Ireland Forever - part 18
Chapter 18 – Council Meeting
6 December 1758
• Signed land adviser.
The Council meeting in Havana
The location was selected as it was centrally located to all parts of the nation of Ireland.
Topics discussed were:
•
Nicaragua
Boy was this a mistake.
• How to curb the Nation’s rising Inflation,
• Market Trading
• Newly signed Land Adviser
• Vendee and Morbihan
How can we ever hope to hold onto these provinces?
The story goes like this:
The Setting:
Meeting hall in Havana, Cuba.
The King of Ireland has given me charge to assemble the greatest minds of all Ireland to discuss the nation’s problems.
• Just outside the hall, our dear friend, Vincenzo was sneaking about.
Within the hall:
• Sean Patrick O'Rourke the III and I were seated next to one another at a table where ten other leaders of our nation are also seated.
• "Sean Patrick O'Rourke the III..."
• "My saintly mother use to call me by my three names and that usually meant I was in trouble."
• "I knew your grandfather...he had the same name as you."
• "Which grandfather would that be?"
• "Both of them."
• "It must be nice to be eternal."
• The door to the meeting hall suddenly burst open and in walked a guard who briskly escorted Vincenzo into the room “I found this (referring to Vincenzo) lurking outside.
• “Spying?” Sean asked as he shot up from his chair. His eyes, burning with anger as he clutched the handle of his sword. "I warned you what would happen if I ever laid eyes on you again."
• There was no way around it, Sean was short tempered. I seemed to be the only person alive that could talk sense into the man before he acted irrationally.
• “Before we act Sean, let us hear Victor out.”
• “Victor,” mumbled Vincenzo, wondering.
• Sean retook his seat with a huff.
• “Vinny, what are you doing here?’
• Vincenzo was momentarily taken aback in hearing himself called by yet another name. Recovering, he explains, “I've come to lend my assistance."
• “Assistance?" I asked, baffled.
• “Yes,” he replied, “this is a forum to discuss the nation's fiscal problems is it not?"
• “Yes…yes, it is. But, what does that have to do with you?”
• “It's very much my business if you excuse me for saying."
• Sean’s tone becomes very cross as he leans over the table toward Vincenzo and slowly forms his thoughts.. "I'd choose my words very carefully and proceed very softly with my tone if I were you Victor."
• "Vin-cen-zo"
• "What?" Sean shot back in anger.
• "All right, I told Vincenzo, "we're listening Vincent."
• "Vin-cen-zo, my name is Vincenzo."
• Sean was beside himself. "For the love of St Patrick and all that is holy...start talking ... or, I swear I'll have you marched out, and hang up by your thumbs in the town square so the birds of prey can feast on your flesh."
• I stared at Sean for a moment, marveling at his mindset. "My, your choice of words are particularly picturesque this morning,"
• Thank you," replied Sean, taking my words as a compliment "And, I meant every word of it too."
• Turning my attention to Vincenzo, I asked, "What do you suggest Vic?"
• Vincenzo appeared about ready to correct me, but Sean stopped him cold.
• Sean softly began to lay down the law, "Vin-Cen-zo, don't you dare correct us again, for if you... "
• At that moment, a young woman bolted into the room. "Father, I told you I didn't want you to come alone!"
• "Excuse me Miss ... who are you?" I asked.
• "Oh, this is my eldest daughter, Gina," replied Vincenzo boastfully.
• "I suppose that means there's more at home?"
• "Oh, my yes, I have nine daughters in all."
• "Father!" Gina said surprised." She then whispered into her father's ear.
• "Are you sure?" He asked Gina, before beginning to count on his fingers the number of daughters he had. "I’m sorry…I have ten daughters."
• Sean then leaned over and said, "Don't you dare ask him their names, or we'll never get him out of here."
• "No sons?" I asked.
• Vincenzo, sadly shook his head no.
• "All right...what is it that you want to suggest we should do Victor?"
• Vincenzo was all ready to correct me, but Sean reminded him of his place.
• "Vin-cen-zo," said Sean, warning him, wagging his finger at him, telling him no.
• "For a time I would suggest that we build churches and temples instead of
market places and such), especially in our trouble provinces where there's a threat of
revolt.
• "Churches?" I asked.
• "We?" Asked Sean.
• "Temples?" I asked.
• "We?" Asked Sean.
• "But, for what purpose?"
• "For our nation's Stability," replied Vincenzo.
• "What does he mean Our?"
• "With the rise of stability it will bring all costs down, not to mention all our all technologies will be researched more quickly and at a lower cost"
• "But, what of trade?" I asked
• "There is no sense in paying for additional merchants,"epli the market is stagnant and the other country's merchants are too entrenched in the market to make any difference at this time. And ... "
• "Oh, God there's more ... will we ever be rid of him?"
• “Frankly we’ve spent way too much on trade alone. We would better served if we had spread our ducats about on different sectors.
• “Excuse me,” interrupted Sean. “But, we built our entire empire on trade.”
• “That is so…but, look what has come from this initiative?”
• “What would you have us do?” Asked Sean, mockingly “Are we suppose to cast everything we’ve gotten aside and start all over?
• “Is that all?” I asked.
• “No you must also cut back on your army."
• “What,” Sean barked. “And, what leave ourselves defenseless?"
• "It is true that most of our yearly outlay of funds and the biggest cause of our rise in inflation is due to our keeping such a large force. But, be reasonable Chin…”
• “There’s one name I would never have thought of,” said Sean with a wide smile.
• "I'm not suggesting that we cut the army to the bone ... "
• Gina stepped forward and angrily began putting Sean and I in our place. “Why are you treating my father so shabbily? He’s come to you to be a service to you, wanting nothing in return, but to become a part of your country.”
• Sean then turned to me and asked, “He wants to become an Irishman with a name like Vincenzo.
• “You are right of course…but, you must realize that when we call your father by other names it’s only to show a sort endearment…isn’t that so Sean.
• Sean was in a sarcastic mood when he answered, “Yeah…he’s endearing…”
• "You can trim some of your excess and still keep a mighty army.”
• Beneath his breath, Sean mumbled, “I would like to do some trimming and lift his head right off his shoulders.
• “Armies cost money to build and might cost us more to rebuild those armies in time of war. But, what you think of the appointment of our new Land Adviser?”
• Vincenzo didn’t waste a moment before replying, “His appearance is both a blessing and a curse. If you did not employ him someone else would have.”
• Just one more question,” I said before pausing to form my words. “Why have you come to offer your services to us this day?”
• Sean had come to life. “Ah, finally…we’ve come to the heart of the matter.”
• Vincenzo reply was simply, but gave no real reason for his assistance. “I’ve come only to serve.”
• But, it was Gina’s answer to that question which explained why her father had come. “My father is no longer in the employ of the Venice Doge. He just received word today that he has let go because of his objection to your trade embargo last year.”
• “So, Vincenzo, you’re a man without a country.”
• “And, a man without a job.”
• After Vincenzo and Gina had departed Sean and I briefly spoke regarding Vincenzo.
• Sean turned to me and asked, “I suppose you’re considering what he said?”
• “You have to admit, he had some good points. We could use a man like Vincenzo."
• “So, now other country’s orphans shall become our charges?”
• “Well, look at the bright side. If his suggestions fail we can always hang him.”
• “If his suggestions fail we might be swinging along side of him.” He stared into my eyes and instantly became alarmed with what he saw.
• “What?”
• “I’ve seen that same dopey look before…and, in this case I don’t like it. You’re falling for that fool’s daughter.”
• “Well, you have to admit she does have some fine points.”
• “Have you forgotten that she’s related to that?’
