MINISTER (Lat., servant ). A public func tionary who has the chief direction of any de partment in a State. (See 31 INISTRY. ) Also the delegate or representative of a sovereign at a foreign court to treat of affairs of state. Every independent State has a right to send public ministers to, and receive them from, any other sovereign State with which it desires to preserve relations of amity. Semi-sovereign States have generally been considered not to possess the jets leaationis. unless when delegated to them by the State on which they are dependent. The right of confederated States to send public min isters to each other. or to foreign States, de pends on the nature and constitution of the union by which they are bound together. The Con stitution of the United Provinces of the Low Coun tries and of the old German Empire preserved this right to the individual States or princes, as do the present constitutions of the German Empire and Swiss confederation. The Constitution of the United States either greatly modifies or entirely takes away the jets Irgationis of each individual State. Every sovereign State has a right to receive public ministers from other powers. un less where obligations to the contrary have been entered into by treaty. The diplomatic usage of Europe recognizes three orders of ministers. Ministers of the first order possess the representative character in the highest de gree, representing the State or sovereign sending them not only in the particular affairs with which they are charged. but in other matters; they may claim the same honors as would be long to their sovereigns, if present. A prin ciple of reciprocity is recognized in the class of diplomatic agents sent. States enjoying the honors of royalty send to each other ministers of the first class; so also in some cases do those States which do not enjoy them ; but it is said that no State enjoying such honors can receive ministers of the first class from those who are not possessed of them.
Besides these orders of ministers, there are other diplomatic agents occasionally recognized —as deputies cent to a congress or confederacy of States. and commissioners :wilt to settle ter ritorial limits or disputes concerning jurisdic tion. These are generally considered to enjoy the privileges of ministers of the second and third orders. linisters-mediators are ministers sent by two powers between which a dispute has arisen to a foreign court or congress where a third power, or several powers. have. with the consent of the two powers at variance, offered to mediate between them.
Ministers sent to a congress or diet have usually no credentials:, but merely a full power, of which an authenticated copy is delivered into the hands of a directing minister, or min ister-mediator.
The title 'excellency' has since the peace of Westphalia been accorded to all diplomatic agents of the first class; and in sonic courts it is ex tended to ministers of the second class, or at least to those sent by the Great Powers.
By the American system ministers to exercise diplomatic functions at foreign courts are ap pointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, See AmitAssmfon; EN VOY CONSUL, MER CANTILE; DI PIMM ACY ; DIPLOMATIC AGENTS ; I N VIOLABILITY. Svc also CABINET. COMM] t the authorities referred to under the last three of these titles.