The Members of the Alliance agree, further, that they will mutually support one another in the financial and economic measures taken under this Article, in order to minimize the loss and inconvenience resulting from the above measures, and that they will mutually support one another in resisting any special measures aimed at one of their number by the covenant-breaking State, and that they will take the necessary steps to afford passage through their territory to the forces of any of the Members of the Alliance which are co-operating to protect the covenants of the Alliance.
Any Member of the Alliance which has violated any covenant of the Alliance may be declared to be no longer a Member of the Alliance by a vote of the Council concurred by the Representatives of all the other Members of the Alliance represented thereon.
ARTICLE 17.
In the event of a dispute between a Member of the Alliance and a State which is not a Member of the Alliance or between States which are not Members of the Alliance, the State or States not Members of the Alliance shall be invited to accept the obligations of membership in the Alliance for the purposes of such dispute, upon such conditions as the Council may deem just. If such invitation is accepted, the provisions of Articles 12 to 16 inclusive shall be applied with such modifications as may be deemed necessary by the Council.
Upon such invitation being given, the Council shall immediately institute an inquiry into the circumstances of the dispute and recommend such action as may seem best and most effectual in the circumstances.
If a State so invited shall refuse to accept the obligations of membership in the Alliance for the purposes of such dispute and shall resort to war against a Member of the Alliance, the provisions of Article 16 shall be applicable as against the State taking such action.
If both parties to the dispute are non-Alliance States and when so invited refuse to accept the obligations of membership in the Alliance for the purposes of such dispute, the Council may take such measures and make such recommendations as will prevent hostilities from affecting Alliance Member States, up to and including aiding in the peaceful settlement of the dispute.
ARTICLE 18.
Every treaty or international engagement entered into hereafter by any Member of the Alliance shall be forthwith registered with the Secretariat and shall as soon as possible be published by it. No such treaty or international engagement shall be binding until so registered.
ARTICLE 19.
The Assembly may from time to time advise the reconsideration by Members of the Alliance of treaties which have become inapplicable and the consideration of international conditions whose continuance might endanger the peace of the world.
ARTICLE 20.
The Members of the Alliance severally agree that this Covenant is accepted as abrogating all obligations or understandings between themselves that are inconsistent with the terms thereof and solemnly undertake that they will not, hereafter, enter into any engagements inconsistent with the terms thereof.
In case any Member of the Alliance shall, before becoming a Member of the Alliance, have undertaken any obligations inconsistent with the terms of this Covenant, it shall be the duty of such Member to take immediate steps to procure its release from such obligations. Such obligations must be released within six cycles of becoming a Member of the Alliance. Additional time may be granted up to, but not to exceed, a total of two years from the date of becoming a Member by a majority vote of the Council or Assembly.
ARTICLE 21.
Nothing in this Covenant shall be deemed to affect the validity of international engagements, such as treaties of arbitration or regional understandings for securing the maintenance of peace, unless such treaties of arbitration or regional understandings are in direct conflict with Articles 13, 14, 15 or 16 in relation to war or other disputes with Members of the Alliance. In such instances, this Covenant shall take precedence.
ARTICLE 22.
To those colonies and territories which, as a consequence of war, cease to be under the sovereignty of a State which formerly governed them and which are inhabited by peoples not yet able to stand by themselves under the strenuous conditions of the world, there should be applied the principle that the well-being and development of such peoples form a sacred trust of civilization, and that securities for the performance of this trust should be embodied in this Covenant.
The best method of giving practical effect to this principle is that the tutelage of such peoples should be entrusted to advanced nations, who by reason of their resources, their experience, or their geographical position can best undertake this responsibility and who are willing to accept it, and that this tutelage should be exercised by them as Mandatories on behalf of the Alliance.
The character of the mandate must differ according to the stage of the development of the people, the geographical situation of the territory, its economic conditions and other similar circumstances.
In every case of mandate, the Mandatory shall render to the Council an annual report in reference to the territory committed to its charge.
The degree of authority, control, or administration to be exercised by the Mandatory shall be explicitly defined in each case by the Council, if not previously agreed upon by the Members of the Alliance.
ARTICLE 23.
Subject to and in accordance with the provisions of international conventions existing or hereafter to be agreed upon, the Members of the Alliance:
(a) will endeavor to secure and maintain fair and humane conditions of labor and just treatment for all races, males, females, and children, both in their own countries and in all countries to which their commercial and industrial relations extend, and for that purpose will establish and maintain the necessary international organizations;
(b) will make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances;
(c) will make no law infringing on the right of people to keep and bear reasonable Arms for their own needs as well as maintaining ready state Militia as is necessary for the security of a free, just and lawful State;
(d) will entrust the Alliance with the general supervision over the execution of agreements with regard to the traffic in people, most specifically females and children, and the traffic in dangerous drugs;
(e) will entrust the Alliance with the general supervision of the trade in arms with the countries in which the control of this traffic is necessary in the common interest;
(f) will make provision to secure and maintain freedom of communications and of transit and equitable treatment for the commerce of all Members of the Alliance;
(g) will endeavor to take steps in matters of international concern for the prevention and control of disease;
(h) will insure no Soldier shall, in time of peace or in time of war, be quartered in any house without the consent of the Owner but in a manner to be prescribed by law;
(i) will insure the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures shall not be violated; no Warrants shall issue but upon probable cause supported by Oath or affirmation, particularly describing the place to be searched and the persons or things to be seized;
(j) will ensure the powers not delegated to the Alliance by the Covenant, nor prohibited by the Covenant to the Member Nations, are reserved to the Member Nations respectively;
(k) will ensure neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the Alliance or any place subject to their jurisdiction.
ARTICLE 24.
There shall be placed under the direction of the Alliance all international bureaus already established by general treaties as the parties to such treaties consent. All such international bureaus and all commissions for the regulation of matters of international interest hereafte
r constituted shall be placed under the direction of the Alliance.
In all matters of international interest which are regulated by general convention but which are not placed under the control of international bureau or commissions, the Secretariat of the Alliance shall, subject to the consent of the Council and if desired by the parties, collect and distribute all relevant information and shall render any other assistance which may be necessary or desirable.
The Council may include as part of the expenses of the Secretariat the expenses of any bureau or commission which is placed under the direction of the Alliance.
ARTICLE 25.
The Members of the Alliance agree to encourage and promote the establishment and cooperation of duly authorized voluntary national relief organizations having as purposes the improvement of health, the prevention of disease, and the mitigation of suffering throughout the world.
ARTICLE 26.
Amendments to this Covenant will take effect when ratified by the Members of the Alliance whose Representatives compose the Council and by a three-quarter majority of the Members of the Alliance whose Representatives compose the Assembly.
No such amendments shall bind any Member of the Alliance which signifies its dissent therefrom. Any Member willfully dismissing any Article or Amendment to this Covenant shall cease to be a Member of the Alliance.
ARTICLE 27.
The Members of the Alliance undertake to stringently maintain the standard and enforce the integrity of money for exchange with all Members of the Alliance. Each Member agrees to let none dare to refuse a Gold Crown of full weight, to whomsoever it belongs, if it be not debased nor require money of less weight for anything of his. Whoever shall do anything against this rule and refuse a Gold Crown of full weight that is not false or seek reward for changing it shall be arrested as a criminal.
Each Member of the Alliance shall undertake to mint money of exacting standards which shall be of equal value and acceptance in all Member Nations, territories and colonies.
Each Member shall prosecute any forgery of currency as an act of Treason.
ARTICLE 28.
The Members of the Alliance will strictly enforce the money standards.
(a) Gold coins shall be ninety-percent pure with only copper and silver alloys added for strength; silver coins shall be ninety-percent pure with only copper or nickel alloys added for strength; palladium coins shall be ninety-percent pure with only copper and silver alloys added for strength; copper coins shall be ninety-five percent pure copper with only tin or nickel alloys added for strength;
(b) One pound of ninety-nine and one-half percent pure gold is worth one hundred and eighty Crowns of gold, one pound of ninety-nine and one-half percent pure silver is worth seventy Crosses of silver, one pound of ninety-nine and one-half percent pure palladium is worth one hundred and ten Tymes of palladium, and one pound of ninety-nine and one-half percent pure copper is worth ninety Pences of copper;
(c) Twenty silver Crosses are worth one Gold Crown; forty silver Cheras are worth one Gold Crown; eighty palladium Tymes are worth one Gold Crown; one hundred and sixty palladium Bells are worth one Gold Crown; two hundred and forty copper Pences are worth one Gold Crown; nine hundred and sixty copper Rings are worth one Gold Crown.
ARTICLE 29.
The Members of the Alliance will establish and regulate state moneyers in every port and trade city as thus: in every important port only three moneyers, and in every other port one moneyer; in every important trade city three moneyers, and in cities along trade routes between Members, there shall be established only one moneyer. Moneyers shall be provided the necessary staff to reasonably and swiftly deal with exchange demands; Moneyers shall only perform the duties of confirming currency is pure, of correct weight and properly minted throughout and certifying purity and weight of raw precious metals.
The Moneyers shall not impose any tax, tariff or fee for exchange and certification services. All expenses for exchange and certification services shall be paid by the Members of the Alliance in the proportion decided by the Assembly based fairly on Member resources. In no way shall level of contribution be construed to imply greater authority on the Assembly or Council.
ANNEX 1.
The Duianna Emperor hereby designates the following Duianna territories as sovereign States to be ruled independently by the named Imperial Nobles and their Regents as well as to be given full representation on the Council and Assembly.
Should any of these new states leave or be expelled from the Alliance, the territories shall directly revert to the Duianna Empire.
The original new Heads of States Signatories which are named in this ANNEX to the Covenant of the Duianna Alliance of Realms shall accede without reservation to the Covenant. Such accession shall be effected by a Declaration deposited with the Secretariat within six months of the coming into force of the Covenant. Notice thereof shall be sent to all other Members of the Alliance.
(a) The land from the northern realm of the Halias-Ne Mountains along the eastern edge of Bear Foot Sea north to the Dorn hills northeast to the Alorn Mountain and all lands east to the Darian Ocean shall be known as the Sea Princes’ Kingdom of Aelargo under the direct joint rule of Prince Errion Duianna, Prince Allagoran Duianna, and Princess Illia Duianna and their progenies. Rolly Duke Bensure is named High Lord of the Sea Princes’ Kingdom of Aelargo second only to the Princes and is designated as the direct Imperial Representative with the authority and duties therein contained. Further, the Imperial Regent family of Uriosal is transferred to the control of the Sea Princes with all the duties therein contained;
(b) The land from the western border of the Sea Princes’ Kingdom of Aelargo to the southern and eastern edges of the Halias-Ne Mountains and north to the Onasa River shall be known as the Kingdom of Nasur under the direct rule of the Imperial Cousin Sesitak Nasur, henceforth known as King Nasur the First, and his progeny. Rolly Duke Bensure is named High Lord of the Kingdom of Nasur second only to the monarch of Nasur and is designated as the direct Imperial Representative with the authority and duties therein contained. Further, the Imperial Regent Family of Chena is transferred to the control of King Nasur with all the duties therein contained;
(c) The land bordering the northern borders of Sea Princes’ Realm and the Kingdom of Nasur north to the southern and western edges of the Burga Mountains and east to the Darian Ocean shall be known as the Kingdom of Oslald under the direct rule of the Imperial Cousin Nimri Oslald, henceforth known as Queen Nimri the First, and her progeny. Rolly Duke Bensure is named High Lord of the Kingdom of Oslald second only to the monarch of Oslald and is designated as the direct Imperial Representative with the authority and duties therein contained. Further, the Imperial Regent Family of Abdens is transferred to the control of Queen Nimri with all the duties therein contained;
(d) The land from the northern edge of the Burga Mountains and Halias-Ne Mountains west of the Onasa River to Kirro Canyon then directly north to the ice fields and all lands west to the eastern edge of the Yalthum Territories shall be known as the Kingdom of Laeusia under the direct rule of Barron Maniyah of Laeusia, henceforth known as King Maniyah the First, and his progeny. Rolly Duke Bensure is named High Lord of the Kingdom of Laeusia second only to the monarch of Laeusia and is designated as the direct Imperial Representative with the authority and duties therein contained. Further, the Imperial Regent Family of Isran is transferred to the control of King Maniyah with all the duties therein contained;
(e) All remaining lands, territories and colonies of the Duianna Empire remain under the direct control of the Imperial line, and the faithful service of the great Regents family of Rielah and their progeny are named Imperial Regents of the Duianna Empire.
ANNEX 2.
Barron Mawry Brane, First General of the Imperial Armies of Duianna, is hereby named Secretary General of the Duianna Alliance with all duties and privileges so named.
ANNEX 3.
The Contracting Members of the Covenant of t
he Duianna Alliance of Realms:
THE SEA PRINCES’ KINGDOM OF AELARGO
KINGDOM OF NASUR
KINGDOM OF OSLALD
KINGDOM OF LAEUSIA
ANNEX 4.
The High Contracting Parties of the Covenant of the Duianna Alliance of Realms are recognized representatives duly authorized to act on behalf of their respective states.
DUIANNA EMPIRE
KINGDOM OF YALTHUM
THE ELRACI SENATE
NAE-REY
DULGRIUM
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First and foremost thank you to my readers. Without you I cannot continue to write and every day I enjoy chatting with you online. My readers’ comments and reviews inspire me to work ever harder to produce good stories and fantastic characters.
Next, I must send a huge thank you to my great friend, Charles Berry, who started as my very first beta reader and continues to inspire me with new ideas. Thanks for the long chats on character development and possibilities. Also, a huge thank you for donating the audio trademark and music for the promotional videos!
Thread Strands (Golden Threads Trilogy) Page 43