-

NATIONAL QUADRIczNTENNIAL COMMIsION
OT. AUGUSTINE. PrLOIDA
155 196
Box 484
February 9, 1965

The Honorable D. R. Matthews
House of Representatives
Congress of the United States
Washngton, D. C.

Dear Billy:
Of course we were all thoroughly delighted to re-
oeive the word of the acceptance by the Postmaster
General of our request for a Quadrioentennial stamp. We
are deeply indebted to you and to Senator Holland for
picking this matter up immediately and pursuing it to
a suooessful conclusion.
Unfortunately, without our knowledge the Chamber
of Commerce had been undertaking some negotiations in
this respect, which evidently gave the project a "local*
angle. We had as you know from the beginning put this
on a national basis, knowing full well from the start
that their policy was against any local anniversary
stamps.

We very much hope that we will have the opportunity
to see the proposed design and copy before it is issued;
we would seriously like to hope that the words "St.
Augustine* night appear somewhere on the stamp, such as
"1565-St.Augustine-1965.' The principal title of course
would have to be more general, such as "4O0th Anniver-
sary of the First Permanent Spanish Settlement in U.S.".
The design used for the commemorative medallion has a
great deal to recommend it. The principal design is
that of the Spanish conquistador (Menendez) kneeling be-
fore the priest with an praised cross. This symbolizes
the unity of the cross and the word in the settlement
here, and oombines the two anniversaries: one of the
settlement itself and the other the 400th anniversary of
the beginning of permanent Catholiolsm in the United
States. We would be glad to supply photographs of the
medallion design, now in the process of execution by
Nedallio Art Company in New York City.





0

Hon. D. R. Matthews page two February 9, 1965

If we are to pursue your suggestion of taking
oooupaney from G.S.A. for the Post Office Building, rather
than seeking actual transfer of it, how would you suggest
approaching the matter am respects G. 8. A.? I should
think it had better be done In Washington rather than
through the regional offices here, although the latter
have been in touch with us several times. Mr. Wolfe
has made clear to then our objectives. As you pointed
out, it will be almost impossible to get any money for
maintenance and for remodeling for its use during the
Quadrioentennial Year into the National Park Service's
1965-66 budget, even if NP8 agreed. However, if we
could persuade GSA out of its general building budgets
to undertake this work and lease it to this federal
g~matpsion for a dollar a year, absorbing the costs of
maintenance, this would tide this Co mission over its
financial difficulties in this respect. This would also
give time for a settlement of the problem of its permanent
custody. I feel sure the National Park Service would feel
a lot better about doing it this way. I was glad there-
fore that you seemed to feel that this was the more prao-
tical approach.
I expect to be in Washington the end of the week,
and will contact you further on this.
rdially,

Earle W. Newton
Director General


cos Kr. f. Z. Wolfe
Senator Holland