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I will play as Thomas Blakiston.
Viscardus fucked around with this message at 06:57 on Feb 7, 2014 |
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Feb 7, 2014 06:44
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| # ¿ Apr 26, 2024 10:05 |
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 Captain Thomas Blakiston I do not wish to interfere with government business, but I must register my distress at hearing rumours of a possible resumption of hostilities with the Meiji government. The peace of the last eight years has been a boon to all of us who reside on this island, native, exile, and foreigner alike. I dearly hope that the government will not throw it away in favour of an impossible dream.
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Feb 7, 2014 16:42
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Captain Thomas Blakiston First of all, I must inform the good Mr. Capron that he is mistaken: baseball is too dull and barbaric to be called a true sport. The only true bat-and-ball sport is cricket, and I look forward to its inevitable popularization within Ezo. In fact, I may go so far as to sponsor a small cricket league myself if enough interested players can be found. Onto more serious matters, while I certainly do not object to Mr. Capron's excellent qualifications as an agricultural expert, agriculture and surveying are two very different beasts. I question whether the job of surveying the mineral wealth and other natural resources of this fair island could not be better achieved by contracting with Blakiston and Company. Not only am I something of an explorer and naturalist, but I have extensive surveying experience, having been part of the Palliser Expedition in Western Canada, as well as an expedition up the Yangtze River. Not to mention that I have experience with natural resources here has well, being currently engaged in the largest lumber operation on the island. Rather than waste government resources that could no doubt be better spent elsewhere, I would be willing to provide my services at a reduced cost in exchange for a share of the resultant mineral rights.
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Feb 8, 2014 03:02
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Captain Thomas Blakiston It is my duty to make clear that I do not, either personally or as a representative of the British Empire, condone this invasion of Sado. I am a lover of peace, and it saddens me that it seems unachievable at this point. As a foreigner, however, I naturally do not wish to interfere in the foreign policy of the Republic. All of that said, if the island is taken I will have no objection to, as a private citizen, assisting in the modernization of its gold mine. I hope this means that the government is also considering my offer to engage in surveying for mineral wealth here in Ezo as well. For all any of us know, there could be massive gold deposits under our very feet!
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Feb 8, 2014 11:26
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Captain Thomas Blakiston With all due respect to the esteemed Mr. Brunet, the government would be well-advised to take into account the reaction of European powers to such privateering, which was banned by the Paris Declaration of 1856. I can guarantee that the British government would be extremely poorly-disposed to any attacks on British merchants who simply happen to be trading in Nagasaki or Yokohama. Viscardus fucked around with this message at 21:34 on Feb 12, 2014 |
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Feb 12, 2014 20:49
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Captain Thomas Blakiston Lords and ladies of Ezo, I am overjoyed to announce my engagement and upcoming marriage to Tokugawa Masako, eldest daughter of the late Shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu and sister of the esteemed Shogun Tokugawa Kamenosuke. I am greatly honoured that the shogun has seen fit to permit this marriage. I must admit I was smitten with Masako from the moment I met her – as entranced by her beauty as I was captivated by her intelligence. Though I recognize that our love may be looked down upon by some, I am grateful to my future brother-in-law for rising above such petty concerns. Our marriage date has been set for one month from now here in Hakodate, and naturally all of the lords of Ezo and the most prominent residents of the republic shall be invited. I am pleased to announce that the ceremony will be conducted according to both the Anglican and Buddhist faiths, in what I intend to be a celebration of religious tolerance. The wedding will be accompanied by a great public celebration to which all residents of the city shall be welcome. Once again, I thank the shogun for his blessing and support, and look forward to continuing my long and productive relationship with this great republic.
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Feb 13, 2014 20:55
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Captain Thomas Blakiston Alas, my friends, I have just been informed that there was a miscommunication between the shogun and myself. It seems his representative mistakenly informed me that the shogun had reached a final decision on the matter. Masako and I are deeply saddened by this turn of events, but I am certain that the shogun will eventually come to the right decision and let true love win the day. Thank you, my friends, for your kind wishes and support.
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Feb 14, 2014 00:15
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Captain Thomas Blakiston With the honoured shogun's approval confirmed, I pleased to once again announce my upcoming marriage to Tokugawa Masako. The details previously announced shall remain the same, and I look forward to seeing many of the lords of Ezo at the ceremony and celebration. Once again, I thank my future brother-in-law for his wise decision.
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Feb 16, 2014 21:21
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 Thomas Blakiston I have spent some time trying to summon words that can adequately express my grief and my horror at what has occurred. It is a waste of time; such a thing would be impossible even for the greatest of poets. It does not suffice to say that it is a tragedy, though it was one. Not only for me personally, or for the Tokugawa clan, or for everyone else who loved Masako; but for the family and friends of all those who were cruelly murdered by bomb and mob alike. Neither does it suffice to say that it is an outrage, though it was that as well. Not only against the laws and society of Ezo, but also of the United Kingdom from which I hail, and indeed against all decent human beings who deplore such evil acts. But though I will no doubt dwell on what occurred that day for years to come – for the rest of my life, perhaps – it serves no one to do so in public. Instead, I will focus on one thing, my only goal until it is achieved: bringing those responsible to justice and seeing them duly punished for their crimes. Not out of revenge, though I would be lying if I said that I do not desire it, deep within my shattered heart. No, I will see it done because justice must be served, and wicked men must not be allowed to sow misery and chaos with impunity. It has already been announced that there will be an investigation. I would expect nothing less. I will naturally cooperate with it to the utmost of my ability. I sincerely hope, however, that it can be relied upon. Already there are rumours that members of the government itself may have been complicit in the attack, and even a whiff of possible corruption within the investigation would be utterly inexcusable. On that note, I must move on to an even more pressing matter. I must formally protest in the strongest possible terms the appointment of Matsudaira Sadaaki to any sort of government position. Not only is he an obvious suspect in the bombing, he was personally responsible for the creation of the violent mob that attacked the crowd and killed several of the victims. In a less civilized age he would already have been dealt with. Indeed, if he had even the barest scrap of honour befitting a true samurai, he would be dead by his own hand. As it stands, it is a travesty that he is not already in police custody, awaiting his trial. I am a great admirer of this republic, and I sincerely hope that it can prove itself worthy of that admiration. I would hate for the intervention of my government to be necessary in order to achieve justice for the dead.
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Feb 20, 2014 04:46
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Thomas Blakiston I must say that I am disappointed. I am disappointed that the investigation into the bombing of my wedding and the death of my wife has yet to definitively identify a culprit. I am disappointed that Matsudaira Sadaaki, a murderer responsible for the deaths of several British citizens, still serves in Ezo's cabinet. But most of all I am disappointed in the political leadership of Ezo for so dramatically failing in their duties. I have always believed the Japanese to be a worthy people - a people who, with a small measure of refinement, could take their place alongside the enlightened peoples of Europe. I still believe this, though I fear that some in Ezo seem to be doing their best to challenge this belief. Between the brief civil war and the loss of most of Ezo's fleet, it is difficult to summon respect for the current political leadership of the state. And only recently, the President engaged in a display of barbarism so horrific that it is hard to imagine its toleration in the deepest jungles of Africa, let alone in a supposedly civilized nation. And yet where are the protestations? Still, though, I shall not attempt to interfere with Ezo's government beyond the scope of my personal duty, which remains to seek justice for my wife and the others who were murdered at my wedding. Thus I must ask once again for Matsudaira Sadaaki to be removed from his cabinet post and arrested for the murder of those killed by the mob violence he organized. I bear no personal grudge, as he appears to have been cleared of suspicion regarding the death of my late wife, but he must still face justice for those he killed, including multiple British citizens. I would remind all citizens of Ezo that the British government is extremely interested in seeing justice properly done in this case. My homeland has long been a friend to Ezo, and it would be tragic if such bonds of friendship were to become strained or broken in Ezo's hour of need. And this is indeed Ezo's hour of need, with its enemies on its doorstep. Neither I nor the United Kingdom desires for this island to be conquered, but its current state does not inspire confidence. Thus, I have taken it upon myself to provide a remedy for those citizens of Ezo who fear for their lives in the event of invasion. Any employee of mine who desires it will be granted free relocation - with their families - to our secondary headquarters in Keelung, on the island of Formosa, at this or any future time, including in the event of invasion. In particular, any samurai or other soldiers who no longer feel loyal to the current government are invited to take positions of honour within my new organization, Soldiers Without Borders, a subsidiary of Blakiston and Company. I intend for this arrangement to benefit all parties, including the government of Ezo, which has had enough problems with disloyal soldiers already.
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Mar 9, 2014 20:34
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Thomas Blakiston A Letter to President Enomoto posted:With respect, sir, Matsudaira Sadaaki is no longer, to my knowledge, a suspect in the bombing. He has been cleared of that charge. He is, however, a confessed killer: there is no controversy over his role in organizing the mob that attacked my wedding. His guilt is technically unproven in a court of law, of course, but only because you and your government have sheltered him from the charges that should have been pressed against him months ago. You cannot, my friend, proclaim that someone is innocent until proven guilty and then proceed to prevent a court from investigating his guilt. Do not invoke the rule of law with one hand while you thumb your nose at it with the other. Never mind that even if he were cleared of criminal charges, there can be no question that he bears moral responsibility for the attack - that alone should be enough to disqualify him from serving in your cabinet.
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Mar 10, 2014 01:03
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Thomas Blakiston A Letter to Kasuga Saemon posted:My friend, I must insist that you join me on my next wilderness expedition. The current one has lifted my spirits greatly and proved rather profitable from a scientific standpoint. I believe I have captured a new species of owl, hitherto unknown to European science. Viscardus fucked around with this message at 05:00 on Mar 20, 2014 |
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Mar 20, 2014 04:55
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Thomas Blakiston I would like to publicly thank the law enforcement agencies of Ezo for the arrest and upcoming prosecution of the shogun, my former brother-in-law, who now stands accused of murdering my wife - and his sister - Masako Blakiston. In the interest of ensuring justice, I will refrain from commenting further on the case until a verdict has been reached. Suffice it to say that the British Empire is grateful, as am I personally. And yet I must once again bring attention to the inexplicable failure to prosecute Matsudaira Sadaaki for his ever-increasing list of crimes. Why is this man permitted to remain free - let alone keep his cabinet post! - while he engages in the most barbaric forms of villainy? Even if the claims made against his latest victims are true, and they are indeed spies, how can such vigilantism be tolerated from a minister of the government of all people? If Ezo is to be respected on the world stage, behaviour such as this from government officials cannot be tolerated. I once again call upon the government to dismiss Matsudaira Sadaaki from his post and prosecute him for his crimes!
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Mar 27, 2014 04:44
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Thomas Blakiston It appears that there is some confusion over whether the militia law applies to Militaires Sans Frontières, even by my partner and its commander, Monsieur Brunet. The law in question does not and never has applied to MSF. MSF is not a militia, as it is not composed of non-professional soldiers. It is a private corporation that happens to provide military and security services, delivered by professional soldiers. Furthermore, it is composed largely of foreign nationals, not of citizens of Ezo, and is wholly owned and operated by myself and Monsieur Brunet, both of whom are foreign citizens. No reasonable definition of "militia" would include MSF, nor can it be said that it would be reasonable to extend the meaning of the law to include it. Of course, all of this is largely a moot point, as MSF is currently employed by the government of Ezo and has thus been integrated into its command structure. I simply wish to clarify the state of the law.
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Apr 4, 2014 22:08
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Thomas Blakiston I am unsure as to why the Vice President would believe that a private corporation registered in the United Kingdom and operating in multiple countries could possibly be considered a domestic militia within Ezo. Such an interpretation is clearly at odds with basic common sense, even putting aside the obvious and incontrovertible fact that militias are composed of non-professional soldiers. Are my private bodyguards also to be considered a militia? What about my trading company? Perhaps you wish to declare the British Army subject to the law as well? Please, spare us such absurdities. If the government wishes to pass a new law or expand the existing one to cover mercenaries, that would naturally be within its right, but I don't see why it would wish to do so. Militaires San Frontières is currently under contract with the Republic of Ezo; threatening its status in this way is both unnecessary and unwise.
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Apr 5, 2014 04:16
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Thomas Blakiston I would like to take a moment to clarify a few of my earlier comments. While MSF does not consider itself to be bound by the militia law, this is purely an academic exercise at the moment, as we are currently in full compliance with the government's interpretation of the law and will be for the foreseeable future. There is no material conflict between the two positions based on the current state of affairs, and all parties intend to keep it that way. I made my position clear not as an attack on the government, but for the purpose of registering MSF's disagreement with their interpretation of the law in the unlikely event that there is a conflict in the future.
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Apr 5, 2014 06:50
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Thomas Blakiston It is a bittersweet day for the Republic, as I am sure you all know. Sweet in the island's defence, bitter in the loss of President Enomoto - a flawed man, yes, a man I often criticized, but a true patriot nonetheless. I can only offer my condolences to his family and my condemnation of his murderers, who have all fortunately received their just desserts already. I also offer my congratulations to all those who participated in the defence of Ezo, especially my comrade Jules Brunet and our great mercenary company that he led so effectively in battle. All of our men proved themselves true soldiers beyond a shadow of a doubt, as I hope we all proved ourselves true friends to Ezo. I thank Chancellor Matsudaira for the honour he has bestowed upon me, so long as it is understood that I can accept only honorary status and nothing more. It would not be right for me to have access to the stipend or the right to vote, as I am still first and foremost a subject of Her Majesty Queen Victoria. Nor would it make sense for me to be classified as a samurai for economic purposes, as I am still a foreigner in the eyes of the law. But as a gesture of goodwill and friendship, I would be honoured to accept the designation. I know that many in Ezo are upset that the former shogun was transferred into my power after the trial. I understand why some would be concerned. However, I must explain what occurred. President Enomoto insisted upon the transfer - neither I nor the United Kingdom requested it. I will not speculate as to his reasons, especially now that he has departed the world and cannot explain them himself. I will simply say that I took on responsibility for the shogun's punishment because I was asked to. I was then faced with the dilemma of what to do with my prisoner. Upon my meeting with the shogun in private aboard my ship, he wept most viciously, overcome by his burning self-loathing. He confessed that he had brought eternal shame upon himself by murdering his sister, and that no redemption was possible for such an awful crime. He cursed himself as a soulless monster, bereft of dignity or humanity. He begged me to have him executed in the most torturous ways possible - I shall spare you all the details - so as to perhaps restore some tiny sliver of his utterly abandoned honour by accepting a deserved punishment. I must confess that for all that I had once longed to visit sweet revengeance upon him, his most pathetic display moved me, and I felt a spark of sympathy within my heart. I saw within him a scrap of the humanity whose existence he denied. Not enough to forgive him his most heinous crimes, of course, but enough to realize that he should be given one final chance at some form of redemption. And so I offered him the chance to commit seppuku, and die with some vestiges of honour. And that is why I have returned him to Ezo, where he will be held at a secret location - under heavy guard, of course - until such a time as he has prepared himself for his final journey. Once he has taken his own life, his body will be turned over to the proper authorities to do with as they please - it matters not to me whether he is given a burial fit for a shogun or a common criminal, so long as justice is done in life. I hope that this will satisfy those who had concerns about a former shogun being executed on British soil.
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Apr 24, 2014 00:53
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Thomas Blakiston I am sorry that I was not able to return the disgraced shogun to Ezo to allow him to face justice here. Such matters were entirely outside my control, dependent upon a pact made between the late President Enomoto and the British government. I am glad to know that the murderer will face justice, but it saddens me that the late president did not feel his own nation capable of providing it. Though I remain a loyal British subject, I also wish to remain a loyal friend and defender of this republic, and I truly believe it is capable of acting as a sovereign nation on the world stage.
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May 17, 2014 23:02
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| # ¿ Apr 26, 2024 10:05 |
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Thomas Blakiston The turn of a new century seems to bring out a certain madness in many people. They wish to believe, I suppose, that an arbitrary mark on a calendar can somehow in itself signal some great shift in the universe, as if nature itself will take notice of the arbitrary ways in which we divide our measurements of time. Even before the 20th century dawned, I heard many express the sentiment that there was hope that it might be a century of peace. Much as I might wish for such a thing, it is difficult to understand why one might genuinely believe it. Did our ancestors imagine such things in centuries past? If they did, I cannot imagine such sentiments ever lasted very long. But I am getting sidetracked. My point was that such sentiments are even more inexplicable considering the chaos that has engulfed China for the last year. Reports of the slaughter of foreigners and Christians in the country never seem to cease, and while I suspect that exaggerations abound – as they always do – such a state of affairs is inexcusable. And yet I recognize that the causes of these events are complex, and much of the blame lies with the West as well as with the incompetence and tyranny of the imperial government. The decision to assist the Eight-Nation Alliance was not an easy one, for I recognize that ultimately any resolution to this conflict will only entrench further Western colonialism in China. Given the pressures I am under, however, both foreign and domestic, I felt that I had no choice but to agree. Some will no doubt call me a hypocrite for my scepticism of colonial enterprise. Am I not, they counter, the arch-colonialist, the man who built for himself a kingdom in a foreign land? Did I not make my fortune as the agent and beneficiary of the greatest empire the world has known since Rome itself? These criticisms are not, I confess, without merit. And yet I think they miss the fundamental purpose of what I have done, and the essential nature of the country that we have built here. It is true that I made my fortune in part due to the unequal treaties forced upon Japan by Western powers. At first I did not consider what I did to be exploitative; I convinced myself that such things were somehow just – that might made right, perhaps, or that we were providing the Japanese a service by helping to “civilize” them. Slowly, however, as I continued to live among them, I began to realize the bias inherent in my perspective. We were not truly any more civilized – more technologically advanced, perhaps, but that meant little. Where I had first seen the Japanese as noble savages, I began to realize that they were in fact our equals. And if it was true of the Japanese, was it not also likely to be true of others? My view of the world changed, and I began to think about how I could use my new understanding to better the world as a whole. It was then that the idea began to bubble to the surface of my mind – a new, independent state, where men and women of all races and religions could live in harmony. At first I thought that Ezo might become this state, but I quickly realized that the entrenched conservatism of the Shogunate – and the territorial ambitions of the Emperor – would make such a thing impossible. As my mercantile operations in Asia expanded, however, I had many opportunities to visit the island of Taiwan, or Formosa as it is often called in Europe. I wondered if perhaps it could serve as the country I imagined. It seemed only a matter of time before either a European power or perhaps an ascendant Japan decided to conquer and colonize it, given the increasingly obvious weakness of the Chinese Empire, and I wondered if it would not be possible to win for it a better fate. I worked for several years to lay the groundwork in secret, informing only a few of my closest allies – including, of course, my friend Jules Brunet, to whom both I and this country owes far more than any other. We did not abandon Ezo, however. We stood and fought as long as we could, until our navy had been crushed and our armies defeated. It was difficult to put our mercenary forces in harm's way, knowing that we would need them in the capture of Taiwan, but despite my pragmatic nature I am no stranger to the concepts of honour and loyalty, and I did not leave Ezo until there truly was no hope remaining. I recall the day we disengaged and bid our farewell to that beautiful island. My greatest regret is those who insisted upon staying behind, chief among them my friend Kasuga Saemon. I remember the last time I saw him: I pleaded for him to join me, to see that the last hope for victory had long since faded. He answered that he understood that, and that that was precisely why he had to continue to fight. I will never pretend to fully understand the man; all I can say is that he was someone out of another age, perhaps an age that never truly existed at all. Since then I have heard many legends of the last stand of the shogunate, but the stories about “The Defiance of Kasuga Saemon” put them all to shame. How true they are I cannot say – a few more fanciful versions suggest that he killed a thousand men by his own hand, or that he wielded a flaming sword so bright that it blinded the unrighteous – but there is no doubt that his defiance made its mark. Imperial losses in the final capture of Hakodate were staggering, and they say that Ezo only truly fell the moment Kasuga Saemon drew his last breath. When I saw him last he asked two things of me: first, that, if possible, I ensure that he be buried in a small churchyard under a cherry tree. This was made difficult when I found out that his body had been cremated and his bones sent to Rome to be buried as a martyr of the Catholic Church. I finally succeeded, however, by sending a Japanese cherry tree to planted in the yard of the appropriately-named Church of St. Francis Xavier. I hope that he would find his final resting place suitable. His second request was easier: he asked simply that I publish his final book of poems. Not only have I done so, I have ensured that, at least as long as I live, his poems will never be out of print – nor will they ever be unstudied at the Kasuga Saemon School of Japanese Literature at the Royal University of Taipei. But I have sidetracked myself again reminiscing about my old friend. He was one of the few who battled to the death. Most samurai were more pragmatic, and gave up the fight when they realized victory was impossible. Some surrendered to Ezo, but early incidents in which overzealous imperial troops slaughtered surrendering samurai made this less common than it might have otherwise been. The more conservative among them followed the shogun and his family to China, hoping to hold on, perhaps, to an impossible dream for as long as possible. But many were tired of the shogun and either too proud or too scared to surrender to the emperor – for them, escaping to Taiwan presented a new opportunity. It was an odd mix that sailed with me from Hakodate to Keelung – between the array of European merchants and the collection of mercenaries from around the world, men from at least a dozen nations – maybe two – were aboard those ships when they docked. Friction with local Chinese officials was immediate, but I had many friends in Taiwan, and before long we were winning even more by helping the locals in their conflicts against the native Taiwanese. Slowly we began to expand our de facto control over much of Keelung, laying the groundwork for the eventual seizure of the city – and the island – from Chinese control. We simply had to wait for the right opportunity, which arose during the Sino-French War. Thanks in large part to the masterful diplomacy of Grand Admiral Brunet, we were able to ally ourselves with the French during the war – a necessary evil, I admit – and proclaim an independent Taiwan under our rule. That was not the end of our fighting, of course, and we resisted Chinese counterattacks for some time, bother during and after the war. Once again, Grand Admiral Brunet – now the Duke of Taipei – was invaluable in defeating our enemies time and time again. Credit must go as well to the many soldiers who fought and died for their new homeland, whether adopted – like the many European, Japanese, and Indian soldiers who came over from Ezo as mercenaries or exiled samurai – or not. It should not be understated how many Chinese residents of this island nation fought against the tyrannical imperial government. After the British joined the French in recognizing our new state, international opinion shifted, and China was forced to give up – for now, at least – its claim. Even Japan now recognizes our state, despite its initial hostility – in part because of those of us who founded it, I expect, and in part simply because it coveted Taiwan for itself. Relations across the strait are still as chilly as ever – and I do not expect that siding with the West against the Boxers will improve things – but I still have hope that one day things might change. All this brings us to the issue of what I have done since proclaiming independence in 1885. Many will point to my coronation as colonial excess – I would counter by asking them to point to a successful republic in Asia. We are bound by the realities of history, and the reality is that the people of this island were more likely to accept me as a conquering king than the founder of a new republic. My critics overlook the constant democratic reforms I have enacted, culminating with free and open elections in 1895, only a decade after the kingdom's formation. While I do retain some power, I would point out that I have less personal power than any other head of state in Asia, and less than many European rulers as well. If that can not be seen as a success in the eternal quest for freedom and justice, I don't know what can. I would add to that that the Constitution ensures equality before the law of all men, no matter their race or religion. Would this have occurred without my coronation, if Taiwan had been a Chinese-majority republic from the start? I doubt it. Do my critics recall the outrage at my insistence that women be given the right to vote alongside men in the elections of 1895? How many civilized Western nations have done such a thing? To those who say that it is a nation of whites ruling over the rest, I will remind them that the majority of Members of Parliament are ethnically Chinese, and that the royal family is as Japanese as it is British, thanks to my queen. The truth is that the Kingdom of Taiwan – or Kingdom of Formosa, as it is usually called in English – is a beacon of freedom, justice, and racial and religious equality not only in Asia but in the world. It has been difficult walking the line between the many threats this young nation faces, and yet we have not only survived but prospered. I can take some credit, but most of it must go to the many people who have not only accepted my vision of this young kingdom but fought for it. From Grand Admiral Brunet, to the Samurai and Gurkhas who travelled with me from Ezo, to the Chinese peasants who dared to believe in something greater than petty despotism, it is the people of this nation who have made it what it is today. There will be many challenges to come in the future, and I only hope that I – or, if I should die, my heirs – will be ready to face them. I do not need to hope that the rest of this nation will be ready, for I know that it will. I am reminded of an anecdote that I think summarizes the unity of this newly-forged people. I have mentioned that many Chinese still claim that Taiwan is a rightful part of China – that it is, as they say, “天下”, or “Under Heaven”. On one occasion, I spoke to the Minister of Defence about this, whose ancestors have been in Taiwan since the Ming Dynasty. He told that in the army, where this claim is naturally rejected, the ethnically Chinese soldiers have taken to mocking it by proclaiming that Taiwan is “外天”, meaning “Outside Heaven”, or, perhaps, “Outer Heaven”. – Thomas I, King of Formosa
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Aug 24, 2014 22:35
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