Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-27
HISTORY OF PASSPORTS
GLOBE TROTTERS' CERTIFICATES
OF CHARACTER.
From the London Globe.

gIiSh HresideS and let his fancy beguile him
through his own journey around the world
again. He has his little collection of me-
| mentos, gathered like guiding stones from
the paths his footsteps have traced. to prick
his memory of incidents and places; some
gew-gaws from an eastern bazaar pic
ture postcards from every place between
Bombay and Timbuctoo. They all serve
his purpose; but your professional globe
trotter has something that appeals to him
more readily. He has his passport, its de-
tails obliterated by the stamps of more
than half of Europe. framed and hung up
before him. a striking memento of the
| likes and dislikes, the joys and SORROWS the
civilities and rudenesses of a years travel
One stands aloof from passport when 1t
comes fresh and ruStling from the foreign
Office. reeking with the SAVIOR of Officialdom
One regards 1t distrustfully; It's very en-
forced presence Is insult to ones feel
ings: 1t Is CHARTERED upon one much as is a
baiiiff. and it consequently receives wei
come similar to that gentleman's. But after
a few months in it's company the feelings
change toward 1t. 1t shares with us so
many of the associations of travel that we
needs must make a friend of 1t. What we
believed to be a slur on our character turns
out extremely serviceable IN establishing
identity at banks where remittances await
| us
The origin of the passport IS buried in OBJ
| security. Probably in the stone age some in
| fuential mark upon a flint served the pur-
pose of the passport of today. Their men
ton occurs in chronicles of the wars or
Christendom against the Saracens, where
safe-conducts were freely and chivalrously
granted. Their observance, however, was
not so chiValrOuS, as apparently they
ceased to be of any value to the holder
upon the slightest pretext. In this respect
the soldiers of the cross compare badly with
those of the crescent, and later in the mid
die ages the soldiers of Europe were not
remarkable for their adherence to these
safe-conducts. The passport as now under
stood is a Spanish invention dating from
the days of the dreaded inquisition, and the
first ever given in France was signed by
Charles V of Spain when besieglng Mar
selle in 1887. During the siege King
Charles desired to send two of his officers
two noblemen who were serving In the
army on a mission to Madrid. To safe
guard them he gave them a document sign
ed by himself and the popes legate, to the
Abbot of Montevideo, who was then cham
cellor of the inquisition. This precaution
was, In the words of our authority IN
order that they might be allowed to pass
freely, receive aid and protection in case OF
need and not be harraSSed In their pas
sage through the kings dominions by the
bloodhounds of the holy brotherhood who
showed no more consideration for grandees
and mobiles than for the hidalgos and mule
teers of Catalonia
In law books nowadays a subtle distinc-
ton is made between the safe-conduct and
passport. The former is defined as the per-
mission given TO an enemy IN Ilfle Oh wal
allowing him to go where he could not
otherwise go without personal danger; the
latter term is applied to personal permits
sion to friends given on ordinary occasions
both in peace and war. When passport
is given It includes generally the baggage
personal property and servants OF the
holder. and he is made answerable for the
latter. The transfeTence of passport from
one person to another IS regarded as Sc
rious matter for It's beStOwal in the hrst
place is a guarantee from one government
to another that its holder is desirable
person. They emanate, in fact, from the
sovereign authority, and though the right
be delegated. 1t is none the less backed by
| the concordance of the state. Governments
always reserve the right OF conhscatlng'
passports, and ambassadors themselves
have suffered in consequence. In 1911, dur
ing the reign of Eliza beth, the bishop or
Ross came to England and INDUCED IN
schemes for the release of the imprisoned
Mary Queen of Scots. He was detected
and himself imprisoned but claimed the
privileges of Queen Mary's ambassador He
was adjudged, however, to have forLelteu
any right to such privileges, ana AFTER
stay in prison was banlShed
The limitations of passports have rarely
been better displayed than in a celebrated
international dispute in 1888. A Hungarian
n&med Koszta was banished from Austria,
owing to his completely in political offenses
When expelled he went to the United
States and after living there for some time
| commenced proceedings toward pecoinihs
i
on affairs called him to Turkey. and ne
went with United States passport AL
SMYRNA however, he was seized by Aus
| TRAN agents, and though the Turkish au-
thorities protested against the act as vlo-
Iation of their sovereignty kosZtd was put
on board an Austrian vessel. Inc COM
mander of the United States warship ST
Louis insisted on and enforced the Hun
garan's release. and Austria, regarding
| this as an offense against her flag demand
ed satisfaction. Here was all that was
wanting for grave international compllca-
| tions but the matter was ended by koszta
being brought back to the United States
| with the reservation of the right to austria
| to proceed against him should he at any
future time land in Turkey.
| Vessels, as well as individuals. occasion
allv need safe-conducts, as was the case
In 1873 when the boats carrying mails be-
| tween France and England were permitted
| to pass despite the war. between the two
| countries Vessels of discovery likewise
| have been regarded as exempt from inter
| national complications. In 1776 when capt.
| Cook sailed out from Plymouth with the
| Resolution and the Discovery. the FTencn
| minister of marine issued instructions for
| allowing him to pass from sea to sea with
| ont modest ation. This custom seems 10 De
| the survival of the old Grecian idea, Waeh
| the Athenians vessel carrying their an
| nual sacred offerings to Delos was respect
ed by the other states.