Each copyright secures the exclusive right of publishing the book or article copyrighted for the term of twenty-eight years.  Six months before the end of that time, the author or designer, or his widow or children, may secure a renewal for the further term of fourteen years, making forty-two years in all.

Any copyright is assignable in law by any instrument of writing, but such assignment must be recorded in the office of the Librarian of Congress within sixty days from its date.  The fee for this record and certificate is one dollar.

A copy of the record (or duplicate certificate) of any copyright entry will be furnished, under seal, at the rate of fifty cents.

Copyrights cannot be granted upon Trade-marks, nor upon Labels intended to be used with any article of manufacture.  If protection for such prints or labels is desired, application must be made to the Patent Office, where they are registered at a fee of $6 for labels and $25 for trade-marks.

Up to 1849 the secretary of state had the care of issuing copyrights.  It was then assigned to the department of the interior, newly created.  In 1870 it was transferred to the librarian of congress.

HOW TO OBTAIN A PATENT.

1.  The person desiring a patent must declare upon oath that he believes himself to be the inventor or discoverer of the art, machine, or improvement for which he solicits the patent.

2.  He must also give in writing a definite and minute description of it, accompanied by drawings to illustrate.  If necessary, he must make and deliver to the commissioner of patents a model of his invention.

To be patentable, the invention must be new, unused and unknown before, and useful.

The invention is carefully examined by the appropriate expert at the patent office, and if found to be deserving a patent is issued, signed by the secretary of the interior, countersigned by the commissioner of patents, and sealed with his seal.  This gives the patentee the sole right of manufacture and sale and use for seventeen years.  The right to make, sell, or use the invention may be sold by the patentee.  He may assign the patent entire, an interest in it, or the exclusive right for a certain specified district.

HOW AN ALIEN BECOMES A CITIZEN.

1.  Declaration of Intention.—­An alien, who has come to the United States after reaching the age of eighteen, may appear before any court of record in the United States having common law jurisdiction, or the clerk thereof, and declare upon oath that it is bona fide his intention to become a citizen of the United States, and to renounce forever “all allegiance to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty whatever,” and particularly by name the potentate or sovereignty whereof such alien may at any time have been a citizen or subject.