Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress December 3, 1900

Mr. Hay to Mr. White.

Department of State,
Washington, April 2, 1900.

No. 1029.]

Sir: Referring to your No. 1169 of January 25 last, touching the application for a passport made by Bernard Ehlers, a native of Honolulu, I inclose herewith copy of a dispatch¹ from the special agent of the United States at Honolulu transmitting the reply of the Hawaiian minister for foreign affairs to the inquiry made by this Department as to whether the Hawaiian government considered Ehlers a bona fide citizen of those islands.

As Mr. Ehlers’s Hawaiian citizenship appears to be treated by Mr. Mott-Smith as an established fact, you may issue to Mr. Ehlers a document declaring that the bearer, Bernard Ehlers, is a citizen of the Hawaiian Islands, and as such is entitled to the protection of the United States.

As in the case of Porto Ricans (Circular of May 2, 1899), United States passports can not be issued to natives of the Hawaiian Islands until their civil and political status has been determined by Congress.

I am, etc.,

John Hay.

1. Not printed.