If we have recourse to the enlightened nations of Europe, and more especially to England, whose laws respecting the title to property are (with httle and in some cases with no variation) in force amongst us, we shall fmd that their laws imply that no species of property ought to be held more sacred than the property of inventions ; for having their origin in the imagination of man, uncertain in their operations, and expensively perplexing in experiment, it becomes necessary to have some mode established to secure to the owner the full benefit of his invention, which might otherwise prove his ruin. To prevent which, justice and good policy have pointed out a remedy, and custom has established it on a permanent basis. -- The inventor can claim no benefit from his thoughts or inventions, before he makes a public declaration of such invention in some place of record established for such purposes, -- that is -- he who invented and published a Steam-engine will have an exclusive right for a certain number of years for all steam engines ; at the expiration of which, each improver has an undoubted right to the benefit of any improvement. On these principles he who first invented and published the idea of a steam-boat, invests himself with a fair and just title to all steam-boats for a certain time, which in justice and policy government is bound to support. -- The state of Pensylvania hath given her sentiments on this head, and hath declared such to have been her explanation of the title to inventions by rejecting M^ Arthur Donaldson's petition to have me confined to a certain mode of applying my power. It was not the mode of using the force of steam which had any merit in this invention; but it was the idea of connecting steam with navigation^ i\\-d.i ixxsily claimed the public patronage as soon as that idea was made public, and the benefit of it applied for.