CONSTITUTIONAL CHARTER AND DECLARATION OF GUARANTEES OF INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS OF THE REPUBLIC OF MONTSEGUR

(PROPOSED)

PREAMBLE

Because of oppression in so many quarters of the world, the increasing erosion of individual liberties in so-called "free" countries of the world, the degradation of many "civilized" societies and increased corruption within the governments of many nations,

Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of the individual is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace, and for the betterment of individuals and society,

Whereas disregard and contempt for individual rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of humankind, whereas the advent of a society in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and deprivation has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people,

Whereas it is essential, if human individuals are not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that individual rights should be protected by the rule of law,

Whereas We, the PEOPLE OF MONTSEGUR, have faith in fundamental individual rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom,

Whereas We, the PEOPLE OF MONTSEGUR, have pledged ourselves to achieve, in cooperation with each other, the promotion of universal respect for and observance of individual rights, fundamental freedoms, and self-sovereignty,

Whereas a common understanding of these rights and freedoms is of the greatest importance for the full realization of this pledge,

Whereas We, the PEOPLE OF MONTSEGUR, desire to have a society that is free from violence, prejudice, intolerance and persecution,

We, the PEOPLE OF MONTSEGUR, proclaim and establish this CONSTITUTIONAL CHARTER AND DECLARATION OF GUARANTEES OF INDIVIDUAL AND HUMAN RIGHTS as a common standard of government for the People and the Nation, drawing source and inspiration from those models, principles and documents which have been designed by past and present bodies and individuals to ensure freedom and the rule of law, to the ends that every individual within the Nation shall live in freedom, peace, and security and that the Government of this Nation shall be one of law, with all rights, powers, checks, and balances expressly declared, guaranteed and enforced, that every individual and every organ of Our society, keeping this Charter and Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching, education, and example to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance, among the peoples of the Earth and the Universe.

PART I: DEFINITIONS

1. The term "individual" is defined as a single, separate, sovereign, sentient being, capable of reason, opinion, choice, and self-awareness. The individual is the fundamental unit of any free society. Individuals are ends unto themselves; they are neither the instruments nor possessions of other individuals, groups, or the government.

2. "Individual rights" therefore implies rights of such beings, rather than those of groups of individuals, parts of individuals which are neither sentient nor self-sustaining in themselves, nor to beings who are neither sentient, reasoning, nor self-aware.

3. "Guarantee" implies a pledge by the Government, and a charge placed upon it to safeguard, protect, and not interfere with the rights herein listed.

4. Rights belong to the individual by virtue of his/her very existence and the requirements of his/her survival and self-actualization. These rights do not exist by permission of the Government or society; rather, the Government exists by permission of the individual and society. The Government has no rights save those granted to it by the individual and society.

5. The "right to life" is the right to the lawful sustenance and protection of one’s existence; it does not imply that others are obligated or may be forced to give a person anything for his/her comfort or assistance. It does not mean that one may be forced to endanger his/her own life and health for the sake of another.

6. The "right to liberty" is the right to think and choose, and to act according to one’s judgments; it does not imply that others must satisfy a person’s desires, or even deal with him/er at all.

7. The rights to "security of person and property" and to the "ownership of property" are the rights to create, earn, purchase, or otherwise through lawful means and by one’s own effort create, produce, acquire, keep, and use the material goods and services which are necessary to his/her own survival and happiness; it does not imply that any other individual, or society, or the Government, is obliged or may be compelled to give an individual what s/he has not worked for and earned.

8. The right "to the pursuit of happiness and self-fulfillment" is not a guarantee that such is actually attainable; it is dependent on one’s own individual decisions and actions and chance. Nor does it imply that anyone is obligated or may be compelled to give another what s/he thinks is necessary for his/her happiness and fulfillment. It implies merely that no willful and deliberate interference or obstruction shall be made of the lawful pursuit of that goal.

9. "Lawful" and "lawfully," and "moral" and "morally" imply those actions which do not violate the rights and sovereignty of others.

10. "Equal" and "equality" imply an idealistic model of individuals necessary to their fair and just treatment under the law; it does not imply that they are actually equal, or that the Government is obligated or has the right to make them equal, particularly when such a practice would elevate some at the detriment of others, as in wealth redistribution.

11. "Group rights," also referred to as "collective rights," imply those individual rights possessed by its individual members, derived through their voluntary , individual choice and contractual agreement and are merely the application of these rights to a particular undertaking.. "Group," "family," "social," or "collective" rights which violate the legitimate rights of individuals, whether outside or within the group, are not recognized as valid, and therefore may not be accorded precedence over the rights of the individual.

12. The term "human rights" is synonymous with "individual rights." Any claim to purported rights which violate an individual’s rights to life, liberty, property, or pursuit of happiness is therefore not a genuine claim to a human right, but a group or collective right.

13. The right to "the lawful possession and use of arms" is precisely that. They are to be used only for the purposes of acquiring food (hunting), as traded goods for money or other goods, or in self-defense in those emergency situations where the policing forces are not available. They may not be owned or used for the purposes of revenge, vigilante or lynch mob justice, or any criminal activity, and may be lawfully denied to those who have violated these tenets, in order to ensure the safety of others. For this same reason, permits and criminal background checks may also be lawfully required.

14. The right "to pursue an education" does not equal the right to receive an education; no place of learning or its individual teachers may be compelled to grant a diploma, degree, certificate, license, award, or honor which has not been earned. Neither shall they be obligated or compelled to tolerate the presence of persons who show no interest in education, but instead abuse, assault, harass, and victimize their teachers and fellow students and act as disruptive elements, thus violating their classmates’ individual rights to pursue an education.

15. Limitations placed on the rights of children not of majority age shall not entail limitations placed on the rights of others. It is the responsibility and individual discretion of parents to decide what further limitations are needed to ensure their children’s safety without violating the child’s individual rights as recognized by law or violating the rights of others. The government is not empowered nor obligated to introduce legislation to please the concerns of parents while limiting or eliminating any individual rights. It is not the government’s job to raise anyone’s children.

16. "Arbitrary" shall refer to activities which are not made with just cause as determined by a court and as stipulated by a court-issued warrant. In searches , seizures, and surveillances, these warrants must specify the property that is to be searched, seized, or monitored, and must be issued to the legal owner of said property, and the officers involved must remain within its limits. In the event of an arrest, the person to be arrested must be named in the warrant and the exact nature of the crime for which the arrest is being made stated, with the warrant presented to the suspect, his/her closest relative, and/or his/her attorney. If a person is under surveillance, the warrant for said surveillance shall specify the type of information being monitored for, the media and activities that are to be monitored, and the reasons that such surveillance is being conducted. This warrant must be presented to a criminal court before any information gathered can be used as evidence in a trial.

17. "Council" and "legislature" shall refer to the joint pairing of the Senate and the House of Representatives or a joint meeting thereof.

18. "State" and "government" shall be understood as interchangeable. 

PART II: GUARANTEES OF RIGHTS AND LIBERTIES FOR THE CITIZENS OF MONTSEGUR

All individuals are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and sentiency and should act towards one another in a spirit of familial love and respect. On the basis of these basic principles, the following guarantees are made to the People of Montsegur by Their Government and all its representatives, affiliates, and agencies.

 THE FIRST GUARANTEE: PROTECTION OF RIGHTS

All rights and freedoms listed henceforth are to be understood as already belonging to the people as individuals by right of their very existence as living, reasoning, sentient beings. They do not exist by permission of the Government, society, or any other group or entity outside the individual, and may not be taken away arbitrarily or by force. The Government of Montsegur is hereby pledged and agrees to guarantee the protection of the individual rights herein listed , and understands that these rights are to be guaranteed to the people of Montsegur in perpetuity, and may neither be rescinded, modified, or restricted by the President, the Chancellor, the Council, the Supreme Tribunal or any of their representatives, affiliates or agencies, without the consent and approval of the people, to be given by referendum. Should the Government ever attempt to supersede or circumvent this First Guarantee, its authority shall become null and void.

THE SECOND GUARANTEE: THE RIGHT TO BE LEFT ALONE

(1) All people are guaranteed THE RIGHT TO BE LEFT ALONE. All other rights shall be understood as stemming from this one, and therefore this right shall take precedence over all others. Provided that they are not engaged in criminal activity or in any way causing harm to others, all persons shall be free from harassment, intrusion, assault, or persecution from all other agencies, whether public or private.

(2) No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his/her privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his/her person, honor, and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.

(3) The right to personal, financial, and banking privacy and secrecy shall not be infringed, save in the investigation of reasonably suspected criminal activities, with such investigations being conducted under a court-issued warrant, with the activities being investigated and the information requested being specifically cited.

(4) Any searches made of an individuals person, property, or goods shall be made only under the authority of a court-issued warrant, presented to the individual and specifying the places to be searched and the items to be searched for. 

THE THIRD GUARANTEE: EQUALITY OF RIGHTS

(1) Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex / gender, sexual orientation, disability, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, or other status. Neither shall any preferential treatment be given in connection to these traits. Everyone shall be treated as an individual and judged according to his/her individual character. Precedence shall be given to individual rights over the rights, real, implied, or imagined, of any group.

(2) There shall be no restriction of the individual rights held by persons serving in the Military, Police, or other security organizations of the State, nor shall such rights be subject to conditions , except by virtue of a Law and to an extent no greater than required by the nature and character of the service in question.

(3) Any right not explicitly or implicitly ceded to the State is retained by the individual. 

THE FOURTH GUARANTEE: RIGHTS OF SELF-REALIZATION

(1) Everyone has the right to life, liberty, security of person and property, and self-determination.

(2) Everyone has the right to the lawful pursuit of happiness and self-fulfillment.

(3) Everyone has the right to his/her own identity.

(4) Everyone has a right to live by his/her own mind, in his/her own way, and for his/her own sake. Every individual is an end onto him/erself, and not a sacrificial animal to others or society. 

THE FIFTH GUARANTEE: THE RIGHT TO SELF-OWNERSHIP

1) No one shall be held against their will in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms. No one has the right to own another person, that person’s property, or the products of that person’s work and ideas, without his/her permission. Neither shall anyone be considered entitled to the products or results of another person’s work. Neither shall anyone be conscripted into civil or military service, unless duly convicted of a crime as prescribed by law.

(2) A person’s body and mind are his/her own; no one else may make claim to them. No person is obligated or may be forced or compelled to make his/her body available for sexual or other use by another person or person, including a spouse. No one may lay claim to another person’s physical or intellectual work without that person’s consent and agreement. 

THE SIXTH GUARANTEE: RIGHTS AGAINST CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENTS

(1) No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Nor shall brands, tattoos, dismemberment, or mutilations be imposed as punishment for crimes or infractions. Neither shall anyone be threatened or coerced into incriminating him/herself or others.

(2) No fines, penalties, or judgments shall be imposed which are beyond a person’s ability to pay or which shall place hardship upon his/her/her family dependents. No civil forfeiture law shall be enacted.

(3) Except for punitive damages, no judgment or verdict in a civil proceeding shall exceed three times the monetary damages actually suffered by the party seeking damages.

(4) Punitive damages in a civil proceeding shall not exceed six times the monetary damages actually suffered by the party seeking damages. In all cases in which the punitive damages are awarded, the trial court shall set for the specific conduct of the defendant intended to cause the harm suffered or the conduct which a reasonable citizen would know would cause the harm actually suffered.

(5) Punitive and other damages awarded in civil proceedings are the sole property of the party to whom it has been awarded. No other party, including the arbitrating counsel, may lay claim to it in whole or in part.

(6) A person’s race, religion, sex/gender, sexual orientation, social or national origin, wealth, or other status shall not be used in determining the degree of punishment or penalty, or the amount of fines or length of incarceration, that shall be imposed for a criminal offense, nor shall it be grounds for a privileged or degraded status as a convict of such offenses. 

THE SEVENTH GUARANTEE: THE RIGHT TO LEGAL RECOGNITION

Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person and an individual before the law.

 THE EIGHTH GUARANTEE: THE RIGHT TO FAIR AND EQUAL TREATMENT UNDER THE LAW

(1) All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.

(2) No one shall be considered to be above the law, whether a private citizen or public figure, or member, agent, or representative of the Government, military, or policing forces.

(3) No member, agent, or representative of the Government, military, or policing forces shall be granted or confer upon him/herself a title of monarchy, nobility, or other authority which shall place that person above the law or the constraints of this Constitutional Charter or this Declaration of Guaranteed Rights.

(4) No agency, department, office, taskforce or cabal may be created by the government, militia, or police which is outside the jurisdiction of the law, the government, the militia, the police, or the People.

(5) The government shall only keep secret from the public such information as can be proven to be validly necessary to the safety of the nation, the people, and of private individuals.

(6) "National security" and "public safety" shall not be valid reasons for the Government to violate any law or any individual’s rights.

 THE NINTH GUARANTEE: THE RIGHT TO LEGAL PROTECTIONS

(1) Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by a competent tribunal for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law.

(2) Provided their statements are true and genuine, everyone shall be free to make charges of wrongdoing or testify against one’s peers or superiors, without fear of reprisal or retribution. A person in the process of committing a crime shall have no standing to sue for injuries sustained during the perpetration of the crime. A person formally charged for a crime shall have no standing to sue his/her accusers, unless later proven innocent and then only if the accusations can be proven to be made in a willfully false and malicious manner.

(3) No person shall have the right to take the life of or inflict injury to another person for any loss of or damage to, perceived or otherwise, one’s honor or property. They shall have access to legal and lawful remedies for such injuries.

(4) In both Civil and Criminal cases, everyone has the right to legal representation and counsel. In all Criminal cases, and in all Civil cases wherein the damages shall exceed two hundred dollars, the defendant shall have the right to a trial before an informed and competent jury.

(5) If a jury considers a law to be unjust, it may acquit a defendant even if its verdict is contrary to the law as given by the judge and contrary to the evidence presented.

 THE TENTH GUARANTEE: PROTECTION AGAINST LEGAL HARASSMENT

(1) No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention, interrogation, exile, or to arbitrary searches or confiscation of person, goods, or property.

(2) No one who is not engaged in, nor been convicted for criminal activities shall be subject to arbitrary monitoring of their private activities or movements, nor may they be compelled to provide personal information or physical materials to that end.

(3) Everyone arrested for a criminal act has the right to be fully informed of all charges made against him/her, of his/her accuser(s), of any and all possible penalties s/he may face, and of his/her rights as an accused suspect under the provisions of this constitution and the law. No one may be questioned or interrogated without the presence and advice of a legal counsel, unless this right is waived.

(4) The policing forces shall not use tactics or methods which are intended to entice or bait a person into engaging in or consenting to a criminal act. Neither shall they use physical force where such force has not been initiated against them or others.

(5) Selective enactment or enforcement of laws against a single individual or group shall not be made, nor shall the policing forces or any enforcement agency harass an individual or group which has broken no laws.

 THE ELEVENTH GUARANTEE: THE RIGHT OF HABEAS CORPUS

(1) Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his/her rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.

(2) Any person held under suspicion of a crime shall be brought before the aforementioned tribunal within seventy-two (72) hours of his/her arrest and may not be held longer than this period if not brought before this tribunal and formally charged.

 THE TWELFTH GUARANTEE: THE RIGHT TO A FAIR TRIAL

(1) Everyone charged with a penal offense has the right to be presumed innocent

until proven guilty according to law in a public trial at which s/he has had all the guarantees necessary for his/her defense.

(2) No one shall be held guilty of any penal offense on account of any act or omission which did not constitute a penal offense, under local, national or international law, at the time when it was committed. Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time the penal offense was committed.

(3) Provided that they are lawful, a person’s private activities shall not be used in evidence against him/her in any criminal or civil case.

(4) No one shall be tried or punished twice for the same offense; neither shall anyone be tried, punished or held accountable for the crimes of his/her spouse, associates, relations, or ancestors.

 THE THIRTEENTH GUARANTEE: FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT

(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of the nation.

(2) Everyone has the right to leave the country, and to return, unless exiled for a felonious criminal offense.

(3) Curfews shall not be enacted or enforced, except in time of war or natural disaster.

(4) No segment of the population, whether racial, class, sexual, disabled, or any other distinction, shall be forcibly segregated from the mainstream, relocated, or imprisoned. The only exceptions shall be in individual cases of quarantine for infectious diseases. 

THE FOURTEENTH GUARANTEE: RIGHTS OF COLONIAL AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

In the event that the Nation should acquire governing powers over territories, colonies, protectorates, or occupied land outside the borders of this Nation, no distinction shall be made as to the rights, entitlements, duties, or obligations of the people living in those areas. In matters of government, law, taxation, service, and all other applicable matters, they are to be treated the same as if they were living within the borders of this Nation, and shall have the right to representation within the Council.

 THE FIFTEENTH GUARANTEE: RIGHT TO ASYLUM AND PROTECTION FROM EXTRADITION

(1) Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy within this country asylum from persecution.

(2) This right may not be invoked in the case of prosecutions genuinely arising from non-political crimes which are felonies under Montseguran law, or from acts contrary to the purposes and principles of this nation and society.

(3) No act committed on foreign soil shall be prosecuted within Montsegur unless the act substantially abridges the rights of Montsegur or compromises the integrity of the Government.

(4) No citizen may be extradited for a crime unless the act or acts of which sh/he is accused constitutes a felony under Montseguran law.

 THE SIXTEENTH GUARANTEE: RIGHT OF NATIONAL AND CULTURAL IDENTITY

(1) Everyone born or naturalized within the borders of this country or its designated venues, or born to, adopted by, or married to persons who themselves were born or naturalized under these same conditions, has the right to nationality and citizenship. Citizenship for adults shall be voluntary, with their children being granted nominal citizenship at birth or adoption, and given the option of voluntarily accepting full citizenship upon reaching majority age.

(2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his/her nationality nor denied the right to change his/her nationality.

(3) Everyone has the right to know and express pride in his/her cultural heritage. No one has the right to deny another his/her heritage.

(4) While the government may adopt an "official" language for its own use in matters of administration and daily function, it may not impose any "official" language upon the individual populace, nor ban the speaking or writing of any language.

 THE SEVENTEENTH GUARANTEE: RIGHTS OF FREE LOVE, MARRIAGE, PROCREATION AND FAMILY

(1) Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality

or religion, sex or sexual orientation, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution.

(2) Marriage shall be entered into, and remained in, only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses.

(3) The family, defined as any group of persons bound together by mutual love, respect, and support, is entitled to protection by society and the State. No family shall have the right to interfere with an individual member’s sovereign rights or the realization of his/her life ambitions.

(4) No expression of affection or of physical or sexual pleasure between consenting persons of age, conducted in a private or other appropriate venue, shall be interfered with or criminalized.

(5) The State shall not impose limitations on persons as to the number, gender, genetics, physical attributes, or other qualities of the children they may have. No persons shall be barred from procreating, nor compelled to do so; the State shall not criminalize or bar access to those forms of family planning and birth control which are proven to be safe and effective. Sterilization of persons against their will shall be prohibited. No attempt shall made to interfere with or restructure the genetics or other mental or physical state of a person against his/her will, where such conditions in their natural state are not harmful to the person’s health and survival.

(6) No persons may be barred from adopting or receiving custody or guardianship of children because of their sex, marital status, race, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or other status, so long as they can demonstrate an ability to raise children in a loving, nurturing, and healthy manner and safe environment.

(7) The rights and freedoms of children shall only be limited in those ways which may best insure their safety and well-being. Children shall be considered to be thinking, feeling individuals, not property, chattel, or pets. Protection of children shall not be just cause for any blanket limitation of everyone’s individual rights.

(8) Children may be expected to respect and show courtesy to their elders and their community; at the same time, all parties shall understand that respect is a quality that is more earned than commanded, and that there is a difference between respect and submission, between discipline and punishment.

 THE EIGHTEENTH GUARANTEE: THE RIGHT TO PROPERTY, WEALTH, AND FREE COMMERCE

(1) Everyone has the right to lawfully pursue the ownership of property alone as well as in association with others, and to use and dispense with it as s/he sees fit, providing that doing so does not endanger the property or safety of others.

(2) Every individual not previously convicted for a violent criminal offense or possessing a violent mental disorder has the right to the lawful possession and use of arms and other devices for the purpose of protecting and sustaining one’s life, the life /lives of one’s spouse and family, and his/her/their property, and resistance against oppression or invasion.

(3) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his/her property.

(4) No arm or agency of the Government shall take a person’s legally obtained private property for its own use or that of society without just compensation, in an amount and under terms mutually agreed upon by both parties. Neither shall anyone be forced to quarter soldiers or in anyway make his/her property available to the military, save in time of war, and under prescriptions of law and terms of just compensation for losses and damages.

(5) The Council may not impose taxes upon the income or property of any private individual or group.

(6) The Government shall not nationalize any sector of business, nor maintain any monopoly on any actvity not related to its functions as stipulated in this constitution. Nor may it criminalize any honestly conducted commercial activity not shown to be unquestionably in violation of the rights guaranteed in this constitution.

(7) The free exchange of goods and services being as vital to the existence of a free society as the free exchange of ideas and information, the government shall only place those restrictions on business and commercial activity which shall ensure its honest and lawful conduct and protect the rights of individuals.

 THE NINETEENTH GUARANTEE: FREEDOM OF THOUGHT, CONSCIENCE, BELIEF, AND WORSHIP

(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his/her religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his/her religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance. No person may be deprived of his/her livelihood or property, or of a previously won honor, title, status, or dignity for voicing his/her opinion or conscience.

(2) No religion may be adopted as "official" by the Council, or in any way granted a status favoring that religion above others, including implied recognition or favoritism through the political recognition of any theocracy. Neither may the Government define or refute the legitimacy of a person’s professed religious or philosophical beliefs, and thus, his/her/her right to practice them. No one shall have the right to impose their religion, philosophy, or personal morality or vision of the good upon others, or to harass those whose beliefs differ from theirs. Neither shall the right of religious freedom be used to justify the denial of another person’s right to life, liberty, property, or pursuit of happiness.

(3) No one shall be forced to participate in an observance of religious practice, worship, belief, or custom. Everyone has the right to refrain from the practice of customs or activities which may violate the tenets of their chosen religious or philosophical beliefs and principles.  

THE TWENTIETH GUARANTEE: FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND INTELLECTUAL COMMERCE

(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers. The determination of what is proper or improper to such media and frontiers shall be for the individual user, and not the Government or its agencies or affiliates, or of any group to decide.

(2) Parents may restrict their children’s access to any material of media that they consider inappropriate or harmful, but only through their own individual discretion and initiative, not government legislation.

 THE TWENTY-FIRST GUARANTEE: RIGHT OF FREE ASSOCIATION

(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.

(2) No one may be compelled to belong to an association, or to pledge allegiance to any association or authority, or symbol thereof.

(3) No one may be forced to associate or do business with others, nor to give or otherwise make available their property or goods to others.

 THE TWENTY-SECOND GUARANTEE: RIGHT OF POLITICAL PARTICIPATION

(1) Everyone has the right to take part in the government of this country, directly or through freely chosen representatives.

(2) Everyone has the right of equal access to public service in this country.

(3) The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.

(4) No persons shall be intimidated or obstructed from participating in the political process. The right of citizens of the Republic of Montsegur to vote in any primary or other election for President or Chancellor, for electors for President or Chancellor, or for Senator or Representative in Council, shall not be denied or abridged by the Republic of Montsegur or any District by reason of failure to pay any tax. Poll taxes shall be enacted or levied.

(5) Everyone has the right to petition for a redress of grievances and to express his/her objections, without fear of reprisal.

(6) The right of citizens of the Republic of Montsegur, who are of sixteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the Republic of Montsegur or by any District on account of age

THE TWENTY-THIRD GUARANTEE: RIGHT TO SECURITY

Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to achieve social security and the realization, through individual effort and individual cooperation and in accordance with the organization and resources of the District, of the individual rights indispensable for his/her dignity and the free development of his/her personality.

 TWENTY-FOURTH GUARANTEE: RIGHT TO WORK

(1) Everyone has the right to seek work, to free choice of employment, to just and favorable conditions of work and to protection against arbitrary dismissal from employment.

(2) Everyone, without any discrimination, save for ability, efficiency, and competence, has the right to equal pay for equal work.

(3) Everyone who works has the right to just and favorable remuneration ensuring for himself and his/her family an existence worthy of human dignity, and supplemented, if necessary, by other means of social protection. Such social protections, however, are to be supplemental and temporary in nature, and not to be regarded as a substitute for work.

Neither may they involve the confiscation of another’s property or wealth, in whole or in part.

(4) Everyone has the right to form and to join professional, managerial, and trade unions, guilds, and other associations for the protection of his/her interests. Membership in these associations shall be voluntary; no one may be compelled to join these groups, whether through force or as a condition of employment, nor may they be denied employment for joining such groups or refusing to join such groups.

(5) Because such environments are vital to the full and satisfactory completion of one’s tasks and thus one’s own self-actualization, everyone has the right to work and study in an environment which is safe for his/her physical and psychological well-being, free from harassment or unnecessary hazards.

 TWENTY-FIFTH GUARANTEE: RIGHT TO REST

Everyone who works has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay, as determined by negotiation between workers and their employers.

 TWENTY-SIXTH GUARANTEE: RIGHT TO LIVE WITH DIGNITY

(1) Everyone has the right to pursue a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his/her family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary services, and the right to seek security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his/her control.

(2) All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection. Because they are our most precious resource, all children shall be guaranteed protection from abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

(3) The elderly, disabled, and infirm shall be treated with dignity. Their abuse and neglect shall not be tolerated.

(4) Everyone has the right to choose the form of medical treatment they receive. Parents may not deny medical treatment to their children when doing so threatens the child’s life - in all other non-emergency cases, parental consent is required to proceed with any medical procedure. No one may be forced to undergo any medical test or procedure against his/her/her will. No one may be subjected to any test, study, or experiment without his/her/her full knowledge and informed consent.

(5) A person’s life is his/her own; provided sh/he is of age and sound mind, a person has the right to refuse medical treatment and/or end his/her life, provided that doing so will not endanger the lives or rights of others. Everyone has the right to make informed decisions regarding what substances they may or may not ingest into their bodies.

 TWENTY-SEVENTH GUARANTEE: FREEDOM OF EDUCATION

(1) Everyone has the right to pursue an education. Elementary and secondary education shall be made available to all those willing to pursue it and meet the requirements of its attainment. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.

(2) Education shall be directed to the full development of the individual personality and potential, to self-actualization and self-determination, and to the strengthening of respect for individual rights, fundamental freedoms and the dignity of others. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all persons, and shall further activities for the maintenance of peace and liberty.

(3) Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.

(4) Education shall be regulated by the State only to the extent necessary to insure and protect the rights of individual students. In all other matters, educational institutions shall be autonomous and independent of the State. 

TWENTY-EIGHTH GUARANTEE: CULTURAL PARTICIPATION

(1) Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits.

(2) Everyone has the right to the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which s/he is the author.

 TWENTY-NINTH GUARANTEE: SOCIAL FREEDOM

Everyone is entitled to a social and national order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized. The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

 THIRTIETH GUARANTEE: SELF-SOVEREIGNTY

(1) In the exercise of his/her rights and freedoms, everyone shall be subject only to such limitations as are determined by law solely for the purpose of securing due recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others and of meeting the just requirements of morality, public order and the general welfare in a free society. The people shall have the right to do, think, say, write, read, and act as they please, provided that their actions bring harm to no one else.

(2) These rights and freedoms may in no case be exercised contrary to the purposes and principles of this nation.

 THIRTY-FIRST GUARANTEE: SELF-RESPONSIBILITY

(1) Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein.

(2) All people possess the rights contained in this document on the sole condition that they do not knowingly or willfully infringe upon the rights of others.

 PART II: CONSTITUTIONAL CHARTER AND STRUCTURE OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF MONTSEGUR

Article I. Section 1. The primary function and purpose of the Government shall be to protect the individual rights of the People: to protect an individual’s right to his/her/her own life, to his/her/her own liberty, to his/her/her own property, the right to be free and protected from physical violence, harassment and slander, and the right to the pursuit of his/her/her own happiness and self-fulfillment. It shall protect these and all other rights granted in Section II or as further interpreted through legislation or tribunal rulings, and shall enact and enforce whatever laws and other methods are deemed necessary to protect these rights, within those parameters and limitations as set forth in this charter

Section 2. The Government, in all its forms, branches, agencies, and representations, is hereby constrained to abide in all its functions and activities by the tenets and limitations set forth within this document, primarily that set forth by the First Guarantee. It shall function within the parameters of and abide by the self same laws and charges that are made upon the people it serves and protects. The powers not delegated to the Republic of Montsegur by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the Districts, are reserved to the Districts respectively, or to the People

Section 3. No agency of this Government may interfere in the internal affairs of other nations, nor attempt in any way, directly or indirectly, to overthrow the governments of other nations or to overthrow or assassinate their leaders, nor shall it employ mercenaries or privateers for these same ends. Intervention or participation in foreign conflicts shall only be engaged in where the Nation and the People are directly attacked or threatened therewith. The Government may not make treaties, agreements, grants, or concessions with other powers which may threaten the freedom, safety, or quality of life of the People, or in any way make hardship upon them.

Section 4. The Government shall not enter into treaties or alliances with other powers which require the Nation to join in or grant aid in conflicts in which the Nation and the People have not been attacked or threatened therewith. The Government may not enter into international unions which would subvert the sovereignty of the Nation and its People. The Government may not enter into alliances or partnerships with nations or leaders whose principles and practices are opposed to those set down within this document, nor may it support or aid them in anyway. The Government shall not participate or cooperate in anyway with the conquest, disenfranchisement, assimilation, or extermination of any indigenous peoples or ethnic groups, their culture, or their way of life. Neither shall it quarter foreign troops, their vessels, weapons, or other personnel or material within the Nation’s borders in peace time.

Section 5. (a) Any laws, regulations, edicts, resolution or proclamations made by the Government, in whole or in part, which violates any of the Guarantees of Individual and Human Rights shall become invalid and shall be repealed, with any and all convictions for any and all violations of such laws being fully pardoned and expunged from a person’s record.

(b) Every law, regulation, edict, proclamation, or resolution having the force of law, shall relate to but one subject, and that shall be expressed in the title.

(c) Every law, regulation, edict, proclamation, or resolution having the force of law shall contain a concise and definitive statement of the constitutional authority relied upon for the enactment of each portion of that Act.

Section 6. Those persons seeking Office within the Government of the Republic of Montsegur shall not organize themselves into parties, factions, or similar groups, but shall instead run for these offices according to their own individual qualifications, platforms, and characters.

Article II. Section 1 All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in the Council, which itself shall be divided into two Houses.

Section 2 The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several Districts, and the Electors in each District shall have the Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch of the District Legislature. No Person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the Age of twenty one Years, and been seven Years a Citizen of the Republic of Montsegur, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that District in which s/he shall be chosen. No Representative may serve more than three consecutive terms. Representatives shall be apportioned among the several Districts which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole two houses the number of Persons, including those imprisoned for a Term of Years. The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Council of the Republic of Montsegur, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in the Manner of sampling, this being the method that can best insure voluntary participation and protect the privacy of the citizenry. The Number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty Thousand, but each District shall have at Least one Representative: and until such enumeration shall be made, each District shall be entitled to choose three. When vacancies happen in the Representation from any District, the Executive Authority thereof shall issue Writs of Election to fill such Vacancies. The House of Representatives shall choose their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.

Section 3 The Senate of the Republic of Montsegur shall be composed of two Senators from each District, chosen by the Legislature thereof, for six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote. No Senator may serve more than two consecutive terms. Immediately after they shall be assembled in Consequence of the first Election, they shall be divided as equally as may be into three Classes. The Seats of the Senators of the first Class shall be vacated at the Expiration of the second Year, of the second Class at the Expiration of the fourth Year, and of the third Class at the Expiration of the sixth Year, so that one third may be chosen every second Year; and if vacancies happen in the representation of any District in the Senate, the executive authority of such District shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any District may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct. No person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the Age of twenty five Years, and been nine Years a Citizen of the Republic of Montsegur, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that District for which s/he shall be chosen. The Chancellor of the Republic of Montsegur shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided. The Senate shall choose their other Officers, and also a President pro tempore, in the absence of the Chancellor, or when s/he shall exercise the Office of President of the Republic of Montsegur. The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation. When the President of the Republic of Montsegur is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two thirds of the Members present. Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under the Republic of Montsegur: but the Party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law.

Section 4 The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each District by the Legislature thereof; but the Council may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Place of Choosing Senators. The Council shall assemble at least once in every year, and such meeting shall begin at noon on the 3d day of January, unless they shall by law appoint a different day.

Section 5 Each House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns and Qualifications of its own Members, and a Majority of each shall constitute a Quorum to do Business; but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and may be authorized to compel the Attendance of absent Members, in such Manner, and under such Penalties as each House may provide. Each House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings, punish its Members for disorderly Behavior, and, with the Concurrence of two-thirds, expel a Member. Each House shall keep a Journal of its Proceedings, and from time to time publish the same, excepting such Parts as may in their Judgment require Secrecy; and the Yeas and Nays of the Members of either House on any question shall, at the Desire of one fifth of those Present, be entered on the Journal. Neither House, during the Session of Council, shall, without the Consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other Place than that in which the two Houses shall be sitting.

Section 6 The Senators and Representatives shall receive a Compensation for their Services, to be ascertained by Law, such Law being passed by referendum vote of the People, and paid out of the Treasury of the Republic of Montsegur, and with any variations of such compensation being made under these same provisions. They shall in all Cases, except Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace, be privileged from Arrest during their Attendance at the Session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same; and for any Speech or Debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other Place. No Senator or Representative shall, during the Time for which s/he was elected, be appointed to any civil Office under the Authority of the Republic of Montsegur which shall have been created, or the Emoluments whereof shall have been increased during such time; and no Person holding any Office under the Republic of Montsegur, shall be a Member of either House during his/her Continuance in Office. The terms of the Senators and Representatives shall end at noon on the 3d day of January, of the years in which such terms would have ended if this article had not been ratified; and the terms of their successors shall then begin.

Section 7 All bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with Amendments as on other Bills. Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a Law, be presented to the President of the Republic of Montsegur if related to International policy, and to the Chancellor if related to National policy; If s/he approve s/he shall sign it, but if not s/he shall return it, with his/her Objections to that House in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the Objections at large on their Journal, and proceed to reconsider it. The President and the Chancellor shall both have the power to make a line-item veto on a specific part of a Bill, while signing the rest into Law. If after such Reconsideration two thirds of that House shall agree to pass the Bill, it shall be sent, together with the Objections, to the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that House, it shall become a Law. But in all such Cases the Votes of both Houses shall be determined by Yeas and Nays, and the Names of the Persons voting for and against the Bill shall be entered on the Journal of each House respectively. If any Bill shall not be returned by the President within ten Days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the Same shall be a Law, in like Manner as if s/he had signed it, unless the Council by their Adjournment prevent its Return, in which Case it shall not be a Law. Every Order, Resolution, or Vote to which the Concurrence of the Senate and House of Representatives may be necessary (except on a question of Adjournment) shall be presented to the President of the Republic of Montsegur; and before the Same shall take Effect, shall be approved by him, or being disapproved by him, shall be repassed by two thirds of the Senate and House of Representatives, according to the Rules and Limitations prescribed in the Case of a Bill.

Section 8 The Council shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defense and general Welfare of the Republic of Montsegur; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the Republic of Montsegur; To borrow money on the credit of the Republic of Montsegur; To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several Districts; To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the Republic of Montsegur; To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, To protect against fraud by fixing the Standard of Weights and Measures; To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the Republic of Montsegur; To safeguard against theft the individual achievements of Authors, Artists, Scientists and Inventors by securing for limited Times the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries; To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court; To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offenses against the Law of Nations; To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water; To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years; To provide and maintain a Navy; To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces; To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions; To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the Republic of Montsegur, reserving to the Districts respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Council; To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular Districts, and the acceptance of Council, become the Seat of the Government of the Republic of Montsegur, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the District in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings; And To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the protection of the People of Montsegur and their individual rights, as well as the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the Republic of Montsegur, or in any Department or Officer thereof. While the Council may form special Offices and Committees for the purpose of exercising these functions, it shall in no way delegate them to any outside or private parties, nor confer upon itself monopolies upon practices not explicitly listed in this Constitution, nor assume for itself such practices which are not explicitly listed within this Constitution and currently held by private businesses.

Section 9 The Migration or Importation of such Persons as any of the Districts now existing shall think proper to admit, shall not be prohibited by the Council prior to the Year two thousand and twenty, though a tax or duty may be imposed on such Importation, not exceeding ten dollars for each Person. The privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it, and then for no period longer than six months. No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed. No capitation or other direct Tax shall be laid. No Tax or Duty shall be laid on Articles exported from any District. No Tax or Duty shall be laid upon the lawfully gained income or property of private citizens of the Republic of Montsegur, as set forth in the Guarantees. No Preference shall be given by any Regulation of Commerce or Revenue to the Ports of one District over those of another: nor shall Vessels bound to, or from, one District, be obliged to enter, clear, or pay Duties in another. No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law; and a regular Statement and Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of all public Money shall be published from time to time. Revenues raised and Money drawn from the Treasury shall only be for those functions necessary to protect and secure the safety and individual rights of the people of Montsegur and those other functions listed within this document; they may not be used to fund any activities not specifically related to these functions. No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the Republic of Montsegur: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Council, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince or foreign State or Organization, nor hold membership in or fielty to any political, financial, political, or fraternal organization, outside of a private business, that is based within a foreign Nation; any Persons doing so shall be stripped of his/her citizenship and thus barred from holding Office.

Section 10 No District shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation; grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal; coin Money; emit Bills of Credit; make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts; pass any Bill of Attainder, ex post facto Law, or Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts, or grant any Title of Nobility. No District shall, without the Consent of the Council, lay any Imposts or Duties on Imports or Exports, except what may be absolutely necessary for executing it's inspection Laws: and the net Produce of all Duties and Imposts, laid by any District on Imports or Exports, shall be for the Use of the Treasury of the Republic of Montsegur; and all such Laws shall be subject to the Revision and Control of the Council. No District shall, without the Consent of Council, lay any duty of Tonnage, keep Troops, or Ships of War in time of Peace, enter into any Agreement or Compact with another District, or with a foreign Power, or engage in War, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent Danger as will not admit of delay. No District shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the Republic of Montsegur; nor shall any District deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

Article III. Section 1 The executive Power shall be vested in a President and a Chancellor of the Republic of Montsegur . The President shall hold his/her Office during the Term of four Years, and, together with the Chancellor chosen for the same Term, be elected, as follows: Each District shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the District may be entitled in the Council: but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the Republic of Montsegur, shall be appointed an Elector. Electors shall meet in their respective Districts, and vote by ballot for President and Chancellor, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant of the same District with themselves; they shall name in their ballots the person voted for as Amendment President, and in distinct ballots the person voted for as Chancellor, and they shall make distinct lists of all persons voted for as President, and of all persons voted for as Chancellor and of the number of votes for each, which lists they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of the Government of the Republic of Montsegur, directed to the President of the Senate; The President of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the certificates and the votes shall then be counted; The person having the greatest number of votes for President, shall be the President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed; and if no person have such majority, then from the persons having the highest numbers not exceeding three on the list of those voted for as President, the House of Representatives shall choose immediately, by ballot, the President. But in choosing the President, the District constituting the seat of government of the Republic of Montsegur shall appoint in such manner as the Council may direct: A number of electors of President and Chancellor equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives in Council to which the District would be entitled if it were a District, but in no event more than the least populous District; they shall be in addition to those appointed by the Districts, but they shall be considered, for the purposes of the election of President and Chancellor, to be electors appointed by a District; and they shall meet in the district to take votes, the representation from each District having one vote; a quorum for this purpose shall consist of a member or members from two-thirds of the Districts, and a majority of all the Districts shall be necessary to a choice. And if the House of Representatives shall not choose a President whenever the right of choice shall devolve upon them, before the fourth day of March next following, then the Chancellor shall act as President, as in the case of the death or other constitutional disability of the President. The person having the greatest number of votes as Chancellor, shall be the Chancellor, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed, and if no person have a majority, then from the two highest numbers on the list, the Senate shall choose the Chancellor; a quorum for the purpose shall consist of two-thirds of the whole number of Senators, and a majority of the whole number shall be necessary to a choice. No person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the Republic of Montsegur, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty Years, and been a Resident within the Republic of Montsegur. No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once. No person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Chancellor of the Republic of Montsegur. The terms of the President and Chancellor shall end at noon on the 20th day of January of the years in which such terms would have ended if this article had not been ratified; and the terms of their successors shall then begin. In Case of the Removal of the President from Office, or of his/her Death, Resignation, or Inability to discharge the Powers and Duties of the said Office, the same shall devolve on the Chancellor, and the Council may by Law provide for the Case of Removal, Death, Resignation or Inability, both of the President and Chancellor, declaring what Officer shall then act as President, and such Officer shall act accordingly, until the Disability be removed, or a President shall be elected. Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Chancellor, the President shall nominate a Chancellor who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Council. Whenever the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his/her written declaration that s/he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his/her office, and until s/he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such powers and duties shall be discharged by the Chancellor as Acting President. If, at the time fixed for the beginning of the term of the President, the President-elect shall have died, the Chancellor-elect shall become President. Whenever the Chancellor and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Council may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his/her office, the Chancellor shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President. Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his/her written declaration that no inability exists, s/he shall resume the powers and duties of his/her office unless the Chancellor and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive department or of such other body as Council may by law provide, transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his/her office. Thereupon Council shall decide the issue, assembling within forty-eight hours for that purpose if not in session. If the Council, within twenty-one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Council is not in session, within twenty-one days after Council is required to assemble, determines by two-thirds vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his/her office, the Chancellor shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of his/her office. If a President shall not have been chosen before the time fixed for the beginning of his/her term, or if the President-elect shall have failed to qualify, then the Chancellor-elect shall act as President until a President shall have qualified; and the Council may by law provide for the case wherein neither a President-elect nor a Chancellor-elect shall have qualified, declaring who shall then act as President, or the manner in which one who is to act shall be selected, and such person shall act accordingly until a President or Chancellor shall have qualified. The Council may by law provide for the case of the death of any of the persons from whom the House of Representatives may choose a President whenever the right of choice shall have devolved upon them, and for the case of the death of any of the persons from whom the Senate may choose a Chancellor whenever the right of choice shall have devolved upon them. The President and Chancellor shall, at stated Times, receive for their Services, a Compensation, which shall neither be increased nor diminished during the Period for which they shall have been elected, and s/he shall not receive within that Period any other Emolument from the Republic of Montsegur, or any of them. Before they enter on the Execution of their Offices, they shall take the following Oath or Affirmation: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President (or Chancellor) of the Republic of Montsegur, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the Republic of Montsegur and the individual rights and safety of its People."

Section 2 The President shall be empowered with all duties and privileges regarding the foreign affairs of the Republic of Montsegur. The Chancellor shall be empowered with all duties and privileges regarding the domestic matters of the Republic of Montsegur. The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army, Air Force, Amphibious Forces, and Navy of the Republic of Montsegur, and also of the Militia of the several Districts in time of war, with command of the Militia of the several Districts in time of peace being under the Chancellor. The Castellan, appointed by the Chancellor and approved jointly by the President and the Council, shall be in general charge of the security and defense of the Nation, and the gathering of intelligence to that end, and shall act as liaison between the Executive and Legislative branches and also between the respective Military forces and between the Chancellor and the President. The use of Nuclear or comparable Weapons of Mass Destruction, may be authorized only by the President, and then only with the approval of the Council, as such action may result in retaliation of like kind against the Republic of Montsegur. If such emergency situations arise wherein the Council is captured, destroyed, or otherwise unavailable for such consent, an emergency meeting of an Inner Council, consisting of the President, Chancellor, Castellan, and Joint Chiefs of the Diverse Military Forces may be convened, wherein a unanimous vote shall be required to approve such action by the President. When declaring States of Emergency, wherein special emergency powers as granted by the Senate or extending from martial law, may be exercised, but the President and Chancellor may do so only in cases of Insurrection, Invasion, or Natural Disaster, and only with the approval of the Council or, should the Council be unavailable for such consent, an emergency meeting of the Inner Council; such States of Emergency and the martial law extending from them shall only last for the duration of the actual emergency specified. When called into the actual Service of the Republic of Montsegur; the President and the Chancellor may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and they shall have Power to Grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the Republic of Montsegur, except in Cases of Impeachment. The President shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and s/he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other foreign Ministers, Officers, and Consuls, while the Chancellor shall, under the same provisions, appoint domestic Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the Supreme Tribunal, and all other Officers of the Republic of Montsegur, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Council may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President or Chancellor alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments. The President shall have Power to fill up all Vacancies that may happen during the Recess of the Senate, by granting Commissions which shall expire at the End of their next Session.

Section 3 The President and Chancellor shall jointly from time to time give to the Council Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as they shall judge necessary and expedient; they may, on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in Case of Disagreement between them, with Respect to the Time of Adjournment, they may adjourn them to such Time as they shall think proper; the President shall receive Ambassadors and other public Ministers; both shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed, and shall Commission all the Officers of the Republic of Montsegur.

Section 4 The President, Chancellor and all civil Officers of the Republic of Montsegur, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, Abuse of Authority, Usurpation of Power, Violation of the Guaranteed Rights of the People, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.

Article IV. Section 1 The judicial Power of the Republic of Montsegur, shall be vested in one Supreme Tribunal, and in such inferior Courts as the Council may from time to time ordain and establish. The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behavior, and shall, at stated Times, receive for their Services a Compensation which shall not be diminished during their Continuance in Office.

Section 2 The judicial Power shall extend to all Cases, in Law and Equity, arising under this Constitution, the Laws of the Republic of Montsegur, and Treaties made, or which shall be made, under their Authority; to all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls; to all Cases of admiralty and maritime Jurisdiction; to Controversies to which the Republic of Montsegur shall be a Party; to Controversies between two or more Districts; between a District and Citizens of another District; between Citizens of different Districts; between Citizens of the same District claiming Lands under Grants of different Districts, and between a District, or the Citizens thereof, and foreign Districts, Citizens or Subjects. In all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, and those in which a District shall be Party, the Supreme Court shall have original Jurisdiction. In all the other Cases before mentioned, the Supreme Court shall have appellate Jurisdiction, both as to Law and Fact, with such Exceptions, and under such Regulations as the Council shall make. Trial of all Crimes, except in Cases of Impeachment, shall be by Jury; and such Trial shall be held in the District where the said Crimes shall have been committed; but when not committed within any District, the Trial shall be at such Place or Places as the Council may by Law have directed. The Judicial power of the Republic of Montsegur shall not be construed to extend to any suit in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted against one of the Republic of Montsegur by Citizens of another District, or by Citizens or subjects of any foreign District.

Section 3 Treason against the Republic of Montsegur, shall consist only in levying War against the Republic and the People, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court. The Council shall have power to declare the Punishment of Treason, Loss of Citizenship with either Life in Prison or Exile, but no Attainder of Treason shall work Corruption of Blood, or Forfeiture except during the Life of the Person attainted. No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Council, or elector of President and Chancellor, or hold any office, civil or military, under the Republic of Montsegur, or under any District, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Council, or as an officer of the Republic of Montsegur, or as a member of any District legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any District, to support the Constitution of the Republic of Montsegur, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof.

Article V. Section 1 Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each District to the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other District. And the Council may by general Laws prescribe the Manner in which such Acts, Records and Proceedings shall be proved, and the Effect thereof.

Section 2 The Citizens of each District shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several Districts. Citizenship in the Republic of Montsegur shall be entered into voluntarily, with children of Citizens being granted nominal Citizenship upon birth or adoption and until such time as they reach majority age and may then voluntarily consent to full Citizenship, as prescribed in the Sixteenth Guarantee. Upon voluntary acceptance of citizenship, each person seeking that state shall enter the following oath:

"I solemnly swear (or affirm) to respect the individual rights of My fellow citizens of the Republic of Montsegur. I accept of my own free will the authority of the Constitution, Laws, and Government of Montsegur, on provision that such is never used to violate My individual rights or those of My fellow Citizens. I shall uphold, protect, and defend the Constitution of the Republic of Montsegur, and do hereby charge the Government of same to uphold, defend, and protect My life, My person, My property, and My liberty. I understand that My rights to life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness do not entitle me to make demands upon or take by force the life, liberty, property, or happiness of others."

A Person charged in any District with Treason, Felony, or other Crime, who shall flee from Justice, and be found in another District, shall on demand of the executive Authority of the District from which s/he fled, be delivered up, to be removed to the District having Jurisdiction of the Crime. A person may forfeit Citizenship for certain Felonious acts, as defined by Law, which show a willful and unrepentant disregard for the Rights of other individuals.

Section 3 New Districts may be admitted by the Council into this Union; but no new Districts shall be formed or erected within the Jurisdiction of any other District; nor any District be formed by the Junction of two or more Districts, or parts of Districts, without the Consent of the Legislatures of the Districts concerned as well as of the Council. The Council shall have Power to dispose of and make all needful Rules and Regulations respecting the Territory or other Property belonging to the Republic of Montsegur; and nothing in this Constitution shall be so construed as to Prejudice any Claims of the Republic of Montsegur, or of any particular District.

Section 4 The Republic of Montsegur shall guarantee to every District in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened) against domestic Violence.

Article VI. The Council, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several Districts, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several Districts, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Council; Provided that any such Amendment that shall alter, limit or invalidate any of the Guarantees set forth in Part II shall also be passed on to the People to be approved by them through referendum vote, and that no District, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate.

Article VII. All Debts contracted and Engagements entered into, before the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be as valid against the Republic of Montsegur under this Constitution, as before its Ratification. This Constitution, and the Laws of the Republic of Montsegur which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the Republic of Montsegur, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every District shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any District to the Contrary notwithstanding. In matters of legal authority, the Constitution shall have governance before any treaty; treaties shall have governance before any statute; more recent statutes shall govern over earlier ones. The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several District Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the Republic of Montsegur and of the several Districts, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the Republic of Montsegur. The Constitution shall from hereon be a Binding Contract between the Government and the People of the Republic of Montsegur, remaining in effect only with the consent of the diverse Citizens of Montsegur, who may retract their consent, support, and recognition of the Authority of the Government, in whole or part, should it ever violate or fail to protect the Sovereign, Individual, and Inalienable Rights of the People.