Conflict of Orders

Aye

Aye.

Motion Passes

Decius Bellicus rises

"The floor is now open for other business."

Consul-elect Furius Pavo motioned to speak and rose to address the now functional Senate.

I think it important to not forget the current tribal incursion on Sardinia. Given how the governor has not given us any information and applied a brutal, aggressive looting of the populace for his own ends, I recommend we dispatch a force immediately and begin and investigation as soon as possible.

Would the current Consul Aurelius Cotta or Consul Bellicus volunteer for such a mission? If not, this Senate body should select one.

Conscript Fathers,

If neither consul wishes to send a consular legion for Sardinia, I suggest raising a Socii legion along with having someone other than the current governor commanding it to Sardinia.

The proxy for L. Regulus is visibly frustrated.

My honourable colleague completely misrepresents the situation on the ground in Sardinia.

The governor has not provided you any information because he finds it prudent to not misrepresent the situation or his actions before all is said and done. Now that the barbarians have been defeated, and you are officially pressing his actions in the Senate, I now feel it correct to reveal the details of the campaign.
The emergency levy was not a brutal, aggressive looting, and nor was it for the governor's ends. A levy tax of was raised, as is within the rights of a governor, to recruit a militia force to put them down. This force shattered the barbarian incursion, and the remainder of the treasury, along with the profits from the sale of the captured raiders, was dispersed among the population of affected regions around Caralis for purpose of recovery. You will note that not a single denarius from the province has reached his personal treasury. There is no need for a military force to be sent, for there is nothing left to fight.
We welcome an investigation if Rome truly feels there has been any impropriety, mismanagement, or thievery.

Allectus rises to speak

Are we to understand that the current situation in Sardinia has been resolved then? It is indeed quite a feat for simple militia to hold back a tribal incursion on their own. Do we expect additional reprisals from these barbarians in the near future, as far as you are aware? In which case, a Roman legion would be enough to maintain the hard border between them and us.

Though I feel, as others may as well, that a fact finding mission may be in order to ascertain the causes of this unprovoked incursion by barbarians into Roman territory.

The Consul-elect, Gaius Cassius Vecellinus, rises.

Conscript fathers,

Firstly, in regards the situation in Sardinia. Given that the picture painted by the proxy of Senator Regulus of the situation in Sardinia et Corsica does not match the reality that sources close to me report as being in existence, I must express my agreement with a fact finding mission as proposed by Senator Fabius Maximus. The Temple of Saturn's records show that the province of Sardinia et Corsica has contributed in excess of last year's returns to the tune of 50,000 Denarii, yet the governor saw the need to enact a punitive tax upon the locals, citizens or non-citizens alike, to fund his efforts against the supposedly restless natives of which prior governors made no mention of.

Also, many a prominent citizen of the Republic has reported that they have yet to receive compensation for the extraordinary tax levy, yet the proxy of the governor now tells us that the gates of the provincial treasury have been torn asunder for every reprobate fool in the street to take advantage of; and to what purpose I wonder? Courting the favor of the mob has always been the weapon of tyrants and one should tread lightly in these matters.

Secondly, I wish to inquire Consul Bellicus if he intends to deposit a portion of his war spoils, much like Valerius Marius, in the Temple of Saturn. Given that his physical presence here, thank the Gods, would preclude a triumphant entrance with his army, a triumph is no longer an option. However, as has occurred in cases past, the Senate could still award him an ovatio as a form of appreciation for not only his military success, but also his self-sacrifice by depriving himself of the possibility of a Triumph to restore regular legislative norms to the Republic.

I yield the floor.

Decius Bellicus rises

"Conscript fathers, a deposit to the tune of some 400,000 Denarii should be, or should already have been deposited to the Temple of Saturn. With the recent...legislative anomalies, there was a delay in them being delivered. I appreciate the questioning of the Consul-elect, it is good to see one of my successors maintains a willingness to keep up the integrity of the Republic. As to the issue of ovatio, I shall leave that to the members of this body to decide, I made my decision and stand by it.

"As to the ongoing situation in the maritime provinces of Rome, I believe that there should be both a fact-finding mission and also the Propraetor should present himself to the Senate to answer questions as to the actions he undertook during his term. It is my belief that with him not in the aforementioned area, those undertaking this mission would be much more likely to receive the full picture without concern of...influenced answers.

"In the interest of time and out of a desire to see this matter put to rest, I ask for the Senate's blessing to take my consular legions to Sardinia to undertake this fact-finding mission."