Department
of State,
Washington, April 18,
1890.
No. 242.]
[Inclosure in No. 242.]
Governor Merriam to
Mr. Blaine.
State
of Minnesota, Executive Mansion,
St. Paul, April 11, 1890.
(Received April 17.)
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your communication of the 10th instant, together with the
inclosed letter from the Hon. Robert T. Lincoln, United States minister
to England, relative to a paper issued by me to one Louis Wagner,
recommending him as a worthy and respected citizen of this State.
As stated in a former communication to you on this subject, this form of
letter was not intended in any sense as a passport, nor is it understood
to be such. It has been the custom of this office for a great many years
to issue these letters. The blank form used is one which was in vogue
when I came into possession of this office.
I am at a loss to know how Mr. Wagner came to regard this letter other
than one of recommendation, as the party who secured it for him was
specifically informed that it was not in the nature of a passport.
I am fully aware that the executive has no power to issue passports.
These letters were never intended as such, and I regret to learn that
they have been the cause of great inconvenience to some of the parties
to whom they have been issued.
As a safeguard against any further trouble of this character, I have the
honor to inform you that no more of these letters of recommendation will
be issued from this department.
Respectfully,
