Daily National Intelligencer

Alexandria, 15th May, 1815.

Messrs. Gales & Seaton,

Gentlemen—In your paper of the 12th inst. a certain Wheatley who had been accused of some "harsh things." has published some statements, some opinions of others, and a hint, to which I only made a very short reply, feeling a perfect indifference to any thing coming from Wheatley. But as my name has been lately before the public as an inventor, I feel it a duty I owe to myself to satisfy the public that I am none of those who speculate on the genius of others.

As to Col. Anderson having used a Perpetual Still at any time prior to my patent, may be true or false—But if he had, and exactly such a still as I patented, and I had known it, then I would have perjured myself and stood with regard to Anderson as Wheatley does to me : but fortunately, even Wheatley dare not accuse me of such conduct.

As to Doctor Thornton's letter and the opinions of John Green and others. I would briefly ask Wheatley, why he troubled these gentlemen to examine the specification of my Perpetual Still? Why did he not tell them the fact. which can and will be proved ? That he had been informed that a certain Gillespie, who was living in the western country, who had for some years been constructing and using a certain description of oblong stills, for which he had taken out no patent, (but considered the plan as an improvement on his former patent) and then candidly have asked these gentlemen, whether he would be justifiable in swearing that he had invented the improvement used by Gillespie, and thereby cheat him and the public out of a few thousand dollars? Knowing the plan to be a plausible one and founded on a correct theory; and also knowing, that if Gillespie was to contend for his right, that it would put him to considerable expense and trouble in order to establish it; and perhaps ultimately in a long law suit harrass and keep him out of it— and in order to have some plea of defence, I will use worms as condensers instead of long pipes or tubes, which he generally uses, and although neither of which are new, yet I must claim something in order to baffle Gillespie as much as possible.

As to the hint about living in a glass house. it is barely necessary to observe, that there is less or more glass about most of our houses. and mine is subject to be attacked by some villain as well as that of any other, and should a stone be thrown by Wheatley, no honest man will join him in his depredations. It might to create a laugh with a fool or be the sport of a bad child, both of which would be perfectly indifferent to me.

ROBERT GILLESPIE,

P. S. If any one would wish to know why I did not patent the oblong plan of stills before Wheatley could have an opportunity of doing so, I reply, that in using them I had found the plan a very expeditious one, but difficult to keep from burning our common beer on account of the shape being more inconvenient to stir than round stills, and therefore I turned my attention to constructing stills to be boiled by steam, and I have fortunately succeeded in constructing steam stills, universally acknowledged to be far superior to any other; combining cheapness, durability, simplicity and general utility in a degree unknown heretofore in the art.

Most of the members of the last congress have been furnished with pamphlets, which I believe will fully explain it to every man of liberal information, and during the next session of congress it is my intention to have one in operation at the city. in order that every member who wishes to serve himself or his friends in the country, may see, hear, touch, smell, and even taste the proceeds of the Columbian Independent Steam Still, and thereby be enabled, by actual observation, to explain its advantages.

Letters, post paid, directed to me at the City, will be forwarded by a friend and attended to by me.

ROBERT GILLESPIE.

May 17—