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Confidence in the Lannoy Government: CONFIDENCE
[RU]
- Christian van de Velde, Count of Ypres, Minister of Justice OL
[RU]
- Christian van de Velde, Count of Ypres, Minister of Justice OL
"An Open Letter to His Royal Majesty Prosper-August I, King of the Belgians and Sovereign of the Free State of Congo"
By Colonel, The Honorable Geo. W. Williams, of the United States of America
By Colonel, The Honorable Geo. W. Williams, of the United States of America
Good and Great Friend,
I have the honour to submit for your Majesty’s consideration some reflections respecting the Free State of Congo, based upon a careful study and inspection of the region and character of the Government you have established upon the African Continent.
It afforded me great pleasure to avail myself of the opportunity afforded me last year, of visiting your State in Africa; and how thoroughly I have been disenchanted, disappointed and disheartened, it is now my painful duty to make known to your Majesty in plain but respectful language. Every charge which I am about to bring against your Majesty’s personal Government in the Congo has been carefully investigated; a list of competent and veracious witnesses, documents, letters, official records and data has been faithfully prepared, which will be deposited with Her Britannic Majesty’s Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, until such time as an International Commission can be created with power to send for persons and papers, to administer oaths, and attest the truth or falsity of these charges.
FIRST.—Your Majesty’s Government is deficient in the moral military and financial strength, necessary to govern a territory of 1,508,000 square miles.
SECOND.—Your Majesty’s Government has established nearly fifty posts, consisting of from two to eight mercenary slave-soldiers from the East Coast.
THIRD.—Your Majesty’s Government is guilty of violating its contracts made with its soldiers, mechanics and workmen, many of whom are subjects of other Governments. Their letters never reach home.
FOURTH.—The Courts of your Majesty’s Government in Africa are abortive, unjust, partial and delinquent. I have personally witnessed and examined their clumsy operations.
FIFTH.—Your Majesty’s Government is excessively cruel to its prisoners, condemning them, for the slightest offences, to the chain gang, the like of which can not be seen in any other Government in the civilized or uncivilized world.
SIXTH.—Women are imported into your Majesty’s Government for immoral purposes.
SEVENTH.—Your Majesty’s Government is engaged in trade and commerce, competing with the organised trade companies of Belgium, England, France, Portugal and Holland.
EIGHTH.—Your Majesty’s Government has violated the General Act of the Conference of Berlin by firing upon native canoes; by confiscating the property of natives; by intimidating native traders, and preventing them from trading with white trading companies; by quartering troops in native villages when there is no war; by causing vessels bound from “Stanley-Pool” to “Stanley-Falls”, to break their journey and leave the Congo, ascend the Aruhwimi river to Basoko, to be visited and show their papers; by forbidding a mission steamer to fly its national flag without permission from a local Government; by permitting the natives to carry on the slave- trade, and by engaging in the wholesale and retail slave-trade itself.
NINTH.—-Your Majesty’s Government has been, and is now, guilty of waging unjust and cruel wars against natives, with the hope of securing slaves and women, to minister to the behests of the officers of your Government.
TENTH.—Your Majesty’s Government is engaged in the slave-trade, wholesale and retail. It buys and sells and steals slaves.
ELEVENTH.—Your Majesty’s Government has concluded a contract with the Arab Governor at this place for the establishment of a line of military posts from the Seventh Cataract to Lake Tanganyika territory to which your Majesty has no more legal claim, than I have to be Commander-in-Chief of the Belgian army.
TWELFTH—The agents of your Majesty’s Government have misrepresented the Congo country and the Congo railway.
All the crimes perpetrated in the Congo have been done in your name, and you must answer at the bar of Public Sentiment for the misgovernment of a people, whose lives and fortunes were entrusted to you by the august Conference of Berlin, 1884—1 885. I now appeal to the Powers which committed this infant Free State to your Majesty’s charge, and to the great States which gave it international being; and whose majestic law you have scorned and trampled upon, to call and create an International Commission to investigate the charges herein preferred in the name of Humanity, Commerce, Constitutional Government and Christian Civilisation.
I base this appeal upon the terms of Article 36 of Chapter VII of the General Act of the Conference of Berlin, in which that august assembly of Sovereign States reserved to themselves the right “to introduce into it later and by common accord the modifications or ameliorations, the utility of which may be demonstrated experience”.
I appeal to the Belgian people and to their Constitutional Government, so proud of its traditions, replete with the song and story of its champions of human liberty, and so jealous of its present position in the sisterhood of European States—to cleanse itself from the imputation of the crimes with which your Majesty’s Free State of Congo is polluted.
I appeal to Anti-Slavery Societies in all parts of Christendom, to Philanthropists, Christians, Statesmen, and to the great mass of people everywhere, to call upon the Governments of Europe, to hasten the close of the tragedy your Majesty’s unlimited Monarchy is enacting in the Congo.
I appeal to our Heavenly Father, whose service is perfect love, in witness of the purity of my motives and the integrity of my aims; and to history and mankind I appeal for the demonstration and vindication of the truthfulness of the charge I have herein briefly outlined.
And all this upon the word of honour of a gentleman, I subscribe myself your Majesty’s humble and obedient servant,
GEO. W. WILLIAMS
Stanley Falls, Central Africa,
July 18th, 1890.
Reproduced in The New York Times, December 22nd, 1894.
Note that the editorial board of The New York Times regrets that the full text of Mr. Williams' letter is too great to be published in a single edition. We have taken the liberty of abbreviating it and will publish further pieces on later dates.
SECOND.—Your Majesty’s Government has established nearly fifty posts, consisting of from two to eight mercenary slave-soldiers from the East Coast.
THIRD.—Your Majesty’s Government is guilty of violating its contracts made with its soldiers, mechanics and workmen, many of whom are subjects of other Governments. Their letters never reach home.
FOURTH.—The Courts of your Majesty’s Government in Africa are abortive, unjust, partial and delinquent. I have personally witnessed and examined their clumsy operations.
FIFTH.—Your Majesty’s Government is excessively cruel to its prisoners, condemning them, for the slightest offences, to the chain gang, the like of which can not be seen in any other Government in the civilized or uncivilized world.
SIXTH.—Women are imported into your Majesty’s Government for immoral purposes.
SEVENTH.—Your Majesty’s Government is engaged in trade and commerce, competing with the organised trade companies of Belgium, England, France, Portugal and Holland.
EIGHTH.—Your Majesty’s Government has violated the General Act of the Conference of Berlin by firing upon native canoes; by confiscating the property of natives; by intimidating native traders, and preventing them from trading with white trading companies; by quartering troops in native villages when there is no war; by causing vessels bound from “Stanley-Pool” to “Stanley-Falls”, to break their journey and leave the Congo, ascend the Aruhwimi river to Basoko, to be visited and show their papers; by forbidding a mission steamer to fly its national flag without permission from a local Government; by permitting the natives to carry on the slave- trade, and by engaging in the wholesale and retail slave-trade itself.
NINTH.—-Your Majesty’s Government has been, and is now, guilty of waging unjust and cruel wars against natives, with the hope of securing slaves and women, to minister to the behests of the officers of your Government.
TENTH.—Your Majesty’s Government is engaged in the slave-trade, wholesale and retail. It buys and sells and steals slaves.
ELEVENTH.—Your Majesty’s Government has concluded a contract with the Arab Governor at this place for the establishment of a line of military posts from the Seventh Cataract to Lake Tanganyika territory to which your Majesty has no more legal claim, than I have to be Commander-in-Chief of the Belgian army.
TWELFTH—The agents of your Majesty’s Government have misrepresented the Congo country and the Congo railway.
All the crimes perpetrated in the Congo have been done in your name, and you must answer at the bar of Public Sentiment for the misgovernment of a people, whose lives and fortunes were entrusted to you by the august Conference of Berlin, 1884—1 885. I now appeal to the Powers which committed this infant Free State to your Majesty’s charge, and to the great States which gave it international being; and whose majestic law you have scorned and trampled upon, to call and create an International Commission to investigate the charges herein preferred in the name of Humanity, Commerce, Constitutional Government and Christian Civilisation.
I base this appeal upon the terms of Article 36 of Chapter VII of the General Act of the Conference of Berlin, in which that august assembly of Sovereign States reserved to themselves the right “to introduce into it later and by common accord the modifications or ameliorations, the utility of which may be demonstrated experience”.
I appeal to the Belgian people and to their Constitutional Government, so proud of its traditions, replete with the song and story of its champions of human liberty, and so jealous of its present position in the sisterhood of European States—to cleanse itself from the imputation of the crimes with which your Majesty’s Free State of Congo is polluted.
I appeal to Anti-Slavery Societies in all parts of Christendom, to Philanthropists, Christians, Statesmen, and to the great mass of people everywhere, to call upon the Governments of Europe, to hasten the close of the tragedy your Majesty’s unlimited Monarchy is enacting in the Congo.
I appeal to our Heavenly Father, whose service is perfect love, in witness of the purity of my motives and the integrity of my aims; and to history and mankind I appeal for the demonstration and vindication of the truthfulness of the charge I have herein briefly outlined.
And all this upon the word of honour of a gentleman, I subscribe myself your Majesty’s humble and obedient servant,
GEO. W. WILLIAMS
Stanley Falls, Central Africa,
July 18th, 1890.
Reproduced in The New York Times, December 22nd, 1894.
Note that the editorial board of The New York Times regrets that the full text of Mr. Williams' letter is too great to be published in a single edition. We have taken the liberty of abbreviating it and will publish further pieces on later dates.
-----------
"Reply to the Letter of Mr. Geo. W. Williams"
By His Highness, Pierre d'Arenberg GCL
By His Highness, Pierre d'Arenberg GCL
To my great nephew, His Majesty the King of Belgium,
I write this letter today to impress upon Your Majesty that the accusations contained within Mr. Williams' letter are utter falsehoods. Most of the charges are too outlandish to even warrant direct refutation, but I will begin by saying that I have written to our friends in the British Foreign Office to request to see this "evidence" that Mr. Williams claims to have deposited with them. I have little doubt that it is either fabricated or imaginary.
Upon investigation, Mr. Geo. W. Williams is an ordained missionary of some Protestant order in the United States. He is a man of very poor repute; having been forced from his own country on charges of adultery and theft, he has fled to Africa to continue his panhandling ways. My correspondents tell me that Mr. Williams was accused of fraud but left before he could be properly tried; he seeks to continue his crimes by creating an entirely fictional humanitarian crisis in our Congo Free State in order to solicit donations from gullible Americans and other good Christians. He has obviously, in his letter, played on both the old animosities between the United States and Belgium and Protestants and Catholics, in doing so slandering missionaries of the One True Faith and currying favor with his own people. Doubtless the reason for the timing of this letter's publication in American periodicals is to exploit the recent disorder in the Belgian Congo, precipitated by a few malcontents.
In summary, Your Majesty, I would urge you to disregard this letter from Mr. Williams and its accusations, which I must say again are whole false. Do not let it trouble you or your embattled government.
Your uncle,
HRH Pierre d'Arenberg, GCL
Reproduced in various Belgian papers, January 2nd, 1895.
Confidence in the Lannoy Government: NO CONFIDENCE
- Josef de Leeuw, DL of the [BSU]
- Josef de Leeuw, DL of the [BSU]
"Down with Lannoy and down with his lackeys! Down with this Beauffortian resurgence and long live the Belgian Republic!"
As the no confidence vote began the Republicans and Socialists occupying the nearby square continued their protest, still calling for a popular Referendum and the end of the Conservative government.
Confidence in the Lannoy Government: No Confidence
[BSU]
- Carl Coppens, Independent Socialist Deputy
As the no confidence vote began the Republicans and Socialists occupying the nearby square continued their protest, still calling for a popular Referendum and the end of the Conservative government.
Confidence in the Lannoy Government: No Confidence
[BSU]
- Carl Coppens, Independent Socialist Deputy
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Gentlemen,
Some of the esteemed deputies have expressed the opinion that this cabinet does not any longer represents the will of the nation. Maybe it does not – but the current legislature most definitely does not as well. For example, a number of MLP deputies have broken from their party, creating new groups, which, of course, did not have the mandate of their voters. A number of seats have been lost by the Regalist Union due to the deaths of a number of their esteemed members, who held them for years, and sudden disappearance of solid conservative candidates in the region. The byelections that took place in regions occupied by rebels and war hysteria cannot be hardly considered as proper organized and representing the true will of the Belgian nation.
I had many qualms about it and must say that that this government could have been continued, at the sake of the certain deals with certain parliamentary groups.
But, first of all, I, Alexandre de Lannoy, Duke of Anjou-Brienne, do not believe that a parliament that was created in the middle of the term of the initial one, by a chain of extraordinary events, instead of proper elections, can be a basis for stable governance – and backroom dealings in such a unstable body should not decide matters of national importance.
Secondly, such a compromise would have meant a betrayal of certain principles that are sacred for our movement, our belief in certain institutions and traditions, our faith in stable monarchy and meritocracy. It would not be something our voters would have appreciated - and not something honor and integrity demand for us. Staying in office for a few several years is not something that is worth selling yourself and your ideals for. Expecially if it would be declared that these decisions are made, so that your humble servant would stay in power. Our ideals of active monarchism, system of checks-and-balances, reasonable governance, are more important for our movement, which has for fifty years represented he largest group of Belgian voters - and always would be.
Such a government would, have been a farce. Current legislature is a farce and current vote of no-confidence is a farce. It is not something I, an old man that spent forty years in the service of the country, want to continue in any way. I believe that it is time for the nation to speak up again.
Today I, Alexandre de Lannoy, Duke of Anjou-Brienne, Prime Minister of Belgium, inform King Prosper-August, my gracious sovereign and master, that I have decided to to dissolve this legislature and call for new general elections.
- Alexandre de Lannoy, Duke of Anjou-Brienne, Prime Minister of Belgium
Confidence in the Lannoy Government: Confidence
[RU]
Some of the esteemed deputies have expressed the opinion that this cabinet does not any longer represents the will of the nation. Maybe it does not – but the current legislature most definitely does not as well. For example, a number of MLP deputies have broken from their party, creating new groups, which, of course, did not have the mandate of their voters. A number of seats have been lost by the Regalist Union due to the deaths of a number of their esteemed members, who held them for years, and sudden disappearance of solid conservative candidates in the region. The byelections that took place in regions occupied by rebels and war hysteria cannot be hardly considered as proper organized and representing the true will of the Belgian nation.
I had many qualms about it and must say that that this government could have been continued, at the sake of the certain deals with certain parliamentary groups.
But, first of all, I, Alexandre de Lannoy, Duke of Anjou-Brienne, do not believe that a parliament that was created in the middle of the term of the initial one, by a chain of extraordinary events, instead of proper elections, can be a basis for stable governance – and backroom dealings in such a unstable body should not decide matters of national importance.
Secondly, such a compromise would have meant a betrayal of certain principles that are sacred for our movement, our belief in certain institutions and traditions, our faith in stable monarchy and meritocracy. It would not be something our voters would have appreciated - and not something honor and integrity demand for us. Staying in office for a few several years is not something that is worth selling yourself and your ideals for. Expecially if it would be declared that these decisions are made, so that your humble servant would stay in power. Our ideals of active monarchism, system of checks-and-balances, reasonable governance, are more important for our movement, which has for fifty years represented he largest group of Belgian voters - and always would be.
Such a government would, have been a farce. Current legislature is a farce and current vote of no-confidence is a farce. It is not something I, an old man that spent forty years in the service of the country, want to continue in any way. I believe that it is time for the nation to speak up again.
Today I, Alexandre de Lannoy, Duke of Anjou-Brienne, Prime Minister of Belgium, inform King Prosper-August, my gracious sovereign and master, that I have decided to to dissolve this legislature and call for new general elections.
- Alexandre de Lannoy, Duke of Anjou-Brienne, Prime Minister of Belgium
Confidence in the Lannoy Government: Confidence
[RU]
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Upon hearing the news of a possible election being called Van de Velde muses to himself
Maybe it's time to retire, I near 60 soon and I've grown too old for this.
Maybe it's time to retire, I near 60 soon and I've grown too old for this.
The aged Duke harrumphs with indignation at both the accusations of the American and at the evident fall of the Lannoy government.
Damn liberals don't know what they're doing besides blaming the problems they created on the man trying to fix them. Things were so much simpler with Beauffort. Three parties, all of good moral stock, working together to achieve a better Belgium. Bloody Poisson, bloody liberals, and bloody goddamn republicans. Ought to shoot the malcontents before they can do further damage.
The Duke makes as if he'd taken aim and fired at Frederic Burke before dissolving into howls of laughter.
Damn liberals don't know what they're doing besides blaming the problems they created on the man trying to fix them. Things were so much simpler with Beauffort. Three parties, all of good moral stock, working together to achieve a better Belgium. Bloody Poisson, bloody liberals, and bloody goddamn republicans. Ought to shoot the malcontents before they can do further damage.
The Duke makes as if he'd taken aim and fired at Frederic Burke before dissolving into howls of laughter.
A BSU's deputy suddenly stood up:
That would be a liberation for us all!
*Several Socialists laughed softly at this*
Hmm, I wasn't aware people thought it polite to ease drop.
((If anything my next character is worse for the left wing but...))
- Christian van de Velde, Count of Ypres, Minister of Justice, OL
The Prime Minister has called new elections, making a No Confidence vote irrelevant. The vote is closed and new elections will begin shortly.
A popular joke in the taverns of Brussels:
What has two legs, a nose, and mouth but doesn't know what it is doing?
A technocrat
What has two legs, a nose, and mouth but doesn't know what it is doing?
A technocrat
After being in politics for 35 years now I grow old and tired, such that I don't feel I'm able to represent my consitutents properly. So with this I bid you all fairwell as I am not going to run again.
- Christian van de Velde, Count of Ypres, Minister of Justice, OL
Introducing...
Jules van de Velde
Born: April 4th, 1862
Party: RU
Bio:
Jules van de Velde was born to Christian van de Velde and Adrienne van de Velde on April 4th, 1862. From a young age Jules showed an affinity towards politics and avidly followed everything his father did. This led him to joining a traditionalist and reactionary youth group when he was 15 in an effort to emulate his father. Yet unlike his father Jules was frustrated with the old fashioned and outdated ideology. Thus just a year after joining the group he left it and looked around at various ideologies.
During his search he tried out socialism, at first he felt sympathetic to the cause of socialism, yet as time went on things started to change. He met with several influential Beauforttist and that made him start to question the socialists goals and methods and soon found them to be lacking.
After his socialist experiment he found himself confused on politics and decided to study history for awhile this led him to discover various land claims and other such evidence that made him feel that Belgium was and is cheated land that it should right fully have. This led him to go back into politics where he hoped to bring Belgium to reach its 'destiny' and to destroy the radical influences of the left wing.
Positions:
Monarchism, Jingoism, Radical Belgian Nationalism, Anti-Socialism, Anti-Capitalism, Anti-Republicanism
- Christian van de Velde, Count of Ypres, Minister of Justice, OL
Introducing...
Jules van de Velde
Born: April 4th, 1862
Party: RU
Bio:
Jules van de Velde was born to Christian van de Velde and Adrienne van de Velde on April 4th, 1862. From a young age Jules showed an affinity towards politics and avidly followed everything his father did. This led him to joining a traditionalist and reactionary youth group when he was 15 in an effort to emulate his father. Yet unlike his father Jules was frustrated with the old fashioned and outdated ideology. Thus just a year after joining the group he left it and looked around at various ideologies.
During his search he tried out socialism, at first he felt sympathetic to the cause of socialism, yet as time went on things started to change. He met with several influential Beauforttist and that made him start to question the socialists goals and methods and soon found them to be lacking.
After his socialist experiment he found himself confused on politics and decided to study history for awhile this led him to discover various land claims and other such evidence that made him feel that Belgium was and is cheated land that it should right fully have. This led him to go back into politics where he hoped to bring Belgium to reach its 'destiny' and to destroy the radical influences of the left wing.
Positions:
Monarchism, Jingoism, Radical Belgian Nationalism, Anti-Socialism, Anti-Capitalism, Anti-Republicanism
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((I must say, I'm loving the fact that everyone has latched on so enthusiastically to the use of a word which will not become a neologism for at least 35 years.
))I nominate Christiaan van der Velde, the Count of Ypres, for a Senatorial appointment. He has served Belgium loyally for more than twenty years, holding various governmental positions. His experience will be most useful for our upper chamber.
- Alexandre de Lannoy, Duke of Anjou-Brienne, Prime Minister of Belgium
- Alexandre de Lannoy, Duke of Anjou-Brienne, Prime Minister of Belgium