How Mr Stanley Became an American Citizen.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 25 October 1890, Page 2

How Mr Stanley Became an American Citizen.

When an American ft*g was pre« sen ted to Mr Stanley at the reception given to him by the Americans in London a short time ago, the African explorer said that he had always considered himself an American and a citizen of the United States, but the circumstances under which he became a citizen are known to only a few. Stanley was naturalized in the Superior Court of New York on May 15, 1885. A. few dayß ago Thomas Boese, the clerk of that court, told a reporter the circumstance connectbd with the incident. '■ On the date mentioned " said Mr Boese, '• the late A. S. Sullivan came into my office and introduced me to a Mr Stanley, who wished to become a citizen of the United States. I did not know that my visitor was the explorer until he had been in my office some time. Stanley told me that he had always considered himself a citizen of the Uni'ed States, as he had served in tho Union Army and had been honourably discharged. While travelling in Europe, however he had met an American gentleman who had informed him that he must go through the forms as provided by statute before he became a citizen, and the fact that he was an honourably discharged soldier did not make a citizen of the United States. Stanley was about to depart for Africa at that time and told me that lie had ccme from London to New York especially to be naturalized, and that only a few persons knew that he was in this country. He swore and produced witnesses who swore that he had always considered himself a citizen ol: the United States, so he received his certificate and departed.