The New Student's Reference Work/Ambassador

Ambas'sador, an accredited diplomat of note and eminence sent by one nation, country or state to represent his country at a foreign court, nation or capital, and be the chief medium of diplomatic intercourse between them. In this high representative capacity the ambassador has right of audience with the sovereign or chief of the nation to which he is accredited, besides possessing or being accorded certain other privileges and immunities, including precedence on ceremonial occasions and at state functions over all save princes of the blood.

In its early history, the United States withheld for long the rank and title of ambassador to its accredited representatives abroad at foreign courts; but in 1893 Congress, when acting on the diplomatic or consular appropriation bill of that year, empowered the President to raise American plenipotentiaries and ministers at foreign courts and capitals of note to the rank of ambassadors, especially where these foreign courts and nations were represented at Washington by a plenipotentiary of equal rank. This was done, and the rule and practice are still in force.