New-York daily tribune., 1854-09-07

..p.ri, he DAYS nothing, while each Consul de-
-. Tan frame. He is told that he mnst go 80
the American Consul, who Is generally foreign
er and he, after putting hs ten francs in hs
r.stet informs him that he must get the visa OF
b;s copftfres. with whom he is leagaed in the
fraudulent operation, and whose visa is ne more
ne.e.sry than his own. This is exactly what
occurs at Msrseilles, before the traveller has
auit.ed the soil Of France. Any man can leave
France If be has the visa Of the Prefect Of Police
AZ Paris and that of the Minister Of the country
10 which he is going But at Marseilles, the
traveller 10 informed that if he does net obtain the
visa of the Consul Of the country TO which he is
soipg, he cannot leave the boat which carries him
there. He goes TO that Consul and he, being in
the conspiracy with the American Consul says
"Sir. don't know you; yea must hrst go TO yeur
"own Consul, aud if be fnds you all right, yoa
"wiIl then return, and l will give you my visa"
The whole affair is performed scientifically, and
after the model of the Ministerial Bareau at Paris,
only that one is honest, necessary, and free Of
cost, while the other is a barefsced robbery,
founded on o system Of brgandage indigenous to
the southern States Of Europe.
This system Of semI-legal robbery has nov
reached its highest degree Of development. and
calls loudly for reform. There is no branch Of the
public service over which there seems to be so
little attention given by the Government at Wash
ington az that OF the diplomatic and consular sys-
TEN abroad. If party politics do cont1,l the ap'
pointment Of officers for the interior slars OF the
American Government and regulate the amount
of supervision which is exercised over their con-
duct after their appointment the evil Is nots
great if they betray their trust since It IS at nome
that their acts are seen; but distribute through
foreign nations set of representatives. and agents
whose acts are a standing disgrace to themselves
asindiyiduals and to their cOuntryas nation, and
the evil becomes one of the gravest character
Another imposition prsctced upon Travellers in
Europe is this the couriers, runners and hotel
keepers always prefer to charge themselves with
the duty of carrying the travellers passport to
the Legations to be vsed, aud they then charge
for the service, according TO the supposed YER
daney of the victim. Gentlemen have thus been
charged even for the visa Of the American Minis
ter in this as well as other large cities in Europe
the owner Of the passport not knowing that
there is never any charge for the visa OF an Of
6cer holding diplomatic powers and receiving pay
as such from his Goyernme nt-exceP Pting always
Mr. De Leon. But few days ago heard gem
tleman complaining that Mr.. Soule at Madrid had
charged him ten francs TO visa bic passport; but
upon inquiring it was found that he had sent his
passport to the Legation by the hands of run
ner, who had cheated him in other charges, and
who must also have charged that himself for Mr..
Soule could not be guilty of such an act.
In view Of this state OF things the Secretary of
the Legation in this city Mr.. Pistt, has established
a rule that no mans passport shSll be signed at
this Legation who is not present in person at the
Office at the time Of signing; and be is endeayor-
ing to induce other Legations throughout Europe
30 adopt the same system. BY the introduction
Of this u efu regulation on the part of Mr.. Patt
he has called upon bis head such an amount of in |
dgnstion the part of hotel keepers and their
lackeys that he can scarcely command decent
treatment when he enters their houses. Every |
gentleman's passport is now vised at once, with
out delay, and no inconvenience ia experienced; |
the manner in which the affairs of this Legation,
at least, are conducted, gives the most eminent
satisfaction to all Americans.
There was another reason, however, why this
new regulation should be adopted. A notorious
American thief, for whom the American as well
a. the French Government were on the search,
lately had his passport sent TO the American Le-
cation here and signed, without any attention
being paid TO the name and he was thus enabled TO
elude the French police and escape from France.
The Prefect of Police then addressed protest TO
the American Minister, in which he said il must
not be expected oil the French police that they
should detect foreign fugtiyes from justice if the
Legations of the respective countries did not lend
them their assistance, and exercise more scrutiny
over their subjects. This added to the evil already
spoken OF, determined the Legation here to adopt
an imperative rule that no passport can here.
after be signed which is not brought by the
owner in person to the Office.