Caranthir_

A Cause Worth Fighting For

The Everardines

Tomorrow, all men and women of our empire will have a choice. You will have a choice.

That choice will be between Everardine or Josephite, the future or the past.

Your choice will be between the same trusted team that got things done for you and your family in the last diet, or a chaotic new Josephite list who have much to prove and less to show for it. 

Tomorrow, you will not only be voting for a new economy which introduces a minimum wage for all Orenians, nor a Provincial Development Administration which guarantees real money for all parts of our country. 

Tomorrow, you will be voting on whether or not the ISA and the Constabulary have more power to protect you from crime or not. You will be voting on whether or not to reform our criminal justice system, making punishments quicker and better executed.

Tomorrow, you will be voting on whether you want our comprehensive vision for Oren and all His Imperial Majesty’s peoples, or you want the underwhelming Marna Plan, which only proves that the Josephites are tired after thirty years of unopposed control.

If you lend us your vote tomorrow, you will be putting a tick next to patriotism and Orenian pride, you will be voting for a faction that even a 25 year josephite senator endorses. You will be giving us the chance to prove to you that we can change things for the better.

The Everardines recognise that your most important concerns are not about petty politics, or career politicians, instead they are about real issues that can only be combated with real change.

Tomorrow, I ask you to look at our record over the past five years. Tomorrow, I ask for you to vote for real change. Vote for a cause worth fighting for, instead of the backroom deals of politicians.

Lend us your vote, you won’t regret it.

Vote Everardine

If not for yourself, then for your Empire.

“All men and women should live in dignity, free from tyranny and arbitrary laws.” the Everardine Leader Amadeus d’Aryn nodded, “That is why we will always work with a Josephite minority to achieve a vision of Oren which is mutual and understanding, and where our citizens can engage in peaceful debate without being slandered as Pertinaxi reactionaries, inept, or anti-Oren.”

“The Everardines have proved time and time again through our comprehensive policy platforms that we are the faction who will seek to properly legislate to secure the rights and economic success of all men and women in Oren, of all businesses big or small, of all occupations be they bureaucrats or labourers. We have put forward a platform of real change, not essayism harking back to a day long since gone.” said the Everardine Minority Leader, reading over the anonymous pamphlet with a sigh.

“If all the Josephites can do to beg for votes is tell the Orenian people that they are the successor of Joseph of Marna, whilst leaving out any real policy, then they do not deserve another term as the majority faction. It’s time for them to move aside and get serious.”

The press office of Amadeus d’Aryn would like to make clear the fact that he is still Cardinal Sutica and Vice-Chancellor of the Holy Mother Church as well as Leader of the Everardines, and has explicit dispensation from His Holiness James II for such a mix.

AN INVITATION TO

JOIN THE GOVERNMENT

OF OREN

THE EVERARDINE CAUSE 1768

Written by Amadeus d’Aryn

Our clear and consistent vision is a simple one: an Oren that combines collective security with individual opportunity, where social responsibility is preferred to state control. 

Real change comes not from government alone, it comes when people are mobilised to a cause and are given the opportunity to play a part in the decision-making process. 

The Everardine vision is an optimistic and ambitious one for Oren. If we come together and ask not what we can be given, but instead what we can do, then Oren will change for the better. Every one of us plays a part in this process.

Only together can we make politics and politicians accountable to the people, not to their vested interests. 

We invite you today to join us in a new vision of politics for Oren.
 

OUR LIST

The Everardine faction has selected the following members to appear on the list for the national elections in a saint's day. These individuals are chosen specifically for their dedication to the Orenian people and their loyalty to His Imperial Majesty.

1. Amadeus d'Aryn [Caranthir_]

2. Farooq Gray [Thatpyrodude]

3. Karl Amador [Sanderwarrior14]

4. Winston Rothesay [proddiusmaximus]

5. Sigmar Joren Baruch [Drew2_dude]

6. Lajos Sandor Karoly [CrownedLime747]

7. Siguine var Ruthern [Ave_Imperium]

8. Mariana Dubois [cottage__cheese]

9. Eirik Baruch [Zanthuz]

10. Conrad Barclay [James2k]

11. Edmund Bren [Sliw]

12. Siol of Helena [GoodGuyMatt]

13. Ed Myre [Boiendl]

14. Louis Entier [bickando]

15. John Edward Pruvia [NordLord1]

WHO I AM

by Amadeus d’Aryn

I came to Helena in my early twenties as a young man with no parents, no money and no guidance. All that I owned was on my back. Sometimes, I would try my hand at an instrument or two for any petty change I could get. I still have my harmonica that I bought at a store in Helena at the time.

I was a nobody for a long time. I ran unsuccessfully for the Imperial Senate of the day, getting only eight percent of the vote against Lauritz Christiansen. Every mina I earnt at my performances I would spend in buying Carrion Black. It brought a peace I could not find in this constantly moving world. Somedays I simply did not want to remember.

At the age of twenty four, after years of vagrancy and drunkenness, I attended a local mass. There, the priest saw my quick tongue and invited me to be an acolyte under him. I accepted, but I was not confident in my decision and I believed I would leave my place the following day. To my own surprise, I did not. I passed my thesis successfully and I officially became ordained as a priest soon after, kicking my drunkard habits.

In this time I devoted myself to a study of the Imperial Senate, talking to who I could to figure out a solution to the Curonic dissolution. My piece was entitled ‘Reason for Reform’, and proposed a representation system extremely similar to the one we have now, with national elections. Days later the Edict of Reform was published which established our Imperial Diet as it is now, implementing the broad scope of my suggestions.

I continued my life in the Holy Mother Church honestly, rising through the ranks with every year to be eventually made Cardinal and Vice-Chancellor to His Holiness. Roughly at the same time, the elections of 1765 delivered us an Everardine minority by a slender amount of votes, and with John Edward Pruvia resigned I submitted myself as de facto leader of the Everardines, and Minority Leader in the House. I have been fighting for the Orenian people ever since, writing four bills of my own in my tenure and passing three.

Now as I go through my third decade in this world, we are at the cusp of victory. Yet, I am humbled by my beginnings and have never forgotten my values along the way. I owe everything to my siblings, my two brothers and two sisters. My faith has pulled me out of the depths and put me where I am now for a reason, and by this Divine Providence I thoroughly believe that my reason is to serve the Orenian people without reserve and for the rest of my days.

A NEW POLITICS

Our politics needs change: few people can doubt that. The last session of the Diet was lacklustre and tired, made so by an inactive faction who rested on a slim majority. Things are going wrong. Even in our strength, communities seem to be more divided than before. Complicated rules and regulations confuse the average Orenian worker, who cares more about providing for their families than they do about wildlife preserves. The duty of legislating for the Josephite has become a career path, which has made the average citizen apathetic to laws that are never revisited after assent or have become redundant over time. This echo-chamber of politics has made the same mistakes for the last thirty years, letting Orenians and their real priorities down. They have taught people to expect little from politics, and get less. 

After three decades of the same politics legislation and scrutinisation is no more advanced than it was, open and transparent government is nowhere to be seen, politicians are not held to account. Bonuses and privileges are handed out by the bucket load, and politics is still the plaything of wealthy politicians. The poorest are the ones who pay for the game that is conducted. 

We believe in responsibility. That means social responsibility over state control, personal responsibility for offences and anti-social behaviour, and government responsibility with public finance. We believe in a separation of society and state, that power should rest in the hands of the people, and not the politicians. 

OUR VISION

We will not allow irresponsibility of our private sector to continue without accountable checks and balances, so that Orenian workers are confident that they will see the profit of their labour. Our new economic model will be one founded on investment and savings, not through borrowing and unfair taxes on the lower classes. We want to see an economy that is more dynamic, more open for business than ever before, where wealth and opportunity is fairly distributed. 

A nation can only be successful if it is built on the backs of a socially responsible society. The Josephite era of flavour bills to tackle social problems is in fact making it worse. Inequality is on the rise, wealth is displayed and flaunted in an unbefitting way. Our morals are slipping, and this is made worse by a bureaucracy that is continuing to be inefficient to quickly tackling the problems of ordinary Orenians. Oren needs fundamental change, and we know it. We must move from a big government that thinks it knows best, to collective social responsibility that works for everyone. 

We will shift the diadem from state action to social action, encouraging responsibility of the individual whilst also enforcing strict new laws on anti-social activity so that we can crack down on crime in our streets and give our authorities the power they need to approach it. We need radical political reform because we recognise that the government cannot direct everything from the centre without bureaucratic waste and inefficiency. People on the ground, in the communities, working for you. That is why we will create the Provincial Development Administrations to get money directly in the hands of local communities that need it, and to invest in small businesses. Real action, and real policy.

Our approach will back the ISA, reform our criminal justice system, raise standards in our society and increase discipline. We will get people up out of their parties and into work. We will reform policing, sentencing, and punishments. We will give people more say in their daily lives and politicians more accountability. We will make government and politics more open and transparent, as we have promised to do from day one, and which even in opposition we delivered. We will give lower level public servants more power to make decisions on the ground, supervised by a strong House of Commons that can answer the questions of the Orenian citizen.

We now invite you to join us in government, so we can get things done for the people who need it most. So we can curb incivility on our streets, so we can shift away from state action to social responsibility and cohesiveness.

The Leader of the Everardines shook his head in dismay. “When I spoke to Angelika Bykov, she promises that this 'Marna Plan' would be detailed and in depth. Instead, the Josephites have once again given us merely sentences on huge policy issues that the Orenian people deserve to know about in full.”

“Where is anything on criminal justice reform? Where is legislation to increase the power of the ISA? Where is legislation to help struggling regions? No, instead we get national parks and more flavour bills than ever before. This is disrespectful to the intelligence of the Orenian voter.”

“The Everardines legislated to increase the power of the Imperial State Army in issuing on-the-spot fines, saving time and trouble for boys in uniform. We have NEVER mocked the army, we have NEVER mocked any serving member. This is utter lies and should be thoroughly rebuked by any logical and civilised person of the Empire. Mr. Basrid should have put his time further in speaking and participating into the Diet which he was elected into, than writing such misleading attacks. The only one politicising the ISA now is Cyrus, calling into question His Imperial Majesty‘s most loyal minority faction.” the Everardine Leader stated, shaking his head with disapproval.

THE EVERARDINE ECONOMIC PLEDGE 1768

Our Priorities to You:

OUR FIVE BENCHMARKS FOR SUCCESS

• Ensure macroeconomic stability: We will safeguard the Orenian economy by implementing new checks on the treasury through the budget, as well as getting the inflation of our currency down to acceptable levels. Our fiscal policies will double down on structural deficit to ensure that our bureaucracy is running without any inefficiencies.

• Creating an economy: We will run up the value of the imperial mark, creating higher conditions for standard prices, as well as balancing fair taxes with the expenditures of the imperial budget. Likewise, we will ensure that the criminally low price of goods paradox to the inflation is changed, instituting standardised prices.

• Getting people into work: We will create a radical new programme of jobs called ‘Oren Works’, getting our unemployment figure to near zero. Anybody who wants a job under our proposals will be entitled to one, backed by the government. Likewise, we must establish a national minimum wage.

• Ensure that the nation shares in prosperity: We will give back to the communities who have fought for us and remained loyal, and therefore funds will no longer be centred in Helena. We will ensure that our economy is revived in all regions through increasing the private sector’s cooperation.

• Creating a safer economy: We will reform the way business works so we can protect our cultural heritage and keep smaller provincial businesses safe, through this we will have higher revenue through taxation than we would otherwise.

ENSURE MACROECONOMIC STABILITY

After several years of mismanagement in lack of regulation, the Orenian inflation has increased beyond measure. We have always been honest to the Orenian people that the way to fix it will be difficult, and there is no doubt that it will be. But we can overcome the mismanagement and sufficiently regulate an Orenian economic recovery.

There is no credible plan from the other faction on budgeting, there has been no budget. Rising inflation has met with extraordinarily low prices, meaning that the average Orenian worker now holds more money in their pocket than ever before. Whilst this is undoubtedly good, it drives the value of the mark downwards. Matched with these low prices, goods are worth practically nothing and the barebones foundations of what makes an economy do not exist in Oren.

What we will do is push up the value of the Imperial Mark against the minas from 1:1 to 1:2.5, with further reviews into the next session, as well as bringing in a standard for prices across Oren, so that we can get our economy back on track again. Jonah Elendil incorrectly stated that the price of an iron bar was 7 minas, when in reality the norm is 3.5. With an in-touch Everardine faction at the helm of our economy, we can ensure stability well into the future whilst also making those tough and responsible decisions.

CREATING AN ECONOMY

Urgent action is necessary if we are to leave the current mismanagement unchecked, therefore we will regularly demand budgets from the treasury as is the right of the House of Commons. Taxes will remain fair and in line with our expenditure. Wasteful government spending will be brought to an end through cuts and a standardised government wage, with large and arbitrary bonuses coming to an end. In real terms, we will increase spending on government programmes and state directed initiatives to boost our economic product. The case for restarting our economy and bringing inflation under control is overwhelming, and we will start our programme by cutting arbitrary department spending.

Through the existing avenues of the Ministry of Interior, we will partner with Livery Companies and other enterprises over the empire to innovate our next era of spending, so private companies can start playing a hand in the prosperity and efficiency of the country. 

We will introduce a comprehensive bill on competition law to deal with unethical business practices and abuse of a dominant market position, thereby securing smaller and localised businesses from predatory enterprise. 

GETTING PEOPLE INTO WORK

We will start a radical new jobs programme called the Imperial Work Programme, colloquially called the “Oren Works!” initiative, to work with the Imperial Employment Registry in giving Oren virtual full employment. Our jobs policy will drive up government backed jobs to get every Orenian into work, so we can reach our peak economic efficiency. With this programme, every Orenian who wants a job will get a job. 

We will institute a radical new minimum wage, initially setting the minimum at 150 marks per annum, with a 10% increase every two years subject to review.

The only way we can ensure better financing in the years ahead whilst we go through this necessary but tough economic recovery is to start saving at home. We will invest more in developing sustainable inflows of capital, so that we may have a stable government programme. This means cutting singular payments, establishing precedence and continuity which is enshrined into law rather than being arbitrary. We will work with businesses and other organisations to address the growing disparity between public and private wages, with more to be done on finding a standard.

Getting people back into work is crucial to realising our economic potential, creating a truly dynamic and workable market. We will legislate to create an Orenian Registry to survey the population and general economic statistics, through larger and reliable information about average wages and our unemployment rate. The intention with this is to get down the unemployment rate to near zero.

ENSURE THAT THE NATION SHARES IN PROSPERITY

There are too many areas of the empire that do not share in the same private sector that Helena does. These places have likewise not been given aid or revenue from the treasury to contribute to their success. This imbalance has gotten worse in recent years, with Helena making up over half of our economy.

Our aim is to increase the private sectors share of the economy in these areas by establishing a Provincial Development Fund, to be spent on the development of localised businesses in all provinces of the empire, so that we may get the rest of the economy running again. We will work closely with all provincial governments to achieve this.

We will give local governments the powers to create their own Provincial Development Administrations, so that local people can decide where central government money is spent from the Regional Development Fund, we will legislate this into law with the following objectives:

• to promote business competition and efficiency;
• to promote full employment;
• to sustainably develop new economic development and regeneration.

This rebalancing of our economic output requires an extensive new look on how we travel across the empire. Without free movement of people and goods from one province to the other, as well as traffic and immigration set out as the main goals of the Orenian state by Archchancellor Simon Basrid, we cannot restart the economy. An Everardine majority will provide new high speed railway connections, working with the rail company to fund a quicker connection between all of Oren.

CREATING A SAFER ECONOMY

To have a successful and stable economy in the future, unplagued by hyperinflation and paradoxically low prices, we will implement a new thinking on how we spend our money. This will include our clear and consistent promises on transparency. We will force the treasury to open up so that we may implement strong financial discipline across the board, so that there are obligated and enshrined laws which mandate standardisation of wages and spending. We cannot allow arbitrary wastage of money to continue unchecked, so we will:

• introduce a standardised set of cost measures that details departmental spending;
• implement clear new financial performance targets for the bureaucracy, including what they are entitled to;
• force open the treasury to deliver strong and stable government spending across departments.

Our Everardine economic platform is radical as it is rejuvenating. It is factual and grounded on the economic realities Oren faces today, not in essayism and hypotheticals. To kickstart our economy again, we must increase traffic throughout the empire, get all Orenians into some kind of job where they can be productive, and share our wealth throughout our borders.

“A vote for Mayor Bren is a vote for a more prosperous Kaedrin, backed up by a well oiled municipal government.” proclaimed Amadeus.

The Leader of the Everardines nodded, “I am glad that we agree on purpose, fairness and achievement. My faction with a majority will do just that with our specific and detailed policies such as the national minimum wage for all Orenian workers. I hope the Josephites follow suit on ensuring opportunities for all Orenians.”

THE EVERARDINES OF 1768

Promises Made, Promises Kept

THE EVERARDINE PLEDGES OF 1765

In the national elections of 1765, we pledged the following:

• A small business economy, protecting cultural businesses from monopolisation as well as high amounts of government interference.
• Legislating for stricter controls of business and political interests a public servant can have.
• Legislating that judges cannot endorse, favour, or publicly campaign for a faction.
• Legislating to make Ministers of the Crown report on their finances and to publish quarterly reports with scrutinising from the House of Commons.
• To establish an effective national curriculum and to devote more resources to education.
• To strengthen the military and relevant authorities to continue the protection of our nation and to be tough on crime.
• For a stronger and more prosperous Oren for everyone.

PROMISES KEPT

Following the early dissolution of the Imperial Diet, we have achieved:

• Expanded scrutiny on Ministers through Standing Orders the Everardines had to create alone.
• Introduced, debated against total Josephite opposition, and eventually passed the Non-Partisan Courts Act.
• Legislated for stricter controls on Circuit Court Justices on business affiliations, demanding recusation from a trial they have an interest in.
• Legislation for an outright ban on judges having political affiliations, favour, endorsements, or public campaigning for a faction in all sections of our judiciary.
• Legislated to prevent Supreme Court Justices from having any business affiliation.
• Voted for an education bill to grant new powers in education, which would have allowed the national curriculum we pledged.
•  Introduced, debated, and passed the Fixed-Penalty and Policing Act.
• Expanded powers so that authorities could issue on-the-spot fines against minor crimes that are witnessed by them. ✅
• Ensured that policing authorities did not have to go through long trials for crimes they witnessed. ✅
• Increased the powers and responsibilities of the ISA. ✅
• Increased the powers and responsibilities of the Imperial Constabulary. ✅
• Increased the powers and responsibilities of provincial policing authorities, including the HRA. ✅
• Legislated to send the revenues of the fines directly into the institutions that they are collected from, be it the ISA, the HRA, or the Constabulary. ✅
• Protected the rights of an individual through trial if they ask for it. ✅

The Everardines have consistently shown that they are up to the task of legislating in the national interest. We have compromised, and we have facilitated discussion. A vote for Everardine is a vote for the traditions that make our history and our people, as well as a vote for what is new and revolutionary.

Amadeus nodded as he peered at the poster on a wall in Helena. “We may not agree on everything, but Vivaca Rutledge is right, the bread and butter of Oren in the working people must have solidarity together. Only then can we change and promote radical political reform to give every Orenian the opportunity to participate fully in our system.” He said to nobody in particular. In fact, these days he had begun to talk to himself a great deal more than he did in the past.

Amadeus looks upon the lineage of his fellow Cardinal with a smile upon his face, donned in his Rhoswenii clothing and with a Rochefort cigar between his lips. He hummed a distinct tune, remembering the good old days in Kaedrin fondly.

“The Josephites promised similar things last election, and then when they got the majority they did absolutely nothing with it. The Everardines got things done, whilst they barely managed to fill their benches each sitting.” said Amadeus, Minority Leader for now.

Amadeus d’Aryn, Leader of the Everardines, makes in-depth plans to visit the beautiful town of Owynsburg after the Everardine Conference.

A REVERSAL OF EXCOMMUNICATION

10th Tobias’ Bounty, 1768

Dearly beloved, the mercy of GOD is boundless when sought by the humble and penitent. Because this is so, we restore Jasper Carrington’s communion with the Church of Canon, thereby lifting his excommunication.

The excommunication was originally issued by the Auditor of the Tribunal of the late Pontian III, whose reasons were twofold: 

I. That Jasper Carrington supposedly participated in, or personally committed, the assassination of Pontian III

II. That Jasper Carrington attempted to contract marriage with an elf, as administered by a pagan Brathmordakin priest.

On the former charge, it was determined by the court in Crown v. Carrington that the accused was not guilty of any involvement in Pontian III’s assassination. The true assassin was found and executed by the Imperial government. Accordingly, we find no reason that Carrington should remain excommunicated on this account: the justice of imperial courts determined his innocence.

On the latter charge, it is true that Carrington did unlawfully attempt to wed an elf, and did so by participating in a forbidden ceremony conducted by a pagan. He was found guilty of this crime in court and sentenced appropriately. Since the completion of his sentence, Carrington has lived as a model citizen, and displays true contrition for his sins. He has demonstrated a manifest desire to return to his faith, and petitioned our throne numerous times to be restored to communion with the Church. As of his most recent contact, we have determined his contrition to be true and his penance to be completed.

Accordingly, it is the command of High Pontiff James II that the excommunication of Jasper Carrington be lifted. His rights as a Canonist are restored, and he is encouraged to take a confessor.

Be it so declared,

His Eminence, Amadeus Cardinal Sutica

1 hour ago, Shinjiru said:

 

((Alright, calm down. I was just trying to help out without the intention of offending, as I said.

((No problem, we can try to do it better next time! Thanks for the tip

((edited the images and resized, thanks for reading!!))

Somewhere out there in the universe a voice called out for Fabius, an old compariot who shared his visions of democracy. It was in that place that the two met again as young men once more, a life yet to live and joys yet to experience. The old men were young. Alexander Frederick and Fabius were reunited in the Seven Skies to walk upon the green fields forever more.

Amadeus casts his vote for Everardine: the faction for open and transparent government, a fair and impartial judiciary. A party for small business, the patriotic faction, the traditional faction, the moderate faction, and the faction for the interests of the many against the large wealth of the monopolising few.

FACTION AFFILIATION: EVERARDINE

FACTION LEADER NAME: Amadeus Ashford d’Aryn

DRAFT LIST: 

 1.  Amadeus Ashford d’Aryn ((Caranthir_))

 2.  Siguine var Ruthern ((Ave_Imperium))

 3.  Conrad Barclay ((james2k))

 4.  Lajos Sandor Karoly ((CrownedLime))

 5.  Sigmar Joren Baruch ((Drew2))

 6.  Farooq Gray ((Thatpyrodude))

 7.  Karl Amador ((Sanderwarrior14))

 8.  Marianna Dubois ((cottage__cheese))

 9.  Ed Myre ((Boiendl))

 10. Alaric DeNurem ((Paulobig))

 11.  VACANT (Left unfilled)

 12.  VACANT (Left unfilled)

 13.  VACANT (Left unfilled)

 14.  VACANT (Left unfilled)

 15.  VACANT (Left unfilled)

Do any members of the draft have any title, peerage or public service that may conflict with becoming a member of the House of Commons, as per the Edict of Reform (1763)?: No

If yes, do you understand that you will be asked to provide an alternative and legal candidate, and if this does not occur your faction’s seat shall be considered to be vacant?: Yes

((MC name)): Caranthir_

“A wise message from a wise woman. Rutledge is right. We must not allow our ideologies to divide us as Orenians. Indeed, collective unity despite our differences is what makes the imperial project so important.” Amadeus looked at the pamphlet approvingly, placing it in a small box which contained his favourite reads.

Fellow citizens, we do proclaim that the FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE EVERARDINES shall be, it has been decided, held in the REZA TAVERN a few saint’s days from now. 

(SUNDAY 7PM GMT/2PM EST/1PM CST)

For our invitation list, we do declare that ANY loyal Orenian citizen may attend and participate in the founding convention of our organised faction. 

It matters little to us whether you hail from Helena, Reza, Owynsburg or the many important towns of our nation which feed and provide for us: we wish for YOU to participate in this grand national project.

There shall be merry songs, joyful dances, and hearty indulgences of drink to sate all tongues and tastes during our foremost assembly. None other than the famed vocalist Lydia d’Aryn shall perform stirring renditions of our favourite Orenian ballads.

The Everardine Party is a home for patriotic Orenian’s everywhere. From former serfs, to labourers, to nobles, to entrepreneurs and to aristocrats: all are welcome.

We greatly look forward to your attendance. All will be key in devising the foundational policies and structure of the Everardine’s going forward.

Father Amadeus simply shook his spinning head with a heavy sigh. Even in this drunken state, half-dressed and ready to bring up his afternoon tea, the priest recognised the writings of this perfidious scholar as those of treason. Nothing more, nothing less. In whichever guise, this letter represented the at best the scribblings of a crazed man who had spent too long on foreign shores, and at worst the arguments of a seditious politician. The priest promised to himself that he would quit the drink very soon and pen a response.