DIPLON'ACY, in its most re stricted sense, is used to express the art of con ducting negotia tions or arranging treaties between nations by means of their foreign ministers, or writ ten correspond ence ; but, in its most extended sig nification, it em braces the whole science of negotia tion with foreign -Aates as founded on public law, positive engagements, or an enlightened view of the interests of each. It has been truly observed, that 'n times not very distant, it was sufficient to entertain a royal master by the gossip of a capital, the in trigues of ladics and gentlemen of the bed-chamber, mad the cabals of rival ministers. Now, the political correspond ent of a cabinet is compelled to inquire into the wokirg of the complex machin ery of modern society ; to observe con stantly the p-als'e of the whole body politic; to kaep in view the moral and physical resources of cations; to defend the rights of his country, on the grounds of law and reason; to give information to the minister, from whom he holds his instructions, :Ind to enable his govern ment to profit by the intelligence he im parts, not only in the management of its foreign concerns, but likewise of its in ternal resources. To be a perfect di
plomatist, in fact, in the present state of the world, a man should be well acquaint ed with the municipal laws of different countries, versed in the sciences, from which industry and art derive their splen dor, and a state its strength, and equal to any of the tasks to which those with whom he is brought into contact might put his learning and sagacity.—It was one part of the business of the congress assembled at Vienna, in 1814, to regulate the degrees of rank to which the various diplomatic agents were entitled, viz.: 1, ambassadors; 2. envoys extraordinary and ministers plenipotentiary ; 3, minis ters resident ; 4, charges cl'afTaires; 5, secretaries of legation and attaches. Min isters at a court arc denominated a dip lomatic hody.