East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1865-01-04
THE PASSPORT SYSTEM.
interruption to Railway Traffic on
the Frontier
Trom the Tornuto Globe, Jan. 2.

the Frontier
Prom the Toruuto Globe, Jan. 2.
The Detroit papers had given u
reason to hope that Mr.. Stewards re
cent passport order would not DO strict
~ enforced But Saturdays proceed
ings told different tale. At Detroi
and ths Suspension Bridge, every man
woman and child passing to the State
FROM Canada, through passengers a
We'll as residents of the Province, wer,
stopped and their passports demanded
Many were unprovided with the need
ful document, and were turned back
III this system is continued there cur
be no doubt that the passenger traffi,
of the Grand Trunk and Great Yves
tern VIII receive a serious blow, anc
Canadian investments become more
unpopular than ever with British cap,
italists. This is only one of the beau.
tiful results of the Leader, Montreal
Telegraph, and other kindred journal:
to stir up strife upon the border. The
cost of tho passport system to individ.
uals is no inconsiderablo item. 1t is
beloved 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 BIO riscd by the consular agent
here, Mr.. Kimball, who charges 81
1or his trouble, so that the man who
vents to make trip to Buffalo must
pay two dollars and half in addition
10 his railway fare. In addition, there
must be daily delays, causing consid-
cradle expense and interruption to
business. We may note here that
American citizens residing in Canada
are required to take passport when
they design to pay visit to the Uni
ted States. The document can only
be issued by full consul, one OF
whom is stationed at Clifton. Con-
sular agents are not authorized to
issue passports, but they will grant
certificates of identity. An American
resident of Toronto will therefr,sne
required, if he desires to,aom MI;
Bridge, to take certif5ent here, ana
Kimball, the co'l,assport 10 linton;
exchange ;iIhurston, who Is full
Wha, returns to Toronto, he will
ssue passports.
We cannot help regarding the in
of the passport system as
a piece Of stupidity on the part of the
Washington Government. Mr.. Sew
ard 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 ut
terly imperative to prevent the transit
of political conspirators. Its intro
duction on our frontier is utterly USE
less; and we hope that our govern
mont will take immediate steps to rep
resent the matter to tho government
at Washington, and have it abolished.
If Mr.. Seward will not be reasonable
on the subject, it will be necessary for
vos s@ -. anaY TO take other steps
ing the Americans scst t t6ssy su ef max
of treating us fairly. We hope that
no such warfare may arise, but that
Mr.. Seward will see the propriety of
abolishing regulations which arc a
serious injury to our people, while
they are Of no benefit 10 their neigh
bors. 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 sue
cessful. At all events the passport
system will not help them; and we
have full right to demand that while
ises, no burdensome penairles sn'rrr ue
laid upon us.
The passport system is unquestion-
ably two-edged sword, cutting both
ways, but like a great many other of
the amiable though unexplainable acts
of the administration is enforced SIM
ply to show the sovereign people that
eve have government" Another
illustration Of the little bell |" bust
ness, with this improvement on previ-
GUS experiments, it affects oil, instead
of fraction Of the people, as hereto
fore. On tho whole, we rather 'lilke to
see it."