Department of State,
Washington, February 6,
1897.
No. 50.]
In compliance with the request which your note makes, I have to-day
addressed instructions to the minister of the United States on the
subject.
[Inclosure.]
Mr. Olney to
Mr. Baker.
Department of State,
Washington, February 6,
1897.
No. 535.]
Sir: Referring to the Department’s No. 470,
of July 3 last, respecting the exercise of the good offices of our
diplomatic and consular officers to Chinese subjects residing in
Nicaragua and Salvador, and to your No. 693, of September 4 last,
reporting that Salvador will allow the representatives of the United
States to exercise their good offices unofficially in behalf of
Chinese subjects, I inclose herewith copy of a note from the Chinese
minister at this capital, stating that a delegation of Chinese who
called upon the consul at San Salvador was informed by him that he
deemed it necessary to receive explicit instructions from this
Government before he would feel authorized to exercise his good
offices.
The terms upon which protection is granted, at the request of the
Chinese Government, and with the acquiescence of that of Salvador,
are stated in the correspondence had with your legation, and the
Government of Salvador has been informed of the scope of such
protection, good offices being extended in behalf of Chinese persons
by you and the consular officers without assumption of any
representative functions as agents of China. It of course follows
that our officers so acting can not originally certify to the fact
of Chinese citizenship for a passport or other documentary
attestation to that end, which could only be issued by a responsible
agent of the Chinese Government.
This being so, a form of certificate to be used by you and the consul
at San Salvador should be prepared in consultation with the Salvador
minister of foreign affairs, in order that it may correctly express
the character of the protection afforded and the degree to which it
is recognized by Salvador. Something like this would probably
suffice: “I * * * , of the United States of America, certify that *
* * claims to be a subject of the Emperor of China, resident in
Salvador, and that upon proving his status as such Chinese subject
he is under the protection of the Government of the United States
and entitled to the good offices of the diplomatic and consular
officers thereof in case of need, in pursuance of an understanding
between the Governments of Salvador and China to that end.”
Similar action should be taken as regards Nicaragua, who your No.
687, of August 21 last, reported had likewise conceded the exercise
of your good offices.
[Page 97]
Yon will inform the consul at San Salvador of the situation and send
him a copy of this instruction.
I am, etc.,