_Washington, March 8_.
Whereas, pursuant to the order of the President of the United States,
directions were issued from this Department, under date of the 17th of
December, 1864, requiring passports from all travelers entering the
United States, except immigrant passengers directly entering an American
port from a foreign country; but whereas information has recently been
received which affords reasonable grounds to expect that Her Britannic
Majesty's Government and the executive and legislative branches of the
government of Canada have taken and will continue to take such steps as
may be looked for from a friendly neighbor and will be effectual toward
preventing hostile incursions from Canadian territory into the United
States, the President directs that from and after this date the order
above referred to requiring passports shall be modified, and so much
thereof as relates to persons entering this country from Canada shall be
rescinded, saving and reserving the order in all other respects in full
force.