This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.
^[[279]] ^[[(Copy 1]] [[stamped]] FEB 4 1876 [[/stamped]] [[letterhead, 2 columns]] [[preprinted]] [[column 1]] [[left bracket]] BOARD. [[short line]] Col. S. C. LYFORD, War Dept., Chairman Adm'l THORNTON A. JENKINS, Navy Dept. Hon. R. W. TAYLER, Treasury Department. Hon. JOHN EATON, Interior " [[ditto for Department.]] Dr. C. F. MACDONALD, Post Office " [[ditto for Department.]] WILLIAM SAUNDERS, Esq., Agricultural Dept. Prof. S. F. BAIRD, Smithsonian Institution, and Commissioner of Food Fishes. WM. A. DE CAINDRY, Secretary. [[/left bracket]] [[short line]] Col. JOSEPH S. CONRAD, U. S. A., Disb. Officer [[/column 1]] [[column 2]] International Exhibition, 1876. [[short line]] OFFICE OF THE Board on behalf of U. S. Executive Departments, No. 1725 G Street N. W., Washington, D. C. 187 [[/column 2]] [[/preprinted]] JANUARY 31, 1876. HON. A. T. GOSHORN, DIRECTOR GENERAL, &C., PHILADELPHIA, PA. SIR: IN ANSWER TO YOUR LETTER OF JANUARY 29, INCLOSING ONE FROM E. G. BLACKFORD, OF 24TH INST., I HAVE TO STATE THAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL NOT BE A COMPETITOR, BUT JURORS WHEN AWARDING, MIGHT, IF THOUGHT BEST, REFER TO THE COMPARATIVE MERITS OF UNITED STATES PRODUCTS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY ARE SUPERIOR. IF A FOREIGN GOVERNMENT IS TO EXHIBIT AS A GOVERNMENT, THEN PROPERLY THE UNITED STATES MIGHT COMPETE WITH IT, BUT UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WITH OUR OWN OR FOREIGN CITIZENS. RESPECTFULLY, YOUR OBEDIENT SERVANT, ^[[(Signed)]] S. C. LYFORD, BVT.- LIEUT.- COL., U. S. A. CHAIRMAN OF BOARD