Roleplay:Story of the United Provinces

Constitutional Convention of the United Provinces (1767-1768)

January 9, 1767: The Provincial Assemblies of the Provinces of North Catarina, South Catariana, New Cumbria, Edessa and Mantiqueira announced that their communities would join in cooperation to maintain their sovereignty. The five states convene in Aubusson, South Catarina to establish a governing document to protect themselves from domestic tyranny and external subordination.

Although the five states show interest in mutual cooperation, their differences can not be so easily dismissed so. In the north, Mantiqueira and North Catarina show no interest in guaranteeing the rights of black and native slaves and maintain that they will protect the institution of slavery at all costs. These two states comprise nearly 30% of the nation's free population but constitute nearly 47% of the total populace. Edessa, a French-influenced state, the second-largest in total population, and the largest province with freed citizens, seeks to destroy the institution of slavery and ensure the centralization of power within a strong federal government. The English dominated state of New Cumbria seeks to establish a weak government that will prioritize individual liberty and economic prosperity. Although it too has an interest in destroying the institution of slavery, it stands at odds with their Edessan neighbors. New Cumbria delegates have stated that they will go to any means to ensure that the provinces of Edessa and Mantiquerira do not assume complete power within the newly established federal government.

Language of Governance

Delegates of the Convention begin to take their seats, members from Edessa sit closely to those from South Catarina, while those from Mantiqueira sit closely to the delegates from North Catarina. Tensions fill the air as the chairman from Edessa began to seize the dais. Many members from the Mantiqueira scoffed at the sight of the Franco-Anglo abomination. Shortly after his complete ascension, they began to speak in Portuguese to one another degrading the Edessan.

Chairman Matthew Vandame (ES): This meeting is called to order by statues proclaimed by the legislatures of North Catariana, South Catariana, New Cumbria, Edessa, and Mantiqueira. This convention is dedicated to the prospects of a single unified nation that protect the liberties of its citizens. It is of the common interest to proclaim the preliminary rules prior to convening this convention. It is the opinion of the chair and those within the military staff who guided us through the war of liberation that we use a single language for the proclamation of the united republic, the united provinces of Cisplatina.

Chairman Vadame repeats the statement in French

Representative from Mantiqueira translates the Chairman's statement in Portuguese leading to a series of groans and Portuguese explicit being hurled at the chairman.

"Tirania lingüística! Tirania lingüística! Tirania lingüística!" Chanted a handful of Mantiqueira, demanding that the convention be held with all lanaguges represented and that the constitution be written as such.

Chairman Vandame gaveled the room to order, shouting commands to the delegation from Mantiqueira to remain calm. Members of the New Cumbria delegation sat silently in disbelief to the pure chaos, many members began to wonder if establishing a unified government is the best solution to keep the European powers out of the Southern Cone.