Defender Thomas Stewart, a bookseller in Glasgow, released a book consisting of previously unpublished letters from the late poet Robert Burns to "Clarinda" (Agnes Macelhose), who consented to the letters’ publication. Booksellers Cadell and Davies in London and William Creech in Edinburgh owned the rights to all of Burns's compositions, and they petitioned the court for an interdict against Stewart's publication. The brother and children of Robert Burns appeared in court to support the petition. The booksellers and family members, as pursuers, claimed that the interdict was warranted because Burns had not transferred his rights to the letters by sending the documents to Clarinda.

Published Reports

William Morison, The Decisions of the Court of Session (1811), pg. App. 1, No. 4 Page 13
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Locations

Session Papers

Information

Information for Mess. Cadell and Davies, Booksellers in London, and Thomas Manners, W.S. their Mandatory; William Creech, Bookseller in Edinburgh; Gilbert Burns, the only surviving brother to the late Robert Burns; and William Thomson, Writer in Dumfries, Factor loco tutoris to the Children of the late Robert Burns; against Thomas Stewart Bookseller, formerly in Glasgow, now in Greenock

 		30 Sep 1803
Information

Information for Thomas Stewart, bookseller, formerly in Trongate of Glasgow, now in Greenock, Respondent and Defender; against Messr. Cadell and Davies, bookseller in London, and Thomas Manners, Writer to the signet, their mandatory; William Creech, Bookseller in Edinburgh; Gilbert Burns, the only surviving brother of the late Robert Burns; and William Thomson, Writer in Dumfries, factor loco tutoris for the children of said Robert Burns, Suspenders and Pursuers

 		12 Nov 1803
Petition

Unto the Right Honourable the Lords of Council and Session the Petition of Thomas Stewart, Bookseller in Greenock

 		24 May 1804