Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 5, 1892

Mr. Coolidge to Mr. Foster.

Legation of the United States,
Paris, November 12, 1892. (Received November 28.)

No. 77.]

Sir: I inclose herewith copy of a letter received from Mr. Robert M. Thompson, of New York, requesting me to apply for the necessary authority to issue a passport to Mr. J. Maurice Hubbard, of whom he is the guardian.

The case of Mr. Hubbard has already been the subject of correspondence between the Department and this legation. It is stated fully in Mr. Reid’s No. 428 of October 8, 1891, and was considered by the Department in Mr. Blaine’s No. 353 of October 30.

Mr. Hubbard, who was born in France, and who has never been to the United States, renews his application for a passport, because, being now nearly 21 years of age, he finds that he will have to perform military service in France unless he shows that he is an American citizen.

The instructions of the Department were to give him a passport in case he again applied for one and it should appear that he proposes in good faith to perform the duties of American citizenship, but to treat his case precisely as any other where the conduct of the applicant suggests a voluntary abandonment of the rights of protection claimed by him, if it is apparent that he has no fixed intent to dwell in the United States. I see no other indication of such intent on the part of Mr. Hubbard but the statement of his guardian that he is trying to find a situation for him in the United States. I must add that a passport will not be sufficient to release Mr. Hubbard from any military obligations in France. If he claims to be an American, he will be told that his Government must claim him as such. Under the circumstances I submit to the Department whether a passport should be issued to Mr. Hubbard or not.

I have, etc.,

T. Jefferson Coolidge.

[Inclosure in No. 77.]

Mr. Thompson to Mr. Coolidge.

Paris, November 8, 1892.

Dear Sir: Referring to the ease of J. Maurice Hubbard, correspondence concerning which is already on file in your office, may I ask that you will again apply to the State Department for permission to issue a passport to Mr. Hubbard. Unquestionably he is an American citizen by birth and his long residence in France is due to his attendance upon his mother.

The facts are before you, so I will not trouble you with any further detail of them, except to add that, at his request, I have been trying, as his guardian, to find a situation for him in the United States which would enable him to continue his contribution toward the support of his mother, she being largely dependent thereon.

With great respect, I remain, yours, truly,

Robert M. Thompson,
37 Wall Street, New York.