Diplomatic Agents

Public i who have been commissioned according to law to superintend ami transact the affairs of the government which has employed them, in a foreign country. Yattel. liv. 4, c. 5. The agents were formerly regarded as divided into two general classes or orders. Those of the first order were almost the perlegates, nuncios, internuncios, ambassadors, rs, plenipotentiarh, I the second order (lid oot bo fully i their government: the.-'ii Ls, ministers, charges d'affaires, am: The classification of. now so far sanctioned as t<> ! I a rule of international law, was agreed opon at the Congress of Vienna in i^ir> and m that of Aix-la-Ohapelle in 1818. this classification diplomatic i ak as follows: (1) Ambassadors, ordinary unci ■ ordinary, legates, and nund «; (2) ministers, or others a credited t.> - (3) ministers resident, accredited t>. eigns; (4) charges d'affaires, and other d math: agents accredited to ministers <■: eign affairs (whether bearing the title of minister or noli, ami consuls charged with diplomatic duties. See the several titles and I 'avis, Int. Law ch. vii.