Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President, Transmitted to Congress, December 4, 1893

Mr. Shannon to Mr. Foster.

Legation of the United States,
Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Salvador,
Managua , January 19, 1893 . (Received February 10.)

No. 281.]

Sir: Dr. Alberto Lacayo, a native-born Nicaraguan, who was naturalized a citizen of the United States September 27, 1878, recently presented himself at this legation and requested that a passport be issued to him for the purpose of his protection.

I gave him the usual blank form to fill out, and at my request he prepared an additional statement showing, among other things, that he had filled the office of alcalde of Granada for about three months in 1890.

As will be seen from the printed form, which he has only partly filled out, he is unable to state that he is now “domiciled in the United States,” and that he has a permanent residence therein,” where he follows an occupation.

He further told me that he is now residing with his parents in the city of Granada, and proposes to remain with them so long as they live. After their death his purpose is to go to the United States and reside there permanently.

Besides his naturalization papers he exhibited two passports that had been issued to him by the Department of State in 1879 and 1886. But under the circumstances I have declined to issue to him a passport before laying the facts before the Department.

I beg, therefore, to respectfully submit his case to the Department, and to ask for instructions in the matter.

I have etc.,

Richard Cutts Shannon.

[Inclosure in No. 281.]

Dr. Lacayo’s statement.

Pharmacy, etc., of Alberto Lacayo & Co. [undated].

Arrived in the United States of America July. 1872; left the United States March, 1879 (came back to Nicaragua 1879); went back to the States in 1882, left there the same year and went back in 1883. I came to Nicaragua in the same year to return again and which I did in 1886, and went back in 1891.

In 1879 I was given a passport by William M. Evarts and was renewed by T. F. Bayard in 1886.

I was elected mayor of Granada in 1890 against my own will, so that I resigned and succeeded in getting accepted my resignation about three months after I was in service. I made no protest as American citizen, for Consul Wills told me, as also Consul Levitte, that I was no American citizen in Nicaragua. The oath I took was “To fulfill and make them fulfill the laws of Nicaragua” (cumplir i hacer cumplir las leyes de Nicaragua).

I was naturalized 27th of September, 1878.

A. Lacayo.