The Massachusetts state secretary provided certificates of citizenship and passports for seamen and travelers. Although an act of Congress, Aug. 18, 1856, prohibited nonfederal officials from issuing passports, Massachusetts continued to authorize passports per St 1857, c 224, because federal law made no provision for citizens or seamen of color. When this exclusion was corrected after the Civil War, St 1869, c 365 repealed the issuing of state passports, at the request of the U.S. secretary of state and the Massachusetts attorney general. Register records passports and certificates of citizenship issued by the state secretary. Vol.1 (1833-1849) includes passport numbers 1-2,297. Vol. 2 (1850-1869) includes passport numbers 2,298-2,776 for 1850-1857. Beginning in 1858 entries are headed as being for certificates of citizenship issued pursuant to St 1859, c 224, which authorized the state secretary to issue passports or certificates of citizenship regardless of color. Entries include notations regarding naturalization, person to whom the applicant was known, or certification. Numbering is continous for 1858-1861, 1863-1865, and 1866-1869. There are no entries for 1862, a year in which travel outside the Commonwealth was restricted. (But see: Applications for travel permission, 1862 ((M-Ar)129X) and: Register for travel permission, 1862 ((M-Ar)130X).) From 1865, entries are headed as pursuant to St 1865, c 157, s 1, which called for the collection of a two-dollar fee and an affirmation or oath to support the Constitution of the United States in order for an individual to receive a passport or certificate of citizenship. For actual applications see: Application certificates for passports, 1815-1854 ((M-Ar)126X) and: Application certificates for travel to the South, 1842-1845 ((M-Ar)127X). For an earlier register see: Ledgers of fees received, 1812-1882 ((M-Ar)122X)
