Globalization of the United States, 1789-1861

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Disturnell, John. Disturnell’s American and European Railway and Steamship Guide, Giving the Arrangements on All the Great Lines of Travel through the United States and Canada, Across the Atlantic Ocean, and Throughout Central Europe. New York: J. Disturnell; for Sale by Booksellers and Periodical Agents in the United States and Canada, 1851.

John Disturnell. Disturnell's American and European Railway and Steamship Guide, Giving the Arrangements on All the Great Lines of Travel through the United States and Canada, Across the Atlantic Ocean, and Throughout Central Europe. New York: J. Disturnell; for Sale by Booksellers and Periodical Agents in the United States and Canada, 1851. Title page.

Disturnell emphatically connected the United States’ burgeoning transportation and communication infrastructure to Britain’s and Europe’s, taken to be the world’s central place.

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Passports.

Department of State, Washington, April, 1850.

Citizens of the United States visiting foreign countries are liable to serious inconvenience, if unprovided with authentic proof of their national character. The best security against this is a passport from the Department of State, certifying the bearer to be a citizen of the United States; which passports are issued gratis, upon application supported by proof of citizenship — this proof need be transmitted but once. On all subsequent occasions, a simple reference to it, and to the period when it is presented, will be sufficient.

When the applicant is a native citizen of the United States, he must transmit an affidavit to this effect, stating his age and place of birth, signed by him, and sworn to by himself, and one other citizen of the United States named therein, to whom he is personally known, and to the best of whose knowledge and belief the declaration made by him is true. This affidavit must be attested by a Notary Public, under his signature and seal of office. When there is no Notary in the place the affidavit may be made before a Justice of the Peace, or other officer authorized to administer oaths (for which a fee is charged.) If the applicant be a naturalized citizen, his certificate of naturalization must be transmitted for inspection. It will be returned with the passport.

When the applicant is to be accompanied by his wife, children, or servants, or by females under his protection, it will be sufficient to state the names and ages of such persons, and their relationship to the applicant.

Persons who leave the country, expecting to obtain passports whilst abroad, from the Diplomatic or Consular Agents of the United States, are liable to disappointment; inasmuch as it is the duty of those agents to observe the utmost caution in granting documents, in the nature of a certificate of citizenship, to those persons only who are certainly known to be entitled to them; and it is sometimes difficult, if not impracticable, to procure proof of this fact in a foreign country.