[Forum Game] Destiny of the Republic

[NikoHoI3]

Marie Caroline Sophie Pontbriand On Women's Roles in the War​

The Republic is threatened! Imperialists and their German master's threaten to destroy the nation we've all built. The nation of liberty, of equality and of enlightenment! The Monarchist dogs look to oppress women, end democracy and return France to the feudal system of the middle ages. Our men go to fight and die in the fields and cities for our nation, but we can help to! Women need to do their part in helping defend our France! We, as females, can help build barricades, donate what we have to our soldiers and take up arms against the enemy. It is time to turn our arms we use to fight our government to use them against the invaders! Our help is essential to defending the Revolution, which when we marched on Versailles helped begin. If we want equality we must put in our equal share of help defending our nation! Join our soldiers! Fight along side them! Nurse them in hospitals! Give them extra goods that could help the effort against the Monarchists! The female sex is equal, and we will do our equal part in defending the Republic! This nation needs you, women can help! Onwards for Liberty! For the Revolution!

 

[viola]

((Can we expect an update today?))

 

[Syriana]

15-21 October
Far from Heaven​

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The crown and altar were often accused of being in perpetual alliance. So it appeared to be no coincidence to the revolutionary authorities that war with the Holy Roman Emperor was soon followed by papal condemnation. Pope Pius VI had steadfastly ignored the repeated pleas from the Archbishop of Paris for reconciliation - to acknowledge them would have been to accept his unrighteous appointment. He had been content to wait for events, but then news reached him of the Parisian uprising, the massacre of the Monarchicals (which included the leading French clergymen) and even the death of a member of his own College of Cardinals. The Pope no longer possessed any confidence in the State to protect the Church while the King was powerless to do so. On 10 October, he issued a brief regarding the rights of approbation and appointment. He did not want to merely reset the calendar to 1789, before the anticlericalism of the Revolutionary State; he wanted to reset the calendar to 1682, before the Gallicanism of the ancien régime. Every ecclesiastical office in France would be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome; their appointment would be his decision and his alone. And those that opposed his will would face immediate excommunication. Although this Ultramontanist assertion was not specifically directed at France, the intended recipient was all too clear. It was yet another blow to Adolphe Beauchene, reviled by the radicals for his 'Popery' and now anathematised from his own Mother Church.

If the Pope was seeking revenge, however, he would have to form a queue. War was coming, and the Revolutionary Government scrambled to the defence of the fatherland. The Assembly - side-lined in the recent turmoil - witnessed a renewed bout of activity. Vincent Parént, the reinstated Lieutenant-General of Police, spearheaded multiple bills, ranging from the conscription of men for the armies to the repatriation of Marie Antoinette. By now, the Assembly consisted only of the parties of government. But if Parént expected an easy passage for his legislative agenda, he was to be brought sharply down to earth. Notwithstanding their shared regime, André Bouchard and Antoine Durand attacked Parént's Stability Act as a "shameless power grab" and a "direct threat" to the France. There was no solidarity in opposition, however; the Left soon divided over the fate of the émigrés. Bouchard condemned them all as inveterate traitors, deserving only of death, while a surprisingly tolerant Durand argued that only those émigrés who had declared themselves against the new State should be prosecuted and that their property was sacrosanct. Amidst accusations of self-interest, conspiracy and aggrandisement, the tenor of the debate turned vicious, with Parént even challenging his Jacobin opponent to a duel. But after also offering his resignation, he still could not turn the tide. The Stability Act failed, while his émigrés bill lost ground to Bouchard's harsher counter-proposal (which would allocate confiscated assets to the State rather than the local population) and his conscription bill passed only following amendment by an Orleanist deputy, which would raise conscripts in waves rather than all at once. Only the uncontroversial bill to proffer an olive branch to Bretagne and Lorraine passed unaltered. Parént was incensed. "By god," he fulminated to Pierre Le Goff, "if this is how we act against our friends, I fear for the future of France." But he was a victim of his own success; the coup he had masterminded had purged the Feuillants from the Assembly, leaving him with no parliamentary base and thus in thrall to his ostensible allies on the Left. Opting to bypass that troublesome body, Parént achieved the rest of his aims by special order: the attainder of the rebel princes; the subordination of the militant societies to the War Secretariat; and freedom of movement for Marie Antoinette. But as the penultimate proposal was universally rejected by the clubs themselves, it was unlikely to have much effect. Parént soon learned that in the republic, power is worthless without popular support.

War is fought with gold as much as it is fought with iron - and that was scarce indeed. Plumbing the depths of France's byzantine finances, Durand discovered an economy in stagnation and a budget that had not been in balance since the reign of Louis XIII. France was staggering under the weight of its debt. Accrued over the course of four kings and as many wars, it stood at almost four billion livres - more than five times annual revenue. Faced with such exorbitant debt, Durand's solution was brutally simple: invalidation. As far as he was concerned, the debt had been amassed by the King and his thoughtless cronies, not the French people; why should the latter be saddled with such odious liabilities? Moreover, why should the Revolutionary State service the debt owed to countries openly hostile to its success? But while France did owe some debt to the Hapsburgs - which it was hardly likely to repay during wartime - it owed substantially more to the cabal of Swiss bankers who controlled the French finance industry, and to neutral powers such as the Netherlands and the United States. Naturally, the prospect of a unilateral cancellation of debts spurred outrage in all quarters. The bankers warned that French credit would be rendered worthless and economic confidence would plummet; the foreigners threatened reprisal. Against such vigorous opposition, internal and external, Durand was forced to climb down. An agreement was at last reached with France's creditors to (temporarily) suspend interest payments, freeing up 292.2 million livres.

This partial victory helped soothe the disappointment of Durand's other policies. A direct 'defence tax' levied on the population garnered only 30,000,000 livres, as royalists refused to pay it while the peasantry was unable to do so, leaving the burden to fall mostly on the cities and townships who did not yet feel terribly endangered by the distant Germans and so resented the financial burden. A tariff reduction cut into government revenue more than it bolstered trade, as Europe braced for war and France itself had yet to tear down trade barriers within its own borders. The decision to completely defund the King's Household barely put a dent in expenditure, but at least it proved popular (except with Francisque St Denis-Paternoster, who lost his job as royal secretary). In the end, the temporary suspension of servicing the debt made up for the lacklustre returns from the defence tax. Durand was able to establish a new civil service, independent from the old bureaucracy, charged with the alleviation of the condition of the poor. In a similarly radical vein was a new trust to establish schools across France, the first time the State had ever become involved in public education. No doubt Durand wished the State to supplant the Church as the purveyor of schools, hospitals and poorhouses. Edicts were issued against corporate tax farming; only the State would have the right to collect dues and duties. And as the State seized, so too did it lavish; millions of livres were to be poured into drainage, sanitation and all manners of public works, and many former fermiers would be able to find new work in the bureaucracy, dramatically expanded in keeping with the State's competence creep. Even without debt interest, the primary deficit actually rose, albeit mostly due to the increase in defence spending. Yet the war had only begun, and France's creditors could not be kept at bay forever...

As a result of Durand's clash with the financiers, the freshly-minted Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Henri de La Costa Leroux, already saddled with the unenviable task of securing France on the continent, now found himself also charged with damage control. The first port of call was Spain, where La Costa Leroux had higher hopes than simply smoothing down ruffled feathers. King Carlos III considered himself a monarch in the Enlightenment mould. Like his French counterparts, he struggled against the social tyranny of the Church and the entrenched monopolies, advocated the fruits of prosperity and modernity, and even held Austria in disdain as an ancient enemy. But Carlos was godfather to Marie-Antoinette's daughter and head of the Spanish branch of the Bourbons. If there was nothing to bind him to France's enemies, there was even less to bind him to the Revolution. In response to French overtures, the King issued an ominously familiar declaration: Spain was personally invested in the wellbeing of the King of France and his family, and desirous that the former should be restored to power. Frustrated in his desire to resurrect the pacte de famille, La Costa Leroux turned to keeping the British out of the war. The Tory ministry of William Pitt refused any rapprochement with the New France, while the radical Charles James Fox and his Whigs were confined to opposition by the will of King George III. But Britain was as saturated with debt as its enemies, and wary of inflaming popular passions by becoming embroiled in another conflict so soon after the titanic struggle over the American colonies, which had divided parliament and populace in equal measure. Having extracted an assurance from La Costa Leroux that no territory would be taken by the French, Pitt begrudgingly avowed his neutrality. Meanwhile, feelers put out to the German principalities revealed that most were intrinsically hostile to the Revolution and even the liberal reformists had been shaken by 8 October. But the Emperor had not summoned the Diet; for now, only Austria and Prussia would commit their forces to the field. This was scant consolation, when said forces so dwarfed the revolutionary armies of France.

The board having been set, the pieces began to move. When he was not sparring in the Assembly, Bouchard was occupied with mobilising the French navy. The northern and Mediterranean squadrons were combined and transplanted to Le Havre and Caen on the Norman coast. The Naval Secretary appeared as concerned with ideological purity as martial preparedness, however; royalist officers were systematically removed in favour of 'dependable' replacements drawn from the ranks and copies of Jacobin tracts began to circulate amongst the sailors. More practically, an updated naval manual was commissioned for distribution, in the hopes of improving the proficiency of a fleet that had not faced a sea war since 1783 (although whether this would offset the lost experience of their former commanders was another matter). Meanwhile, the War Secretary Jacques Nazaire Aulard appointed Charles Augereau and Valerian Lémieux to the Army of the Rhine and the Reserve; they were hastily dispatched to the undefended frontier. Javert Valjean, previously described as "one of the most dangerous men in France" by Paternoster, was placed in command of the Army of the Centre (probably not what the latter had in mind when he said "action should be taken against him"). But he did not depart so swiftly. Instead, he oversaw the establishment of a new headquarters for the Vigilants on the Rue de Rambouillet, deep in the downtrodden Faubourg Saint-Antoine. He insinuated himself amongst the destitute locals, recruiting them as his eyes and ears across the capital. The Carabinier Guard proved to be suspiciously well-supplied; where other gangs had to scavenge for weaponry, modern rifles somehow found their way into their hands. A steady stream of pamphlets fed its reputation, and the Guard was soon greatly enlarged. Satisfied with these arrangements, Valjean finally departed Paris on 17 October - with a company of Vigilant cohorts - and thus did not arrive at his post in Blois until the end of the week.

The direness of the situation did not deter others from indulging in a spot of nest-feathering; the Duc d'Orléans, having been denied in his request for command, began waging a more domestic campaign. He spearheaded an Alliance assault on France, establishing branches in all the major cities. The Orleanists (as they had instantly become known) were backed by the wealthiest man in France; they certainly had the means to match their ambitions. Even on the frontlines, the Baron de Loilollac - commanding the junior Army of Alsace - spent as much time shielding the non-juring parsons from the more zealous revolutionaries as he did probing the border for German dispositions. His intervention to protect the churchmen endeared him to pious Alsatians, but his sympathy earned him a scathing rebuke from the Representative-on-Mission in their report to the Assembly. General Loiollac had the time to spare, however; probing incursions into Baden and Trier revealed no sign of an approaching Imperial Army. Indeed, while Leopold had planned this war since 8 October, he had only recently marshalled his troops and they remained weeks away. The Army of the Alsace bunkered down in its position to set a trap for the encroaching Imperials.

But Austria had suppressed the Brabant revolt only last year, leaving a sizeable complement of troops in the Southern Netherlands - on a collision course with the Army of the Rhine, which was marching to secure the Belgian border. By 19 October, General Augereau had reached Sedan, on his way to the Montmédy-Longwy line of fortifications. He ordered a halt while his vanguard reconnoitred for enemy movements. Not content with just protecting French soil, he also dispatched a cavalry expedition to revive the Brabantists with promises of arms and foreign aid. But these roaming parties proved unsuccessful, and the screening cavalry returned to reveal why: the Austrian army had just left Bouillon, which was only ten miles away. Augereau had made the decision to withdraw if the enemy outnumbered his forces by more than 4,000 men - the exact numerical superiority of the Austrians, according to the estimates of his scouts. Even so, he could still attempt to retreat and harry the Austrians on his way, or he could stand his ground and face them head on. Meanwhile, General Loiollac received the news on 21 October that a second Austrian force had crossed the border at Longwy and seized the fortress. No one could predict their next move. He was faced with the dilemma: either to attack the Austrians alone, or await the arrival of General Lémieux's Reserve Army, which had left Lyon on the same day.

Meanwhile in Paris, where the Government was desperately fortifying the city's outer walls, the situation was equally grim. Restless and uncertain, their fears for the future whipped up into visions of apocalypse by leftist firebrands, the Parisians turned to a familiar scapegoat. Displaying uncharacteristic political acumen, Marie-Antoinette had refused Parént's offer of passage to her homeland - knowing that she would never make it out of Paris, never mind France. But as usual, she was damned whatever she did. New denunciations of the former queen came from a most surprising source: Jeanne de La Motte-Valois. Surprising, because The Times of London had reported her death not two months ago. In fact, Madame de La Motte had gone into hiding to avoid arrears, and returned to France after the downfall of Louis-Auguste. Born poor but of recognised royal lineage, she had been forced into exile as a result of the Diamond Necklace Affair. Having nurtured a vehement hatred for Marie-Antoinette ever since, she lost no time in settling scores. Every imaginable calumny and scandal was laid at the Austrian's feet: she had smuggled out a letter to Emperor Leopold, demanding her brother make war against France and restore her husband; she had embezzled from the Civil List to sponsor royalist conspiracies in Bretagne and the Vendée; she was even enervating her own child with doses of arsenic, so that she could install one of her many bastards instead. La Motte - acclaimed in the radical press as the "Queen of Diamonds" and a martyr of the Bourbon monarchy – soon gathered a following. On the morning of 17 October, they marched on the Palais des Tuileries. Having lost their entire subsidy from the State, the Royal Family had been forced to dismiss their servants and attendants, while the Swiss Guard had gone without pay for nearly a week. They were vulnerable. The gathering crowd issued several demands: for the safety of the King, Marie-Antoinette must join her husband in the Conciergerie; and the King should dismiss his despotic Swiss Guard in favour of the protection of the people (the Phrygians and the Vigilants eagerly volunteered). As the armies of tyranny crossed the Ardennes and a Parisian mob descended upon the Tuileries once more, Revolutionary France was very far from heaven indeed.




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Player Actions Needed:

The Stability Act has failed. The Emigrants Act, the Amended Conscription Act and the Bretagne and Lorraine Act have all passed.

The Army of the Rhine is at Sedan. General Charles Augereau ((baboushreturns)) must decide on a plan of action. Similarly, General Ignace, Baron de Loiollac ((aussieboy)) must decide how to respond to the Austrian invasion. Once these orders have been received, there will be a war update. The Reserve Army has reached Lyon. The Army of the Centre remains at Blois.

An anti-Austrian mob has surrounded the Palais du Luxembourg des Tuileries. Those of you still in Paris must address the situation.

As a note, I am changing the rules on bills and voting. Now, bills will simply be introduced and characters will argue for or against them, or introduce counter-bills and amendments; this will form the basis of whether a bill passes or not rather than an actual vote. I believe this arrangement works better with the nature of the game, as the players represent individuals, not parties, and the Assembly is not the sole focus of gameplay. In general, while I appreciate orders for clarification purposes, everything you say and do in this thread, I will endeavour to incorporate into and reflect in the updates.

Military orders are due by tomorrow.

 

[viola]

The People once again speak the truth! It is absolutely necessary to arrest Marie Antoinette, the rumors of her collaboration with the Austrian invaders are most concerning and an investigation must be conduced immediately. Furthermore the Swiss Guard has no reason to exist anymore, the Revolutionary volunteers can and should replace them immediately as they are far more reliable than foreign mercenaries.

The Royal family must obey to the demands of the People, such is the nature of our enlightened Republic!

- André Bouchard, Secretary of State of the Navy

((No words on my act against free spe... er, evil Royalist propaganda?))

 

[Dadarian]

Vincent walked back and forth and back and forth and back and forth in his house. Two high ranking members of Le Société were sitting down, waiting for orders. They were getting slightly nervous at the outraged disposition of Vincent, but they kept their mouths shut. Their boss has never gotten angry in private, let alone in front of confidants. They did not want to even do anything at all to make his mood worse. But this has been going on for over an our, so something had to happen.

"Um ... sir, is there something you wish?"

Vincent stopped suddenly and turned to the two officers, both of who leaned back and tensed.

"Yes, it is obvious we are not a populist party like the rest of them in Paris. However we do have an audience. Send out runners to the cities, make contact with the police, the guardsmen, reservists and the armies. Apparently we are the militarists of this nation, so we might as well work with what we have."

The men start to stand, but Vincent motioned them back down.

"But know this is not a hostile bid for power. We are trying to work with the Cords and Jacobins, no matter how paranoid those politicians are. However our impotence in parliament means we need to make our worth shown in other theatres. Oh, and send a man to our contacts in the cottage industries to see if a cheaper, improved version of the Modèle 1777 can be created. Our men will need it."

Vincent waved them off, and started pacing again. The utter completeness in which Le Société has been shut out of parliament was shocking. All he wanted was to save what he had created, and the populist politicians saw nothing but knives in the dark and coups at every corner. No matter, they will stand together or hang apart, and Vincent will have no business in being hanged at the neck until dead.

 

[Syriana]

((No words on my act against free spe... er, evil Royalist propaganda?))

I saw it but the update was getting to unwieldy length (almost 3000 words) so I deferred it until the next one. This was very much a scene-setting update as I processed all the ministerial orders and move everything in place, but rest assured, things are about to get very exciting.

 

[Gen. Marshall]

Considering, that France has reached a period of workable stability; that, in spite of unrest and approaching armies, elections in all but the very northern border regions will be possible; that, if we do not hold elections now, it might take an indeterminable period of time before the entirety of France may vote again; the First Revolutionary Cabinet calls immediate and swift elections with universal suffrage.

May the Second Revolutionary Cabinet lead France to victory, and hold the values of liberty and equality high.

- First Minister Renaud de Cartelège



((

very exciting

...uh-oh))

 

[Maxwell500]

After consulting with my colleagues in the Cordeliers, it has been decided that I shall be our chief representative in these coming elections. It is my hope that I shall be allowed to serve the people in anyway I can and that I can contribute in this war effort and see it come to a closure in favor of the revolution!

Jacques Nazaire Aulard
Secretary of State for War
Mayor of the Commune of Paris

 

[EmperorGrimm]

Heil, representatives of the Republic! It is a time where the Throne of Liberty is under threat by would be tyrants at home and ancient slave masters abroad. The fatherland in order to best protect liberty and republic must look toward the ideals of the Enlightenment. Since the beginning of the Revolution the society has been teetering on the precipice of disaster from political turmoil to royalist sabotage. It is time to make the great leap into the new age of human freedom and virtue embodied by a French Republic free of the monarchy, free of ambitious tyrants disguised as revolutionaries, and enveloped in the flag of liberty, fraternity, and courage.

The Phrygian Platform

I. France shall be governed by a Republic of Virtue..Liberty, Fraternity, Courage, Honesty, Loyalty, Strength, Gravitas, Efficiency
II. All French people shall be made citizens, women shall have the vote...the age of suffrage shall be twenty one
III. All aristocrats shall be stripped of their ancient titles and positions, their property shall be confiscated to be used for military drilling
IV. The caused of Liberty shall be planted in the fields of Europe's spirits, all Kings shall be crushed
V. Justice shall be open and fair, lawyers shall be provided by the Republic if one cannot afford one
VI. Free education shall be provided to the citizens of France until the age of twelve in the areas of reading, writing, and arithmetic. All exceptional students shall be provided free education at universities. All universities shall abandon archaic teachings and embrace the Enlightenment
VII. A new constitution shall be written including Separation of Powers between the Executive, Legislative, and Judiciary branches.

-Antoine Durand, Controller-General of Finances

 

[Dadarian]

Vincent makes a statement to the French Press

"I shall be running as the head of Le Société for the latest election. We shall be hoping that our dedication to the Revolution, our strong military and economic connections, and our past actions towards defending and assisting the Revolution.

As well, I must protest Bouchard's recent bill against Counter-Revolutionaries. While the first part is adequate, the second and third points are odd in harshness. Are we as repressive as the former ancien regime? Does killing all those that stand against us facilitate a Republic, democracy or the Revolution? I have been called a coupist by Monsieur Bouchard, but this bill does more damage and is more damning to the revolution than any attempt to instill order in the Plains ever could.

I hope my Cordelier and Jacobin allies see this and remove or alter this document before adoption."

 

[NikoHoI3]

The Phrygian Platform

I offer my endorsement to the Phrygian Platform, but there are some concerns I have which should be addressed. First, why is it necessary for the State to seize all aristocratic land for the use of military drilling. If the land owned by a noble lies in a strategically important region, then I agree. But, taking away the rightful land of French citizens just for military use is simply questionable behaviour. Secondly, more rights should be given to women besides the right to vote. Women should be allowed to be represented in government assemblies across the country, and be considered equal under the Constitution. Finally, the slavery issue must be addressed. This club should be putting all their efforts behind abolishing the practice of slavery and boycotting all support of it. This inhumane practice must come to an end! These issues are deeply important in my continuation of support for the Club de Phrygian.

Marie Caroline Sophie Pontbriand,
La Société Fraternelle des Patriotes de l'un et l'autre sexe
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Speech given to the mob outside of the Palais du Luxembourg

French Citizens! Put down your arms! Your anger is justified but your actions are not! The Republic is in disarray but this is not the way to deal with your problems! The former Royal Family has caused this nation nothing but anguish and destruction but we cannot sink become them. We cannot continuously kill our fellow Frenchmen, violence leads to nothing more than destruction. Yes, I believe the former King must be returned back to this palace with his family but we cannot harm him! This attack is being lead by a noble, vindictive women who leads this only to benefit herself! You are being lead by someone who is no different than the Royal Family themselves. Lay down your arms, control your rage and hatred. The Austrians and Germans grow closer to Paris we must focus on defending our city instead of worrying about one family who lives in constant fear in a prison. It is time to disperse and use your pent up anger against our German foes! Away, fight for liberty!

Marie Caroline Sophie Pontbriand,
La Société Fraternelle des Patriotes de l'un et l'autre sexe

 

[Dadarian]

Vincent makes an appearance at the Palais de Luxembourg flanked by a multitude of policemen.

Parisians, lay down your arms and go home. Burning the Palais will accomplish nothing. Lynching Antoinette will accomplish nothing. This is not how you can fight the Austrians, for that is what you want.

To fight the Austrian menace, join up in the military! Take up a rifle and drive a bullet into the heart of a monarchist! Killing the Austrian Queen will simply add fire to the flame, giving the German's heart and bodies, and killing your fathers, sons, uncles and neighbours. Instead join the military, purge the monarchist infection from our land and establish the Republic as the greatest nation in Europe!

I say with me men, fight for the Glory of the Revolution against the Austro-Prussian menace. Your nation needs you!

 

[viola]

I have some doubts about calling new elections in the middle of a war, but I will have trust in our First Minister, his dedication to the Revolution is certain and his decisions can be trusted. Of course I will lead the Jacobin club in the following elections. The club's plans are to organize itself in every city of France to better involve the people of the provinces, push for further social and political reforms and of course protect the Revolution and the French People with every mean possible from the agents of tyranny.

To the criticism of citizen Parént I answer by saying that this cannot be the moment of tolerance or comprehension: armies of mercenaries and slaves are marching against the free nation of France to extinguish the flame of our Revolution in the name of tyrants and false kings, in the meantime Monarchists and Counter-Revolutionaries are plaguing the countryside stirring up the peasants to revolt, to let them operate freely is to put the Revolution and France itself at stake!

For the sake of compromise I'm willing to change the second article so that the years of prison are reduced from fifteen to eight and to replace the confiscation of property with a fine, but the death penalty and seizure of property to those who incite violence and rebellion should stay. We cannot allow internal infighting to weaken us while the Germanic hordes march against us!

- André Bouchard, Secretary of State of the Navy

 

[EmperorGrimm]

A Letter to Marie Caroline Sophie Pontbriand

"I thank you for your endorsement and ensure you that the women of France shall be allowed to be elected to all positions of the government and that slavery shall indeed be ended. But this is politics and we must mobilize the people behind the Phrygian cause, the platform I presented is not the limit of I intend to do for the Fatherland, I promise you that!"

The Phrygian Campaign

Hotel Lambert as on spiritual fire. Its offices now those of the Club de Phrygian heiled the beginning of their campaign as the dawn of a new age of liberty and republican virtues. Pamphlets destined for all classes throughout France were printing at the speed of Zeus's thunderbolts. Antoine Durand was on his second day without sleep, he was near superhuman when it came to spilling out words and working. His average day saw him wake at five in the morning when he immediately began to write out ideas and designs for every aspect of society. "On The Infrastructure of Paris...On The Importance of the Rural Peasantry...Treatise on the American Republic.." and so on until ten in the morning when he began executing his responsibilities as minister of finance after a short lunch. This lasted until eight at night when he traveled to Ile St-Louis, the stronghold of the Phrygians and its here that he designed his campaign for the upcoming elections.

The Phrygians who were growing in number everyday by his direction traveled through every street and corridor they could and painted Phrygian propaganda over those of their enemies. One popular one was "Our Hero the Paladin of Liberty Strikes Fear In The Hearts of Tyrants" showing a heroic character throwing thunderbolts into the hearts of the varying monarchs of Europe, into notable royalists of the day, and most interestingly..into the body of Vincent Parent who was depicted as a devilish would be king with an unkempt wig with sheer terror in his eyes. Another was warmer, "Our Hero the Paladin of Liberty Restores The Nation's Poor and Hungry" which depicts him and the Phrygians handing out bundles of food and shielding them from savage criminals.

Recruitment drives accompanied humble requests for support. Durand's position as Controller-General of Finance meant that he was able to establish Phrygian campaign outposts at the food banks being constructed due to his own mandate. It was at the first completed food bank in the Cordeliers that he made a notable speech to a crowd of a Parisians.

Antoine Durand stoically walks onto a makeshift wooden platform, his eyes determined, his torso carrying the colors of the Revolution, his head donning a worn Phrygian.

"Good evening citizens of France, inhabitants of Paris, heroes of the Revolution. As you all may know by now, the Fatherland is holding its first true elections without the meddling of the royalist impotents that have murdered your relatives, friends, brothers in arms. But our work has only begun! The ghost of monarchy still haunts the halls of our noble republic! Indeed it seems that the disease of tyranny is contagious to those who sought to bring it to an end! Well my brothers, I am here to say to you now THAT I AM IMMUNE! Roaring applause breaks out But there is one man who is not and that is the one they call Vincent Parent whose spirit is like a malformed crippled dwarf! Laughter roars from the crowd. Already in sessions of the legislature he has called for the unlimited power of the police and judiciary, ministries that his band of highwaymen of freedom hold. DO YOU WANT THESE DEVILS TO TAKE AWAY YOUR HARD WON LIBERTY!? The crowd roars back NO!. Well then join me to rid the Republic of their presence once and for all!

Now let me first say that Monsieur Aulard is a man who has shown restraint and reserve in these times when the spiritual war between tyranny and you citizens of France are marching toward its Salamis. He is an honorable man, a man of great talent and intelligence, but still he lacks in the revolutionary zeal required to carry forth the people and nation of France unto the land of milk and honey that is the age of liberty! roaring applause You citizens of the Fatherland need a leader with the vigor of purpose and talent and record of accomplishments to lead us against the slave armies of Austria and their Prussian allies, a country that is not even a nation but a slave fiefdom perpetually in servitude to their tyrant king's armies. So I say to you..vote for the Phrygians! Ask your father, your sons, your brothers, your friends, the farmers, the rich and the poor, even your priesy laughter radiates to vote for the Phrygians in the upcoming legislature!

 

[aussieboy]

Posted around Alsace:

PROCLAMATION

of

Ignace Louis, BARON DE LOIOLLAC

In the name of his Most Christian Majesty, LOUIS-CHARLES, I order the following to be held as effective for the Army of Alsace:

Any persons presently outside of the French territory are called on to take up arms against the Austrian invader and for His Majesty the King. Regardless of their opposition or support for the events at Paris, I will do all that I can to ensure that all will be forgiven them if they join up.
Any who were previously officers or men of the Army of Alsace who return to their duties after their time abroad shall be restored to their former rank and pay, contingent on their swearing of an Oath of Allegiance to His Most Christian Majesty.
Any present member of the Army of Alsace who attempts to desert for the purpose of aiding the Austrian enemy shall be summarily shot, as customary.

Given this day, etc.

de Loiollac.

 

[Dadarian]

To the criticism of citizen Parént I answer by saying that this cannot be the moment of tolerance or comprehension: armies of mercenaries and slaves are marching against the free nation of France to extinguish the flame of our Revolution in the name of tyrants and false kings, in the meantime Monarchists and Counter-Revolutionaries are plaguing the countryside stirring up the peasants to revolt, to let them operate freely is to put the Revolution and France itself at stake!

For the sake of compromise I'm willing to change the second article so that the years of prison are reduced from fifteen to eight and to replace the confiscation of property with a fine, but the death penalty and seizure of property to those who incite violence and rebellion should stay. We cannot allow internal infighting to weaken us while the Germanic hordes march against us!

- André Bouchard, Secretary of State of the Navy

This is a fine compromise, as long as a judge oversees it. Then I'll be truly happy.

rabble, rabble

Vincent was on his horse with a vanguard of policeman listening to the riotous rhetoric of Durand. He was seen laughing at the comments as they spewed from the mouth of the popularised mouthpiece. Understanding he is perfectly protected and knowing that the mob would do what they will, Parént listened to him yell, spittle spraying from his over-sized mouth like a dog gone mad. When questioned on the speech, he gave the following answer.

"I am a policeman and a military officer. I am doing what I am doing to protect the revolution and the country. The bill was struck down, as is expected out of a democracy, and I pay no mind. We will win in the end. He seems to be following the path set earlier and attacks all of his allies now that the Revolution is in it's most dangerous opinion. Parisians and France will have it's due though, and if they follow the maligned words of a man such as Durand I do hope they enjoy the fruits of their labour.

Oh, and before you ask, I have no mind to arrest the man. It is neither my duty, my wish nor my order, besides, Aulard gets to deal with his militia."

 

[NikoHoI3]

Marie speaks to a hall full of supporters and members of the Club de Phrygian at Hotel Lambert

I have decided to run for a seat in the National Assembly. France has for too long unjustly treated women and I would like to pioneer reform to help not only women but all French people. I understand it is against the law for women to run in elections, but I simply cannot stand around without action, I want to help the citizens of this country through the legislature. Fight to end slavery, give women rights and begin democratic reform for the Republic. All persons of sound mind, at the proper age should be allowed to run in a election and I will be running for the Phrygians. My goal is to end violence, the constant attacks on nobles and all Frenchmen must be put to an end. Peace must reign over this Enlightened Republic! The current government has run the Republic into shambles. No reform, no peace and no stability. The current First Minister's name has become synonyms for violence, strife and poverty! It is time for the Phrygians to be in charge and lead France into a brighter future!

After the speech, Marie continues her campaigning for the Phrygians

Marie Caroline Sophie Pontbriand at a women's campaign event for the Phrygians​

 

[EmperorGrimm]

Phrygians In The Countryside

On horseback groups of Phrygians made their way across the French countryside with the mission to establish the Phrygian Guard and Club de Phrygian among the rural peasantry who had just recently learned the name of Antoine Durand. State food banks were just now being built in the urban centre of these provinces with steady shipments reaching those in need but it would take time for the program to have its maximum effect. Durand was no fool, he instructed his people to dress like the peasants to learn of their customs and to promise everything to get their vote. One such group led by Jacques Roland reached the conservative enclave of Provence and finally they came to Marseilles. The city which had sent 500 volunteers in support of the Revolution in early October.

La Marseillaise, the song of the revolution had come from here and it would be that the Phrygian intended to eat away at royalist support and raise another branch of the Phrygian Guard. Jacques Roland arrived at a small chapter of the Club de Phrygian, numbering only thirty members all of whom were intellectual bourgeois.

Provence was a stronghold of conservatives who wished to establish a constitutional monarchy but like the rest of France it was mostly populated by the rural poor which the Revolution had yet to seriously affect. It was Roland's mission to change that in a way that benefits the Phrygians, he was a trusted lieutenant of Durand's inner circle and the only one to be sent off with the other groups to convert the rest of France to the Phrygian cause.

The reality was that the rural poor were stuck in the middle ages in many aspects of their lives. They had yet to receive the benefits of the public school program and most still lived in fear of the Papal dogs. The peasantry were also incapable of paying the new defense taxes let alone the peace time taxes and so that would have to be dealt with as well. Roland's design for the rural peasantry was one brought to the other regions of France because it was he who had been in charge was developing a plan along with Antoine Durand in Paris.

Phrygian clubs have been established throughout France in as many villages and cities as possible. The top priority is to find lead by example, to provide services, food, and fantastic imagery depicting Antoine Durand and the Phrygians as defenders of the poor. They know that Antoine Durand is the one who has brought them food and lower taxes on their small shops. Tell them the aristocrats, the Jacobins, Vincent Parent are savage tyrants.

Phrygian Oath To The Rural Poor (as read by campaigners in local areas)

I. No poor family or citizen shall pay the Defense Tax if they provide an able bodied male in the service of the Army. Furthermore those of this region shall enjoy special preference for non-combat related duties for a period of half of their required term of service.
II. For those who provide an able bodied male for the Army they shall be required to only pay half of the regular peacetime state taxes for a period of two years no matter the fate of their family member
III. The Phrygian Guard shall protect and serve the people of this region forever. If a family provides one able bodied male to join the ranks of the Phrygian Guard they shall receive enough food to feed their family for one month and tax exemption for their family for one year's time

 

[Dadarian]

Vicent reads a recent missive of the Phrygian ... activities with shock

"This man undermines the government, the tax collectors and the military all in one fell swoop. Mon Dieu, France is in for some torturous months."

((Syriana, for TL;DR purposes, if you didn't get it the Societe is courting the army, reservists, police and cottage-industrialists (since no industrial revolution yet, you know what I mean) in the nation))

 

[viola]

This is a fine compromise, as long as a judge oversees it. Then I'll be truly happy.

Excellent then! This is the new wording of the act:

Act against the vile lies of the Counter-Revolutionaries

I. This act declares that from now on it will be considered a criminal offense to show contempt for or ridicule the Revolution, her symbols or her ideals in any form or way.

II. All those who will disrespect the revolution by showing contempt to or ridiculing it will be sentenced to eight years of prison and a fine whose amount is to be determined by the judge.

III. All those who will try to foment unrest, rebellion or any kind of violent opposition to the Revolution and her followers will be sentenced to death through Guillotine and the confiscation of their property.

- André Bouchard, Secretary of State of the Navy