Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-04-03
As To AMBASSADORS.
Ex-Minister BiseIow Tells Row They Differ
Prom Minister'S.

Ex-Minister Bigeiow Tells Row They Differ
Prom Ministers.
Mr.. John Bigelow, minister TO France under
Presidents Lincoln and johnson, in q recent
interview, points ont the difference between
ambassadors and ministers plenipotentiary -
follow:
IAN envoy extraordinary and minister pleni-
poteutiary is accredited TO the minister of for
eign affairs. An ambassador is accredited TO
the sovereign. IL an envoy extraordinary and
minister p!enipotentiarv wishes to communi-
cate with the sovereign the communication bv
right is through the minister OF foreign affairs.
The ambassador. who officially stands in the
place of the sovereign of the country he repre-
sents. may. If he choose. communicate directly
with the sovereign. IL the minister wishes to
communicate directly with the sovereign be
must procure permission through the minister
of foreign affairs. II the Hmbassa dor wishes TO
communicate with the sovereign he applies di-
rectly 20 the sovereign or his private secretary
he ambassaao or Is, therefore. in direct communi-
cation with the sovereign. Ii is the custom al the
principal courts of Europe for the ambassador
by virtue of representing their sovereigns 20
take precedence OF all lower diplomatic grades
at the audiences of the minister of foreign sf-
fairs. SO that a minister plenipotentiary who
has been waiting for an audience may be com
PEELED to wait until ambassador who has
arrived after nm has ha3 his audience. Am
bassadors also take precedence ut diplomatic
dinners, except when a newly accredited min
lister is the chief guest OF the evening. The
new minister then sits on the right Of tbs
hostess. but on all other occasions abe ambassa-
doris take precedence.
In regard TO the expense OF the smbssss-
dors may say that all the ambassadors In
France (the Turkish ambassador possibly ex-
cepted) have hotels OF their own, belonging 10
their governments. When . sovereign visits
Paris be or she Is expected 20 lodge at the am
basssdor's bd0l. These hotels are spacious
and costly properties Ambassadors claim ey-
emption from the obligation OF returning visits
In person. That. however. IL a preroeAtivO
they exercise not according 10 their fancy.
Were living abroad I'm q diplomatic charac-
ter, depending upon NV salary, should prefer
to go as minister plenipoteEtiary than
ambassador. because It would be impossible to
maintain the state expected OF an ambassador.
and especially an ambassador representing O
wealthy country like the United States, upon
less than twice the salary paid by our govern
ment AZ present
II do not think. however that the public
service has ever suffered in the slightest degree
By having no higher grade of diplomatic repre-
eentation than that of mIrister plenipotentiary,
but fear that il would suffer by the establish
ment of this new grade Of ambassador. for IL
has no reason for its existence. Our ministers
do not represent the President: they represent
the government. and the influence OF govern
ment docs not in the least depend upon the title
borne by its Representatives. nor the magnifi-
cence or lnsignIfcance OF their domestic estsb-
hshments. DIR. Franklin. on bis -. 600 Q year,
was q more influential minister at Paris than
any other representative there in his time or
than our government has ever had abroad since,
and If he had been called ambassador the
title would have come as near anything could
to make him ridiculous. Ii is the power behind
the man, not the title he bears nor the clothes
he wears, that commands the respect of foreign
poyersn