Prince Wellandberg's Constitutional Charter
The Charter of Inselwald, proclaimed by Letters Patent of Prince-Abbot James Richard (Wellandberg) on January 7, 2019, constitutes on paper the various aspects of the Inselwaldese state.
The Charter opens with a preamble which serves as an apologia for the advantages of absolutism, if not generally, then for the Prince-Abbacy of Inselwald, particularly. Having offered a rationale for vesting the plentitude of executive, legislative, and judicial power in the person of the Prince-Abbot, the Charter then enumerates a brief catalog of basic rights guaranteed by the Prince-Abbot to his people.
It is not the mere vesting of the totality of sovereign power in his person, however, which defines the Prince-Abbot as an "absolute" monarch, since the same total consignment of sovereignty into the custody of one person is so of "constitutional" monarchs (such as the Queen of the United Kingdom), as well. It is, however, the freedom to personally and unilaterally exercise his own sovereign power which defines the Prince-Abbot as an autocrat, this constitutional Charter notwithstanding, for nothing herein constitutes anything like responsible ministers answerable to anything like a democratic legislative structure.
In the responsibility of the exercise of the sovereign power, therefore, is discovered the kernel of the matter, and therein the essential difference between a so-called "constitutional" monarch and a so-called "absolute" monarch. Whereas the former employs elected ministers to exercise his power in his name and is therefore not responsible to the democratic structures of his realm, the latter may wield his own power (or employ non-elected ministers to wield it for him), and may do so, furthermore, in the total absence of any democratic power to respond to.
This Charter's enumeration of fundamental rights afforded citizens, however, along with dictums concerning the means of consultative legislation (among other things) makes clear from the outset that, although absolute in character, the Inselwaldese monarchy is not arbitrary. Even in the absence of democratic structures, and with sweeping plenipotentiary powers entrusted to his personal exercise, the Prince-Abbot is nevertheless constrained by justice and equity, by the self-imposed obligation to consult his Chapter, and, finally, by the tenets of the Christian Gospel.
The self-regulatory and non-arbitrary nature of Inselwaldese absolutism ensures that the Prince-Abbacy of Inselwald is many steps removed from the "badlands" of capricious egocentric regimes and meretricious despots. If not responsible to a democratic legislature, the Inselwaldese monarch is nevertheless responsible to a defined set of coherent and permanently-established values, as well as to the expectations of the established culture.
As a final observation, the various clauses of Prince Wellandberg's Charter concerning lawmaking underscore the reality that the principality exists for the benefit of the Noble Chapter of Ladies and Gentlemen of the Grand Hunt, and not vice-versa, insofar as canons and canonesses of the Chapter are included in the legislative process, even though they are not required to be citizens of Inselwald. Citizens of Inselwald, on the other hand, who do not have a seat in Chapter, are not guaranteed a voice in the legislative process.
Iacobus Ricardus PA
JAMES RICHARD of Wellandberg, by the Grace of God Prince of Inselwald, Abbot of the Noble Chapter of Ladies and Gentlemen of the Grand Hunt, Count Wellandberg of Prinzenwald, Baron Cloutier de St Jean, to all present and to come,
GREETING:
The Grace of God, by which salvation comes to men through faith in the Incarnate Word, has brought us safely and in peace to the present day. The Prince and the People of Inselwald unite as One in this present moment for the purposes of assembling together as a sovereign polity.
We are moved, therefore, for the benefit of all concerned, to constitute and clarify various aspects of the Inselwaldese state, to which end We have composed a Charter, and We do now publish it:
The context of this, our common society, enjoins each and all to assent to the doctrine that within the person of the monarch, alone, reposes the sovereign power, the exercise of which may from time to time be entrusted, in part, to wise and sagacious subjects of quality:
We have hoped that, taught by the experience of history, the people of this Our principality may be incontrovertibly persuaded that the sovereign authority, alone, is capable of imparting to the state the strength, stability, and majesty required to invest it with the security and permanence it requires for vitality; that thus, when the cooperation of the people freely coincides with the rule of the Prince, a happy and satisfactory community may be of long duration; but that, when provincial apprehensions or avarice wrest concessions from the tenuity of placatory or impuissant government, public liberty is not less imperiled than the state itself:
In a word, we have sought to preserve in the Inselwaldese character the traditional dignity, serenity, and agility of the Western monarchies of past ages. Thus, we have seen, in the absolute reservation to the monarch of ruling authority, an institution truly stable and one which must bind recollections with aspirations, in harmonizing the modalities of former days with the expectations of present times:
The dearest wish of Our heart is that Our subjects should be entirely confident in the ability of their Prince to establish and maintain the conditions by which they may all together abide in tranquility as neighbors, friends, and collaborators. The limitless extent of the sovereign power of the monarchy is efficient, therefore, to extricate, in expeditious fashion, those agents of grievous discord which may insidiously find their way into the fold from time to time. For mature and honest collaborators, no fear of the extent of the authority of the Prince is necessary, whereas for the callow and the malign, no hope for the protraction of their animus is possible. The maintenance of peace and conviviality within the enclosure of our common society must ever be the paramount concern of the state:
We dare never ignore the Christian nature of this polity, and adhering to the tenets of the Gospel, We assure our subjects of the freedom proclaimed by Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, to whom all sovereign power in this realm must genuflect, for the Cross demands of princes the justice of God in the ordering of states and the government of peoples:
Assured of Our purpose, and strengthened by the convictions of Our heart, We pledge fidelity to the precepts of this, Our Charter, reserving to Ourselves the solemn obligation to maintain it:
For these reasons We do voluntarily, and by the free exercise of Our sovereign authority, publish and proclaim, as well for Us as for Our successors, the constitutional Charter which follows:
THE PUBLIC LAW OF THE PRINCE-ABBACY OF INSELWALD
I. THE BASIC RIGHTS OF THE INSELWALDESE
A. Equal in the sight of God, the Inselwaldese are likewise equal before the Law.
B. Citizens may contribute without distinction, in proportion to their talents, towards the vitality of the state.
C. Citizens are each and all admissible to civil employments irrespective of distinctions of race, religious affiliation, gender, or fortune.
D. Every citizen is at liberty to profess the tenets of his faith and shall enjoy for his public worship the same liberty.
E. Nevertheless, the Christian Faith is the faith which provides the Prince-Abbacy of Inselwald with its essential purpose and character.
F. The Inselwaldese are endowed with the right of freedom of expression, in conformity with any and all such laws, ordinances, or decrees as may be deemed necessary to restrain abuses of that liberty.
G. The creative and intellectual property of the citizen is inviolable, without any exception for that which is published relative to the Prince-Abbacy of Inselwald, the law making no distinction in that respect, excepting such content as has been explicitly and particularly commissioned by the state for its own uses and purposes.
H. The state may require the sacrifice of a property on account of a legally established public interest, but only with a previous indemnity.
II. THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PRINCE-ABBOT
A. The sovereign power in and over the Prince-Abbacy of Inselwald is perpetually and absolutely vested in the Abbot of the Noble Chapter of Ladies and Gentlemen of the Grand Hunt (hereinafter called “The Chapter”), who shall be styled “Prince-Abbot of Inselwald”.
B. The manner of succession to the Abbacy, and the duration of the reign of the Abbot, is determinable by the constitutions of the Chapter as they shall be published and proclaimed by the Abbot from time to time.
C. The person of the Prince-Abbot is inviolable; to him, alone, belongs the executive power.
D. The Prince-Abbot is the supreme head of the state and of the government, commands the uniformed services, appoints to all places of public administration, and makes the necessary regulations and ordinances for the execution of the laws and the security of the state.
E. The legislative power is exercised by the Prince-Abbot; he shall propose and enact Laws from time to time as he shall think fit.
F. Laws are proposed in Chapter, and shall be freely discussed therein for such duration as shall be directed by the Prince-Abbot.
G. The Prince-Abbot may consult with persons outside the Chapter concerning Laws proposed in Chapter, as he shall think fit.
H. Fully-initiated members of the Chapter may, individually or collectively, petition the Prince-Abbot to enact a Law upon any subject whatsoever and to indicate what seems suitable for the Law to contain.
I. If a Law proposed in Chapter is rejected, it cannot be presented again in the same session.
J. The Prince-Abbot, alone, sanctions and promulgates Laws.
III. THE JUDICIAL POWER
A. All justice emanates from the Prince-Abbot, who is the Sovereign of the Inselwaldese state.
B. Justice is administered by the Prince-Abbot personally, or in his name by such officers whom he appoints and whom he invests.
C. The Prince-Abbot shall impose such penalties or sanctions as he shall think fit to impose from time to time upon persons found guilty of the disturbance of the peace or of the willful violation the Law.
D. The Prince-Abbot has the right of pardon, and that of commuting penalties.
IV. THE ARISTOCRACY
A. The Prince-Abbot creates aristocratic titles and bestows them in accordance with the prescriptions herein.
B. The ranks and titles of the aristocracy are invested neither of jurisdiction nor of special rights, but are honorary in character.
C. To the Prince-Abbot and the canons and canonesses of the Chapter, alone, are permitted aristocratic titles at the rank of Count or Countess.
D. Canons and canonesses of the Chapter who are not citizens of Inselwald are nevertheless eligible to be ennobled by the Prince-Abbot at the rank of Count or Countess, but not, however, at the rank of Baron or Baroness.
E. Citizens of Inselwald who are not canons or canonesses of the Chapter are ineligible to be ennobled by the Prince-Abbot at the rank of Count or Countess, but are eligible to be ennobled at the rank of Baron or Baroness.
F. The Inselwaldese aristocracy shall at all times conform to such directives concerning decorum, protocol, and vesture as may be published by the Prince-Abbot from time to time.
V. AMENDMENTS TO THIS CHARTER
This Charter, or any article or clause herein, may be amended or altered at any time by the Prince-Abbot as he shall think fit, provided that such amendments or alterations are advertised in Chapter no fewer than two weeks prior to becoming effective.
Given at Prinzenwald this Seventh day of January, in the Year of Grace Two Thousand and Nineteen, and of Our reign the First.
Blessed be God forever.
By the Prince-Abbot, Himself, signed with his own hand.
