Mr. Reid to Mr. Blaine.

No. 94.]

Sir: I have the honor to forward the application of Mr. Frank R. Blackinton for a passport.

Mr. Blackinton has been residing in Paris since 1871, although he claims that his legal residence is at North Adams, Massachusetts, where he has property and where he pays and has regularly paid taxes on real and personal property. He states that during his eighteen years’ residence abroad he has returned to the United States at least nine times, remaining for a few months at a time for the purpose of attending to his affairs. As he declares that, although he expects to go back shortly on business, he does not know when he will return to the United States to reside permanently, and that he has at present no intention or desire to do so, I do not feel at liberty under the present instructions to give him a passport.

[Page 168]

It is a fact with which you are of course familiar that there are in Europe a great many citizens of the United States, not a few of them extremely well known and prominent, who are practically in the same position with Mr. Blackinton. To refuse them passports would doubtless cause considerable outcry. I should therefore be glad to be advised whether in your judgment I have construed the instructions of the Department too rigidly in the matter of Mr. Blackinton’s application; and it would be a favor if I could have your special instructions as to such cases in future.

I have, etc.,

Whitelaw Reid.