Modest Proposal

The Modest Proposal is the name given (in its subject line) to the approach sent by Miestrâ Schivâ of the Talossan Republic to the King and government of the Kingdom on 1 December 2011 which inaugurated the process that became known as Reunision.

Text of the Modest Proposal

À: s.m. Regéu Ián I, Seneschál Litz Cjantschéir, és Ma la Mha, el Prüm Baron Tepistà

CC: Seneschál Gödafrïeu Valcádac'h, Distáin C. Carlüs Xheráltsëfiglheu

Estimats cünTalossáes:

I hope you are all keeping well in this, the month of the 32nd anniversary of the Talossan nation.

I come before you now as a leader of one faction of the Talossan nation to another, long divided by politics, with a clear and simple message. The division of Talossa is now over, if you want it.

The Talossan Republic will soon – we hope – convene a General Assembly of all citizens to debate the future of our polity with no preconditions. I hope to be able to put this assembly the proposition that the Talossan Republic dissolve itself in favour of absorption of all of our citizens who are willing into the Kingdom of Talossa.

What your state would gain out of this should not require spelling out, but in any case:

• Anywhere between 8 and 12 active citizens¹, devoted to making Talossa a better and more fun nation, swearing allegiance to the Organic Law of the Kingdom;
• the handing over of the domain names talossa.com, .org and .net into the keeping of the Kingdom;
• final, undisputed legitimacy as the continuation of the Kingdom of Talossa which existed before Calondâ Gün 2004/xxv (given the fact that ex-King Robert seems to have given up the pretence of ex-King Louis to the Somewhat Battered Throne).

Clearly I cannot guarantee that my fellow Republican Talossans will do any such thing. But the chances of success will be immeasurably improved, if I could inform my fellow citizens that I had received pledges of the following from the Kingdom's movers and shakers:

• a guarantee that all current citizens of our Republic shall be accepted into citizenship of the Kingdom. “If one is excluded, we all stay out.”
• our right to continue our peculiar “Rebel” culture, developed in isolation from the Kingdom during the past seven and a half years, perhaps associated with territorial autonomy of some kind;
• the rescinding of the indictments for treason against the leaders of the Revolution/Secession of 2004/xxv, handed down by the previous Rouerguian regime.

It would be absolutely perfect, as I'm sure you can agree, that we should be able to mutually announce our seriousness about reunification of Talossa under the OrgLaw on or before li. 26 Decemvár, the 32nd anniversary of the founding of ár ImagiNaziun.

I write only in my own name and not that of the Republican government; however, as you can see by the cc list, the Republican government is aware of and sympathetic to these overtures. We only await the Kingdom's word as to whether this proposal is of any interest or whether you would prefer never to hear from us again. If you are interested, then we can formally begin the debate in our General Assembly.

Please reply at your earliest possible convenience if you have any interest in this proposal of reunification.

Restéu voastrâ për Talossa,

Patriciâsëfiglhâ Antôniâ Schivâ
Prüm Citaxhiên dàl Repúblicâ Talossán.

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¹ The actual number of Republican Talossans who joined the Kingdom as a result of Reunision was fifteen. One other former Republican (Üc Tärfâ) returned to Talossa and became a citizen of Fiôvâ.

Reply from King John

Estimada Miestra --

Speaking for myself only -- and you understand how limited my Constitutional powers are --, I am simply overjoyed by your "modest proposal". I can't imagine that the Government or the people of the Kingdom will be anything less than thrilled to welcome as many of you as feel inclined to join (or rejoin) us, and I'm certain we'll all be bending over backwards to make the process as happy and stressless as it should be. Of course, we'll need to work out the legal details, which (it occurs to me) might best be done by a Royal Pardon (which I *can* issue on my own, and would be *more* than happy to do so) extending to all acts whatsoever before some particular date -- an Act of Absolute Oblivion --, together with a Prime Dictate admitting whatever Republican citizens want to be admitted and assigning them to whatever Provinces they'd like to join (if they care). And, oh!, how wonderful if we could time it all for 26 December, as you say. Best. Independence Day. Ever.

There are lots of other things to think about -- maybe a national holiday honouring those who seceeded and the good that resulted, and celebrating the return; figuring out how to incorporate Republican histories, documents, etc., into the KingdomOfTalossa.net website, and so on. I'd hope we wouldn't set up any kind of permanent segregation between the groups, but anything anyone wants to do to maintain "rebel" culture would certainly come under the general right of Talossans to do pretty much whatever stuff they want to do.

I'm very excited at this whole prospect. I think no END of good for Talossa can come of it, and I am really very grateful to you and your government for making this proposal. I think of all we can do to "merge" our histories and identities, and I'm just absolutely thrilled.

We'll get back to you with an *official* answer soon, I'm sure. But meanwhile, I didn't want to leave your wonderful letter unanswered even for a day.

Deepest regards and thanks,

John Regeu