MINISTER. In Governmental Law.
An officer who is placed near the sovereign, and is invested with the administration of some one of the principal branches of the government.
Ministers are responsible to the king or other supreme magistrate who has appointed them. 4 Conn. 134.
In Ecclesiastical Law. One ordained by some church to preach the gospel.
Ministers are authorized in the United States, generally, t,o solemnize marriage, and are liable to fines and penalties for marrying minors contrary to the local regulations. As to the right of ministers or parsons, see 3 Am. Jur. 268 ; Sheppard, Touchst. Anthon ed. 564 ; 2 Mass. 500 ; 10 id. 97; 14 id. 333 ; 11 Me. 487.
In International Law. An officer ap pointed by the government of' one nation, with the consent of two other nations who have a matter in dispute, with a view by his interference and good office to have such matter settled.
A name given to public functionaries who represent their country with foreign govern ments, including ambassadors, envoys, and residents.
A custom of recent origin has introduced a new kind of ministers, without any particular deter mina.tion of character : these are simply called ministers, to indicate that they are invested with the geueral character uf a sovereign's mandatories, without any partioular asaignment of rank or charaeter.
The minister represents his government in a vague and indeterminate manner, which cannot he eqtial to the first degree; and he possesses all the rights essential to a public minister.
There are also aninietera plenipotentiary, who, as they possess full powers, are of much greater dis tinction than aimple ministers. These, also, are without a,ny particular attribution of rank and cha racter, hut by custom are now placed immediately below the ambassador, or on a level with the envoy extraordinary. Vattel, liv. 4, e. 6, 74; 1 Kent, Comm. 10th ed. 48; Merlin, Roped.
Formerly no distinction was made in the different classes of public ministers, but the modern usage of Europe introduced some distinctions in this respect, which, on account of a want of precision, became the source of controversy. To obviate these, the congress of Vienna, and that of Aix-la-Chapelle, put rm end to these disputes by classing minis ters as follows:-1. Ambassadors, and papal legates or nuncios. 2. Envoys, ministers. or others accredited to sovereigns (aupres des souverains). 3. Ministers resident, accredited to sovereigns. 4 Chai.ges d'Affaires, accre dited to the minister of foreign affairs. Reeez Congres de Vienne. du 19 Mars, 1815 : Protocol du Congres d'Aix-la-Chapelle, du 21 Novemhre, 1818 ; Wheaton, Int. Law, pt. 3, c. 1, 6.
The United States sends no envoys of the rank of ambassadors.