The Second Declaration

by T Emerson May

  The next report to be delivered was the report on the method and means of the separation itself. It was delivered by another young researcher who presented his report in summary, then left the room.

  Hal Browning and Robert Jeffries had drafted their declaration of separation and all the group had discussed and approved it. The document was a masterpiece of brevity and clarity. It stated in simple terms the failure of the existing government to provide "the best possible means for the western states to realize their special sociologic and economic well being." It also traced the other failures of the existing government in "fiscal responsibility and world trade deficits." It concluded with the statement that the western states "have always been separate in fact and now are, and have the right to be, separate in law."

  "Gentlemen, what do you think of this idea?" asked Bill McKay. "When seven states have declared their independence we should release this document for publication to the media. That will be the official act of secession."

  "I see no better way to do it. What do you all think?" asked Adams. He saw unanimous agreement around the table. "We are at the end of the line. Within two weeks, the western states and Canadian provinces will settle the question of secession in their legislatures. When seven such states have declared, then it is done; we'll release the Declaration to all American media and foreign press as well.

  "We have to settle the issue of the location of a capital," said McKay. "I'd like to suggest that we make Denver the temporary capital until the whole picture clears up. We don't know if Washington and Oregon will join immediately or British Columbia for that matter. We feel confident that Colorado will lead the way anyway and should have the honor of the location of the capital."

  "I'll second that," said Sam. "Denver makes sense."

  The group agreed that Denver would be the site of the first capital, albeit temporary. It would also be the site of the constitutional convention which would be called after the declaration of separation.

  "Gentlemen, all we can do now is wait," said Tom Adams. "In two weeks, we will meet again to declare a new nation, or pray for God's help. I have to confess that there were times when I didn't think we could pull it off. But after Bob was killed, I vowed to dedicate my life to the separation of the west. I don't know what the future will bring. Perhaps in five years we'll meet here and admit it was all a mistake and seek to re enter the Union. I hope and pray that day never comes, because I know in my heart that we are right. Shall we reconvene in two weeks, then?" The group agreed. They sat there a few minutes, each reflecting on the sobering words of Tom Adams. Could they fail? Certainly they could. There were no guarantees of success in this undertaking.

  "Sam would you stay on a few minutes? I want to talk to you for a little while," asked Tom as the group began to file out.

  "Sure, Tom, what's up?"

  "Sam, what's your gut feeling about this? Do you think it will work? Will the states vote for independence?"

  "Tom, you're a politician, and a damned good one. I'm a businessman, and I think a pretty good one. We see things from different angles. As a politician, you may fear failure more than I do and so tend to exaggerate consequences. Your fear of failure might come from knowing that it would end your political career. I have never doubted that this thing would work. I just didn't know how to do it. No, Tom, I don't think this will fail. There is too much momentum right now. It can't be stopped. Remember Newton's law? A body in motion tends to remain in motion until something big enough can stop it. There just isn't anything big enough to stop it."

  "Sam, with every passing week, I gain more respect for you. Have you ever considered entering politics?"

  "Yeah, I have to admit I've been thinking about running for a seat in the Assembly when this thing comes together. I may need a little advice from you then."

  "Sam, I can't imagine anyone silly enough to run against you. But I'll offer you any advice I can. I think you should try for a seat."

  Four days later the Nevada legislature startled everyone including Tom Adams by passing a resolution in favor of separation. The following day both Dakotas followed suit. Two days after that Colorado, Montana, Idaho, Utah and New Mexico passed similar resolutions. The group, through the committee in Denver, released the Declaration of Separation to the press and TV. There were wild celebrations in Helena, Santa Fe, Denver, Boise, Cheyenne and Laramie. People stayed up all night in Bismarck and Pierre and in Colorado Springs.

  Tim Mullenski filed a live report from Laramie, Wyoming the night it passed the Legislature. "I'm reporting live from the downtown area of Laramie, Bernie. There are thousands of people on the streets, just milling around, driving up and down, honking the horns on their vehicles. I have with me here some residents of Laramie. Let's see what the mood is here." Tim gently pulled one of the group towards him, a burly man dressed in typical western attire.

  "So what is the general mood of this crowd, Mister.....?"

  "Tipton, Ken Tipton. Oh, they're happy. We been counting the days till this thing was passed. Everybody knew it was going to happen."

  "What are your fears, or doubts, now that it has finally happened? Will it all work out?"

  "Sure it'll work out. We couldn't do any worse than those clowns up in Washington have been doing the past fifty years. We'll find a way to make it work. We've got some good people out here."

  "How about you, Miss....? What do you think about all this celebration and what happens next."

  "Mrs. Tipton. I'm with him. I agree with my husband. We pay too much taxes and get nothing for it. It couldn't be any worse than it is now. We ranch, raise cattle. Maybe we can figure out a way to stabilize beef prices."

  "Well, there you have it, Bernie. The thoughts of some people celebrating here on this chilly night in Laramie."

  They did not know what to expect, but for the moment the west had pulled on the goatee of Uncle Sam and gotten away with it. The nation had been watching it all unfold on television and reading about it in their daily newspapers. The Declaration was almost anticlimactic. The votes of the states did not come as that great a surprise since computer projections had long ago predicted the outcome of the venture. It was only a matter of time, not result. In rapid sequence, like a giant snowball enlarging on its way down a steep slope, the other states and provinces joined in. Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta seceded from Canada two days later. By the 13th day since the group last met, Oklahoma, Alaska, Nebraska, and Oregon expressed their desire to separate from the US. British Columbia approved secession on the 14th day. That was the day the group met again in Denver. While there, Tom Adams received a call from the President of the United States.

  "Governor Adams, this is the President. How are you?"

  "Fine, Mister President. I hope you and your family are well." "Yes, we are all well. Tom, I suppose you know the purpose of my call. It appears that we have lost the west and it's only a matter of time before you and the Canadians form a new nation."

  "Yes, Mister President, we feel that before winter we will have created a new country extending from Alaska to New Mexico."

  "Tom, this is going to have a profound effect on both our futures. There are many questions to answer, such as the status of our military bases and naval facilities, whether or not they can remain. We have Federal Reserve banks in Denver and San Francisco, although it appears that California is holding out. I want to assure you that our intentions are certainly peaceable but we must protect our national interests even as you will be doing in a few months."

  "Mister President, as you know I can only speak as Governor of Colorado since there is no government in existence yet, but I can assure you that we have carefully considered all the questions you are posing. We have had a permanent committee for some time and are producing reports on all such questions. Certainly we have no intention of posing a military threat to your country." Tom had unconsciously begun thinking of the US as a foreign country when he used the expression 'your country'. He no longer considered himse
lf a citizen of the US.

  "Tom, it is assumed out here that you will be the first president of your country. That is why I am calling you now. I stand ready to work with you on this and will do everything in my power to assist you. But Tom, I think you should seriously consider the consequences of your efforts. You must realize the gravity of this movement. It is not too late to reverse this thing, you know. You have great influence out there, Tom. You could lead them back into the fold."

  "Mister President, there is no way that this can be reversed. It has taken on a momentum of its own. The people of the west are not afraid of challenge or an adventure."

  "Is that what you consider this, an adventure?"

  "No, Mister President, I consider it an opportunity for westerners to seek their own solutions to their own problems, after waiting fifty years for Washington to do something. I consider this the most profound decision I have ever made in my life, as do the others out here in the west." There was a long pause on the other end of the line. For a second Tom thought the President had hung up. Then he heard a loud sigh coming from the President.

  "Tom, awfully good talking to you. Let's stay in touch. We are all Americans, first and finally. We can work through this if we all try."

  "I appreciate the kind words, Mister President. I will pass them along to all the other states. Thank you and good night." Tom had been waiting for that call for a few days. He knew it was inevitable, but when it came, it was a relief. He thought the President would be more compelling, more forceful, even threatening. He was very happy that he was not.

  Tom received the other members of the group into his office in the committee headquarters. He had all but abandoned his office in the state capital and had practically moved to the committee office building. Their campaign on the one hand was over. They had won the first battle. But the biggest battle was yet to be waged... the constitutional convention to formalize the separation and construct a new government.

  "I just received a call from the President," began Adams. "Which President?" asked Bill McKay, smiling widely.

  "Of the USA," answered Tom, also smiling. "He was amazingly conciliatory. I expected him to be more aggressive, more demanding. I think he is just drained from the situation in Washington and our efforts. He wished us well. He did remind us that we are still Americans and that we should try working together for the common good of both our countries. I totally agreed with him on that."

  "Is he making any threats?" asked Sam.

  "No, not really. He's very concerned about military bases in our territory. I see no reason for that to be a problem, do you fellahs?"

  "I don't either. Hell, there are American bases all over the world. I don't really see why they couldn't keep their bases here," suggested Sam.

  "Absolutely. We might want to give them a time period during which we would review their presence, say five years," said McKay.

  "Shall we talk about the upcoming constitutional convention?" asked Tom matter-of-factly. Suddenly the group became aware of how far they had come in such a short space of time. They were planning a constitutional convention that would form the first new country on the North American continent since the South seceded in 1861. They exchanged looks across the table, sharing the magnitude of the moment and what they hoped would be the grandeur of what was to come.

  Chapter XI

  The Constitution is Approved

  "The west is now in a very precarious position," reported Tim Mullenski on the evening news from Denver. "It has separated from the US, but is now a collection of independent states and provinces. If Russia were to attack, or even occupy the state of Alaska, legally there is nothing the US could do to prevent it. In reality, foreign nations are holding their collective breaths, waiting for the other shoe to fall. The other shoe is the convening of the states to deliberate a constitution and the creation of a de jure government. The American colonies faced a similar dilemma at the conclusion of the Revolutionary War."

  "Once free of the British yoke, the American states formed a loosely cohesive government known as the Articles of Confederation. It provided no unified government, merely a collection of independent states meeting in a Continental Congress. Neither did it provide for an executive to actually govern the entire nation. It lasted only until 1788, when the Constitution was approved and the government was formed with George Washington elected as the first unified ruler. Back to you, Bernie."

  "Tim, tell us how this convention came to be and what its makeup is. Fill in some of the details that our viewers need in order to understand these incredible events."

  "The resolutions of separation passed by the western states provided for the formation of such an interim body. Each state and province sent ten delegates, regardless of population, to Denver to form a Western Congress. Its sole responsibility is to create a constitution to be presented to the various states and Canadian provinces. Once that is done, the Western Congress will dissolve. The delegates sent to the Congress were, according to the wording in the separation resolution, 'to be chosen by the legislature of the state or province in such manner as is deemed appropriate.' This means of course that anyone could be chosen as a delegate, including Sam Brouchet of Nevada or Fred Banning of Montana, a political science teacher at Montana State."

  "Thanks, Tim. We'll have more news from Denver after these words." Millions of American viewers had been glued to their TV sets since the west had voted for separation. Tim Mullenski had quickly become the favorite of the viewing audience, since he was there in the beginning and had remained in the west throughout the extraordinary events of the summer.

  The Western Congress convened in early September in Denver. All the members of the group were there, representing their states. Tom Adams was chosen Chairman on the first morning of business and Hal Browning was elected Parliamentarian and Vice Chairman.

  Mitch Elliot immediately presented the assembly with report after report that the permanent committee in Denver had prepared. Mitch Elliot had done a masterful job of overseeing such a motley collection of prima donnas. He had to soothe the feelings of lawyers, young Ph.D's, economists, political scientists, oil experts. Each group vied for the resources needed for research, typing, computer time, office space. Mitch felt much like a parent insuring that each child received the amount of attention proportionate to its needs. It was a credit to his organizational and diplomatic skills that he was able to succeed at all, and certainly in such a short space of time. His skills had not gone unnoticed by Tom Adams and other members of the group.

  Tom saw him walking down the hallway of the committee office one day, a worried frown on his face, and said, "Mitch, you have worked an absolute miracle with these people the past two months. If, no let me say when, we get this new government off the ground, there has to be a place for you in the central government. I would think that Chief of Staff for the Premier would suit you very well."

  Mitch answered, "Tom, I really appreciate that, but when this is over, I think I'll go back to Wyoming and take up ranching or trout fishing, something a little less stressful."

  "Now Mitch, after a week of that you'll be ready for the arena again," laughed Adams.

  "Yeah, you're probably right. I must like it. I keep coming back to it time and again."

  It was Mitch Elliot who had orchestrated the campaign waged in the state legislatures for separatism. He had worded the resolutions passed in each of the states and provinces. It was his idea to include the call for a convention in the resolution itself in order to avoid another vote on that action. He was in charge of planning the convention, seeing to rooms and accommodations, constructing the daily agenda for the delegates to consider. He took care of the smallest detail, seeing to it that each delegate had access to secretarial help for typing and letter writing. He had personally overseen the hiring of the secretarial pool of fifty typists and stenographers who were hired temporarily for the convention. The first big problem arose on the first day of the convention. Oregon and Washingt
on would not attend.

  "Where's Hal Browning? Has anyone seen him?" asked Tom Adams, somewhat angrily.

  "He's at the convention. I saw him in his office just an hour ago," answered Mitch Elliot. Even as he answered, Hal Browning walked into Adams's office with Robert Jeffries.

  "Hal, talk to me. What's going on. Oregon is not going to attend the convention? They aren't going to turn their back on us now, are they?" asked Tom abruptly.

  "Tom, this all came up yesterday. I just found out that the Oregon, Washington and British Columbia delegates are meeting in a closed caucus in the hotel suite of one of the Oregon delegates. Apparently they are discussing an option of forming a country of those three states and part of Northern California."

  "My God, they aren't serious, are they, Hal? Before you know it we'll have nine or ten countries emerge out of this, if they go it alone," said Tom angrily. "Don't they know that it'll be difficult enough for all the states to be successful without their complicating matters? Are they holding out for something?"

  "I honestly don't think so. I think they just see themselves as a logical group, Pacific coast, that sort of thing," said Jeffries. "This may influence the other three Canadian delegations," referring to the plains provinces.

  "Robert, why don't you, I and Hal get over there as soon as possible and see what they want and try reasoning with them. I still think they're holding out for the capital," said Tom, making a phone call as he spoke.

  The drive from the committee offices to the hotel was barely a fifteen minute trip, and upon arriving the three men went straight to the hotel suite where the caucus was convened. They were invited into the suite by one of the delegates. "Jim, I didn't like the news I was hearing over at the office and thought I'd drop in to see what I could find out. I trust all three of us are welcome," said Tom cordially, offering the chance to elicit insight into the problem.