The Two Josephs - Transcript

[VIROS 2915]

Spoiler

[!] A transcript of the Crestfall Ministry's inaugural address is made available in the Imperial Archives.

 

THE TWO JOSEPHS

 

 

Inaugural Address of the Crestfall Ministry to the 28th Imperial Diet

Sigismund's End, 1845

 

Honorable Imperial Grandees, Representatives, and the Orenian people,

 

Thank you for this especial honor and the responsibility with which you have charged me. I give you my solemn oath that I shall execute its duties faithfully.

 

This address is meant to elucidate on what has inspired me to accept this mantle--in particular, two of our founding documents written by late emperors--and to set a vision for our government. I began my career as a historian, so for those of you who are already familiar with these events of which I speak, I hope that I may cast new light on them.

 

The Empire’s story is long, but its present chapter began in 1714, when Joseph I published the Nenzing Proclamation. This document decried the alleged tyranny of the Pertinaxi dynasty and proclaimed its author the true Holy Orenian Emperor. In doing so, he sought to instigate a revolution, and to violently overthrow Emperor Godfrey II.

 

In the latter sense, he failed. Godfrey II remained Emperor of Mankind, and his heirs still rule the Empire to this day. My grandmother, Anne I, was one of them. My uncle was one of them. My imperial father is descended of that House of Pertinax, and I am as well.

 

Yet in 1814, exactly 100 years later, the second Emperor Joseph (my namesake) published the Dictates, his last will and testament. Its attitude stands in opposition to the Pertinaxi, both their reign and the principles that informed them. The Dictates aspire to a future which is defined, in its essence, by the precepts of the Nenzing Proclamation.

 

As Joseph I said “There is a sacred obligation, an enlightened trust and faith, between the Emperor and his subjects.”

 

As Joseph II said “What is the boast of Emperors, but great folly. . . An Emperor is the sum of the men which he surrounds himself with.”

 

But why did Joseph II take the regnal name of a failed rebel? Why did he marry Anne I, a descendant of the same dynasty whom his predecessor sought to overthrow? Moreover, why did these two reign together as equals and confidantes, as beloved husband and wife?

 

Because, despite Joseph I’s failure to overthrow the Pertinaxi, he did not fail to instigate a revolution. His revolution triumphed in the hearts of our people and our rulers. Although many Josephites perished in the Siege of Helena, the most significant battle of the War of Two Emperors was already won in the same document by which it was declared. It was won when Joseph I wrote these words: 

 

“A social contract exists ... between the governed and the government which requires the compromise of personal interests ... in exchange for the betterment of the state of mankind.”

 

In the ensuing decades our Empire was restored to its proper name and its proper form. The Pertinaxi heritage was maintained but its excesses were rejected; indeed, just as Joseph I demanded, even the foolish pretense that any man now living may claim the surname ‘Horen’ was abandoned. Decades after Joseph I died, Joseph II said “The Orenian is simple in construction. He does not need the blood of dragons to perform his duty.”

 

When we struggle or stagnate, two wicked old dragons may rear their head: Pretense and Obstinacy. We may feel, like Godfrey II did, that we have already won all that may be won. We may feel that reform is too risky, that the promise of change is too little, or that we must conserve what we have, rather than strike out on the path to Divine Providence.

 

If this occurs, we remind ourselves of the essential success of Joseph I’s revolution and of the lesson of Joseph II’s Dictates:

 

A government cannot legislate what is in men’s hearts. A Canonist prince, even the Holy Orenian Emperor, may possess a great and dignified authority given to him by God, but he cannot command a soul to love or a mind to work. It is the business of his government not to withhold with a fearsome sword, but to give with a loving hand. 

 

As leaders, we execute his duty faithfully. It will be our business to lift up and facilitate the better natures of those within our care. Like Anne and Joseph, we will unite the disunited and welcome back the exiled. We will keep our sacred heritage and continue to add to it.

 

Together, our agenda is to offer our countrymen the chance to demonstrate their quality, and to make their own way on the path to Providence.

 

Her Imperial Excellency, the Archchancellor, the Duchess of Crestfall, KM

 

[Harald 2875]

Johan Vuiller would cry as he watched his student take her oath for the office of Archchancellor of Oren. the man thinking back to the young and bright woman whom had come for him all those years ago asking to be thought in essential matters of the Canonist Faith. The weathered man going to find a gift for her that he'd soon leave at her office.

Rev Vuiller, the Solicitor-General would clap loudly as her speech would come to an end. The man going to congratulate his former and now once again boss with her new appointment. 

[kuerbis 3802]

reserved

[Froschli 838]

Deputy Attorney General George Darkwood, the second Baron of House Darkwood, smiles greatly as he reads the transcript and offers a deep bow of his head to the wise Arch chancellor "One of the finest Stateswomen of our time!" He claims to his friends in the tavern

[valecu 2128]

A man who donned the holy vestments exclaimed, whilst applauding. "Bravo, bravo!"

[garentoft 9265]

Achilius smiled, for he saw in the world now everything that he had intended it to be.

[Franczhiz 4437]

Joseph Clement de Sarkozy smiled at the mention of Joseph II and his quotes while reading a book about him and Empress Anne I "Quite an inspiring speech!"

[LithiumSedai 5750]

The Landgrave of Alstreim, ever proud of his familial heritage of Dragon Knights and undying loyalty to Horen, scribbled in a few lines of simple comments upon his transcript of the speech. It was unlikely he would ever have the chance to deliver his remark in person, after all.

 

"Our heroes remain your criminals, but your paragons remain our enemies and hated oppressors; it is evident, then, that in this impasse between our philosophies there will never be reconciliation."

 

"We, therefore, remain resilient in our conviction until extinction or victory."

 

 

[KaiserJacobII 1456]

"She is very well-spoken," Cardinal Francis asserts with a nod to a Priest. "She will be an excellent, and most virtuous Archchancellor," he says as he hands the transcript back to the Priest. 

[Minuvas 3193]

The Vice-Chancellor stood just behind Josephine, the Elf standing much taller than her with his hands behind his back, carrying the neutral expression he has become known for....He would watch as all eyes would turn to her in thunderous applause, the diet, the citizens, the peers - the whole of Government and its Citizens rising to see their new Archchancellor on the dais.

In this great cacophony of noise and celebration, the Vice-Chancellor became invisible and Minuvas was at peace.

[esterhase 164]

 

On 11/9/2021 at 10:04 PM, VIROS said:

 

The Empire’s story is long, but its present chapter began in 1714, when Joseph I published the Nenzing Proclamation. This document decried the alleged tyranny of the Pertinaxi dynasty and proclaimed its author the true Holy Orenian Emperor. In doing so, he sought to instigate a revolution, and to violently overthrow Emperor Godfrey II.

 

In the latter sense, he failed.

 

Woman;

 

In these modern times the Orenian 'man' is bound hand and foot, humiliated and sick with fear of both his gossiping wife and the unnamed beast of the ever-war; it cannot fall lower. Happily, this  is not yet enough for the Imperial aristocracy; it cannot complete its debasement of its knightly classes through schoolgirl whispers and lamenting phantoms in the broom-cupboard alone.

 

Every day its military is encouraged to retreat in front of real battle, but ever reminding them that years ago (centuries, soon), that it did not wholly avoid war; it is enough today for the cake-eating to lose a thousand battles and talk between the corpses of their ancestors about coming from a father's father who had a noble defeat while never striving for a contemporary victory outside of a war of letters fought in his ink-blotted cubicle.

 

The modern imperial will never let loose that old violence that raises up to the throats of mankind in times of existential peril. They busy themselves with dress-up, the thrum of war an unfamiliar and sickening din to their ears. The soldiery of the time only considers himself a potential corpse. A rebel's violence is proof of his humanity, for in the days of rebellion they must actually kill; there is no dead man at the foot of a free man in the land of Oren, only men in dresses.

 

It is not through writing pretty essays that you make a nation, and it does not happen immediately. It is the bitterness and spleen of war, the ever-present desire to kill (or be killed), by a permanent tensing of muscles of the sword-arm which the knight is afraid to relax, that they become a nation of strong men: men because of the enemy, who wants to subjugate their crown and bed their wives - because of him, and against him.

 

You can not write yourselves back to greatness. You must take off your dress and wig and seize it.

 

Cheers,

 

Alcuin Johannes

xx

[VIROS 2915]

7 hours ago, esterhase said:

 

 

Woman;

 

In these modern times the Orenian 'man' is bound hand and foot, humiliated and sick with fear of both his gossiping wife and the unnamed beast of the ever-war; it cannot fall lower. Happily, this  is not yet enough for the Imperial aristocracy; it cannot complete its debasement of its knightly classes through schoolgirl whispers and lamenting phantoms in the broom-cupboard alone.

 

Every day its military is encouraged to retreat in front of real battle, but ever reminding them that years ago (centuries, soon), that it did not wholly avoid war; it is enough today for the cake-eating to lose a thousand battles and talk between the corpses of their ancestors about coming from a father's father who had a noble defeat while never striving for a contemporary victory outside of a war of letters fought in his ink-blotted cubicle.

 

The modern imperial will never let loose that old violence that raises up to the throats of mankind in times of existential peril. They busy themselves with dress-up, the thrum of war an unfamiliar and sickening din to their ears. The soldiery of the time only considers himself a potential corpse. A rebel's violence is proof of his humanity, for in the days of rebellion they must actually kill; there is no dead man at the foot of a free man in the land of Oren, only men in dresses.

 

It is not through writing pretty essays that you make a nation, and it does not happen immediately. It is the bitterness and spleen of war, the ever-present desire to kill (or be killed), by a permanent tensing of muscles of the sword-arm which the knight is afraid to relax, that they become a nation of strong men: men because of the enemy, who wants to subjugate their crown and bed their wives - because of him, and against him.

 

You can not write yourselves back to greatness. You must take off your dress and wig and seize it.

 

Cheers,

 

Alcuin Johannes

xx

 

Alcuin Johannes,

 

I offer you my compliments; you write very eloquently despite your hatred of pretty essays. Much like the tribal chieftains whom all your pitiable kind revere, you have imitated the language of your betters with precocious skill. Unfortunately, although the parrot's words are clever, it can only repeat what it has already heard.

 

Lest I offend your righteousness by addressing your true nature, let me state my point more clearly: if Alcuin Johannes wishes to prove his humanity according to the measure he has set forth, he is invited to come and do so. I will put the wig and dress upon him myself.

 

For me, I need no enemy to make a nation.

 

Cordially,

Josephine Augusta

 

 

[esterhase 164]

  

3 hours ago, VIROS said:

Alcuin Johannes,

 

I offer you my compliments; you write very eloquently despite your hatred of pretty essays. Much like the tribal chieftains whom all your pitiable kind revere, you have imitated the language of your betters with precocious skill. Unfortunately, although the parrot's words are clever, it can only repeat what it has already heard.

 

Lest I offend your righteousness by addressing your true nature, let me state my point more clearly: if Alcuin Johannes wishes to prove his humanity according to the measure he has set forth, he is invited to come and do so. I will put the wig and dress upon him myself.

 

For me, I need no enemy to make a nation.

 

Cordially,

Josephine Augusta

 

 

Joe;

 

I agree with you wholly but cry that in my profession for martial acclaim you see savagery. Crazed by potestas and the fear of losing it (or, lowly, a lead-tipped quill), you no longer remember clearly that we were once a nation of knightly folk. You take to the quill and paper like a rider to crop and blade, coming to believe that the conditioning of the army and the esteem of fought-wars will return through the screed of a pamphlet talking of centuries past.

 

I fear for the still-present use of the rhetoric of tarring me with that black brush of a 'barbarian other' - I am no occidental beast with a mouthful of hay and a bed full of sisters. We are both of noble blood, and perhaps in a time less political we would dare be good friends. To call a fellow man of empire a barbarian for talking of the same victories that you astutely regail debases your own virtues. You praise the left hand, and I the right; this is no betrayal.

 

I do not provide you with nauseating mimicry of your nameless 'barbarians' or a sterile Khaedreni-Canonist litany against the "dress-wearing ***** palatials". To clarify in brief, this empire is never done talking of Joseph I, yet refuse to accept the same notions that spurned his revolt. It is not emotional talk, burning with love and fury, that drew men to fight other men (I include myself as a fellow country-man in this part), but a long-dormant sense of imperial pride.

 

Involution of pride starts when you recreate the same chivalrous Imperial whose revolt you praise, as the barbarous not-Imperial; we both too fear of Oren falling victim to the frontal sluggishness of complacency, decay, lechery and rot - that in this tea-partying time of sandwiches and sororal gossip, an unguided violence comes back on its tracks, accumulating in the very depths of the empire and seeking to cut a way out of these vices.

 

It is not my talk of violence that repulses you, but your own talk turning back on it-self and rending you.

 

How do you take your tea? I am partial to it black, a cube of sugar only when away from home.

 

Cheers,

 

Alcuin Johannes.