Historical Documents: First Constitution

[Nathan]

Articles of The Supreme Sovereign Republic of Natopia

I, the Grand Chancellor hereby establish and ordain this document in order to form a more perfect society of utopian like qualities. To provide for the defense and protection of all citizens’ rights. To create a society where the government does not burden the individual but the individual burdens the government. To create a community where all can belong. It is these principles that the Republic of Natopia is established and strives to protect.

Article the First: The National Government

Section One – The Legislative Branch
The Legislative Branch shall consist of the Grand Natopian Senate, headed by the Grand Consul.
The Grand Consul of the Natopian Senate shall be appointed by the Grand Chancellor and have the duties of leading the debate in the Senate and casting votes in draws.
The Senate shall discuss and pass bills of national importance and strive to improve the nation and its citizens.
The Grand Chancellor shall select the number of Senators in the Senate.
If no Senators have been democratically selected, then the Grand Chancellor shall appoint any Citizen he sees fit to carry out the duties.
Senators will serve for unlimited terms.
Citizens may inform the Grand Chancellor, Grand Consul, or Grand Judge of a Senator that may warrant removal.
The Citizens may ask the Senate for the introduction of a bill and may lobby the Senate until two days prior to voting.
The Senate shall be able to establish public institutions that better our society.
The power to appoint a Regional Chancellor after the Citizens’ request lies solely in the Senate only if the Grand Chancellor does not comply.
The Natopian Senate shall be required to make a full inquiry of the Grand Judge if they remove the Grand Chancellor from office, one week after the termination.
The Grand Chancellor may overturn any Senate laws without question.
Powers not granted to other Branches and not reserved by the Citizens are hereby granted to the Senate.

Section Two – The Executive Branch
The Executive Branch shall consist of the Grand Chancellor and the Ministry of Natopian Affairs.
The Grand Chancellor shall hold their office for life, unless the Grand Judge enforces their power as outlined in Section Three.
The power to enact any law or command without question shall be bestowed upon the Grand Chancellor.
Any law or verbal decree made by the Grand Chancellor is considered supreme law and any Senate law, Regional law, Judicial policy, or Ministry policy in contradiction of supreme law shall be considered moot.
The Grand Chancellor must approve any and all laws passed by the Senate and Regional Assembly or any policies recommended by any other official or Ministry.
If the Grand Chancellor does nothing to a bill or policy, the bill will pass into Law and the policy will be enforced.
The Grand Chancellor must appoint several Ministers to a Ministry of Natopian Affairs.
The Ministry must have officials overseeing the Lower Ministries of Education, Domestic Affairs, Financial Affairs, and Natopian Development.
The most senior Minister shall be appointed as Prime Minister and have the duties of leading Ministry business and meetings and to represent the Ministry to the Grand Chancellor.
Unless an Ambassador is appointed, the Grand Chancellor represents the Republic to foreign nations or organizations. The Grand Chancellor also holds the power to recognize any nation without question.
The Grand Chancellor may appoint or terminate a Regional Chancellor at any time.
The Grand Chancellor shall also hold the positions of Grand Mayor of Lindstrom, Grand Overseer of the District of Shepard, and Grand Commander of the Natopian Defense Force.
Powers not granted to other Branches and not reserved by the Citizens are hereby granted to the Grand Chancellor.

Section Three – The Judicial Branch
The Judicial Branch shall consist of the Grand Judge and any Lower Courts they chose to create.
The Grand Judge and their Courts shall hear cases involving questions of law and civil conflicts.
The Grand Judge shall have the power to establish any lower court they deem necessary and appoint any qualified judge to oversee those courts. Court establishments and judge appointments do not need any Chancellorial approval.
The Grand Judge alone holds the power to immediately terminate the Grand Chancellor from their office if they are found to be acting in tyranny.
The Grand Judge also shall be able to overrule any verbal decree of the Grand Chancellor with any reasonable doubt.
Should the Grand Judge remove the Grand Chancellor, they will assume the role of Grand Chancellor, and all appointed officials must be reappointed by the new Grand Chancellor.
To enforce the removal of the Grand Chancellor and to prevent their return, the Grand Judge may command the Natopian Defense Force
Powers not granted to other Branches and not reserved by the Citizens are hereby granted to the Grand Judge.

Section Four – The Religious Branch
The Religious Branch shall consist of the Natopian National Church and the Supreme Spiritual Leader.
The Natopian National Church will be established under the Christian faith.
The Natopian National Church and the Supreme Spiritual Leader shall have absolutely no legislative, judicial, executive, or military power granted to them.
No Amendment or Redraft of this document shall ever grant this Branch any aforementioned powers.
The Supreme Spiritual Leader shall be able to establish lower churches and a hierarchy of lower Spiritual Leaders.
This Branch shall serve its nation by reminding officials to act in a Christ-like manner.
The Natopian National Church shall have no specific creeds and support all views of Christianity.
The Church or Leader shall never enforce Christianity upon any citizen or official.

Section Five – The Military Branch
The Military Branch shall consist of the Natopian Defense, the Supreme Commander, and the Grand Commander.
The Natopian Defense Force shall defend the nation from any and all threats.
The Supreme Commander shall command the Force, however, the Grand Chancellor holds the title of Grand Commander and therefore is in total control of the Force.
To maintain civilian control, the Grand Commander may not serve in the military.
The Supreme Commander or Natopian Defense Force shall have absolutely no legislative, judicial, executive, or religious power granted to him or her.
No Amendment or Redraft of this document shall ever grant this Branch any aforementioned powers.
The Supreme Commander may appoint and/or promote officers to any positions they see fit. However, the command of Aerial, Ground, and Aquatic defenses must be filled.

Article the Second: The Regional Government

Section One – Legislative Branch

The Regional Legislative Branch shall consist of the Regional Assembly and the Regional Praetor.
A Regional Assembly shall only govern a Region of Natopia if a Regional Chancellor has been either appointed by the Grand Chancellor or granted by the Senate.
The Regional Praetor shall preside over the Regional Assembly and cast votes only in ties.
The powers granted to the Grand Natopian Senate shall also be granted to Regional Assemblies.

Section Two – Executive Branch

The Regional Chancellor holds autonomy in Regional affairs and may make any laws necessary for the betterment of that Region.
If a Region has no desire to ask for a Regional Chancellor, the Region must follow all national laws without question.
The Regional Chancellor may also establish a Ministry of Regional Affairs, if they so desire.

Section Three – Judicial Branch

A Regional Judge shall be appointed by the Regional Chancellor to serve in the same capacity as the Grand Judge.
The Regional Judge also has the power to establish Region Courts to hear cases taking place in the Region.

Section Four – Military Branch

A Region may establish a military organization for the purpose of defense only. The Regional Chancellor must remain in complete control of the Regional Militia and may appoint Lieutenants to aid him.
No Regional Militia may establish space or aquatic defenses. The Regional Militia shall be limited to infantry and planes.

Section Five – Other Regional Affairs

All laws enacted by the Regional Chancellor or the Regional Assembly may be overturned by the Grand Chancellor.
The District of Shepard shall be the area around the capital, Lindstrom.
The District of Shepard shall have a Grand Overseer to ensure the day to day governing of the district.
The District shall never be under the control of a Region.
Residents of the District of Shepard may not ask for a Regional Chancellor.
All petitions will be directed to the Grand Overseer.
Any Region may create and ratify a constitution, as long as the contents of said document do not conflict with the contents of these Articles.
A Region may only succeed from the Republic if both the Regional Chancellor of said Region and the Grand Chancellor both agree.
Succeeded Regions must remain close allies of Natopia.

Article the Third: The Citizens

The Citizens’ hold all rights granted to them by God.
The freedom of speech shall never be infringed upon, nor will freedom of true press, to peaceably assemble, life, religion, property, privacy, residence, and petition.
No citizen shall be withheld any or all rights on account of race, creed, or sex.
No person shall be denied citizenry on account of race, creed, or sex.
All Citizens hold the right to vote.

[Nathan]

All Citizens are entitled to legal counsel, jury of peers, speedy and public trial, and no cruel or unusual punishment.
Citizens shall not be forced to pay excessive bail nor shall they be put in jeopardy twice for the same crime.
The Citizens, hereby hold all rights and freedoms not listed in these Articles and not granted to other Branches.
The Republic reserves the right to withhold or limit only the freedoms of life, privacy, and petition only if widespread peace is compromised.

Article the Fourth: Concerning this Document and Other Affairs

The official currency of the nation shall be the Natopo; it shall be equal to the United States Dollar.
The official motto of the Republic shall be “peace through silent oppression.”
The symbol of the sovereignty of the Republic shall be the National Seal, the Cross of Sovereignty.
The symbol of the Republic itself shall be the National Flag.
The Grand Chancellor may add other national symbols.
All citizens, Regions, and officials shall be forever bound by this document once enacted.
To Amend this document, the Grand Chancellor, Grand Consul, and Grand Judge’s consent is required.
A Grand Quorum of the Grand Judge, Grand Consul, and Grand Chancellor may only redraft this document after ratification.
This document will go into effect once the Grand Chancellor verbally and legally decrees this. Also the Grand Consul, and Grand Judge must freely give their consent. As a further protection from tyranny, three officials, and three citizens must freely ratify this document.
For this document, consent must be in the form of a signature.
Let it be known that all the below listed persons, being of sound mind, freely endorse and ratify the Articles of this Republic.

The Grand Chancellor of Natopia,
Nathan L. Shepard

The Grand Judge of All Laws and Rights,
Sherry Lochhaas

The Grand Consul of the Grand Natopian Senate,
Andrew Shin

Three Natopian Officials,
Aaron Paveletich
Steve Shin
Drew Skyles

Three Natopian Citizens,
Julie C.K. Holmes
Jana Shepard
Gregory J. Molina Jr.














Amendments to these Articles

First Amendment –
To ensure further protection of our national sovereignty, Natopia shall be able to participate in all activities that outline statehood such as, but not limited to; foreign relations, taxation, land ownership, etc. As long as this document is in effect, the Supreme Sovereign Republic of Natopia shall remain sovereign in both name and practice. No foreign state or nation shall be able to interfere with Natopia's right of sovereignty,

Second Amendment -
In order for the Grand Natopian Senate to pass a Bill into Law, a simple majority vote will be required. Each Senator will have only one vote. Also, the Grand Consul shall have one vote. As outlined in the Articles, the Grand Consul will have the power to vote a second time in ties.

Proposed 11/20/03 –

To further protect the Rights of the Citizens an officially granted License of Tranquility will be required in order for a Citizen or Official to withhold Rights as outlined in Article III, line Nine. This License will be granted solely by the Grand Chancellor. Any Citizen or Official withholding the Rights of Natopian Citizens who does not possess a License shall face severe punishment.

Proposed 12/5/03 –

The Citizens of this Republic shall hereby have the power to organize themselves in a Citizens’ Assembly with the purpose of initiating a referendum. Should any Citizen feel a certain Law, Decree, or Policy is unjust and contradictory to the principles of freedom and expression they may organize a Citizens’ Assembly, who support the repealing of any Law, Decree, or Policy. A majority of the total Citizens’ Assembly of Natopia must be required in order for the questionable Law, Decree, or Policy to be repealed. Also, the Citizens’ Assembly holds the power to initiate and vote upon any number of issues the Senate, Grand Chancellor, or Grand Judge has failed to hear. A majority of the Citizens’ Assembly must support any Bill initiated this way for it to become Public Law. Once the Citizens vote on a Bill, only two thirds of the Citizens’ Assembly may vote to repeal that Public Law. No member of the government may use their powers to disrupt the referendum procedures. No member of the government may overrule any Public Law, once enacted. Should the Citizens call for any sort of referendum, the government, national or regional, must provide a location for the Citizens’ Assembly to meet and organize themselves.
Also, this Amendment repeals Article III, Clause 10. This Republic hereby gives up the right to limit or withhold the Rights of Life, Privacy, and Petition. Any government official found to be limiting or withholding these Rights shall be immediately removed from office, pending investigation.
Also, this Amendment grants the Citizens’ the power and Right to revolt, should they feel it absolutely necessary. Therefore, the Citizens’ Assembly shall also be used as an interim government, should the Citizens’ revolt.