The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-03-27
MINISTERS AND AMBASSADORS.

The impending changes of rank among
the foreign ministers resident at Wash
ington will doubtless be followed by
corresponding changes in the rank of
some of our ministers abroad. These
changes will not add anything to the
powers or salaries of the officials in
volved, but Will give them new stand
ing in the diplomatic world and higher
official rank than they have had hereto
fore. The whole question is one of
titles and rank, and yet it is worth un-
derstanding.
Diplomatic agents are divided into
three classes, viz: ambassadors, ENJOYS
and ministers plenipotentiary, including
ministers resident and charges d'affaires.
ambassadors are the highest In rank.
They represent the person of their SOW
ereigns as we'll as the state from which
they come, and are entitled to rank next
to blood royal. ENJOYS, ministers and
ministers plenipotentiary are held to
represent not the person of the sover-
eign but the state from which they are
sent. This is the ordinary class of
diplomatic representatives between less
important states or between greater or
smaller states. A charge d'affaires is
subordinate who is authorized to transact
diplomatic business in the absence of his
superior, the ambassador or minister.
The Importance of these distinctions in
diplomatic circles lies in the fact that
they determine an officials rank and
therefore the dignity of his position.
Such distinctions carry great weight
in the diplomatic world. On all
state occasions ambassadors and
their wives take precedence of
ministers and their wives. An embas-
sador is entitled at any time to ask and
may expect to receive q personal audi
ence with the sovereign of the country
to which he is sent, while a minister
may only transact business through the
minister of foreign affairs.
Heretofore the United States has
never sent or received ambassadors, our
highest ranking foreign representatives
being ENJOYS and ministers plenipoten-
tiary, but clause in the diplomatic and
consular appropriation bill, passed
March 1, 1893, authorized. the President
to confer the rank Of ambassador on the
American diplomatic representative to
any country which should send an en-
bassador to this country. This was in
effect notifying foreign governments
that if they cared to raise their minis
tiers at Washington TO the rank of en-
bassadors, this government would raise
its representatives at the foreign court
to the same rank. In response TO
this suggestion Great Britain and
France have already made their minis
ters at Washington ambassadors,
and it is probable that several
other European governments. including
all the frst-class powers, will do the
same thing. AS a matter of courtesy
and reciprocity it will be incumbent on
this government to make ambassadors
of it's ministers to all these countries.
The effect will be to place our repre-
sentatives at these courts on an equal
footing with other ambassadors, thus
saving them from the modification of
always falling in at the tail end of the
line. Incidentally, it will add to the
dignity to their standing and to that of
the Nation in diplomatic circles. 1t is
an official recognition of the United
States as q first class power.
AS Great Britain has already made
her minister at Washington an embas-
sador President Cleveland will have to
act promptly in the case of our minister
to the court of ST. James. This will re.
quire him to show his hand in regard to
Minister Lincoln and to decide at once
whether he is to be retained or not. If
he is to remain at London Mr.. Cleveland
will have to make him an EN- bassador.