The second class of cases of federal cognizance embraces those "affecting ambassadors, other public ministers, and consuls." These officers of foreign governments, while within the limits of the United States, are entitled, according to international law, to some exemption from the ordinary jurisdiction of the courts. Ambassadors and other public ministers are the personal representatives of the foreign governments under whose authority they have come into the limits of the United States, so far as their public character has been recognized and acquiesced in by this government. By international law they are regarded, while thus authorized and recognized, as entirely exempt from the jurisdiction of the courts; neither civil nor criminal suits may be prosecuted against them. The practical remedy for any wrongs which they may commit is to make complaint to the state department of the federal government, and, if sufficient reparation is not voluntarily made, the representative may be dismissed by this government, or on complaint to the home government of such representative, he may be recalled, and after having had reasonable opportunity to leave this country, may be treated as no longer entitled to any immunity from procedure in the courts.

So long as he is within the limits of the United States, as the recognized representative of a foreign government, the foreign minister according to international law is entirely outside of the jurisdiction of the courts. Therefore, the practical effect of this provision is to enable the federal courts to interfere, should any state court improperly attempt to exercise jurisdiction over a foreign ambassador or minister. As to consuls, however, the case is different. They are mere agents, not representatives of foreign governments, and are not exempt from the jurisdiction of our courts. And as to them, the result of this provision is to enable Congress to give jurisdiction with reference to them to the federal courts, should it see fit to do so (Bors v. Preston). Suits by foreign ambassadors or public ministers or consuls maybe brought in the Supreme Court; or as individuals they may sue in any other court having general jurisdiction of the case.