No. 144.
Mr. Fish
to Mr. Aver.
Department
of State,
Washington, June 27,
1874.
No. 2.]
Sir: Herewith I inclose a copy of “An act relating
to Ambassadors, Consuls, and other officers,” approved on the 17th instant,
and invite your attention to that part thereof relative to recommendations
by diplomatic officers of the United States, of citizens of the same, to
positions of trust or profit under the government of the country in which
they are located, without the consent of the Secretary of State being
previously obtained.
You are consequently instructed, whenever, in your opinion, the interests of
this Government will be promoted by the appointment of Americans to office
in China, to make such recommendations relating thereto as you may deem
proper. You will, however, be expected to report each case to the
Department.
I am, &c.,
[Inclosure.]
AN ACT relating to Ambassadors, Consuls and other officers.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of
Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress
assembled, That no Ambassador, Envoy Extraordinary, Minister
Plenipotentiary, Minister Resident, Commissioner to any foreign country,
chargé d’affaires, Secretary of Legation, Assistant Secretary of
Legation, Interpreter to any legation in any foreign country, Consul
General, Consul, Commercial Agent, consular pupils, or consular agent
shall be absent from his post or the performance of his duties for a
longer period than ten days at any one time, without the permission
previously obtained of the President. And no compensation shall be
allowed for the time of any such absence in any case except in cases of
sickness; nor shall any diplomatic or consular officer correspond in
regard to the public affairs of any foreign government with any private
person, newspaper, or other periodical, or otherwise than with the
proper officers of the United States; nor, without the consent of the
Secretary of State previously obtained, recommend any person at home or
abroad for any employment of trust or profit under the government of the
country in which he is located; nor ask or accept, for himself or any
other person, any present, emolument, pecuniary favor, office, or title
of any kind from any such government.
