No. 401.
Mr. McLane
to Mr. Bayard.
Paris, July 23, 1888. (Received August 8.)
Sir: Referring to my No. 631, under date of July 2, I have taken the liberty to issue a passport to Mr. Max Hellman, of the house of Seligman & Co., a naturalized citizen of the United States, whose certificate of naturalization was in the vault of that house in New York. His case was very urgent as to time, and he promised to produce to me his certificate of naturalization later on. He is perfectly well known to me, and he has been naturalized thirty years, and he exhibited passports heretofore issued to him from the State Department, and also from this legation.
When he first applied for a passport, I required the certificate of his naturalization, but in view of the passports exhibited by him and of my personal knowledge of his identity and high standing, I took the liberty of issuing the passport to him, though I am not yet authorized by you to exercise such discretion. I hope, nevertheless, that my action will meet your approval.
I have, etc.,