Dictatorship of MMDCCLII (Nova Roma)

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In July MMDCCLII (1999), after the tumultus L. Equitio Dec. Iunio cos. ‡ MMDCCLII a.u.c., founder Flavius Vedius Germanicus was appointed Dictator by the Senate.

Vedius Germanicus expelled consul Lucius Equitius Cincinnatus, declaring his election invalid, made several edicts and senatorial appointments, and wrote a new constitution before laying down his office.

Details

At the fourth day before the Ides of Sextilis, the Senate appointed a Dictator (Message 7014)

So the Consul Decius Iunius Palladius

The following resolution of the crisis passed the Senate today by a majority vote. This was not done lightly but in the knowledge that it is the only possible way to keep Nova Roma intact and preserve our system of government. A declaration by Flavius Vedius Germanicus, now dictator of Nova Roma, will follow shortly. I do not congratulate him for accepting this post this, for it is not a moment to celebrate.

"I, Decius Iunius Palladius, Consul of Nova Roma, hereby convene the Senate to an emergency session to vote on the following:

Whereas the current situation in Nova Roma is intolerable and threatens the very existence of Nova Roma both as a nation and as a membership organization, and,

Whereas this crisis, while precipitated by a single incident, has at its root many causes that must be addressed so as to avoid any similar situations in the future, as well as to ensure the orderly and enjoyable continuation of Nova Roma, and,

Whereas any solution to the present crisis should and must be done in accordance with the Constitution of Nova Roma,

Do we, the Senate of Nova Roma, by vote of a majority, hereby appoint Flavius Vedius Germanicus to the office of Dictator, and invest in him complete authoritas and imperium, trusting him to resolve the present crisis and take whatever steps he deems necessary to prevent its recurrence in the future.

Decius Iunius Palladius, Consul of Nova Roma'

However, Consul Lucius Equitius Cincinnatus protested energically against the (Message 7015)

I, Lucius Equitius Cincinnatus, Consul Novae Romae hereby Veto this action!

Give us the Tribes you promised and informed us were done!

BTW Where is the Senate these days or is this Consul not privy to the Senate anymore?

Flavius Vedius Germanicus (Message 7017)

As Consul, you do not have the power to veto a Senatus Consultum, nor do you have the power to veto an action of your collegate magistrate retroactively. The vote was taken and declared closed when the question was decided by a majority.

BTW Where is the Senate these days or is this Consul not privy to the Senate anymore?

It is exactly where it has always been. In fact, you had posted a call for a vote there on June 25th (not that I was informed, though I was a Senator).

Flavius Vedius Germanicus (Message 7017)

As you are doubtless aware, the last few days have been rough ones for our fair Republic. Accusations of unconstitutional conspiracy, a rift between the Board of Directors and the Government, the continued failure to establish the various Comitiae, and ill-feelings growing exponentially.

It was felt that the only way to resolve the crisis and still maintain continuity with what had gone before (and still act within the bounds of the Constitution), that a Dictator should be appointed to sort out the problems fairly, decisively, and legally. As I was not involved in the recent "impeachment" scandal even tangentially, am not a member of the Board of Directors, and am completely conversant with our Constitutional system, I was chosen to serve in that capacity.

As Decius Iunius Palladius said, this is not a time for congratulations, as it was the gravest of situations which brought us to this point. I have deliberately laid low in the world of Nova Roman politics as of late, but when called to serve, I fulfill my duty as any Roman would.

I would add that my appointment was made with the agreement that the officers and Board of Directors of the Corporation would completely cooperate with any reforms I might need to instigate regarding the relationship between the Corporation and the State.

Many problems are to blame for the crisis which has befallen us. Above all, problems with our Constitution and other institutions of government as they currently exist, a failure to reconcile the Government with the non-profit Corporation's officers and Board of Directors, and the impossibility of resolving any of these problems as long as the Assemblies remain unable to operate.

Finally, despite all of the problems which beset us, we *must* honor the Constitution, flawed though it may be. Previously, this has not been done, and the Constitution has been trampled in the name of necessity.

Several incidents come to mind. First and most egregious, elections of magistrates were held last December in violation of the procedures set forth in the Constitution, at the insistence of Lucius Equitius Cincinnatus. This same individual most recently attempted to instigate proceedings of impeachment against other magistrates. Whether one believes that the Censors needed to be removed or not, neither a Consul nor the Senate has the authority under our Constitution to undertake such an act.

Therefore, as legally appointed Dictator, I hereby decree:

1) The results of last December's elections, having been held using illegal procedures in the first place, are hereby nullified. Protempore magistrates shall be appointed forthwith, pending the calling of new elections to be held in accordance with established Constitutional procedures.

2) Lucius Equitius Cincinnatus, who has demonstrated a willingness to subvert and ignore the Constitution to achieve his desired ends, and as such represents a grave threat to the State, is hereby removed from membership in the Senate, his Citizenship is hereby revoked, and he is hereby banned from re-applying for Citizenship for a period of ten years.

I would at this time invite anyone who wishes to please contact me with ideas and suggestions regarding solutions to the various problems which plague our nation. I need input from all sides on the weighty issues that we face. While I may be Dictator, I do not believe that means I must be autocratic.

[...]Hoping to be able to lay down this office as soon as possible,

Flavius Vedius Germanicus

(Message 7020)

As legally-appointed Dictator, I hereby appoint the following individuals to their respective offices. Please note that, with minimal exceptions, these

appointments represent a return to the state of affairs that existed before the Interregnum.

Censor: Decius Iunius Palladius

Censor: Flavius Vedius Germanicus

Consul: (vacant)

Consul: Decius Iunius Palladius

[...]

Marcus Martianus Gangalius (Message 7022)

Salvete, Quirites.

Not knowing what further purges Germanicus contemplates, I will make this statement before he expels me as well.

Although he is not the most diplomatic man I have ever known, I do know Lucius Equitius Cincinnatus to be a man of great integrity, and he has been slandered.

Lucius Equitius Cincinnatus indicated to me in private several times over the past several months that he opposed holding the elections last December. Since at the several times he mentioned this, it was not an issue of great import, I can't imagine that he would have had a motive to lie to me about it. Furthermore, I was shocked that he took this position because in my view, although I was not a Civis at the time, the election was a good thing. Although the election was conducted without the Tribes and Centuries, it was a free and fair election that was conducted on the principle of "one person, one vote." Accordingly, I see now valid reason to nullify the results of those elections, and I say this having no stake in the matter whatsoever, since I was appointed to my position by Senatus Consulta.

Lucius Equitius Cincinnatus has never, to my knowledge, attempted to "subvert and ignore the Constitution". Rather, he has repeatedly urged the Censores to complete the the formation of the Tribes and Centuries, for without Comitiae that are to be constituted from these bodies, he could bring no legislation. The ability of Lucius Equitius Cincinnatus to act Constitutionally was thwarted by the delay of the Censores.

I say for the record that I believe the expulsion of Lucius Equitius Cincinnatus to be unjust, and I further believe the nullification of last year's free and fair elections to be unjust.

What I see in these actions is that the only real coup -- the coup made by the Maine clique -- is being consolidated.

That these actions have been taken on the Fourth of July, when America celebrates freedom, fills me with disgust far beyond my poor ability to express it.

May the gods preserve the Senate and People of Nova Roma. They certainly have their work cut out for them.

Valete,

Aedilis Curule et Vebsitarius Maximus