Gen. Dieric is presently serving as a captain in the navy.
((That's his son, John. Jacques is well and truly retired.))
Gen. Dieric is presently serving as a captain in the navy.
((That's his son, John. ))
I.Current Belgian сolonial possessions shall be divided into three territories, the Free States of Batavia, Benin, and The Congo.
II. The supreme supervisory authorities over Belgian colonies is the Ministry of Colonies or other governmental agencies to which the Prime Minister had delegated the appropriate powers. The Ministry of Colonies:
a)Directs the overall economic development of Belgian overseas territories, sets directives for their executive officals.
b)Works out executive codes, rules and regulations regarding colonial issues.
c)Creates and divides the colonies into administrative units within the structure set in the following law.
d) Proposes to the Belgian parliament the status changes of the colonial possesions.
f) Sets the status and governance in all newly acquired colonies of Belgium until such are set by the parliamentary bill.
III. For sake of control over the activities of the local authorities by the central government the Congress of the Free States is set in each colonial possession, consisting of 20 members. Their term of service and consistence are set by the Prime Minister basing on the size and needs of the colony in question. However, 50% of Congressmen are appointed by the Prime Minister and must represent all existing governmental ministries, and 50% of Congressmen are appointed by the Royal Belgian Civil Service. At least two of these Members of Colonial Parliament must have been born in the respective Free State, regardless of racial origin. They have the right to:
a) inspect all actions of colonial governmental mechanism and inform the central authority about all possible violation of Belgian laws and infringement of Belgian interests.
b) Deem, by a qualified two thirds majority of votes, illegitimate and postpone up to six monthes the execution of any decisions and acts that they consider not corresponding with applicable Belgian laws.
c) Suspend, by a supermajority of votes, any governmental official up to Minister-President, from executing his office for a term up to six monthes for any acts that they consider not corresponding with applicable Belgian laws.
The Congress of the Free State or any of its members may be dismissed by the Prime Minister upon approval of a simple majority of the lower house of Belgian parliament, for nonpolitical reasons, if necessary, confirmed by the Constitutional Court. A Congressman must be a Belgian citizen aged 25 or older.
IV The Chief Executive of each Free State is a Minister-President.
a) The Minister-Presidents is appointed by the Prime Minister upon a ratification of a simple majority of the lower house of Belgian parliament. The Viceroys are Belgian citizens aged 30 or older and having no less than 10 years of active governmental,military or public service.
i)If the candidature for any of the Minister-Presidencies of the Free States is refused to be ratified by the parliament for three consecutive times, the apolitical nature of this decision is to be confirmed by the Constitutional Court of Belgium
b) Minister-Presidents should serve at the pleasure of the Parliament. He can be replaced: 1)by a supermajority of votes in the lower house of Belgian Parliament upon proposal of a Prime Minister or Minister of Colonial Affairs for a nonpolitical reason, if necessary, confirmed by the Constitutional Court 2) by courts of justice per impeachement procedures set in the Constitution
c) The Minister-Presidents of the Free States is the direct representative of the Monarch executing superintendence and control of the whole military and civilian administration of Belgian Aftica and has to reach legitimate targets set by the Monarch, the Prime Minister and/or Minister for Colonies.
V. The Minister-Presidents are to be selected from suitable candidates by the Prime Minister.
a) The executive of each Free State is a Minister-President are appointed by the Prime Minister or, if he chooses to delegate the powers, the Minister of Colonies. The Minister-Presidents are Belgian citizens aged 25 or older.
b) The Minister-President of Benin and of the Congo shall serve for five years term and may be reappointed for an unlimited number of terms. The Minister-President may be removed at any time by the Prime Minister or Minister of Colonies for nonexecution of his orders, mismanagement of their areas and other legitimate and valid reasons.
c) The Minister-President is responsible for the enforcing Belgian law within the Free State they govern, namely:
i) Executing the legitimate orders of the Prime Minister and Minister of Colonies
ii) Heading the local administration, police and justice system
iii) Coordinating the activities of the representatives of Belgian central institutions (ministries or executives agencies) existing in the area
d) The office of Minister-President implies no military command, and colonial armed forces shall be managed by the Chief of the General Staff as he sees fit.
e) In the absence of a state of war, the Armed Forces on the territory of a Free State may not be deployed for law enforcement purposes without the consent of the Minister-President or the Monarch;
f) The Free States shall be divided into districts for administrative purposes. The creation and division of districts is the responsibility of the Ministry of Colonies
g) Each district shall be governed by a Grand Mayor, appointed by the Minister-President of the Free State in which they serve. They serve their term, execute duties and are removed in the way set for Minister Presidents in the clauses b-d of Article V of this bill. The Grand Mayors are Belgian citizens aged 25 or older.
VI. The Batavian Free State is to be administered in an analogous fashion to the Free States of Benin and the Congo as described above.
VII. The precedence of colonial legislation
a.Specific bills regulating colonials affairs may be passed by Belgian parliament.
b.General bills passed by Belgian parliament are implemented in the colonies if and to the extent they correspond with the specific condition existing in the area. They are implemented by special adoption executive decrees issued by the Viceroy upon the approval of a simple majority of Royal Supervisory Council of the colony and the Ministry of Colonies. That does not apply to the general bills protecting the rights and freedoms of Belgian populace of the colonies which are automatically implemented.
c. As per the self-governance articles of the Constitution, the Congress of the Free States may also propose legislation relevant to their Free State, as do the Regional Assemblies of Flanders and Wallonia. The Minister-President may also introduce such bills. They must be approved by a simple majority of the Congress, and may be vetoed without possibility for overrule by the Prime Minister of Belgium, the Minister of the Colonies, or the Minister-President of the respective Free State.
d. Ordinary executive orders of the Minister Presidents must not contradict all of the above mentioned acts.
CHARTER OF THE BELGIAN IMPERIAL FEDERATION SOCIETY
Whereas, the Belgian nation seeks to provide liberty and responsible government for all,
Whereas, the Belgian recognizes that providing for the common defense and trade amongst the Empire is beneficial to all,
Noting that these objectives are not possible under the current system of governance;
WE HEREBY RESOLVE TO SEEK:
1) The creation of directly-elected legislatures for the Free States of Benin, Congo and Batavia;
2) The creation of courts for each of the above;
3) The granting of responsible governance to each of the Free States;
4) The application of a similar set of rights as enjoyed in Metropolitan Belgium to the residents of the Free States;
5) The cooperation and joint governance of Belgium and her Free States in a Federal structure to the mutual economic and military security of all.
His Royal Majesty, Prosper-August I, by the Grace of God and Will of the People, King of the Belgians;
The Right Honourable Viscount of Sint-Niklaas, Admiral Lord Jean-Camille van der Wyngaert, Chief of the Royal General Staff;
His Grace the Duke of Anjou-Brienne, Alexandre de Lannoy, Leader of the Government;
Sirs,
Let it be immediately said, as it may be inferred, that this communication is intended only for you perusal and no others, save for those necessary for the execution of its contents.
Following the accurate intelligence of His Royal Highness and the Belgian colonial community, I have begun preparations for countering the machinations of the Swahili slaver, who I believe is intent on attacking the Kingdom in the following year - if, indeed, not earlier. Therefore, it is imperative that we strike before he does.
I am, by temperament, a cautious man, hesitant to waste life where it is not merited. But it is my belief that the Free States could not endure a prolonged war, both economically and psychologically. So while I am inclined to Fabius, circumstances force me to be Hannibal. We must strike at the heart of darkness with full force, excepting only the auxiliaries necessary to maintain order in the territories once word of the revolt spreads.
I propose that we wait until after the turn of the year, once the desert winds have scorched up the marshes and facilitated our passing. There shall be a two-pronged assault, from east and west. Your Majesty's Benin Guard shall launch an expedition into the Sokot basin, then follow the Niger river to systematically purge the insurgents. Simultaneously, Your Majesty's Congo Guard shall mobilise to secure the Congo Free State from insurrection and then, having ensured order, penetrate into the Caliphate. Tippu Tip shall be crushed between our pincer movement with minimal disruption to the apparatus of our territories and their inhabitants.
I understand that such a proposal is as fraught with risk as any military campaign, particularly fighting on foreign ground against a duplicitous foe. As such, I accept full responsibility for this endeavour regardless of its outcome. But I do earnestly believe in its necessity for the safety of this Kingdom and its people.
I await your approval or disapproval and shall not move an inch until either is received.
Please deign to accept, Sirs, my humble and undistinguished considerations,
Xavier-Pierre Florian Thaddée FPS POM
Lieutenant-General of His Majesty's Army
General-Superior of the African Theatre
Commander of His Majesty's Benin Guard
25 SEP 1891
FROM COLONIAL COMMAND HQ BENIN TO STAFF HQ BRUSSELS
ORDER RECEIVED DEPARTING SHORTLY STOP
YOURS THADDEE
ARMY GENERAL
Communiqué from the Ministry of Commerce
In the light of a grand plan to at first, prevent unemployment in Flanders in particular, and secondly, to commence the large-scale use of colonial rubber for domestic purposes, the Commerce Ministry proposes the following measures;
1) A successful major employer in Flanders, which specializes in the industrial production of clothing, will recieve government aid in expanding their industrial facilities by one level.
2) In case of imminent failure of any industry, the Ministry of Commerce will be written a blank check to support this industry, until such time as local bureaucrats think that the failure of said industry will not carry significant consequences for the level of unemployment, for example due to a shortage of employees in another factory. This policy will be executed indiscriminately for all industries, with the exception of the Wallonian steel factory.
Related measures and means of funding will be published by the Interior and Finance ministries in due time.
Signed,
Sir Maximiliaan van Brabant, OPL
Minister of Commerce