[fortheDeclaration]

Did any foreign countries recognize the Confederacy? No. Although the Confederacy found sympathy in several foreign nations, namely Great Britain, international recognition was never attained.

This is from the Museum of the Confederacy

[GOPcapitalist]

Did any foreign countries recognize the Confederacy? No

There you go fibbing again. As you are well aware, Saxe-Coburg and Gotha recognized the confederacy.

[rustbucket]

Consuls are a form of diplomatic recognition, and one from SaxeCoburg and Gotha requested that recognition and the authority from the Confederate government to act as consul for that foreign government.

Someone has posted on another thread that in 2004 one of the WBTS history magazines noted that SaxeCoburg and Gotha had recognized the Confederate States of America. Perhaps they read my 2003 post about it or perhaps Benjamin's letter mentioning it was a previously well known fact that I blundered into. I do blunder into things, lol.

Consuls are low ranking diplomatic agents whose powers lie in the commercial area.

From Bouvier's 1856 Law Dictionary:

DIPLOMATIC AGENTS. This name has been given to public officers, who have been commissioned, according to law, to superintend and transact the affairs of the government which has employed them, in a foreign country.

2. These agents are of divers orders, and are known by different denominations. Those of the first order are almost the perfect representatives of the government by which they are commissioned; they are legates, nuncios, internuncios, ambassadors, ministers, plenipotentiaries. Those of the second order do not so fully represent their government; they are envoys, residents, ministers, charges d'affaires, and consuls.

And:

Before a consul can perform any duties in the United States, he must be recognized by the president of the United States, and have received his exequatur.