The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-06-30

suis themselves ana 20 the hepuphV mho" WI
crates il. q
Unlike the custom observed at the British
foreign Office and at the procedures IN France,
passports are given by this Department 20 our
citizens free Of cost. This is also the rule at
to be made for vises
Happily for our people, we know nothing Of
the system, in interior intercourse, Of passports.
A foreigner may travel unmolested from the
eastern confines of Maine to the western bor-
ders of Oregon without bearing with him any
protection whatever from his Government; but
as other nations have the undoubted right to
regulate their internal affairs in such a man.
ner as they may think proper, in the CONNER
cial and other intercourse Of our citizens with
their inhabitants, unless their regulations shall
conflict with treaty stipulations and interna-
tional usages we can do nothing more than
afford TO our countrymen travelling abroad all
the facilities at the disposal of their own Gov
eminent, not suffering them to be subjected to
any wrong, so far as this Department can pre-
vent il, by our own or foreign functionaries.
By an act of Congress Of April IA, 1892, Con-
suls are authorized to receive "for authentica-
ting, under the consular seal, every protest,
declaration, deposition, or other act which
such captains, masters, mariners, seamen, pas
sengers, merchants, or others, as are citizens
of the United States may respectively choose to
make, the sum of two dollars" The words,
cor others clearly establish the right Of Con-
sui. when an application is made to him to
that end, to demand two dollars for a pass
port-as also for q vise TO one-because the
consular seal is necessarily employed to anthem
ticate the act That portion of the circular,
therefore, which was issued by this Department
under date of June %, 1880, instructing Con-
suls that q" no charge is to be made for pass.
ports" is hereby revoked
Where there is legation Of the United
States and consulate at the same place, Con-
sus are not authorised hereafter to issue or wise
passports. This duty devolves upon the lega-
ton, as the higher authority of the two
This Department is informed that in some
countries our Consuls think to impart dignity
and importance to the place where the business
of the consulate is transacted by calling it
La Chancellerie," and the clerk in their en-
ployment " lie Chanceliern This is done with
out any warrant in law or by instructions it
is not in harmony with the usages in their
country. If led to it by desire to initiate
what they see abroad, the motive for it is as
reprehensble as the practice.
COnsuls are instructed to keep their Offices
open for the transaction of official business
from nine o'clock in the morning until three in
the afternoon. They will not be at liberty here
after to absent themselves from their consular
districts, unless upon leave obtained from this
Department, which will only be given in urg-
ent cases. and for comparatively short periods
In all that relates to scientific discoveries, to
progress in the arts to agricultural develop
ments and to general statistics in foreign coun-
tries, Consuls are requested to communicate
freely and frequently with the Department
Apart from their more formal duties they may
in this manner confer singular advantages
upon the Union It is in contemplation to pro.
pose to Congress, at its next session, if the in.
received before that time be deemed
sufficiently valuable to warrant the application.
to publish annually, for the public eye, vol
ume containing extracts from consular dis
patches
All the instructions heretofore issued from
this Department in relation to consular uni
form are hereby revoked Neither the propr.
ETY. nor the utility of any regulation on this
subject is perceived
No law prescribes to civil officers at home
no usage warrants any such mere external dis
tinotiop, and it could not be assumed by func.
tiOnaries at home without offence to the pub
lo taste.
When Consuls appoint vice-oonsuls or consul
lar agents, which, it is scarcely necessary to
should be citizens of the United States
they are required to communicate the fact to |
this Department.
The aioregoing instructions are applicable to |
commercial agents and vice COM
rnereial agents and tho etriot Observance of |
them is enjoined by the President of the Uni
ted States. w. l.. MARCY.