Mr. Tsui Kwo Yin to Mr. Gresham.
Washington, D. C., May 27, 1893. (Received May 27.)
Sir: Referring to your note of the 19th instant in reference to certificates of identity issued to Chinese persons other than laborers who may desire to come to the United States pursuant to section 6 of the act of May 6, 1882, as amended July 5, 1884 (23 Stat., 116), I have the honor to inform you that the form of the certificates now in use was prepared by ex-Minister Chang Yen Hoon, and submitted by him on July 10, 1889, through the Department of State, to the Secretary of the Treasury, who, on the 23d day of July 1889, approved it.
Upon receipt of the note from the Secretary of State of July 25, 1889, advising this legation of the approval of the form of certificate by Secretary of the Treasury, the same was transmitted to the tsung-li Yamên with the request that all officers of the Imperial Government, who were authorized to issue such certificates of identity, should be notified to uniformly use the form of certificate that had been so approved by the Secretary of the Treasury.
The superintendents of the northern and southern trades (the viceroy of Chihli and the viceroy of Nanking) were instructed, therefore, by the Tsung-li-Yamên to authorize the customs taotais to take charge of the issuance of these certificates of identity to such Chinese persons, other than laborers, who might desire to come to the United States. And the minister of His Imperial Majesty in the United States, under the same instructions, authorized all Chinese consuls in foreign countries to issue such certificates of identity in the same manner.
Your attention is especially invited to the two concluding paragraphs of the note of the Secretary of the Treasury of June 12, 1891, to your predecessor, a copy of which was inclosed in the note of your Department of the 17th of June, 1891, addressed to this legation.
Accept, etc.,