Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-28
PASSPORTS AND THEIR HISTORY.
Globe Trotters' Certificates of Charac-
ter, Their Uses and Limitations.

From the London Globe.
The traveller returned loves to sit by
English fresides and let his fancy be-
guile him through his own journey
around the world again. He has his little
collection of mementos, gathered like
guiding stones from the paths his foot
steps have traced. to prick his memory
of Incidents and places; some gewgaws
from an eastern bazaar. or picture post
cards from every place between Bombay
and Timbuctoo They all serve his pur-
pose; but your professional globe-trotter
has something that appeals to him more
readily. He has his passport, It's details
obliterated by the stamps of more than
half Of Europe framed and hung up be-
fore him. a striking memento of the likes
and dislikes. the joys and sorrows. the
civilities and rudeneSses of years
travel One stands aloof from a passport
when 1t comes fresh and rustling from
the foreign office, reeking with the SAVIOR
of officialdom. One regards it distrust-
fully; its very enforced presence Is an in
suit to ones feelings; 1t is quartered upon
one much is bailiff, and 1t conse-
duently receives welcome similar to
that gentleman's But after a few months
in It's company the feelings change to-
ward 1t. 1t shares with us so many of
the associations of travel that We needs
must make friend of it. What We be-
iieved to be a slur on our character turns
out extremely serviceable in establishing
identity at banks where remittances
await us.
obscurity. Probably in the Stone Age
some influential mark upon flint served
the purpose of the passport of today.
Their mention occurs in chronicles of
the wars Of Christendom against the
Saracens. where safe-conducts were
freely and chivalrously granted. Their
observance, however, was not so chival-
rous, as apparently they ceased to be Of
any value to the holder upon the slight
est pretext. In this respect the soldiers
of the Cross compare badly with those
of the Crescent. and later in the middle
ages, the soldiers of Europe were not
remarkable for their adherence to these
safe-conducts. The passport as now I'M
derstood Is a Spanish invention dating
from the days of the dreaded inquisition,
and the first ever given in France was
signed by Charles of Spain when be-
sieging Marseilles in 1887. During the
siege King Charles desired to send two
of his officers, two noblemen who were
serving in the army. on mission to Ma
drid. To safeguard them he gave them
a document signed by himself and the
pope's legate to the abbot of Monte
video. who was then chancellor of the
inquisition. This precaution WAS. in the
words Of our authority, in order that
they might be allowed to pass freely. re-
ceive aid and protection in case of need.
and not be harassed In their passage
through the kings dominions by the
bloodhounds of the Holy Brotherhood.
who showed no more consideration for
grandes and mobiles than for the hidal-
COS and muleteers of Catalonia.
In law books nowadays subtle dis
tinction Is made between the safe-con-
duct and passport. The former is defined
as the permission given to enemy In
time Of war allowing him to go where
he could not otherwise go without per-
sonal danger: the latter term is applied
to personal permission to friends given
on ordinary occasions both in peace and
war. When a passport Is given 1t in
cludes generally the baggage. personal
property and servants of the holder. and
he IL made answerable for the latter.
The transference of passport from one
person to another is regarded as serf-
Gus matter, for It's bestowal in the first
place Is guarantee from one govern
ment to another that its holder is n desir-
able person. They emanate. in fact. from
the sovereign authority, and though the
right be delegated, it Is none the less
backed by the concordance of the state
Governments always reserve the right OF
ccnfiscating passports, and ambassadors
themselves have suffered in consequences
In 1911. during the reign of Elizabeth
the bishop OF 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