The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-01-13
THE PASSPORT SYSTEM.
A Canadian View: Of. Mr.. Stewards
/, -. 10 -. .a;l. Order. -, & .ug,7
Enforcement Of the Order at Detroit
-.-Iss EHects upon Raiirosds--.
Y so 3 s." Cost or lPassports.2 ~ NJ
From the Toronto Globe, Jan. 2,

The Detroit papers had given us reason
to hope that Mr.. Stewards recent passport
order would not be strictly enforced. But
Saturdays proceedings told different
tale. at Detroit and at the Suspension
Bridge, eyey man, woman and child pass
ing into the States from Canada, through
passengers as well as the residents of the,
province, were stopped and their passports
demaHded. 4 If thisisy is continued,
there Gan be no doubt that the passenger
traffic of the Grand Trunk and Great
Western will receive a serious blow, and
Canadian investments become, more un-
popular than ever with British capitalists.
This is only one of the beautiful results of
the attempts of the Leader, Montreal TEL
egraph, and other kindred journals to stir
up strife upon the border. The cost of the
passport system to individuals is no incon-
siderable item. It is believed that Mr..
Cameron is now issuing twenty passports
per day. for which he is allowed to charge
one dollar and fifty cents each. Under
the new regulation these passports must
be uised by the consular agent here, Mr..
Kimball, who charges one dollar for his
trouble, so that the man who wants to
make the trip to Buffalo must pay two dol
lars and shalt in addition ii, his railway
fare In addition, there must be daily de-.
lays, causing considerable expense and in
terruption to business. We may note
here that American citizens residing in
Canada are required to take a passport
when they design to visit + ftheo United
States. The document can only be Issued
by q full consel, one Of whom is stationed
at Clifton. Consular agents are not ,au-
thorized to issue passports, but they will
grant certificates of identity. An Ameri-
can resident Of Toronto will therefore be
required, if he desires to cross the bridge.
to take certificates from Mr.. Kimball, the
consular agents here, and exchange it for
passport at Cliftona When Mr. Thurs
ton, who is full consel, returns to Toron-
TO, he will issue passports. ''' 7e.,
We cannot help regarding the introduce
ton of the passport system as q piece of
stupidity on the part of the Washington
government. Mr.. Seward will not be able
to prevent raiders crossing the frontier by
any such means. The passport system
has been abandoned in Europe even by
Austria and France, it having been found
utterly imperative to prevent the tran
sit of spolitical epnspirators. Its intro
duction on our frontier is utterly useless |;
and we hope that oar government will
take immediate steps to represent the
matter to the government at Washington,
and have it abolished. If Mr.. Seward
will not be reasonable on the subject, it
will be necessary for the government to
take other steps,. We can find q score Of
ways of making the, Americans feel the
advantage of treating US fairly. We hope
that no such warfare may arise, but that
Mr.. Seward will see the propriety Of abol-
ishing negotiations which are serious in
Jury to their neighbors. Our government
are doing all that lies in their power to
prevent raids from our shores, and there
Is no reason to doubt that they will be-
successful. At all events the = passport
system will not help them; and we have
full right to demand that while we are
doing our duty in the premises, no bur-
densome penalties shall be laid upon us. r.
From the Detroit Free Press JanuszyAo
No recent event has caused, so great a
sensation in this city as the enforcing Of
the passport system. It was stringently
enforced for the first time on MondaY., A
military goard took possession Of. the ferry
dock, and compelled the large crowd which
assembled there to keep at . very respect