Articles of Confederation

[Zukchiva]

source

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[quote=“the East Pacific”]
the Articals of Confederation,
for the East Pacific,

=-=-=-=-=-=

October 31, 2003
We, the people of the East Pacific, each State
acting in its sovereign and independent character, in
order to form a permanent federal government,
establish justice, insure domestic tranquillity, and
secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our
posterity-invoking the favor and guidance of Providence
-do ordain and establish this Constitution for the
Confederate States of The East Pacific.

Establishment of Government

I.
Each state retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence, and every power, jurisdiction, and right, which is not by this Confederation expressly delegated to the East Pacific, in Congress assembled.

II.
The said States hereby severally enter into a firm league of friendship with each other, for their common defense, the security of their liberties, and their mutual and general welfare, binding themselves to assist each other, against all force offered to, or attacks made upon them, or any of them, on account of religion, sovereignty, trade, or any other pretense whatever.

III.

The better to secure and perpetuate mutual friendship and intercourse among the people of the different States in this Union, the free inhabitants of each of these States, paupers, vagabonds, and fugitives from justice excepted, shall be entitled to all privileges and immunities of free citizens in the several States; and the people of each State shall free ingress and regress to and from any other State, and shall enjoy therein all the privileges of trade and commerce, subject to the same duties, impositions, and restrictions as the inhabitants thereof respectively, provided that such restrictions shall not extend so far as to prevent the removal of property imported into any State, to any other State, of which the owner is an inhabitant; provided also that no imposition, duties or restriction shall be laid by any State, on the property of the East Pacific, or either of them.
If any person guilty of, or charged with, treason, felony, or other high misdemeanor in any State, shall flee from justice, and be found in any of the Confederated States, he shall, upon demand of the Governor or executive power of the State from which he fled, be delivered up and removed to the State having jurisdiction of his offense.
Full faith and credit shall be given in each of these States to the records, acts, and judicial proceedings of the courts and magistrates of every other State.

Note this section has been modified by recent ammendment Please see Ammendment XI
IV.
The East Pacific shall be Ruled by the three Branches of Government, these shall Comprise the Legislative or Congressional branch, the Executive of Presidential Branch, and the Judicial Branch.

Membership in the Congress of the East Pacific shall be divided into two Sub Branches, the Senate, and the House of Representaives.
Membership in either of these legislative branches is voluntary.

The Executive brench shall be comprised of the Delegate and chosen Advisors (of Moderators) as apointed by the Delegate.

Membership in the Judicial Branch shall be chosen by the Senate division of the Legislative Branch from Nominations given by members of the House of Representatives and the Delegate.

IV/a
All legislative powers herein delegated shall be
vested in a Congress of the Confederate States, which
shall consist of a Senate and House of
Representatives.

IV/a/1
The Senate shall be comprised of the Representatives of those States within the East Pacific who hold title within the United Nations, those Nations not native born within the east pacific shall have for a brief time as apointed by the collected Senate only Junior powers within the Senate.
The Chairman of the Senate shall be chosen by a jury of his peers, suggestions for this duty may be made by the Regional Delegate, or any member of the Senate, Powers Granted shall be Moderator Duty within the Offsite Forum of the East Pacific.
The Chairman of the senate shall be in charge of appointing a UN liason who will inform the Congress and Delegate of new and upcoming UN legislation that may affect the region and her member states.

IV/a/2
The House of Representatives shall be comprised of the chosen representative of each State within the region regardless of title within the UN. All member nations of the region are eligible from the moment they declare loyalty to the region and these Articals of Confederation. should they be not native born.
the House of Representatives shall be chaired by a Secretary of the House, the powers Granted to this person whall be Moderator duties on the Offsite forum of the East Pacific, this person shall be chosen by a Jury of his Peers, Canidates may be suggested by any Member of the House of Representatives.

IV/a/3
Treaties, Titles, Rights, War and terms of office.

No State, without the consent of the East Pacific in Congress assembled, shall send any embassy to, or receive any embassy from, or enter into any conference, agreement, alliance or treaty with any King, Prince, Alliance or State; nor shall any person holding any office of profit or trust under the East Pacific, or any of them, accept any present, emolument, office or title of any kind whatever from any King, Prince, Alliance or foreign State; nor shall the East Pacific in Congress assembled, or any of them, grant any title of nobility.

When approved and put into effect, the congress and Delegate shall provide a Bill of rights establishing the Freedoms and rights granted to all member states. This Bill of Rights can be modeled after the Bill of rights of the Unites States.

No State without the consent of the East Pacific in Congress assembles shall make war with any other soverign region, When the Unfortunant occurance of War shall make itself known Military forces shall be made up of voluntary States who wilingly commit to the mutual defence of the region.
In the event of Emergency, the Delegate may at his discretion call upon the services of the Marines they may be used for the defence of the East Pacific, or her allied regions until a Formel Declaration of War can be Made by the assembled Congress of the East Pacific.
The United States in Congress assembled, shall have the sole and exclusive right and power of determining on peace and war, except in the cases mentioned above.

The Congress shall have power to dispose of and make all needful rules and regulations concerning the Confederate States, including the lands thereof.

Any State serving in an Official position who vacates the region and remains gone for longer than one UN update shall be stripped of office, unless prior notice is given such as for a Diplomatic mission, (or real life situation).

IV/b
Executive Branch

The executive power shall be vested in a Delegate
of the Confederate States of The East Pacific. Said Delegate shall have the duty of Executing Laws established by the Congress of the East Pacific.
He shall be Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of The East Pacific, and shall be the sole operator of the Nuclear Arsenal (eject button) of the region.
He shall have power, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties; provided two-thirds of the Senators present concur.
The principal officer in each of the Executive Departments, and all persons connected with the Region, may be removed from office at the pleasure of the President. So long as a formal statement is made in the offsite forum.

The Delegate shall, from time to time, give to the Congress information of the state of the Confederacy, and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he 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, he may adjourn them to such time as he shall think proper; he shall receive ambassadors and other public ministers; he shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed, and shall commission all the officers of the Confederate States.

IV/c
Judicial Branch

the Judicial Body of the Eat Pacific shall be composed of 3 Jurists recommended by the Executive Branch and ratified by the assembled Congress.

The judicial power of the Confederate States shall be vested in one Supreme Court, and in such inferior courts as the Congress may, from time to time, ordain and establish. The judges, both of the Supreme and inferior courts, shall hold their offices during good behavior. The judicial power shall extend to all cases arising under this Constitution, the laws of the Confederate
States, 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 Confederate States shall be a party; to controversies between two or more States; between a State and citizens of another State, where the State is plaintiff; between citizens claiming lands under grants of different States; and between a State or the citizens thereof, and foreign states, citizens, or
subjects; but no State shall be sued by a citizen or subject of any foreign state.
In all cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, and those in which a State shall be a 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 Congress shall make.
The trial of all crimes shall be by jury, and such trial shall be
held in the State where the said crimes shall have been committed; but when not committed within any State, the trial shall be at such place or places as the Congress may by law have directed.

V
V/a
Treason.
Treason against the Confederate States shall consist only in levying war against.them, 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.
In the event of an emergency, the Delegate May Banish temporarily until Congress can be conveened for full investigation.

V/b
Rights
The citizens of each State shall be entitled to all the privileges and immunities of citizens in the several States; and shall have the right of transit and sojourn
in any State of this Confederacy, with their property; and the right of property shall not be thereby impaired.
And as stated previously, a Bill of RIghts shall be written and ratified upon the aceptance of this document.
The East pacific shall now and for all times a Union of Soverign states, who have mutually agreed to abide by the laws laid down by this document.

V/c
Expansion

Other States may be admitted into this Confederacy by a vote of two-thirds of the whole House of Representatives and two-thirds of the Senate, the
Senate voting by States; but no new State shall be formed or erected within the jurisdiction of any other State, nor any State be formed by the junction of two or more States, or parts of States, without the consent of the Legislatures of the States concerned, as well as of the Congress.

V/d
Protection

The Confederate States shall guarantee to every State that now is, or hereafter may become, a member of this Confederacy, a republican form of government; and the Delegate shall protect each of them against invasion; and on application of the Legislature or of the Executive (when the Legislature is not in session) against domestic violence.

V/e
Currency

The Government of the East Pacific shall make no Currency, all Monetary needs of the Confederacy shall be handled by the States using their own local currencies, however all Curriencies within this Conferderacy shall be traded ona 1 to 1 rate, based upon the smallest demonination of currency within each state.

VI
Amendments

Upon the demand of any three States, legally assembled in their several conventions, the Congress shall summon a convention of all the States, to take into consideration such amendments to the Constitution as the said States shall concur in suggesting at the time when the said demand is made;
and should any of the proposed amendments to them Constitution be agreed on by the said convention~voting by States~and the same be ratified
by the Legislatures of two- thirds of the several States,\ or by conventions in two-thirds thereof~as the one or the other mode of ratification may be proposed by the general convention~they shall thenceforward form a
part of this Constitution. But no State shall, without its consent, be deprived of its equal representation in the Senate.

VII
Establishment

The Government established by these Articles of Confederation is the successor of the Provisional Government of the Confederate States of the East Pacific, and all the laws passed by the latter shall continue in force until the
same shall be repealed or modified; and all the officers appointed by the same shall remain in office until their successors are appointed and qualified, or the offices abolished.

These Articles of Confederation, and the laws of the Confederate
States made in pursuance thereof, and all treaties made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the Confederate States, shall be the supreme law of the land; and the judges in every State shall be bound thereby, anything in the constitution or laws of any State to the contrary notwithstanding.

The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial officers,
both of the Confederate States and of the several States, 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 Confederate States.

The powers not delegated to the Confederate States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States, respectively, or to the people thereof. However the Regional Government shall upon convening a Constitutional Convention should they decide to take new laws nad powers unto the Federal level.

VIII
Ratification
The ratification of the conventions of this document shall be complete when a simple majority of Active States within the region have Approved and accepted this document.

Every State shall abide by the determination of the East Pacific in Congress assembled, on all questions which by this confederation are submitted to them. And the Articles of this Confederation shall be inviolably observed by every State, and the Union shall be perpetual; nor shall any alteration at any time hereafter be made in any of them; unless such alteration be agreed to in a Congress of the East Pacific, and be afterwards confirmed by the legislatures of every State. as stated in Secion VI

XX
Amendments

The Conventions of a number of the States having, at the time of the Provisional period of these Articles of Confederation, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added, and as extending the ground of public confidence in the Government will best insure the beneficent ends of its institution;

Resolved, by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Confederated States of The East Pacific, in Congress assembled, that the following articles be proposed to the Legislatures of the several States, as amendments to the Articles of Confederation of The East Pacific; all or any of which articles, when ratified by three-fourths of the said Legislatures, to be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the said Articles, namely:

@Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; nor shall it make any abrige the seperation of Church and State, the two shall be kept seperate and neither shall infringe up on the other, nor shall either have any Jurisdiction with either.
Congress shall also make no law abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

@Amendment II

A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the People to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.
This Amendment extends to the right of the Private Citizen to own and keep Arms and expressly forbids Congress to make any law infringing upon the rights of the Private Citizen, they may however restrict ownership of such weapons as fully automatic capable weapons and certain High explosives.

@Amendment III

No soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

@Amendment IV

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

@Amendment V

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

@Amendment VI

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.

@Amendment VII

In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars*, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any court of the East Pacific, than according to the rules of the common law.

*in US currency,

@Amendment VIII

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted, However in the unfortunante circumstance of kidnaping or emminant threat of bodily harm, Interrogations may occure so long as Death of said perosn does not result, these situations must be approved by a Judge and onserved by said Judge, a Medical Doctor and staff, as well as a third impartial observer.

@Amendment IX

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

I am leaving this in for now, it is from the original US constitution, and it seems to support slavery, however I feel it can be applied to Prisioners as well, Further debate is needed. Loop

@Amendment X

The powers not delegated to the East Pacific by these Articles, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.

@Amendment XI

this ammendment will Modify Articles the Articles of section IV Until such time as the original three house method can be fully utilized.

IV.
The East Pacific shall be Ruled by the three Branches of Government, these shall Comprise the Legislative or Congressional branch, the Executive of Presidential Branch, and the Judicial Branch.
Membership in the Congress of the East Pacific shall be assigned to the Grand Senate, the Senate shall be afforded all the powers and responsibiliteis of the previous Senate and Congress.
Membership in the Grand Senate shall be Voluntary and will be open to UN and Non UN members all Senators shall recieve 1 vote in all matters. and the President of the Senate shall be afforded 2 votes.
(Senate members may only have One nation in the senate at a time.)

The Executive branch shall be comprised of the Delegate and chosen Advisors (of Moderators) as apointed by the Delegate.

Membership in the Judicial Branch shall be chosen by the Senate from canidates supplied by the Delegate.

IV/a
All legislative powers herein delegated shall be
vested in a Congress of the Confederate States, which
shall consist of a Senate and House of
Representatives.

IV/a/1
The Grand Senate shall be comprised of the Representatives of those States within the East Pacific who Voluntarily wish to serve in such capacity, those Nations not native born within the East Pacific shall have for a brief time as apointed by the collected Senate only Junior powers within the Senate.
The President of the Senate shall be chosen by a jury of his peers, suggestions for this duty may be made by the Regional Delegate, or any member of the Senate, Powers Granted shall be Moderator Duty within the Offsite Forum of the East Pacific.
The President of the Senate shall be in charge of appointing a UN liason who will inform the Congress and Delegate of new and upcoming UN legislation that may affect the region and her member states.
The Grand Senate shall be assigned all minor legal decisions within the region, with the President acting as cheif Jurist.
All further Judicial needs will be handled by the Judicial branch.

IV/a/2
The house of Representatives shall be dissolved. Its members merged with the Senate.

IV/a/3
This section shall be unchangedTreaties, Titles, Rights, War and terms of office.
No State, without the consent of the East Pacific in Congress assembled, shall send any embassy to, or receive any embassy from, or enter into any conference, agreement, alliance or treaty with any King, Prince, Alliance or State; nor shall any person holding any office of profit or trust under the East Pacific, or any of them, accept any present, emolument, office or title of any kind whatever from any King, Prince, Alliance or foreign State; nor shall the East Pacific in Congress assembled, or any of them, grant any title of nobility.
When approved and put into effect, the congress and Delegate shall provide a Bill of rights establishing the Freedoms and rights granted to all member states. This Bill of Rights can be modeled after the Bill of rights of the Unites States.
No State without the consent of the East Pacific in Congress assembles shall make war with any other soverign region, When the Unfortunant occurance of War shall make itself known Military forces shall be made up of voluntary States who wilingly commit to the mutual defence of the region. Otherwise The East Pacific in Congress Assembled shall maintain No Standing Military,
In the event of Emergency, the Delegate may at his discretion call upon the services of the Marines they may be used for the defence of the East Pacific, or her allied regions until a Formel Declaration of War can be Made by the assembled Congress of the East Pacific.
The East Pacific in Congress assembled, shall have the sole and exclusive right and power of determining on peace and war, except in the cases mentioned above.
The Congress shall have power to dispose of and make all needful rules and regulations concerning the Confederate States, including the lands thereof.
Any State serving in an Official position who vacates the region and remains gone for longer than one UN update shall be stripped of office, unless prior notice is given such as for a Diplomatic mission, (or real life situation).

IV/b
this section shal be unchanged except to remove references to the house of representatives
Executive Branch
The executive power shall be vested in a Delegate
of the Confederate States of The East Pacific. Said Delegate shall have the duty of Executing Laws established by the Congress of the East Pacific.
He shall be Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of The East Pacific, and shall be the sole operator of the Nuclear Arsenal (eject button) of the region.
He shall have power, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties; provided two-thirds of the Senators present concur.
The principal officer in each of the Executive Departments, and all persons connected with the Region, may be removed from office at the pleasure of the President. So long as a formal statement is made in the offsite forum.
The Delegate shall, from time to time, give to the Congress information of the state of the Confederacy, and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may, on
extraordinary occasions, convene the Senate; and in case of disagreement between the members, with respect to the time of adjournment, he may adjourn them to such time as he shall think proper; he shall receive ambassadors and other public ministers; he shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed, and shall commission all the officers of the Confederate States.

IV/c
this section shall remain unchanged
Judicial Branch
the Judicial Body of the East Pacific shall be composed of 9 Jurists recommended by the Executive Branch and ratified by the assembled Congress.
The Supreme Judicial power of the Confederate States shall be vested in one Supreme Court, and in such inferior courts as the Congress may, from time to time, ordain and establish. The judges, both of the Supreme and inferior courts, shall hold their offices during good behavior. The judicial power shall extend to all cases arising under this Constitution, the laws of the Confederate
States, 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 Confederate States shall be a party; to controversies between two or more States; between a State and citizens of another State, where the State is plaintiff; between citizens claiming lands under grants of different States; and between a State or the citizens thereof, and foreign states, citizens, or
subjects; but no State shall be sued by a citizen or subject of any foreign state.
In all cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, and those in which a State shall be a 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 Congress shall make.
The trial of all crimes shall be by jury, and such trial shall be
held in the State where the said crimes shall have been committed; but when not committed within any State, the trial shall be at such place or places as the Congress may by law have directed.

IV/d
]the Cabinet Offices
This section is new
Along with UN Liason, The East Pacific shall have the following titled seats.
Supreme General of the East Pacific.
Responsibilities include:
Training a regional militia
At the Delegates Pleasure, Calling nations to war, and organizing defensive/offensive maneuvers
Serving as representative of the Delegate in field activites.

Head of Immigration and Tourism.
Responsibilities:
Recruitment of new immigrants
Keeping alien registration
and Bringing new nations into the regional forum.

Head of Education.
Responsibilities:
Writing and keeping a FAQ for the East Pacific and Nationstates
Answering any questions from new and potential residents

IV/e
Layout of Governmental forums
this section is new.

Oblong Office, Office of the Delegate
East Pacific Cabinet
******UN liason offices
******office A
******Office B
******ect
Grand Senate
******President of the Senate Office
******General
******Secured
Judicial
******General
******Secured
EPIA
******Secured
******Field agents secure
******Reception
******NKVD
Public Referendum/Voting
Book of the law.

@Ammendment XII

8 Sept 2004
The Grand Senate herin grants the Delegate the powers to veto any Senate resolution, when said resolution is passed it is presented to the Delegate for “signature” the Delegate may then
"sign it " and immeadiatly institute it into Law, the Delegate may let it sit for 7 days wheras it passes by inactivity on the delegates part. the Delegate my immeadiatly Veto the bill wheras it is sent to the Senate archives, the Senate then has 7 days to review the bill and either resubmit a new version or should a 4/5th majority pass it the Delegates eto shall be over ridden, and the bill is introduced immeadiatly into law, if it sits for more than 7 days in moritorium it is cancelled and written out as Dead.
The Senate Herin also grants the Delegate the power of Judicial review, any decision passed by the Judicial branch may be appealed by the Delegate if within 14 days.
Any Law passed prior to this may be called up for Review by the delegate but not removed, the senate will have the right to review of such laws should any come to be reviewed.
In time of Martial Law, or war, the delgate has the right to suspend any governmental activity until such a crisis is deemed over Martial Law will be immeadiatly initiated up on reaching Def Con 2. Martial Law will be eclared over when the Regional Def Con reaches 4 again.
The Delegate may alter the Def Con level or the Senate may with a simple Majority. However Def Con 4 will be the most common operating level as long as a Threat is visible.

Notes
Added Ammendement XII to list.
Highlighted part that was aparently accidentally removed at some point,
Remade the quotes.