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We have every reason to believe that the intention of the movements made in the House of Representatives by Messrs. Chaffee and Taylor, f or the avowed purpose of amending the patent laws, is really to renew, extend, revive, or enlarge several of the old patents, the proprietors of which have separately failed in obtaining legislation in their behalf during the past four or five years. During that time, applications have been made in behalf of the following named patents :— Coifs pistol patent, worth....................$3,000,000 Mccormick's reapingpateat, worth........... 1,500,000 Chaffee's India rubber " " ............ 2,000,000 Hayward's sulphuric " " ............ 2,.')0,0 Day's several " " ............ 2,000,000 Goodyear's several " " . ..........20,000,000 Bruce's type-founding " " ............ 600,000 Sickles' cut-off " " ............ 1,500,000 All other patents, " ............10,000,000 Total,....................................$43,000,000. Many of these patents have long since expired, and the patentees have no shadow of right to ask for their revival, because, after a patent right has lapsed in due course of law, the privilege of the invention belongs to the whole community, without restriction, and ny attempt on the part of Congress to enforce such restriction is to legalize an impu dent monopoly, without the slightest regard for the public benefit. Several other patentees ask for renewals or extensions of the time for which their rights were granted. They have all had time enough to realize enormous sums, and there is no reason why the petition of any one of them should be granted. Not one of the patents above-named should be renewed, or revived or extended. The proposed laws or amendments are, as we have every reason to believe, introduced for the purpose of facilitating the renewal or extension of those patents. The fact is that the patent laws are good enough as they stand. They worked well for forty years. An attempt similar to those now made in the House, with a small proviso for the benefit of some of the above-named patents, was defeated in the Senate during the session of the last Congress. The present movement is an attempt to cheat the country, and to impose upon Congress, through the tricks of the lobby and the ignorance or roguery of the newspaper correspondents, who humbug the journals with which they are connected, and through them the community at large.—New York Herald.
