...legal significance of, consuls as opposed to diplomats was much greater in the founding period. The consular role could range from mere ombudsman-like assistance to merchants in foreign ports to full-fledged autonomy over home-country nationals as witness the
extraterritorial rights of French consuls under the early 1790s convention. Over time, as Peter indicates, the differences diminished. Recent developments, most notably significant trans-border movements of people and the VCCR cases, may signal the need for a renewed bifurcation, albeit without the rebarbative
extraterritorial aspects of consuls in the age of imperialism....