Mr. Storer to Mr. Sherman.
Brussels, August 18, 1897. (Received August 30.)
Sir: I have the honor to request instructions from the Department regarding the issuance of a passport under the following state of facts:
On the 11th day of January, 1875, my predecessor then in office, Mr. Jones, issued a passport, No. 345, to “Mr. M. D. Hennessy, wife, and son.” No record exists as to the evidence of citizenship then shown, nor am I advised whether at that time the regulations of the Department called for the production of certificate of naturalization. I am informed, however, that Mr. Hennessy was personally well known to the minister, Mr. Jones, at the time of his appointment as minister, having been president of one of the street-car lines of Chicago while Mr. Hennessy was president of another line in the same city.
Mr. Hennessy, of whose identity I am entirely convinced, applies to me for a new passport, but without his old passport, which has long ago been mislaid or lost, and without naturalization papers.
He was naturalized in Somerset, Perry County, Ohio, and read law in Cincinnati. He recorded a certified copy of his naturalization certificate [Page 26] in Chicago, but can not obtain a copy there as all the records of Cook County were destroyed by the Chicago fire. He subsequently applied for another certified copy from Perry County, Ohio, and was officially informed that the records of that county had also been destroyed by fire. Coming to Europe with his family shortly before January, 1875, and knowing the then minister at this post, he took out the passport I have mentioned. His wife is dead, his son has been educated in Europe, and he himself has spent most of his time in the south of Europe since 1875 on account of his health, returning, however, from time to time for business purposes. He is still a taxpayer of Rock-ford, in the State of Illinois, and has never had any intention of forfeiting his citizenship. He applies to this legation for a passport, supposing that one having been issued to him another would be, as a matter of course.
In the light of the instructions on this subject, and more particularly having in mind the letter of the Department, No. 7, addressed to my predecessor, Mr. Ewing, July 23, 1897, I have declined to issue a passport to Mr. Hennessy until I receive further instructions from the Department on the subject.
I have ventured, however, to promise Mr. Hennessy that I would request of the Department a telegraphic reply to this letter, the expense of which will be reimbursed the Department. If this course can be followed it would save Mr. Hennessy some inconvenient delay in Belgium.
I have, etc.,