Saturday, April 09, 2005
MOROVIA: VINCENT III ABDICATES THE THRONE - ADAM THE FIRST ACCLAIMED AS KING!
In a stunning series of events, His Majesty King Vincent III of Morovia announced on March 21st, 2005 his "irrevocable determination to renounce the Throne for Myself and my descendants".
For two weeks the city of Briesk grieved for the loss, yet waited breathless, looking to the darkened Winter Palace for any sign from Vincent as to whom his chosen successor might be - subject to the constitutionally mandated 2/3 affirmative vote in His Majesty's Royal Assembly.
And then, on April 7th, the silence was broken...
However, seeing that nothing short of violence would relieve Sir Adam of his Speaker's gavel until the last jot and tittle of the Assembly's Standing Orders were observed, the Assembly patiently waited out the necessary time for the Speaker's Unanimous Request motion to accept Vincent III's choice of successor had expired.
And, shortly after midnight on April 9th, 2005, Adam the First, King of Morovia, began his reign.
Now, tonight, the city of Briesk is bathed in the lights of fireworks as the Kingdom of Morovia welcomes her new King.
Bill Bekkenhuis
Editor-in-Chief
The Morovian Telegraph
For two weeks the city of Briesk grieved for the loss, yet waited breathless, looking to the darkened Winter Palace for any sign from Vincent as to whom his chosen successor might be - subject to the constitutionally mandated 2/3 affirmative vote in His Majesty's Royal Assembly.
And then, on April 7th, the silence was broken...
After several informative and interesting conversations with different members of our community, I can think of one individual among us who stands as the natural choice to take the helm of our ship of state - Sir Adam Graham. Sir Adam has been one of Morovia's most faithful and loyal servants in the six years I have known him. A selfless man of honesty and integrity, Sir Adam will make a fine King.Less than an hour and a half later, the Hon. Rob McMonigal electrified the normally formal proceedings of HM Royal Assmbly by rising and - without asking the recognition of the one he no longer saw as speaker - said...
I recognize Sir Adam Graham, Vincent III's chosen successor, as Morovia's Second King.This acclamation was rapidly followed by similar acclamations from the Rt. Hon. People's Representative as well as the Hon. Bill Bekkenhus, AM. Both privately and publicly, Lords, and civil servants as well as the common citizen voiced their recognition of Sir Adam as Morovia's second King.
Long Live King Adam I!!!
However, seeing that nothing short of violence would relieve Sir Adam of his Speaker's gavel until the last jot and tittle of the Assembly's Standing Orders were observed, the Assembly patiently waited out the necessary time for the Speaker's Unanimous Request motion to accept Vincent III's choice of successor had expired.
And, shortly after midnight on April 9th, 2005, Adam the First, King of Morovia, began his reign.
Now, tonight, the city of Briesk is bathed in the lights of fireworks as the Kingdom of Morovia welcomes her new King.
Bill Bekkenhuis
Editor-in-Chief
The Morovian Telegraph
Wednesday, September 15, 2004
HRH Prince Justin Resigns From Line of Succession
Yesterday, Lord Chancellor Baron Oldenburg (CM McQueeny) announced the resignation of HRH Prince Justin from the line of succession to the throne of Hanover.
His Majesty Alexander I responded to the resignation, in the same thread, stating
This occurred at about the same time HM Alexander I announced the results of the royal investigation into the attack on Sir Wyatt-James McIntyre, reproduced in part below.
Certainly the people of Hanover hope along with His Majesty that this brings the unfortunate matter to a close.
One subsequent coda can't help but bring a smile to cynical lips...
Mr. Robert P. Gresham has posted most helpfully on an arcane matter of Hanover procedure and constitutional intent, saying (in part):
Can one remember such a positive, helpful and polite post from Mr. Gresham?
Well, one can hardly blame Robert P. Gresham from rolling in a bar of soap to get the odor of recent events off of him...
But it leaves us with a deeper mystery: the question is no longer whether Gresham is GentlemanRanker, but whether Gresham is still Gresham :-)
Bill Bekkenhuis
Reporter, The Morovian Telegraph
On this the Thirteenth day in the Month of September, in the year of Our Lord 2004, His Royal Highness Justin, Prince of Emden and Duke of Guelph hereby steps down as heir to the Throne of Hanover, Calormen, and Athenoi, and disclaims his right to succede H.M. King Alexander I. He intends to retain his citizenship, titles, ministries, and royal offices, and to remain as an active member of this Kingdom.
* * *
As with all major decisions, come major changes. We hope, and intend to help, the Prince prosper in his new role as Duke of Guelph.
But some things remain the same. The Duke has our friendship and enjoys our trust and support.
His Majesty Alexander I responded to the resignation, in the same thread, stating
We know the Prince has done this as he feels it is in the best interest of the Kingdom as a whole. By some method not completely wholesome a few have managed to cause undue division over various issues which the Prince has been associated, and done so intentionally with the aim of causing him personal injury. However, the Prince has always had the best interests of the Kingdom in his heart and he has demonstrated it in the most emphatic way possible.
This occurred at about the same time HM Alexander I announced the results of the royal investigation into the attack on Sir Wyatt-James McIntyre, reproduced in part below.
The Lord Lancaster has been the victim of a harassment episode as reported. We have validated every aspect of the story as much as possible, and while at least one crucial and key fact remains to be validated we are reasonably sure that the story is substantially authentic.
We had are reasonably sure the transcripts Lord Lancaster has provided Us are authentic. We have had third party confirmation of this conclusion.
We have concluded that the AIM ID gentlemenranker was not only involved, but likely under the control of Robert Gresham. However, Gresham disputes this and maintains his innocence and non-involvement in these events, while others who have no motive to lie have corroborated Our conclusion. Because absolute proof is not possible We must rely on the weight of the evidence We have collected and draw the most likely conclusion possible and this point remains one of the most uncertain in Our inquiry. But, based upon Our other findings it is, in the end, a minor point.
We have concluded that Our then Prince Emden, now Duke of Guelph by his own act and without prejudice or admitting any wrong doing or guilt and not by any action of Our own, had knowledge of the harassment but was neither the instigator nor a co-culprit in the action. Knowledge of an action does not make one an accomplice. Nor does knowledge of an event compel one to divulge such and his refusal to do so, except to Us when We asked, does not incriminate him in any way.
We have concluded that, likely, the events do not rise to the level of a crime under the laws of the Kingdom of Hanover. This is, of course, just Our opinion and not the finding of a court of law.
We have concluded that, likely, even if they had, they do not apply as the person We have identified as the most likely culprit is not a citizen, and therefore beyond Hanover jurisdiction.
Additionally, even if Our identification of the likely harasser is incorrect it matters not as We have concluded the assault came from a non-Hanoverian even if the exact identification is unknown. As such, no legal avenue for remedy exists in the Kingdom of Hanover. Calls for involvement of the Attorney General are premature and unwarranted.
In Our final analysis We find that the actions of many left much to be desired. We honestly have no hope of the members of these events amending their ways so that episodes such as this don't happen again.
We consider the matter closed.
Certainly the people of Hanover hope along with His Majesty that this brings the unfortunate matter to a close.
One subsequent coda can't help but bring a smile to cynical lips...
Mr. Robert P. Gresham has posted most helpfully on an arcane matter of Hanover procedure and constitutional intent, saying (in part):
I think Kieran has best rendered the intention that both HM King James and I had when we created the Lord Chancellor post and the Royal Council of State in the process of writing the Organic Law so long ago.
The King is to be seen as above the partisan fray, and his replacement--in the event of a regency--should be as well.
Kieran's argument was such an excellent analysis of our rationale that I can add no more.
Sincerely,
Robert P. Gresham
Can one remember such a positive, helpful and polite post from Mr. Gresham?
Well, one can hardly blame Robert P. Gresham from rolling in a bar of soap to get the odor of recent events off of him...
But it leaves us with a deeper mystery: the question is no longer whether Gresham is GentlemanRanker, but whether Gresham is still Gresham :-)
Bill Bekkenhuis
Reporter, The Morovian Telegraph
Tuesday, September 14, 2004
Morovia: HM Royal Assembly Rocks and Rolls
Since our last article on the Kingdom of Morovia proper (August 18th), most Morovian activity has occurred in His Majesty's Royal Assembly, which has gone a considerable distance in making up for the relative summer quiet in the Salon.
The legislation has come so fast and furious that it is difficult to note it all let alone properly evaluate its significance.
That notwithstanding (and amidst a certain nationalistic jealousy that Hanover is getting all the choice news coverage :-), this reporter has no alternative but to present at least a quick overview of recent legislative activity:
Legislation currently being crafted or being discussed includes:
All in all, Speaker Sir Adam Graham (Conservative) and HM People's Representative (the Rt. Hon. Steven Foong) have each put their stamp on the legislative process of introducing, discussing, voting and expediting Royal Assent this legislative term.
And we still have a few weeks to go before new elections - with the new citizens, it may even be contested for the first time in about two years!
Bill Bekkenhuis
Reporter, The Morovian Telegraph
The legislation has come so fast and furious that it is difficult to note it all let alone properly evaluate its significance.
That notwithstanding (and amidst a certain nationalistic jealousy that Hanover is getting all the choice news coverage :-), this reporter has no alternative but to present at least a quick overview of recent legislative activity:
- On August 14th, an amendment to the Rules was passed allowing for Royal Assembly sessions to be held via Instant Messenger. [Royal Assent not needed.]
- On August 18th, a bill was passed making it a criminal act to maliciously use a paple or paper doll in Morovia. [Royal Decree 180]
- On August 19th, the Standing Orders of HM Royal Assembly were updated, streamlining and clarifying proper legislative procedure. [Royal Assent not needed.]
- On August 20th, a bill was passed calling for a referendum of the people on the proposed expulsion of Yarl Berg. [Referendum held.]
- On August 25th, the Royal Assembly approved the citizenship application of Mr. Tayo olaoye Adetokunbo. [Royal Decree 181]
- On August 29th, HM Royal Assembly approved the citizenship application of Mr. Eric Butte. [Royal Decree 183]
- On August 30th, a resolution amending the constitution to allow for the removal of a citizen's voting privileges as punishment for criminal activity was passed and awaits a referendum of the people of Morovia. [Referendum pending.]
- On August 31st the results of the referendum of the people was certified. The resolution to expel Yarl Berg failed, the resolution to amend the constitution's article on dismissals was passed. [Royal Decree 182]
- On September 2nd, HM Royal Assembly passed a bill authorizing HM Minister of Culture to conduct a cultural fair open to all micronations in December of this year. [Royal Decree 184]
- On September 5th, HM Royal Assembly FAILED to pass a bill that would have created a Deputy People's Representative authorized to fill in for HM People's Representative should he or she become unavailable to the realm, allowing for the continuity of government.
- On September 14th, HM Royal Assembly approved the citizenship for Mr. Keith H. Duff - the bill now awaits Royal Assent.
Legislation currently being crafted or being discussed includes:
- An omnibus bill amending HM People's Constitution to clear up technical ambiguities and inconstancies,
- A resolution seeking to promote activity on ezboard on the part of new citizens,
- A resolution allowing for the presumption of Royal Assent to passed legislation should no Royal Veto be forthcoming,
- A resolution clarifying the procedure to be followed should a member of government 'resign', in effect, by vacating their post or becoming unavailable to Morovia,
- The citizenship application for Dion
- A resolution allowing for a 'Shadow Assembly' ensuring continuity of government for the three week or so time period between when the regular session dissolves and the next session's legislators are elected and sworn in.
All in all, Speaker Sir Adam Graham (Conservative) and HM People's Representative (the Rt. Hon. Steven Foong) have each put their stamp on the legislative process of introducing, discussing, voting and expediting Royal Assent this legislative term.
And we still have a few weeks to go before new elections - with the new citizens, it may even be contested for the first time in about two years!
Bill Bekkenhuis
Reporter, The Morovian Telegraph
Monday, September 13, 2004
Opinion: Decision Time For HRH Prince Justin
Looking back over the Calormen / Hanover question (or the Hanover / Calormen question) and, especially, the antics of the past few days, the Editors have come to a few conclusions.
The first conclusion should come as no surprise.
Mr. Robert P. Gresham is micronational poison.
I've only had one "real life" encounter with him - a brief phone call.
In real life he may be a skunk or he may be delightful, I didn't interact with him enough to make a judgment on that.
But in micronationalism his track record is clear.
Despite his undisputed gifts for wit, satire and social comment, he nonetheless poisons any project with which he is associated and he contaminates the people whom he befriends such as to make THEM (with varying degrees of awareness and complicity) co-menaces to the micronational community.
If one chooses to deal with him at all, one must possess a strong, adult self-identity - the online version of Robert P. Gresham is not someone with whom one would feel comfortable entrusting younger, more malleable micronationalists.
The second conclusion involves the role of the Crown in micronational constitutional monarchies.
The purpose of the Crown is to represent the unity and sovereignty of the people and to 'keep the game fair', ensuring the just treatment of the nation's citizens and preventing some non-representative faction from hijacking the nation.
Therefore the Crown must do everything it can do to remain above the partisan fray and the clash of micronational personalities.
Of course, no human being can do that perfectly, but the Crown must do the very best it can do in that respect.
Conversely, the people must respect the Crown's best efforts in that regard and presume impartiality (or as close as that can be approximated this side of the divine) on the part of the Crown.
All justice is ultimately the King's justice, whether the process of justice is handled directly or through investigative commissions or the legal apparatus.
It is, ultimately, the King who guarantees the integrity of the justice process.
To withhold the presumption of impartiality from the King (as has apparently happened here, is to withhold recognition of Kingship from the incumbent.
We believe all should step away from the brink a bit, and allow Alexander I to be King.
The third conclusion involves HRH Prince Justin.
If the transcripts posted in the Telegraph are true, particularly the transcript of the alleged second conversation between His Royal Highness and Sir Wyatt-James, then Prince Justin KNOWS the identity of GentlemanRanker and MacleanHF.
HM Alexander I has asked ANYONE with knowledge as to the identity of the abusive poster to forward that knowledge to the Crown.
Prince Justin must repudiate the transcripts... or he must identify to whom he has revealed Sir Wyatt-James' screen name, to whom he shared the results of his INITIAL conversation with Sir Wyatt-James (the one in which Sir Wyatt used the phrase "Calormeni independence", and from where he got the IM quotation he used in his subsequent conversation with Sir Wyatt-James.
To paraphrase President Bush, if Prince Justin has been unwise, he must now decide if he is with Hanover... or if he is with the micronational 'terrorists' who would assault the nation and its citizens.
If HRH Prince Justin has been indiscreet or done something unwise, we would hope that he receives a measure of forgiveness and restoration proportionate to his ability to learn from this sad affair. Most micronationalists we respect (which includes ourselves :-) have done stupid things and learned from them.
But if he is resistant to that lesson, then Hanover must decide whether the Crown, someday, should pass to someone who willingly shares conversations presumed confidential to those who wish to harm Hanover.
One way or another, HRH Prince Justin owes Alexander I an email with either a repudiation of the posted transcripts or the information necessary to close this destructive issue.
[EDIT: Of course, GentlemanRanker / MacleanHF might also contact HM Alexander I himself and relieve young Prince Justin of the extraordinarily difficult task of choosing between betraying his friend or betraying his country.]
Oddly enough, we cannot render a conclusion on the real issue at stake here: the relationship between Hanover, Athenoi, Calormen and the Commonwealth.
That is for the Crown and the citizens of those respective entities to resolve and random acts of 'terrorism' or 'assassination' simply take the focus away from where it properly, even necessarily, belongs.
No one who indulges themselves in this way - or who is complicit with or enabling of those who do - is a friend of Hanover, no matter their former contributions or current title.
The Editors
The Morovian Telegraph
The first conclusion should come as no surprise.
Mr. Robert P. Gresham is micronational poison.
I've only had one "real life" encounter with him - a brief phone call.
In real life he may be a skunk or he may be delightful, I didn't interact with him enough to make a judgment on that.
But in micronationalism his track record is clear.
Despite his undisputed gifts for wit, satire and social comment, he nonetheless poisons any project with which he is associated and he contaminates the people whom he befriends such as to make THEM (with varying degrees of awareness and complicity) co-menaces to the micronational community.
If one chooses to deal with him at all, one must possess a strong, adult self-identity - the online version of Robert P. Gresham is not someone with whom one would feel comfortable entrusting younger, more malleable micronationalists.
The second conclusion involves the role of the Crown in micronational constitutional monarchies.
The purpose of the Crown is to represent the unity and sovereignty of the people and to 'keep the game fair', ensuring the just treatment of the nation's citizens and preventing some non-representative faction from hijacking the nation.
Therefore the Crown must do everything it can do to remain above the partisan fray and the clash of micronational personalities.
Of course, no human being can do that perfectly, but the Crown must do the very best it can do in that respect.
Conversely, the people must respect the Crown's best efforts in that regard and presume impartiality (or as close as that can be approximated this side of the divine) on the part of the Crown.
All justice is ultimately the King's justice, whether the process of justice is handled directly or through investigative commissions or the legal apparatus.
It is, ultimately, the King who guarantees the integrity of the justice process.
To withhold the presumption of impartiality from the King (as has apparently happened here, is to withhold recognition of Kingship from the incumbent.
We believe all should step away from the brink a bit, and allow Alexander I to be King.
The third conclusion involves HRH Prince Justin.
If the transcripts posted in the Telegraph are true, particularly the transcript of the alleged second conversation between His Royal Highness and Sir Wyatt-James, then Prince Justin KNOWS the identity of GentlemanRanker and MacleanHF.
HM Alexander I has asked ANYONE with knowledge as to the identity of the abusive poster to forward that knowledge to the Crown.
Prince Justin must repudiate the transcripts... or he must identify to whom he has revealed Sir Wyatt-James' screen name, to whom he shared the results of his INITIAL conversation with Sir Wyatt-James (the one in which Sir Wyatt used the phrase "Calormeni independence", and from where he got the IM quotation he used in his subsequent conversation with Sir Wyatt-James.
To paraphrase President Bush, if Prince Justin has been unwise, he must now decide if he is with Hanover... or if he is with the micronational 'terrorists' who would assault the nation and its citizens.
If HRH Prince Justin has been indiscreet or done something unwise, we would hope that he receives a measure of forgiveness and restoration proportionate to his ability to learn from this sad affair. Most micronationalists we respect (which includes ourselves :-) have done stupid things and learned from them.
But if he is resistant to that lesson, then Hanover must decide whether the Crown, someday, should pass to someone who willingly shares conversations presumed confidential to those who wish to harm Hanover.
One way or another, HRH Prince Justin owes Alexander I an email with either a repudiation of the posted transcripts or the information necessary to close this destructive issue.
[EDIT: Of course, GentlemanRanker / MacleanHF might also contact HM Alexander I himself and relieve young Prince Justin of the extraordinarily difficult task of choosing between betraying his friend or betraying his country.]
Oddly enough, we cannot render a conclusion on the real issue at stake here: the relationship between Hanover, Athenoi, Calormen and the Commonwealth.
That is for the Crown and the citizens of those respective entities to resolve and random acts of 'terrorism' or 'assassination' simply take the focus away from where it properly, even necessarily, belongs.
No one who indulges themselves in this way - or who is complicit with or enabling of those who do - is a friend of Hanover, no matter their former contributions or current title.
The Editors
The Morovian Telegraph
Sunday, September 12, 2004
Hanover / Calormen Relations Boil Over (Part Two)
To repeat a bit...
It apparently started with Sir Wyatt-James McIntyre's resignation of his seat, for reasons unknown, in the Congress of Bergen.]
And then, not to put too fine a point on it, all Hell broke loose.
And, in the immortal words of Jackie Gleason, away we go
In the not-quite-so immortal words of Sir Wyatt-James:
HRH Prince Justin immediately defended himself from Sir Wyatt-James' accusations, stating, " I wholeheartedly deny the aspersions cast upon me my Lord Lancaster. It is ridiculous to cast the accusation that I would elevate a personal disagreement over issues of Hanoverian politics to such deplorable conduct or employ nefarious third parties to do the same."
[Mr. Bekkenhuis, on finding out that he had been drawn into the conflict, wondered out loud as to the identity of his assailant: "Must be one of my real life friends... No one online knows me well enough to post that with authority. Maybe it was a lucky guess. :-) " ]
The transcripts of the IM attack on Sir Wyatt-James McIntyre were obtained by the Telegraph which has decided to post an excerpt (despite the fact that the text used a subscript "th" not available at the time):
The text (presumably from late night on September 10th or early morning on September 11th) has been cleaned a bit reflecting the wholesome family nature of this newspaper. We note for the reader that it is possible to fake IM transcripts:
Not quite as entertaining, but possibly more significant is the following two exchanges, the first purporting to be with HRH Prince Justin. The comments at the beginning and end of the selection are a good indication of the overall lighthearted (if not downright silly) nature of the exchange, punctuated with a little micronational business from time to time...
Later on comes the attack from one Gentlemanranker, followed (after being blocked) by the attack from MacleanHF. Note Maclean's comment regarding Calormeni independence:
Later on, Sir Wyatt-James confronts HRH Prince Justin, again through IM:
The Morovian Telegraph again stresses the fact that the transcripts are being published (with, as Nixon once famously said, the blasphemies removed) as they were received.
It IS possible to generate fake IM messages in a text editor (especially one that has the capacity to print subscript th's) and we cannot positively verify the authenticity of the transcripts.
But if they are, in fact, accurate and received in the manner in which we were told they were received, they seem to indicate that:
1) the attacks on Sir Wyatt-James happened soon following IM discussions between him and HRH Prince Justin,
2) the attack made on Sir Wyatt-James by MacleanHF involved the charge that Sir Wyatt-James was seeking "Calormeni independence" (which Sir Wyatt-James claims was a joke),
3) the later discussion between HRH Prince Justin and Sir Wyatt-James included the transcript of the discussion between Sir Wyatt-James and MacleanHF - which, presumably, he could only have gotten from Sir Wyatt-James or from MacleanHF.
Following all this, Sir Wyatt-James appealed to HM Alexander I for justice. He chided the King's alleged tardiness of response and the King's characterization of his email to the Crown as a "tantrum" and repeated his demands, accompanied by the support of several other citizens.
His Majesty defended both his speed of response and his characterization of the message as a tantrum saying, in part...
Even as His Majesty began gearing up for the investigation, various attempts were made to ascertain the identity of Gentlemanranker and MacleanHF.
To no one's surprise, Robert P. Gresham had top-of-mind awareness in the list of subjects.
On closer examination of the transcripts however, this writer had doubts and said as much in Ellicott Square:
We end this story - at least this chapter of the story - with questions rather than answers.
Who made the attack? He is someone who knows the various personalities involved as well as the issues. He knows Bill Bekkenhuis (not a Hanoverian citizen) well enough to target him for an attack. But he apparently does not have entrée to the Calormeni National Council.
He MAY, based on timing alone, have some connection with HRH Prince Justin - almost certainly so if the IM transcripts are not fabricated.
This does not necessarily lay the direct responsibility at His Royal Highness' feet but, perhaps, indicates that he needs to choose his friends a bit more wisely or, at least, think twice before sharing confidential information and IM screen names with them..
To what extent are the attacks on Sir Wyatt-James political in nature?
That is, is the attacker desirous of some political end, such as Sir Wyatt-James departure from Hanover - or even civil war between Hanover and Calormen?
Or is it some type of mindless hate game perpetrated by some insomniac who senselessly attacks people for no reason other than to satisfy his own psychological need?
Maybe the only problem with our top-of-mind awareness is that it stubbornly persists even in the face of evidence that almost but doesn't QUITE fit.
Unless, of course, we're willing to revise our hypothesis regarding a person's class.
But the big question, of course, is the same one that was there from the beginning before Mr. Potty-Mouth came on the scene: can Hanover, Athenoi and Calormen find a unity within the diversity of their separate cultures?
Bill Bekkenhuis
Editor-in-Chief
The Morovian Telegraph
It apparently started with Sir Wyatt-James McIntyre's resignation of his seat, for reasons unknown, in the Congress of Bergen.]
And then, not to put too fine a point on it, all Hell broke loose.
And, in the immortal words of Jackie Gleason, away we go
In the not-quite-so immortal words of Sir Wyatt-James:
Tonight shortly after resigning my seat on the Congress of Bergen and a lengthy and heated debate with Prince Justin I was subject to a harrassing IM to which foul langauge was used and there was a degree of degredation not just against myself but others either. During this short conversation with a man of the AIM Screen name GentlemanRanker referred to Morovian Telegraph Editor Bill Bekkenhuis was referred to as a "freaky faggot" and accused myself and Prince Daniel of being Nazi's. When I proceeded to block him he then proceeded to IM me under the screen name of MacleanHF. This harrassment was from the direct result of a conversation between whomever this was and Prince Justin because he made direct references to conversations that I had in private with the Prince.
HRH Prince Justin immediately defended himself from Sir Wyatt-James' accusations, stating, " I wholeheartedly deny the aspersions cast upon me my Lord Lancaster. It is ridiculous to cast the accusation that I would elevate a personal disagreement over issues of Hanoverian politics to such deplorable conduct or employ nefarious third parties to do the same."
[Mr. Bekkenhuis, on finding out that he had been drawn into the conflict, wondered out loud as to the identity of his assailant: "Must be one of my real life friends... No one online knows me well enough to post that with authority. Maybe it was a lucky guess. :-) " ]
The transcripts of the IM attack on Sir Wyatt-James McIntyre were obtained by the Telegraph which has decided to post an excerpt (despite the fact that the text used a subscript "th" not available at the time):
The text (presumably from late night on September 10th or early morning on September 11th) has been cleaned a bit reflecting the wholesome family nature of this newspaper. We note for the reader that it is possible to fake IM transcripts:
MacleanHF: then at least learn how to spell, [DELETED]
LordDuquette: Look at your spelling
MacleanHF: ah, note the sarcasm, [DELETED]
MacleanHF: nice "I'm being harassed" post
MacleanHF: ask for sympathy
LordDuquette: You know whatever, you are a coward who hides behind profanities
MacleanHF: i wonder what you posted in the closed Calormen forum
MacleanHF: yeah, [DELETED] self-righteous [DELETED]
MacleanHF: you got me right, i'm just a vulgar little kid, but at least i am not a [DELETED] like the almighty Lawd Lancaster
MacleanHF: you [DELETED]
MacleanHF: i bet you could [DELETED]
LordDuquette: Can I ask you sometihng?
MacleanHF: let me guess
MacleanHF: [DELETED]
LordDuquette: No
MacleanHF: [DELETED]
LordDuquette: It is a simple question, [DELETED]
MacleanHF: wouldn't know, the only way you'll find out is by looking in the mirror.
LordDuquette: Witty retort from a [OFFENSIVE]
MacleanHF: hey, any developmentally disabled person has one plus when compared to you, [DELETED]. At least the [OFFENSIVE] is partially developed.
MacleanHF: better a half-wit than a no-wit like you
MacleanHF: coward
LordDuquette: Ooohhhh ouch, boy that would hur if your opinion matter
MacleanHF: yeah, the only time you matter is when [DELETED]. [DELETED].
LordDuquette: Oooooooohhhhhhh... is that the best you can come up with? Boy it must be hard for you to not have a real conversation or is your brain already frozen from not being used
MacleanHF: that's pathetic, Lord Lancaster. Can't beat back a man's wit, so you say he's stupid. No wonder. You must be picking up your debating points from [DELETED] like John Kerry.
LordDuquette: Ohhhhhhh, the king of wit who only makes comments about being [happy] talks about debate, that is rich
MacleanHF: You are a [DELETED] traitor to hanover
MacleanHF: you [DELETED] incessantly
MacleanHF: and you like having your [DELETED]
LordDuquette: You are an arrogant, pompous little twit that has nothing of signifigance to say and the only reason I ntertain this conversation is so that you can say whatever you want to say
MacleanHF: so, tomorrow morning you'll wake up and still be a [DELETED]
MacleanHF: a disgrace that'll haunt you the rest of your days
LordDuquette: If you want me to say sure then sure why the hell not
MacleanHF: yeah...Lancaster admits he's a [DELETED]
MacleanHF: you're a [DELETED] too
LordDuquette: sure
MacleanHF: do you [DELETED]?
Not quite as entertaining, but possibly more significant is the following two exchanges, the first purporting to be with HRH Prince Justin. The comments at the beginning and end of the selection are a good indication of the overall lighthearted (if not downright silly) nature of the exchange, punctuated with a little micronational business from time to time...
LordDuquette: You want Carrots?
Justin01302002: she eats carrots and eats meat
Justin01302002: shes not fat and dont count carbs,
Justin01302002: cause she dont eat like a slob,
LordDuquette wants to send file C:\My Downloads\Arrogant Worms - Vegetable Song - Unknown - 01.mp3.
Justin01302002 declined request; the file will not be sent.
Justin01302002: she also has hair, yay
Justin01302002: copy and paste
Justin01302002: i hate transfer
LordDuquette: I was sending you a song
Justin01302002: I hate transfer,
Justin01302002: it never work
Justin01302002: it a piece of junk
Justin01302002: it say it work
Justin01302002: but it no
LordDuquette: So is Athenoi
LordDuquette: :P
Justin01302002: I know a Congress thats about to be closed,
Justin01302002: the Germanofreaks love it but its toast
Justin01302002: :-)
Justin01302002: YEAH TOAST
LordDuquette: Then deal with Calormeni independance
Justin01302002: I get up every morning about 6am
Justin01302002: have a little jelly, have a little jam
Justin01302002: yeah toast!
Justin01302002: now theres no secret to toasting perfection,
LordDuquette: It is either unification or independance
Justin01302002: theres a dial on the side, you make your selection
Justin01302002: turn from the dark to the light and then
Justin01302002: if it pops out too soon, press down again, make toast.
Justin01302002: I like butter
Justin01302002: yeah
Later on comes the attack from one Gentlemanranker, followed (after being blocked) by the attack from MacleanHF. Note Maclean's comment regarding Calormeni independence:
MacleanHF: why are you always threatening to run away. You can't take the heat, so you block me, you fascist censor, and then when you don't get your prissy little way you [DELETED], you threaten to leave Hanover with ideas of Calormeni independence?
MacleanHF: your kind sickens me
LordDuquette: The reference to Calormeni Independence was a joke between Justin and me but thank you for letting me know he was bhind your attacks
MacleanHF: he told me about it, and it upsets me.
MacleanHF: especially since HM Alexander wants to set up a website for Calormen.
MacleanHF: [DELETED] ingrate
Later on, Sir Wyatt-James confronts HRH Prince Justin, again through IM:
LordDuquette: Who is calling me a [DELETED]
Justin01302002: i was just discussing it with him
Justin01302002: im not
Justin01302002: i told him not to, he wouldnt listen
LordDuquette: These arew OUR PRIVATE DISCUSSIONS
Justin01302002: i was just discussing the situation
LordDuquette: We already had these discussion
Justin01302002: so was the reason u left the congress
LordDuquette: I did not tell what our discussion held
Justin01302002: you told everyone that after conversations with the Crown Prince
Justin01302002: he isnt government
LordDuquette: I am holding you personally accountable
Justin01302002: LordDuquette: Did he tell you the only reason he is the crown prince is because I talked the king into it
LordDuquette: He is calling me a [DELETED], Bill a [OFFENSIVE]
Justin01302002: thats quite personal
Justin01302002: you didnt talk the king into making me heir
LordDuquette: You know what
Justin01302002: wat
Justin01302002: and he doesnt mean that stuff
Justin01302002: hes just saying it
Justin01302002: i didnt tell him to say it
The Morovian Telegraph again stresses the fact that the transcripts are being published (with, as Nixon once famously said, the blasphemies removed) as they were received.
It IS possible to generate fake IM messages in a text editor (especially one that has the capacity to print subscript th's) and we cannot positively verify the authenticity of the transcripts.
But if they are, in fact, accurate and received in the manner in which we were told they were received, they seem to indicate that:
1) the attacks on Sir Wyatt-James happened soon following IM discussions between him and HRH Prince Justin,
2) the attack made on Sir Wyatt-James by MacleanHF involved the charge that Sir Wyatt-James was seeking "Calormeni independence" (which Sir Wyatt-James claims was a joke),
3) the later discussion between HRH Prince Justin and Sir Wyatt-James included the transcript of the discussion between Sir Wyatt-James and MacleanHF - which, presumably, he could only have gotten from Sir Wyatt-James or from MacleanHF.
Following all this, Sir Wyatt-James appealed to HM Alexander I for justice. He chided the King's alleged tardiness of response and the King's characterization of his email to the Crown as a "tantrum" and repeated his demands, accompanied by the support of several other citizens.
His Majesty defended both his speed of response and his characterization of the message as a tantrum saying, in part...
We hold to Our characterization of your demands placed before Our Throne as a tantrum, not because of the veracity or seriousness, but because of the method.
* * *
We did not deny the abuse.
We did not deny that you SUSPECT Prince Justin of being involved.
But then you descended into tantrum when you did three things:
1) Demanded the immediate removal of Prince Justin from all positions of authority.
2) Attempted to threaten Us with divulgence of information to "the papers".
3) Attempted to blackmail Us with threats of resignation.
Even as His Majesty began gearing up for the investigation, various attempts were made to ascertain the identity of Gentlemanranker and MacleanHF.
To no one's surprise, Robert P. Gresham had top-of-mind awareness in the list of subjects.
On closer examination of the transcripts however, this writer had doubts and said as much in Ellicott Square:
I have now read the transcripts.
I cannot imagine Mr. Gresham writing this.
He is no stranger to vulgarity, but all resemblance ends there.
Mr. Gresham has a certain, well, class, even in his decadance, that is clearly not present here.
It would be easy to quote from the transcript to show that it is not Mr. Gresham but that would be inappropriate in a PG-13 forum.
It is really crude, juvenile stuff.
Someone needs to read the Boy Scout Oath and Law before going to bed at a reasonable hour.
Laying off the crack would probably also help :-)
We end this story - at least this chapter of the story - with questions rather than answers.
Who made the attack? He is someone who knows the various personalities involved as well as the issues. He knows Bill Bekkenhuis (not a Hanoverian citizen) well enough to target him for an attack. But he apparently does not have entrée to the Calormeni National Council.
He MAY, based on timing alone, have some connection with HRH Prince Justin - almost certainly so if the IM transcripts are not fabricated.
This does not necessarily lay the direct responsibility at His Royal Highness' feet but, perhaps, indicates that he needs to choose his friends a bit more wisely or, at least, think twice before sharing confidential information and IM screen names with them..
To what extent are the attacks on Sir Wyatt-James political in nature?
That is, is the attacker desirous of some political end, such as Sir Wyatt-James departure from Hanover - or even civil war between Hanover and Calormen?
Or is it some type of mindless hate game perpetrated by some insomniac who senselessly attacks people for no reason other than to satisfy his own psychological need?
Maybe the only problem with our top-of-mind awareness is that it stubbornly persists even in the face of evidence that almost but doesn't QUITE fit.
Unless, of course, we're willing to revise our hypothesis regarding a person's class.
But the big question, of course, is the same one that was there from the beginning before Mr. Potty-Mouth came on the scene: can Hanover, Athenoi and Calormen find a unity within the diversity of their separate cultures?
Bill Bekkenhuis
Editor-in-Chief
The Morovian Telegraph
Hanover / Calormen Relations Boil Over (Part One)
In general, things seemed to have been progressing nicely in the Hanover / Calormen discussion regarding Calormen's relationship to Hanover and the Commonwealth.
On August 22nd, Sir Wyatt-James McIntyre gave an interview to the Telegraph on the Congress of Bergen, an interview that placed Calormeni nationalism firmly in the context of a valued relationship (specifics to be determined) within Hanover's Commonwealth.
Still, things are not quite paradisiacal... far from it.
On August 27th, Sir Wyatt-James McIntyre resigned his membership in the Order of St. Michael citing an "attack" on Martin Luther made by Grandmaster John Harvey.
On August 30th, yet another element (beyond personal antagonisms, nationalism vs. unity, and religion) was added to the stew.
On that date, Editor Graf Schwerin of the The German Times wrote the following regarding the purpose of this new (and, we might enviously add, professional-looking and well-written) newspaper:
This provoked the following from Lord Brunswick, the Rt. Hon. Thomas Cutterham:
While THIS issue moved to the foreground, the religious arguments between Sir Wyatt-James and Grandmaster John Harvey appeared to cool a bit. Recent Court Transcripts from September 1st indicates that Grandmaster Harvey has apologized to Sir Wyatt-James for his comment and it would appear that the two Hanoverians, from Athenoi and Calormen respectively, reconciled on that particular issue.
Despite issues of personal conflict, Calvinism / Lutheranism, Church / State relations, nationalism / autonomy and the appropriateness of a Germanic cultural influence in Calormen swirling around, Court Transcripts of September 5th would seem to indicate that His Majesty Alexander I was pleased with the Congress of Bergen's progress and it even appeared that a number of new citizens had become active on the Hanoverian / Calormeni scene..
On September 8th, The German Times expanded on its coverage of the Calormen question within Hanover (or, as The German Times puts it, The Hanover Question within Calormen - one's perspective seems to be everything in this issue :-)
In it, Editor Graf Schwerin states:
Editor Schwerin goes on to say that while Hanover's Constitution has historically allowed a great deal of autonomy to the Dominions of Athenoi and Calormen, new constitutional discussions occurring within the Congress of Bergen may be leaning in the direction of tighter central control, though he goes on to say that HM Alexander I has indicated a degree of flexibility in the matter.
Which brings us, belatedly, back to the issue of the Kingdom of Gotzborg...
Back on August 8th, The Morovian Telegraph posted its first story on Calormeni nationalism in Hanover: Nationalist Sentiment Rising in Calormen
In that post, the Editors attempted to discern the starting point of recent nationalist sentiment in Calormen and came to two possibilities: the discussion regarding establishment of a Lutheran state religion in Calormen and, the point of our present focus, the selection of Kevin Hood as Ambassador to the Kingdom of Gotzborg, a Germanic-themed micronation.
The arc of this particular storyline seems to be near completion with the passage, by Hanover's Parliament, of The Reichlau Treaty between the kingdoms of Hanover and Gotzborg. This apparently happened on September 10th or 11th.
If Royal Assent is granted, it would appear that Hanover will be linked by treaty with a Germanic-themed micronation, one with particularly close ties to the Germanic-themed minority opinion within Hanover / Calormen.
But it is just here, at what would seem to be a strong, positive milestone in relations between Hanover and the people of Calormen and their particular concerns, that disaster struck.
It apparently started with Sir Wyatt-James McIntyre's resignation of his seat, for reasons unknown, in the Congress of Bergen.]
And then, not to put too fine a point on it, all Hell broke loose.
[to be continued]
Bill Bekkenhuis
Reporter, The Morovian Telegraph
On August 22nd, Sir Wyatt-James McIntyre gave an interview to the Telegraph on the Congress of Bergen, an interview that placed Calormeni nationalism firmly in the context of a valued relationship (specifics to be determined) within Hanover's Commonwealth.
Still, things are not quite paradisiacal... far from it.
On August 27th, Sir Wyatt-James McIntyre resigned his membership in the Order of St. Michael citing an "attack" on Martin Luther made by Grandmaster John Harvey.
On August 30th, yet another element (beyond personal antagonisms, nationalism vs. unity, and religion) was added to the stew.
On that date, Editor Graf Schwerin of the The German Times wrote the following regarding the purpose of this new (and, we might enviously add, professional-looking and well-written) newspaper:
The German Times [is] different from other micronational publications. It aims to provide news and coverage not just of one micronation but of several.
Initially, The German Times will report from the micronations of Hanover and Götzborg. These two English speaking German states will be the basis of this journal's reporting.
* * *
The German Times strongly believes in some form of loose federation between the German micronations. Each state would retain its own seperate identity and sovereignty. However by acting in concert, the degree of influence each micronational state could exercise would greatly exceed that of the individual state on its own. Apart from a common German culture, this journal believes that the individual German states represent values which are much in demand in the micronational world.
* * *
In short German values may be summed up as a) the constitutional rule of law b) political and social pluralism/inclusiveness and c) diffusion of state power. The application of such values in a society ensure the sound health of the body politic.
This provoked the following from Lord Brunswick, the Rt. Hon. Thomas Cutterham:
No disrespect to the publisher or Baron Munster [who introduced the paper to Hanover], this is absurd. Hanover is not a "German micronation". It's people speak English, it was founded by an American, and its institutions are based on those of England. We have only two connections with Germany, neither of which entitle anybody to group us with so-called "German micronations": a) our name is borrowed from a German city, and B) we were one of the first English micronations to begin active diplomatic contact with real German micronations - i.e. ones where German is the first language.
While THIS issue moved to the foreground, the religious arguments between Sir Wyatt-James and Grandmaster John Harvey appeared to cool a bit. Recent Court Transcripts from September 1st indicates that Grandmaster Harvey has apologized to Sir Wyatt-James for his comment and it would appear that the two Hanoverians, from Athenoi and Calormen respectively, reconciled on that particular issue.
Despite issues of personal conflict, Calvinism / Lutheranism, Church / State relations, nationalism / autonomy and the appropriateness of a Germanic cultural influence in Calormen swirling around, Court Transcripts of September 5th would seem to indicate that His Majesty Alexander I was pleased with the Congress of Bergen's progress and it even appeared that a number of new citizens had become active on the Hanoverian / Calormeni scene..
On September 8th, The German Times expanded on its coverage of the Calormen question within Hanover (or, as The German Times puts it, The Hanover Question within Calormen - one's perspective seems to be everything in this issue :-)
In it, Editor Graf Schwerin states:
When we raised the issue of German micronations in our original publication as the German Times, we inadvertantly touched a raw nerve in Hanover. Or so it seems. We mistakenly took Hanover to be an English speaking German micronation along the lines of the Kingdom of Götzborg. Not so. It is clear from the response that the majority of Hanoverians regard themselves as having their own identity which has no connection with German culture. The strength of the reaction seems to indicate that rather than being neutral about the issue, the Hanoverian authorities are opposed to any notion of Germanness.
Hanover is a unique micronation in that whatever the cultural identity of the Hanoverian majority, there is a Calormen minority which very definitely regards its own distinctive culture as being German inspired. It must be remembered that at present the Commonwealth of Hanover is composed of three dominions; Hanover proper, Calormen and Athenoi. The issue of German culture and the force of the response to it also reveals another fault line running through the Hanoverian state; the relationship between the three dominions.
Editor Schwerin goes on to say that while Hanover's Constitution has historically allowed a great deal of autonomy to the Dominions of Athenoi and Calormen, new constitutional discussions occurring within the Congress of Bergen may be leaning in the direction of tighter central control, though he goes on to say that HM Alexander I has indicated a degree of flexibility in the matter.
Which brings us, belatedly, back to the issue of the Kingdom of Gotzborg...
Back on August 8th, The Morovian Telegraph posted its first story on Calormeni nationalism in Hanover: Nationalist Sentiment Rising in Calormen
In that post, the Editors attempted to discern the starting point of recent nationalist sentiment in Calormen and came to two possibilities: the discussion regarding establishment of a Lutheran state religion in Calormen and, the point of our present focus, the selection of Kevin Hood as Ambassador to the Kingdom of Gotzborg, a Germanic-themed micronation.
The arc of this particular storyline seems to be near completion with the passage, by Hanover's Parliament, of The Reichlau Treaty between the kingdoms of Hanover and Gotzborg. This apparently happened on September 10th or 11th.
If Royal Assent is granted, it would appear that Hanover will be linked by treaty with a Germanic-themed micronation, one with particularly close ties to the Germanic-themed minority opinion within Hanover / Calormen.
But it is just here, at what would seem to be a strong, positive milestone in relations between Hanover and the people of Calormen and their particular concerns, that disaster struck.
It apparently started with Sir Wyatt-James McIntyre's resignation of his seat, for reasons unknown, in the Congress of Bergen.]
And then, not to put too fine a point on it, all Hell broke loose.
[to be continued]
Bill Bekkenhuis
Reporter, The Morovian Telegraph
Wednesday, September 08, 2004
Telegraph Projects: RE-ELECTION FOR GW BUSH!
We don't like it, but that's how we call it.
Bill's Vote is a statistical sampling system that is very reliable. It refers to the various votes cast by our Editor-in-Chief, Bill Bekkenhuis, in American presidential elections. This vote has, over the last 32 years, only failed to predict the winner once - and that didn't work out too well either.
RAW DATA
YEAR: 1972
CONTEST: Nixon/McGovern
BILL'S VOTE: Nixon
WINNER: Nixon
COMMENT:
Statistical anomaly.
May have been last time I voted sober.
Nixon resigned in disgrace.
YEAR: 1976
CONTEST: Ford/Carter
BILL'S VOTE: Ford
WINNER: Carter
COMMENT:
Felt sorry for Ford
YEAR: 1980
CONTEST: Carter/Reagan
BILL'S VOTE: Carter
WINNER: Reagan
COMMENT:
Didn't like Reagan
YEAR: 1984
CONTEST: Reagan/Mondale
BILL'S VOTE: Mondale
WINNER: Reagan
COMMENT:
Couldn't STAND Reagan
YEAR: 1988
CONTEST: HW Bush/Dukakis
BILL'S VOTE: Dukakis
WINNER: HW Bush
COMMENT:
Liked Dukakis
YEAR: 1992
CONTEST: HW Bush/Clinton
BILL'S VOTE: HW Bush
WINNER: Clinton
COMMENT:
Didn't like Clinton
YEAR: 1996
CONTEST: Clinton/Dole
BILL'S VOTE: Dole
WINNER: Clinton
COMMENT:
REALLY, REALLY didn't
like Clinton (though not as
much as I didn't like Reagan)
YEAR: 2000
CONTEST: Gore/GW Bush
BILL'S VOTE: Gore
WINNER: GW Bush
COMMENT:
Didn't trust GW Bush.
Decided on a technicality... to put it mildly.
YEAR: 2004(projected)
CONTEST: GW Bush/Kerry
BILL'S VOTE: Kerry
WINNER: GW Bush
COMMENT:
How much will you
Democrats pay me to
sit this one out? :-)
Bill's Vote is a statistical sampling system that is very reliable. It refers to the various votes cast by our Editor-in-Chief, Bill Bekkenhuis, in American presidential elections. This vote has, over the last 32 years, only failed to predict the winner once - and that didn't work out too well either.
RAW DATA
YEAR: 1972
CONTEST: Nixon/McGovern
BILL'S VOTE: Nixon
WINNER: Nixon
COMMENT:
Statistical anomaly.
May have been last time I voted sober.
Nixon resigned in disgrace.
YEAR: 1976
CONTEST: Ford/Carter
BILL'S VOTE: Ford
WINNER: Carter
COMMENT:
Felt sorry for Ford
YEAR: 1980
CONTEST: Carter/Reagan
BILL'S VOTE: Carter
WINNER: Reagan
COMMENT:
Didn't like Reagan
YEAR: 1984
CONTEST: Reagan/Mondale
BILL'S VOTE: Mondale
WINNER: Reagan
COMMENT:
Couldn't STAND Reagan
YEAR: 1988
CONTEST: HW Bush/Dukakis
BILL'S VOTE: Dukakis
WINNER: HW Bush
COMMENT:
Liked Dukakis
YEAR: 1992
CONTEST: HW Bush/Clinton
BILL'S VOTE: HW Bush
WINNER: Clinton
COMMENT:
Didn't like Clinton
YEAR: 1996
CONTEST: Clinton/Dole
BILL'S VOTE: Dole
WINNER: Clinton
COMMENT:
REALLY, REALLY didn't
like Clinton (though not as
much as I didn't like Reagan)
YEAR: 2000
CONTEST: Gore/GW Bush
BILL'S VOTE: Gore
WINNER: GW Bush
COMMENT:
Didn't trust GW Bush.
Decided on a technicality... to put it mildly.
YEAR: 2004(projected)
CONTEST: GW Bush/Kerry
BILL'S VOTE: Kerry
WINNER: GW Bush
COMMENT:
How much will you
Democrats pay me to
sit this one out? :-)
Wednesday, August 25, 2004
Varennes: First Anniversary of Founding
{ A press release from The Kingdom of Varennes, published in full below - The Editors}
LA PALAIS DE VALENCIENNES
Capet, Varennes
08.24.04
The Kingdom of Varennes celebrates the first anniversary of her founding on Wednesday, August 25, the Feast of St. Louis. On that day, the Government of Varennes will open a discussion board for it's own use and for the use of subjects and visitors. The Ezboard forums will be completely open to the public for one month, following which the government will require users to register.
A link to the forums will be found at the home page of the Government of Varennes website at www.kingdomofvarennes.com .
The discussion board will include the new officially sanctioned forums for the Dominion of Chambord.
The Kingdom of Varennes was founded on August 25, 2003 by the House of Marchmain and several friends of the family. King Louis I was formerly the king and founder of the Kingdom of Hanover and was known at that time as King James. With the exception of Princes Justin and Christopher, the Marchmains have resumed in Varennes the roles which they enjoyed in Hanover. Princess Shannon Alexandra, the Duchess of Champagne (once the Duchess of Claremont in Hanover), takes on an additional role as governor-general of the Dominion of Chambord.
Since her foundation, the Kingdom of Varennes has attracted a number of Canadian subjects, most notably Wyatt-James McIntyre, the Duc du Colborne who serves as the kingdom's first prime minister. Other Canadian-Varennois include Kim Yetman, His Majesty's Lord Great Chamberlain and George, Duke of Colborne who, as Royal Governor of the Province of Champlain, is responsible for providing "local" leadership to King Louis' English-speaking Canadian subjects.
The Kingdom of Varennes was founded for the purposes of creating a national community in which the traditions and principles of the ancient monarchy and nobility of the former Kingdom of France are restored and celebrated.
