Seen scurrying all over the city were numerous men and women, young and old, each in service to the Duke Markus Delmotte, pinning up a second missive right next to the Duke-Celate's own.
A public address to His Grace, Abelhard Petrou, Duke-Celate of Athos
The fault with how my cousins Lady Rhea and Count Arnauld voted lies squarely on my own shoulders, or rather the absence of my guiding hand at one particular assembly; they cannot and should not be blamed for wishing to uphold the status quo when I have neglected to share with them my vision for House Delmotte and the policy that I wish for us to pursue. To avoid any further confusion on the stance that I intend to take regarding this most important matter, I will leave you all with this simple remark.
I, Duke Markus Delmotte, am in support of the Articles of Protection being drafted and published by his Imperial Holiness, implementing safeguards against selfish autocrats and self-serving officials, but especially against those who wield their privileged status, and secular and religious authorities as a cudgel. It will serve as a mutual benefit for both the collective citizenry and nobility alike. I am confident that from this point onwards both Lady Rhea and Count Arnauld will express a similar sentiment.
However, unlike my most esteemed and noble peer Duke-Celate Petrou, I will not view those who voted against this proposal through the lens of condemnation, nor incite dissent against them amongst the common class with inflammatory rhetoric, for that would be tantamount to setting a fire that runs the risk of burning us all. Rather, I would invite those who still object to the proposed Articles of Protection to engage in civil discourse with myself or other proponents of the motion, in private, so that we might express our ideas without them being perverted by the court of public opinion.
I would also encourage his grace the Duke-Celate to, in the future, not rely on cloak and dagger ambush techniques that hope to humiliate his peers, but to instead approach them with an air of cordiality and to first understand their stances, and even endeavor to convince them to change those stances, before dragging them and their families through the mud. This would eliminate any questions as to whether you're truly convicted in your desire to uplift the common class, or whether you just wanted to reap the prestige that comes with discomfiting rivals.
Signed,
His Grace, Markus Delmotte, Duke of Bastadon