Omnibus of the Sovereign Confederation
THE OMNIBUS OF THE DOCUMENTS OF GOVERNANCE
FOR THE REALM OF
THE SOVEREIGN CONFEDERATION OF GOVERNORATES
First Promulgated by Congressional Edict in the Eighth Session of the Congress of Chryse
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We, the most honorable Sovereigns, united by our shared trials and commitment to the principles of prosperity, autonomy, and shared fortune, do hereby establish these Documents of Governance. Recognizing the sacrifices of those who fought against the tyrannies of republicanism and monarchism, and dedicated to ensuring peace, security, and the sanctity of law, we set forth this framework to guide our collective efforts and uphold the sovereignty, integrity, and just values of our Confederation within the Benacian Union.
Document One
Article 1 – Establishment
- The Realm of the Sovereign Confederation of Governorates, having risen from the devastation of the Republican War, shall exist as a member Realm within the Benacian Union inheriting all the rights, prerequisite entitlements, and obligations incumbent upon a member Realm.
- This polity is a confederation which shall exist as a partnership to the ends of attaining eternal prosperity through perfecting the righteous sovereignty of its institutions and upholding the diverse and lawful heritage of its subjects.
- All title to lands and properties, all material goods, all resources of the land, the waters, and the air, all living creatures, and all sapient beings, of the territory of the Sovereign Confederation of Governorates, are subject to the provisions of this Document.
Article 2 – Territorial Division, Jurisdiction, and Government
- Governorates comprise the foundational territorial subdivisions of the Sovereign Confederation of Governorates and are further divided into Bailiwicks.
- Governorates are subject to the common law of the Circuits to which they have been assigned.
- Within the scope of delegated authority, the Governorates shall exercise their own legal regulation including the adoption of laws and other normative acts of government.
- Governors may establish subordinate administrative positions and summon consultative assemblies as they deem necessary for proper governance.
- An office in any government in the Sovereign Confederation of Governorates shall not allow a term longer than 30 years, nor shall it be allowed for any such office to be held for more than three consecutive terms.
- The Miþuï shall conduct assizes throughout the Circuits under the direction of the Benacian Censorate so as to assure the Trazd uis Uvnkoïsoß of their continual supervision, vigilance, and omnipresence.
- The Guild of Magisters-Carnifex is entrusted to ensure the implementation of the powers of the Sovereign Confederation and the Benacian Union across the whole of those Circuits in which they are posted.
Article 3 – Incorporation
- The Sovereign Confederation of Governorates incorporate:
- Suthergold Alïuftrazd (Circuit/“Jurisdiction-scope”)
- The Governorate of Capital – comprising the Bailiwicks of East Wall, West Wall, and Underwall;
- The Governorate of Cortallia-Rathwood – comprising the Bailiwicks of Cortallia, Rathwood, and Suthfort;
- The Governorate of Everstone – comprising the Bailiwicks of Bansfel, New Vesset, and Kingsweep;
- The Governorate of Sutherland – comprising the Bailiwicks of Sutherland and Lostfort;
- The Uvnafzæltszonst (Governorate/“Over-division Ministry) of South Temple – comprising the Bailiwicks of High Harvest, Ashfeld, and Lowchurch;
- The Governorate of Asantelian – comprising the Bailiwicks of Asantelian, Greater Avakair, and the Draksfeld Logistical Condominium.
- Wintergleam Hringaríki
- The Governorate of Ketshire – comprising the Bailiwicks of Ketsire, Wintergleam, and Kaljandare;
- The Governorate of Durow – comprising the Bailiwicks of Doir and Selardi;
- The Hásæti of Norburg – comprising the Bailiwicks of Ådrabekk and Maskerer;
- The Hásæti of the Winterglade – comprising the Bailiwicks of Vintrastadr, Dravotih Iker, and Jonsvik.
- The Circuit of the Exclusion Diocese – comprising the Bailiwicks of Szodansdron and Tephal.
- Suthergold Alïuftrazd (Circuit/“Jurisdiction-scope”)
- The territory of the Sovereign Confederation of Governorates shall include the territories of its constituent parts, inland waters and territorial sea, and the airspace over them.
- The Sovereign Confederation of Governorates shall possess sovereign rights and exercise jurisdiction over the continental shelf and in its exclusive economic zone according to the norms of Union law and Congressional Edicts.
Article 4 – Sovereignty
- The exercise of sovereignty over the territory and community of the Sovereign Confederation of Governorates is invested in the following institutions:
- The Miþuï; (Congress/“Together-path”)
- The Staggusgæta; (General Staff/“Banner Council”)
- The Gæta uis Korïaneï; (Civil Executive/“Council of Executors”)
- And the Szodanadtz. (Szodanate/“Office of Szodan”)
- The territorial integrity of the Sovereign Confederation of Governorates shall be inviolable; no portion of its territory may be alienated without either unanimous consent of the Speakers representing the whole of bailiwicks in a circuit by or the unanimous consent of the Governors.
- The borders between the constituent parts of the Sovereign Confederation of Governorates may be changed upon the mutual consent of the Governors of those territories. Such changes may be reversed by a majority vote within the Staggusgæta.
- Should any portion of the territory of the Sovereign Confederation of Governorates be alienated, ceded, or occupied by any power, foreign or domestic, contrary to its will or the rule of law, it shall be the duty of the Subjects of the Sovereign Confederation of Governorates to sustain active resistance, without let, cessation, or compromise, until the aforementioned territory is regained or determined to be lawfully occupied.
- Any member of the Trazd uis Uvnkoïsoß (Community of the Realm/“Scope of Over-realm”), whether in the capacity of acting as a public servant or private subject, found to be complicit in the unlawful alienation of any portion of the Sovereign Confederation of Governorates or the Benacian Union, shall forfeit their right to life and corporate association immediately upon the revelation of their treason.
Article 4 – Trazd uis Uvnkoïsoß
- The Trazd uis Uvnkoïsoß, the political, social, and economic life of the Sovereign Confederation of Governorates shall be open to all who share in the singular heritage, culture, and values of Benacia; who acknowledge the sublime influence of the Highest Divinity in shaping the fortunes of mankind; who rejoice in the Human Supremacy; and who are committed to the establishment of a full and perpetual political unity on the Benacian continent.
- Participation in the Trazd uis Uvnkoïsoß shall be restricted to subjects who have been registered as Sovereigns by the Benacian Censorate.
- Foreigners may participate in the social and economic life of the Sovereign Confederation of Governorates only to the extent to which they are permitted by the lawful authority responsible for their supervision.
- Persons enlisted in any allied formation serving with Benacia Command, shall enjoy respect and deference commensurate with their rank.
Document Two
Article 1 - The Miþuï
- The Miþuï shall comprise those Sovereigns honored through victory in quindecennial elections by the Trazd uis Uvnkoïsoß as Speakers.
- The manner and method of the election of Speakers is determined by Edict as passed by a 5:7 majority vote in the Miþuï.
- A seat which is vacated prematurely shall be filled by a Sovereign elected by the Miþuï from a list of candidates provided by the Governor over that seat’s Bailiwick.
- The Miþuï shall not afford less than three seats to each Sovereign Bailiwick.
- The Miþuï shall confirm an Uvngætz (President of the General Staff/“Over-councillor”) who has been appointed by the Szodanadtz before the appointee may exercise the powers of that office.
- The Miþuï shall scrutinize the institutions of the Realm, and act as an arbiter between them as circumstances require.
- The Miþuï shall advise and consent to legislation with the Staggusgæta before its passage into law.
- The Miþuï shall elect a new Governor by majority vote to fill the office of a governorship that is vacated by an administration that had not completed its 25th year from among worthy Sovereigns native to and residing in any Bailiwick within the vacant Governorate.
- By right of legislative supremacy, the powers of the Szodanadtz may be collectively wielded by the Miþuï over executive and judicial functions and appointments within the Realm, should a 5:7 majority of Speakers vote to exercise them.
- The Miþuï may put forth proposals for deciding the succession of the Sovereign Szodan to the Staggusgæta and the Gæta uis Korïaneï for the joint assent by majority vote of those bodies.
Article 2 - The Staggusgæta
- The Uvngætz shall preside over the Staggusgæta, break tied votes, and supervise the conduct of its business.
- Additionally, the Staggusgæta shall be composed of:
- The Sinsalk (Seneschal), responsible for the Sovereign Bureau;
- The Haldurak (Keeper), responsible for the maintenance of the State Guard and Register of Bailiffs;
- The Uvnalsz (Minister) of the Treasury, responsible for the finance policy and economic policy of the Realm including the regulation of revenues, finance, corporations, and guilds;
- The Uvnalsz of Public Instruction and Safety, responsible for realm security, territorial command, public order troops, aviation police, and coast guard;
- The Uvnalsz of Logistics, responsible for the logistics, communications, information technology, and media coordination;
- The Uvnalsz of Internal Affairs, responsible for education, health, liaison with local governments, rehabilitation and re-education, and subjects' affairs;
- The Uvnalsz of Works, responsible for technology research and development, heavy industry, agriculture, infrastructure, transport, and mines & forestry.
- The Sinsalk shall be selected by and serve at the pleasure of the Szodanadtz.
- The Uvngætz may, with the consent of the Szodanadtz, appoint the Sinsalk to use the Sovereign Bureau to perform such tasks and advise on such matters that touch upon the individual interests and assets of the Sovereign Szodan.
- The Haldurak shall be selected by and serve at the pleasure of the Uvngætz.
- An Uvnalsz of the Staggusgæta shall be selected by the Uvngætz from incumbent Governors serving to administer the territory of the Sovereign Confederation and relinquish their position with the end of their territorial administration.
- The Uvngætz shall have the right to convene the Staggusgæta and to open, adjourn, and close sessions.
- The Uvngætz shall have the right to temporarily delegate the power to represent themself to any member of the Staggusgæta.
- The activities of the Staggusgæta shall be coordinated with the Gæta uis Korïaneï.
- The Staggusgæta may move to end states of emergency by unanimous vote.
- The Staggusgæta shall pass legislation into law over the whole of the Realm by a 5:7 majority vote with the advice and consent of the Miþuï.
Article 3 - The Gæta uis Korïaneï
- The Uvngætz shall preside over the Gæta uis Korïaneï on behalf of the Szodanadtz and select its membership from the Register of Bailiffs, Speakers serving beyond their first term, and incumbent Governors.
- The Gæta uis Korïaneï shall comprise the Following Commissions
- The Commissioner for Internal Affairs;
- The Commissioner for Logistics;
- The Commissioner of the Treasury;
- The Commissioner for Public Instruction and Safety;
- The Deputy Commissions of each of the above listed Commissions.
- In the event that a Commission is deemed unable to fulfill their duties on the advice of the Uvngætz, the relevant Deputy Commission will act instead until either their superior office is deemed to be recovered or has been replaced.
- Positional hierarchy of the Gæta uis Korïaneï shall be established and amended by the Uvngætz on the advice of the Szodanadtz.
- The Uvngætz shall not cast a vote unless to break a tie.
- To the Uvngætz shall belong the right to prepare and publish Directives upon all matters not yet covered in the provisions of Union law or codified within this Document in the name of the Gæta uis Korïaneï, and require for their validity the assent of the Szodanadtz.
- The Gæta uis Korïaneï shall conduct its sessions in public.
- The Gæta uis Korïaneï may resolve to mandate that an individual session be held in private, provided that all measures passed by it are immediately released to the Trazd uis Uvnkoïsoß, and that every half-year the full records must be released to the Commission for the Panopticon of the Benacian Union.
- The Gæta uis Korïaneï may conduct investigations within the Realm and may demand the presence and testimony of witnesses and the production of records for the purposes of such investigations.
- The Gæta uis Korïaneï shall propose policies and legislation to the Miþuï and Staggusgæta with intent to:
- Safeguard the prosperity, autonomy, and fortunes of the Trazd uis Uvnkoïsoß;
- Sign treaties;
- Establish the budget of the government and authorize taxation;
- Secure the borders of the Governorates’ and the Sovereign Confederation’s territories and integrate new lands to the Confederation.
- The activities of the Gæta uis Korïaneï shall be coordinated with the Staggusgæta.
Article 4 - The Szodanadtz
- The Szodanadtz shall be directed by a Sovereign who is distinct from the institution itself and is of undeniable and singularly exceptional merit, dubbed the Sovereign Szodan.
- The Sovereign Szodan shall hold their station for life or until they deem themself to be unfit to carry out their duties.
- The Szodanadtz shall represent the Gæta uis Korïaneï in relations with the other realms in the Benacian Union, declare states of emergency within the Realm, and conclude peace in the name of the same, enter into contracts and other conventions with other parties, accredit legates, and receive emissaries.
- The Szodanadtz shall receive the consent of the Staggusgæta for the declaration of a state of emergency except in case of an attack upon the territory of the Sovereign Confederation of Governorates or its coasts or in the event of a natural disaster or calamity affecting the same.
- The Szodanadtz shall appoint Governors to those governorships which vacate after completion of an administration’s 25th year.
- The Szodanadtz, with the consent of the Uvngætz, may veto the release of full records to the public if they are satisfied that the safety and comfort of the Trazd uis Uvnkoïsoß and the greater Union would be endangered by doing so.
- The Szodanadtz shall enforce and uphold the execution of Directives.
- The Szodanadtz is the font of justice for the Sovereign Confederation of Governorates. All crimes and civil pleadings may be brought to their attention or to that of the Sovereign Bureau by application or upon appeal.
- The Szodanadtz shall delegate to Governors the authority to hear such cases as it is indisposed to hear themself concerning their respective Governorates.
- The Szodanadtz may establish and modify Circuits.
- The Szodanadtz may establish by ordinance inferior and subordinate courts to hear such cases as arise from the Governorates and Bailiwicks as might be trivial to its concerns yet require the administration of justice nonetheless.
- The Szodan may, on the advice of the Uvngætz, dissolve a Governor’s administration at any time by informing the Miþuï of their reasoning for said dissolution.
- The Szodan shall act as Governor over any bailiwick which is within a jurisdiction that has a vacancy to that post or is otherwise fundamentally lacking in that level of administration until such a time that the administrative deficiency is resolved.
- The Szodan may establish Courts of Inquisition against all in the Realm as they deem necessary and appropriate.
- The Szodan may appoint any Sovereign possessing distinguished professional credentials as Bivarhins to represent them in judicial and legal matters for a period which may not exceed one year.
Document Three
Article 1 – Precepts of Justice and Common Law
- Common Law is derived from custom and judicial precedent within each Circuit.
- Any act or failure to perform an act may be considered a crime if it is found to be harmful to the Trazd uis Uvnkoïsoß or displeasing to higher authority by reason of being contrary to Common Law or else is in violation of the precepts endorsed by the United Ecclesiastical Corporation of Benacia.
- Any parties or individuals who may cause a holder of superior office or an institution of state to be brought to trial through their accusation will be made to endure the penalty which they have sought for the accused if a court constituted under lawful authority rules against them.
- The decisions and verdicts of the courts shall be recorded by the Sovereign Bureau and set precedent for what is or is not lawful conduct under Common Law.
- The courts of the Sovereign Confederation of Governorates shall faithfully implement the Criminal Code of the Benacian Union, modified as and when appropriate to the present circumstances.
- The Staggusgæta may establish courts of special interests pertaining to the individual and collective areas of responsibility of its members.
- Judicial interpretations shall take into account the evolving social, economic, and technological landscape, ensuring that the common law remains relevant and effective.
Article 2 – The Trial Procedure
- The Szodanadtz, or an appropriate representative, shall conduct an investigation and prepare charges against an individual who is subject to accusation.
- The Szodanadtz, or an appropriate representative, shall then preside over the court arraigned for the purpose of conducting a trial.
- A court shall comprise:
- The presiding officer;
- A herald selected by the presiding officer;
- A Bailiff, selected by their Governor from the Register of Bailiffs, who administers or has administered the Bailiwick containing the court;
- An Esquire of the Corps of the Gentlemen-at-Cudgels;
- And twelve Alszeï (Elders) appointed by and serving at the pleasure of those Speakers currently representing the Bailiwick hosting the court to compliment the presiding officer in their deliberations.
- The accused shall then be detained by the Corps of the Gentlemen-at-Cudgels for processing before being transferred to the bailiff’s custody.
- The accused, having been brought to trial by the bailiff, shall be read the charges against them by the herald.
- The accused, having been afforded the opportunity to consider the charges, may make a vindication of their actions or else elect to submit to the mercy of the court.
- The accused may call upon the testimony of witnesses and material evidence to support their vindication, if it is pleasing to the court.
- If the accused appeals for mercy, the court may only record the verdict of guilt and assign the aforementioned to community service.
- The presiding officer, having heard the vindications of the accused may decide if they are satisfied or dissatisfied with what they have heard.
- If the presiding officer is satisfied, the accused may be found acquitted of the charges against them and discharged.
- If the discharged party was accused by an inferior in merit, they will be entitled to demand that the accuser compensate all legal expenses accrued over the course of the investigation and trial.
- If the discharged party was accused by a subject equal or superior in merit, they may be entitled to demand that the accuser compensate up to half of all legal expenses accrued over the course of the investigation and trial, if it pleases the court.
- If the presiding officer is dissatisfied, the accused shall be found guilty. The court may then impose a fine upon the condemned that is commensurate with the crime.
- Subjects unable to pay amounts mandated by the court will be made subject to a punitive sentence which will allow the debt to be paid over no more than five years.
Article 3 – The Appeals Process
- Subjects may, on a Bailiff's recommendation, appeal the decisions and verdicts of inferior and subordinate courts at the Governorate level to the Courts of Special Interests.
- Subjects may, on the Steward's recommendation, appeal the decisions and verdicts of Courts of Special Interests to the Sovereign Szodan.
- Appeals may be halted by the Sovereign Szodan if they are satisfied with the verdict already attained.
Document Four
Article 1 – Amendment Process
- Revisions and amendments to Documents may be proposed by any member of the Miþuï or Staggusgæta and must be reviewed by the Sovereign Bureau before being presented for a vote.
- Documents One, Two, and Three may only be revised and amended with consent of the duly elected Speakers of the Miþuï by a 3:4 vote, the consent of the Governors by a 2:3 vote, and the joint assent of the Sovereign Szodan and Uvngætz.
- This Document may only be revised and amended with consent of the duly elected Speakers of the Miþuï by a 4:5 vote, the consent of the Governors by a 4:5 vote, and the unanimous consent of the Gæta uis Korïaneï.