The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-02-04
The Woodwork Patent.
To the Editor of The Union:

To the Editor Of The Union:
In the Union OF Sunday, a communication over the
signature OF James Wilson, the present owner OF the
Woodwork patent for planning machine, appears, pur.
porting 10 be reply to certain other communications con-
corning the patent of which he is owner In that com
muncauon Mr.. Wilson makes the following statement
In h,t article i is stated that the patent eissued
in the absence OF Mr. Burke, the Commissioner, and with
his knowledge IL is that Mr. Burke was absent at
the time Of this but is that the Transaction
passed without his appreciation The iacts arc tnee ne
officers in charge the office had in the execution OF their
duty in this proceeding committed an error which would
as IL supposed, render the reissue worthless Being
anxieo to avoid mistake or error OF which an advan
nsn,. Of this Sc paan o il 10 Mf Burke and proposed
again TO surrender a. and have amended reissue II he
said thai such not necessary would
himself correct the error, and to Mr. Buchanan Score
done This he did and returned patent TO me with the
proper endorsements that whole pro-
his official superior, the Secretary OF state"
II understand the purpor OF the paragraph above
copied. Mr. Wilson asserts that l. as Commissioner OF
Patents approved the reissue of the Woodwork patent,
with full knowledge OF the circumstances under which
that reissue made. In this he - mistaken. II is
true that he returned the ressned patent to the office for
the of deritn srror-a mistake in stating
the term during which the patent was TO run That
corrected for him in the manner he STATES examining the
matter. however, no further than was necessary 10 cor
supposes that by that act expressed my appreciation oil
the reissue OF the Woodwork patent.
On the contrary, at that time knew nothing OF the
of the previous action Of the Office in relation TO it,
knew nothing OF the circumstances under which 1t was
rsiseusd until three years afterwards, when
became necessary for TO examine into the history
OF that patent, order 10 reply to certain inquiries sent
10 me by tho Committee Patents OF the House OF Rep
resenatives onching the subject OF the extension by
Conrress of the patent Of Mr.. Emmons, also for a
planning machine Then, for the FIRST time, became &C
ouainted with some but all OF the extraordinary cir
cumstances of the reissue OF the Woodwork patent
Those have been already brought TO the
attention OF the pabc, and is needless to repeat them
II il sufficient for me 10 say since have been men
toned BY name by Mr. Wilson, having approved the
reissue OF the Woodwork patent that never met my
appreciation but. on the contrary, since became ac
quainted with the circumstances under which u wasre
issued have been Of the opinion, and still am that u
reissued improperly, snd in fraud OF the public and
the head Of the Patent Office at that time.
The examiner who paseed II never communicated the
history OF tina, patent me, and understand he did not
TO the chief clerk OF the Office who was then Achng
Commissioner. it was his duty 10 have done. Az to
the knowledge of the chief clerk, am not positive but
he 10 in this city and speak for himself All can
say Is, that II had been present at the time. and bad
been spprixed OF the previous action of the Patent Once
in reference to IT, should have permitted il TO
have been reissued.