No. 7.
Mr. Hanna to
Mr. Bayard
.
Buenos Ayres , January 20, 1888. (Received March 23.)
Sir: I have the honor to inform you that one Walter E. Bartel, representing himself as a naturalized citizen of the United States, recently residing in Bayonne, N. J., called at the legation and made application [Page 10] for a passport, He was of German birth, had lost his naturalization certificate, and could not furnish the required, proof of citizenship and truth of the facts, to be verified by his affidavit, in conformity to the late regulations of the Department, and the passport was refused. Subsequently he brought the affidavits of two United States sea-captains, well known to our consul here—Mr. E. L. Baker—as good and true men, that he was a naturalized citizen under the laws of the State of New York, and that his declarations were true, Did I exercise a proper discretion in issuing a passport on this showing, without requiring the applicant to apply to the clerk of the court where the naturalization proceedings were had for a certified copy thereof? I thought there was an emergency in his case, and acted upon such conviction. Instructions are requested.
I have, etc.,