No. 15.
Mr. Tree to
Mr. Bayard.
Brussels, March 20, 1886. (Received April 5.)
Sir: I have the honor to inform you that one August Carl Alwin Cranz called to-day at the legation and made application for a passport as a citizen of the United States. In the application signed and sworn to by him he declares that he was born at Hamburg, Germany, about the 19th day of April, 1860, and emigrated to the United States the 18th day of September, 1877; that he was naturalized at Boston in 1882; that he is the bearer of passport No. 5450, issued by the Secretary of State on the 26th of March, 1883; that he left the United States the last time the 22d day of December, 1883; that he is now residing temporarily at Brussels; that he has committed no act nor had any intention to forfeit his rights as a citizen of the United States; that he has no intention to return to the United States to reside, though it is possible he may sometimes make a visit there; that he desires the passport for the purpose of residing in Europe.
He did not have his certificate of naturalization with him, but will bring it to me. I have no doubt he possesses such a certificate. I, however, informed him, that even after seeing his certificate of naturalization and finding it to be regular, I could not see my duty clearly to issue him a passport until I had written to the Department for instructions as to whether a person holding a certificate of naturalization as a citizen of the United States was entitled to a passport, who in his application expressly declares that he has no intention to return to the United State to reside, and wishes the protection which the paper may give him for the purpose of residing in Europe.
In the course of the conversation Mr. Cranz informed me that his father resided in Austria, of which country he is a subject, and that he and his father are engaged in trade in Europe.
For my guidance in this and future cases I would be very glad to have the instruction of the Department as to whether it is proper to issue a passport under this state of facts. As Mr. Cranz is living here, he will sustain no inconvenience by the delay in case you are of the opinion that he should have one.
I have, &c.,