sent is done. He is sometimes
called _envoy_; and when he has power to act as he may deem expedient,
he is called _envoy plenipotentiary_; the latter word signifying full
power. An ordinary embassador or minister resides abroad, and acts in
obedience to instructions sent him from time to time.
Sec.8. Agents or representatives sent by our government to reside at
foreign courts, are called _ministers_. Formerly those sent to the less
important countries, were called _charges des affaires_, who are
ministers of a lower grade. The name, usually written charges
d'affaires, is French, and is pronounced _shar-zha-daf-fair_, accented
on the first and last syllables. It means a person having charge of the
affairs of his nation. It is not at present applied to any of our
representatives abroad, all being called by the common name of minister.
Sec.9. _Consuls_ are agents of inferior grade. They reside in foreign
seaports. Their business is to aid their respective governments in their
commercial transactions with the countries in which they reside, and to
protect the rights, commerce, merchants, and seamen of their own nation.
Hence much of their business is with masters of vessels, and with
merchants. They also dispose of the personal estate of citizens of their
own nation who die within their consulates, leaving no representative or
partner in trade to take care of their effects.
Sec.10. The appointment of judges of the supreme court by the president and
senate, seems to be proper. Their election by the people, most of whom
could have little or no knowledge of the persons who should be chosen,
would be injudicious. Besides, the mass of the voters are not so
competent to judge of the qualifications necessary for so important a
judicial office, as those to whom the constitution has given the power
of appointment.
Sec.11. The power of appointing the head officers of the several executive
departments, is with equal propriety given to the president and senate.
As the president is in a measure responsible for the acts of his
subordinates who conduct the business of these departments, and as,
without their cooeperation, he could scarcely carry out his own measures,
it is proper that he should have the right of selecting them; and by
being required to submit his choice to the body of senators for their
approval, a sufficient safeguard is provided against the appointment of
unworthy or incompetent men.
Sec.12. "The president sha
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