Mr. Burnley to Mr. Seward
Washington,
January 20, 1865.
Sir: I have the honor to enclose copy of a
despatch from the lieutenant governor of New Brunswick on the subject of
the new passport regulations, to which I invite your attention. A glance
at the map of New Brunswick will enable you the better to appreciate the
remarks of Mr. Gordon.
I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most
obedient, humble servant,
Hon. William H. Seward,
&c., &c., &c.
[Page 50]
Mr. Gordon to Mr. Burnley
Fredericton, N.
B., January 12,
1865.
SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt to-day of your
despatch of the 4th instant, relative to the intention of the United
States government to require from travellers entering that country
passports furnished by competent authority and countersigned by a
diplomatic or consular agent of the United States.
I have to request that you will have the goodness to ask the
Secretary of State of the United States what course it is intended
to follow with respect to persons living at considerable distances
from the residence of any consular agents of the United States. For
instance, it is my intention to establish an agency for passports at
the town of Woodstock. Is it intended that any person residing in
Woodstock, and desirous of visiting the neighboring town of Moulton,
in the United States, should, after providing himself with my
passport, proceed, in the first instance, to St. John (a journey,
including the return to Woodstock, of three or four hundred miles)
to obtain the visa of the United States consul, in order to enable
him to cross the frontier? This is by no means an idle question, for
the intercourse between the towns referred to is considerable, and
the same may be said with regard to other points on the frontier. It
would seem reasonable that in such cases, by an arrangement not
unusual in Europe, an officer of the United States at the town first
reached after crossing the frontier might be permitted to give the
requisite visa.
But without suggesting the steps which the United States government
may think proper to take in consequence, it is right that I should
state that the strict requirement of the counter signature of the
consul at St. John to every passport issued by me will practically
put an end to the intercourse at present happily prevailing between
the citizens of the two States along the boundary lines—a result
which I should greatly deplore, and which would, I doubt not, also
be regretted by the United States government.
I have, &c.,
J. H. Burnley, Esq., &c., &c., &c.
