Age of Steam and Steel: Gameplay Thread

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A Proclamation from the Court of King Louis-Philippe II Bourbon

On the Issue of Spanish Intervention: For too long, the people of the New World have been unfairly and unjustly ruled as the subjects of foreign kings far across the ocean. That time has come to an end. As has been seen across North America, from snowy Quebec in the North to tropical New Orleans in the South, the era of foreign rule is at an end. The people of Mexico have expressed a desire that every man can agree with - the desire for self rule and autonomy. To the King in Spain, I urge you to heed that call and allow the Mexican people to govern themselves as they see fit. Retreat to the lands South of Volcan Tajumulco immediately. Failure to do so will result in suffering, destruction, and death that could easily have been avoided.

On the Issue of Sedition: A government must always be held accountable by the governed. No person or newspaper is able to commit an act of sedition by commenting on, critiquing, or opposing the Government. That is a fundamental right of all citizens. The royal family, however, are not to be subject to personal critiques or insults. To do so would constitute an act of sedition, as the royal family is the manifestation of the nation. All acts of sedition will be punishable by life imprisonment or an extended period of labor service, as set by a judge, following a trial by a jury and a unanimous verdict of said jury.

On the Issue of Commerce: The Port of New Orleans is the gateway to much of the world's economic activity. As such, it must be fit and proper in facility, form, and function. Effective immediately, the Government will begin the process of expanding and refining the existing port infrastructure in New Orleans to ensure it meets the standards of the day. A secondary project will also begin to ensure the navigability of the Mississippi River. This will include the construction of numerous locks and dams along the course of the river to ensure the barges and ships of commerce are able to traverse it with ease. Although the costs may be great, the economic benefits will pay for both projects hundreds of times over.

By Order of His Majesty King Louis-Philippe II Bourbon

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A Proclamation from the Court of King Louis-Philippe II Bourbon

On the War For Mexican Independence: The King in Spain, known around the world for his poor rule and brutal regime, has continued to impose his will on the people of Mexico. Despite suffering a serious loss in the Gulf of Mexico, and an embarrassing defeat in Monterrey, the King presses on in his Sisyphean effort to keep the Mexican people under his yoke. The results of the war in recent month show two things. First, the desire of the Mexican people to be free burns hotter than ever. Second, the great powers of the New World are greater in skill, resolve, and ability than the crumbling regimes of the Old World. These factors together have already sealed the fate of the King in Spain. One can only hope he sees the writing on the wall before every Spaniard in Mexico dies.

On the Issue of the Mississippi River: The course of the Mississippi River is the sovereign water of the Kingdom of Louisiana and that sovereignty must be respected. Any attempts to infringe on Louisanan rights in and along the waterway will be met with a swift rebuke and an appropriate response.

On the Issue of New Orleans: New Orleans, the finest city in the New World, was damaged in the attack from the King in Spain. This attack, though harsh, will not defeat our spirit. Though some have urged myself and my family to flee the city for our safety, I pledge that I will not leave my subjects to fend for themselves in this time. Our sovereign soil has come under attack. Our great religious center, the Saint LouisCathedral, has come under attack. Our way of life has come under attack. This attack will not go without response. But, in the most immediate terms, we must focus on keeping our people safe. A special force, the National Gendarmerie, is hereby granted a Royal Charter to serve as the front-line law enforcement agency and domestic security force in the Kingdom. 20,000 men will be raised to serve as the initial corps of the National Gendarmerie, under the command of Jacques Dupre and answerable directly to myself.

On the Issue of a Royal Wedding: It is with great joy that I announce that Crown Prince Phillippe is betrothed to Princess Marie of Quebec. This marriage will solidify the bonds between our kingdoms as the great powers of the New World. Given the harsh realities of the ongoing war, a large ceremony would be out of order. Instead, a smaller ceremony will take place as soon as is practical and a public celebration will occur to commemorate the end of the war and Mexican independence.

By Order of His Majesty King Louis-Philippe II Bourbon

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Treaty of Potsdam
I. A state of peace shall exist between the King of Louisana, the King of Prussia, and the King of Spain.
II. A canal in Panama shall be built, funded, and administrated by a three member Panama Canal Commission. One member each shall be appointed by the King of Louisiana, the King of Prussia, and the King of Spain.
III. The Commission recognizes the territory and jurisdiction of Spanish America over the Canal.
IV. Spanish America recognizes the administrative authority of the Panama Canal Commission over said Canal.
V. Ships flying the Prussian and Spanish flags shall enjoy all rights and liberties in ports of the Kingdom of Louisiana, and such rights shall be recipricated to ships flyin the Louisianan flag.
VI. The borders of the Kingdom of Louisana, the Kingdom of Mexico, and Spanish America are recognized as thus:

x King Louis-Philippe II Bourbon

[DKrol]

A Proclamation from the Court of King Louis-Philippe II Bourbon

On Mexico: It is a great day for Louisiana and our Mexican brethren. The King in Spain has seen the tide of the war and agreed to take part in peace talks, hosted in Potsdam, Prussia. Today, those talks concluded with great success. A large, independent, Mexican Kingdom led by my son, King Louis, has been secured, from the deserts of Tucson to the mountains of Oaxaca. This is a great day and much celebration should occur, for Louisiana has proven itself as the preeminent power in the New World.

On the Governance of the Cuban Island: With the settlement in Potsdam, the Kingdom of Louisiana has acquired the western half of the island of Cuba. This settlement, to be known henceforth as Saint Denis, will serve as a critical commercial hub and vital naval outpost. P.G.T. Beauregard, a recent graduate of the Army Academy, will serve as the first Royal Governor of Saint Denis, serving at my pleasure, and will be charged with the task of rooting out the Spanish influence and bringing the infrastructure up to Louisianan standards, as well as crafting laws and administering justice from Havana.

On the Events in Charleston: I applaud the great efforts undertaken by John C. Calhoun and the leaders in Charleston. A government, no matter how far away, must understand the needs, desires, and lifestyles of those being governed. The British Government has failed to meet that standard with respect to their Southern colonies. I declare myself a friend and ally for the Charlestonians and their cause, and lend them my support in protecting their way of life.

On the Death of Princess Louise, Dauphine of France: It is with great sadness that the death of my daughter, Princess Louise, Dauphine of France, has to be announced. A weak Dutch madman took her life in France, along with her husband, the Dauphin. Both were deeply loved by the French people and all hearts in the Francophone world hang heavy today. All flags in Louisiana are to be flown at half-staff for a fortnight, and all government buildings are to be draped in black mourning clothes and the Royal Family will wear black mourning dress for a month. I will spare no expense in bringing her murderers to justice, as my family in France sees fit.

By Order of His Majesty King Louis-Philippe II Bourbon

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A Proclamation from the Court of King Louis-Philippe II Bourbon

On the Governance of the Kingdom: As our great Kingdom has grown in size, claiming its manifest destiny to serve as the dominent power in the New World, the ability to govern the entire realm directly from New Orleans has become a challenge. To better serve my subjects, I have deemed it fit to create political subdivisions within our Kingdom, to better preserve local customs and to be more responsive to local needs. There will, henceforth, be seven provinces of the Kingdom, as well as the administrative center of New Orleans. Each Royal Governor is charged with administering justice and ensuring the rule of law within their borders and will be responsible to myself. New Orleans will continue to be ruled directly by the Crown.

The seven provinces and their Royal Governors shall be:

Des Moines - William W. Chapman
Du Nord - Lilburn Boggs
Platte - Stephen W. Kearney
Colorado - Robert F. Stockton
California - John D. Sloat
Texas - Samuel Houston
Saint Denis - P.G.T. Beauregard



By Order of His Majesty King Louis-Philippe II Bourbon

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A Proclamation from the Court of King Louis-Philippe II Bourbon, King of Louisana and the Americans

On the Governance of the American Confederation: The newly united eastern realm must be welcomed into the fold of my domains. As such, I appoint Alexander H. Stephens as the Royal Governor. His seat will be in Montgomery and he will be treated with all the rights and privileges of the Royal Governors in the Kingdom of Louisana. The American Confederation is a seperate realm from the Kingdom of Louisana, although both are ruled by one Administration, one Creed, and one King.

On Elections: A new body will be chartered by this decree. I hereby establish the Parliament of the Americas. There will be 100 Members of Parliament, elected directly by the people of the realm to serve as the voice of the people and to advise myself on the governance of the realm. All members, who may be any free man of good moral character and judicial standing, will be elected at-large by the provinces. The First Parliament will meet in New Orleans in a suitable public space for a term of four years and elect from among its members a First Minister, to serve as the Chief Representative of the Parliament to the Royal Court. The First Minister must maintain both the confidence of the Parliament and of the Crown. The Parliament can introduce bills, petitions, and resolutions and vote on advisory opinions for the consideration of the Royal Court in deciding matters of governance.

Each Royal Governor and the Mayor of New Orleans will, every five years, count the number of free white men in the province and receive a portion of the Members of Parliament reflective of that population. For the First Parliament, to convene no later than 100 days after this decree, each province will elect the following number of Members:

New Orleans - 28
Texas - 25
Des Moines - 22
Platte - 7
California - 7
Colorado - 6
Du Nord - 5

Given the State of War that exists in the American Confederation, it would be unwise to hold an election. Governor Stephens will serve as my adviser on the all matters relating to the American Confederation and will work towards holding elections for an additional 25 Members of Parliament when it is safe to do so.

For the elections, all free, white men who own land valued above $1,000 will be entitled and encouraged to vote. Polling locations should be established in court houses, churches, and town squares. Sheriffs and local law enforcement officers are encouraged to attend these polling places and ensure that they operate smoothly and there is no untoward behavior occurring.

On War Time Price Controls: I do acknowledge that, due to the increased hostilities with European tyrants over the last several years, many people in the Kingdom are hurting financially. As such, I hereby implement the following price controls, to ease the burden:

A bushel of wheat may not cost more than 80 pence
A pound of butter may not cost more than 20 pence
A pound of cheese may not cost more than 30 pence
A dozen eggs may not cost more than 17 pence
A quart of milk may not cost more than 5 pence
A yard of cashmere cloth may not cost more than 89 pence
A pound of bacon may not cost more than 7 pence
A pound of beef may not cost more than 10 pence

On the War in Europe: Some years ago, we in Louisana easily and proudly declared the Quebecois our friends and brothers. Today, we must do our honor and stand with the Quebecois in the war against the Scandinavians. It was the Quebecois who lent us their troops, and their Prussian cousins who lent us their talents, in the war against the Spanish. I now declare that the hearts and minds of the Kingdom of Louisana and the American Confederation are with the Quebecois and the Prussians in their noble effort.

By Order of His Majesty King Louis-Philippe II Bourbon

[DKrol]

A Proclamation from the Court of King Louis-Philippe II Bourbon, King of Louisana and the Americans

On the First Minister: The first elections for the Parliament of the Americas were a rousing success, with great turnout and a smooth, fair process. Having received the results of the election, I do certify the following results:

Party of the Crown: 43.31%, 46 seats
Union Party of Louisiana: 28.67%, 27 seats
Reform Party: 24.99%, 26 seats
Liberty Party: 3.03%, 1 seat

Having held discussions with the leaders of the four seated parties, I extend a mandate to Pierre Soulé and the Party of the Crown to form a Government in my name in coalition with the Union Party and Alexandre Mouton. With a thorough majority of 73 seats, I expect this to be a fruitful and successful first Parliament. I task this first Parliament with drafting plans for railroads, agriculture, and exports.

By Order of His Majesty King Louis-Philippe II Bourbon