No. 17.
Mr. Lawton to Mr. Bayard.

No. 14.]

Sir: I have the honor to inclose the application of Mr. Sigismund Löwinsohn to this legation for a passport; also his certificate of naturalization by the court of common pleas of New York City on the 5th day of February, 1872, and a passport given to him by this legation on November 10, 1883.

It appears that the applicant was born in Hungary, and taken to the United States while a minor and before he could make choice of a country; that, after reaching twenty-one years of age, he became a naturalized citizen of the United States, and within less than a month thereafter he returned to Austria-Hungary, the country of his birth; now resides in Vienna with his family, engaged here in a lucrative business, and has never visited the United States since he left that country in February, 1872. It further appears from his application for a passport that he is desirous of “registering the birth of a child;” but he can not and will not say that he expects to return to the United States at any definite time.

Upon such a statement of facts this legation refrains from issuing a passport, unless instructed to do so by the Department of State. This is one of the (too) numerous cases where “naturalization papers” seem to be procured to hold for emergencies and to give a claim for protection by the United States Government whenever service or duty shall be demanded by the country of birth and of present permanent residence, [Page 20] and to which, in this case, the applicant returned almost at the moment of taking the oath of allegiance to the United States. It is to be hoped that our Government will require some stronger evidence of a willingness to recognize the obligations and bear the burdens of a citizen of the United States before announcing that the claimant is under its protection, by granting a passport.

This legation respectfully asks the instruction of the Department in the premises; and

I have, etc.,

A. R. Lawton.