DIP 
hee from their eA pofition and aad force, 
A 
As diplomacy is the — ledge of the ee relative 
rights of nations, it conftitutes the bafis of the negociations, 
to which governments have recourfe, when fuch alliances are 
to be formed, when new eae are to be entered into 
on points in which two or more independent _ are 
mutually concerned, or when difputes about the non-per- 
formance of fome obligations, or about the geen at fome 
diplomac 
with other independent powers. In 
this laft scceptation itis better known by the appellation of 
ee Politic. 
; ne management of foreign poli is generally oe 
i executive power to one, or me countri 
fate, called “« Minithers for cee “Affine” 
e des Relations 
for the Ter eee Decwtames who i ovince it is to watch 
over both the political and commercal meer of the coun- 
tr ele ee and to appoint its diplomatic and commercial 
The funétions of diplomatic agents, in general, are, 
watch, in the ftate to bare they are {:nt over, the satan 
of the ftate which fent them; to endeavour to obta'n,. by 
fkilful eos the coun of a patie which they 
are infructed to folicit ; e&t the moft comp! 
jects o overnment of 
and to ache regular difpatches, on thole different fubjects, 
ee CHES. 
che nue contaia, in general, com- 
may wae in neyphers rs, 
which, 
See CiPHER 
The qualities moft requifite in a diplomatic agent are, poli 
tical information, an a¢tive and enlightened mind, a correé& 
judgment, a dignified firmneds, conciliating manners, and 
an inviolable fidelity and difcretion, on however, muft 
exclude candour and opennefs. See Nz ae 
i the ha aaa sane foreign 
powers, refiding a e for diplomatic 
purpots is iy ne Corps Diplomat dilomat aes 
There are th iree cla ie 
the fiate mie to treat on a footing of equaity, diab 
they be really of equal rank, or only nes aoe as fuch py 
ef he fecond is that of plenipotentiaries, or envoy. 
courte 
see fom 
{See Exvo a PLENIPOTENTIARY.) ney d 
ambafladors om regard to their prefentation ealy ey 
not go, vor are they received, in {tate at their firtt sudience 
he t i i of refiden 
and chargés d’affaires. e lat 
taries of amb-ffadors, left to tranfa& the bufinefs of théir 
refpeCtive a during the temporary abfence of the am- 
baffadors. 8 are permanent diplomatic agents in 
{mal principalities, {mall republics, or Hanfeatic cities. See 
Jae 
altern agents in diplomacy are the fecretaries of 
ivate fecretaries of the ambaffadors, and in oa 
The 
le a r 
a 0s interpreters. See Dracoman and Sec 
DIP 
Commercial agents are appointed to watch over the com. 
mercial intereits of the ttate is - country w 
fide, to aft the oe fubje&s of 
which they are appointed, in thei dealings, 
the fubfi ting a aie aa to 
ive governments any ootie ca or political papier 
which they conccive to be of importance. They are of 
two forts; general confuls, in foreign places of i ailie 
trade, and vice corfuls appointed by the former in lefs im 
portant commercial places of the fame diftri€ or counters 
and approved of by government. See ONSUL. 
DIPL ae eae Diptomarica, is the knowledge 
of the age, authenticity, precife pia al relative value 
of old een ones called ¢ 
pr are “writings which ftipulate a 
orm. The j the docu 
ments them a es. Thev are generally fyled ‘* Praceptum, 
ede, Privileginm, Pazina,Charta, Littera, or Littere, 
SanQio Pragmatica, Inftru 
ices, Pancharta, 
°j 
ae a Indicalus, 
The collections that sae been made of them are denominated 
ee corde a, an tulia,’’ and the places where they ufed 
“ Scrinia, abulacom, Aerarium,” and in Greek 
a Archer or Archivum 
ry 
ie ney 
ad docue 
preferved in their archives, and which 
they confulted for hiltorical and juridical information. Yet. 
noné wes been difcovered of a date anterior to the 5th cen. 
ncien a omed t educe their 
oea and treaties into writing ; but they engraved them 
cr co the er with wax, 
ftone, or wood, ac 
brafs or marble have perifhed by the length of ae 
time, 
ocumerts, or diplomas, were ate | — on 
metals and ftones. Jab Soren * Oh! that my words 
were now writter hat “ were vinta i in a book ! 
they were graven gee tron pen and lead in the 
ock 1’? Job xix. 23. = afcrwant agi were written or 
nee and parchm The paper of t ncients came 
from Egypt, - was “Forme a of thin oe or membranes, 
arches of a tree named Papyrus. Hence 
it was cailed « Pepyrss Biblum /Egyptiacum,” or fimpl 
“Charta.” (See Parser, Parcument.) The e Papyrus, 
however,, was never uled in England; neither was it known 
ermany nor in Hungary. e two latter countries in- | 
o variably employed parc! cae in “ee diplomas till the rqath 
century, when the ufe of modern rag-paper was a 
en an folemn ee or for the a: of important 
tra ions giand, ali documents or writings of 
importance are fil invariably written on parchmen 
he ufe of ink in writin ancient. 
ne fiom the b 
‘aca 
fo) 
Baruch de- 
ink, made of vermilion, red-lead, 
crum encauftum ;” fometimes in lettera of gold, filver, and 
purple ; and fometimes with blue, green, or mixed ink, of 
a varlegate ted hues 
° For 
