble (p199)

* Jefferson

* What is already published, on in hands of the printer before you wrote me, will receive corresponding revision, if needful, should I ever re-publish it.

# i.e. According to your views as first expression of the law of Copy Right. If you made that law "stringent" in the one case, you must in the other – and vice versa. – Nor will it do to assume or merely claim that "ideas" are borrowed, in the one case more than the other.