1st of November Plot

"Remember, Remember, 

The First of November,

The EITC Treason and Plot,

I know of no reason,

why the EITC Treason,

Should ever be forgot"



The 1st of November Plot was an attempt by Sir William Brawlmartin and the remaining members of the EITC Court of Directors to try to secede from Great Britain, and free the East India Company of British control.

It was largely unsuccessful and resulted in Sir William Brawlmartin and Lord Samuel Harrington, along with their collaborators, to be indicted by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, which swiftly opened an investigation on them.

The original East India Act, which had been passed earlier in the year, was officially repealed by the House of Commons by an astounding 23-0 vote.

Background
On the 28th of July 1750, Sir William Brawlmartin and Sir Jason Blademorgan brought a bill forth in Parliament that called for the EITC to be reorganised under Brawlmartin's leadership. It also entailed the creation of a new East India guild, to be guildmastered by Brawlmartin, and an organized chain of command, which reported to the Court of Directors, and in turn, the British government.

Fearing the possibility of losing the support of HM cabinet and key backbenchers, which was in official opposition to the bill, Brawlmartin bribed Colonel Jackson Stormrage of the Royal Marines with the promise of titles and roles should the MPs in the Royal Marines throw their support behind the lobbyists, which did in fact occur. The vote passed in Parliament to large support and minimal opposition, and the cabinet was forced to relent drawing up plans for the government-funded growth of East India Co.

Brawlmartin formed his administration and invited the new EITC executive officers to serve on the Court of Directors alongside the Proprietors (HM Government Representatives). All went smooth, and the guild was built up over the course of a few months. An intense rivalry had formed however, between Stormrage and Brawlmartin, which would only deepen the Company's issues.

Brawlmartin, being radicalised by Samuel Harrington's extreme views, worked tirelessly to isolate the Proprietors from the remaining members of the Court. He began to conduct Court meetings in private closed-door sessions, without the knowledgement of most of the Court, in order to keep the management of all Company matters within his inner circle, and prevent the Proprietors from uncovering the instability and corruption within his administration.

On the 28th of September 1750, Stormrage resignws his post in the Company, after being asked to by Brawlmartin, transferring his regiments from company command back under direct-government authority. Stormrage claimed as per his agreement with Brawlmartin to support the East India bill, he would be made second-in-command (Co-GM), during at least two brief absences, Brawlmartin superseded the command chain making Blademorgan Co-GM (Acting GM) rather than Stomrage stating that Stormrage was far too unstable to effectively lead in his absence. In retaliation for Brawlmartin breaking the agreement, Stormrage instructed a hand-picked select few of Royal Marines to dress like thugs and vandalise the East India House. The government in support of Brawlmartin responded swiftly to this harassment and held public military tribunals to punish the vandals.

On the 16th of October 1750, Sir William Brawlmartin promoted Sir Jason Blademorgan to GM of East India Co. effectively instating him as (de-facto) Acting Chairman of the EITC. Proprietors. Sir William Brawlmartin retreated to his country estate avoiding all letters and communications with the British government. In response, the Proprietors unofficially recognised Blademorgan has Acting Chairman in Brawlmartin's absence. Newcastle and Blademorgan spearheaded plans of government-sponsored fiscal policy which included the transfer of both civil and military advisors to the East India Co. to assist in expanding the company's reaches abroad, especially within the West Indies. The government believed that the potential return was well worth the initial investment. This policy raised more independent company militias to garrison key company factories and outposts which would allow the government to no longer be required to allocate significant British military resources to that endeavour, shifting the burden to the highly profitable EITC, which could more readily cover such costs with projected economic security and confidence allowing merchants to access previously hostile and inaccessible trading outposts while still being afforded convoy protection by the Royal Navy.

1st of November
As the rift with Stormrage widened, and Brawlmartin suddenly returning without warning and returning as GM of East India Co. on 29 October 1750, the government demanded answers. Eventually meetings soured and Brawlmartin openly challenged the Proprietors. HM Government began plans to repeal the East India Act after one particularly intense meeting, and only two days later, the Court of Directors under Brawlmartin would illegally oust the Proprietors from their positions on the Court and declare its secession from the Kingdom of Great Britain & Ireland.

Brawlmartin would illegally remove any Director who disagreed with the secession and demanded unwavering loyalty to the company, and filled the Court of Directors with his two ardent supporters, James Truesilver and Simon Brawlmartin, and would officially reinstate Lord Samuel Harrington as a Director.

HM Government called an emergency sitting of Parliament the next day, and all hell was unleashed on the conspirators.

Formal British Response & Reacquisition of East India Co.
Lord Harrington's issued his declaration of corporate independence from Britain on 1 November. The British government's response was swift and decisive. The British Army was called into London and declared martial law, as well as laying siege to the East India House. Small arms fire was briefly exchanged, but ceased upon the Royal Artillery placing cannon in range of the East India Company's Headquarters. A stalemate carried on for 4 days as Newcastle refused to give the order to fire upon the East India House, nor send in troops to storm the compound, rather choosing to starve the rebels out and without bloodshed. On 5 November, Chairman Sir William Brawlmartin surrendered and relinquished control of East India Co. to Lord Newcastle. During this this short 5-day period, Pulp Daggerlord, GM of Black Mercenary was executive ordered by Lord Newcastle to combat East India Co.'s rebellion against the crown abroad, and was sent to secure the key EITC military installations in India, Africa, Americas and the West Indies. Black Mercenary would replace East India Co. as the 2nd-sister-guild to The British Empire, but later share a similar fate to East India Co..

Repeal the East India Act
ACT of PARLIAMENT: REPEALING the EAST INDIA ACT of 1750

5 NOVEMBER 1750

WESTMINSTER HALL

OFFICE of the EXCHEQUER

An Act for repealing certain enactments relating to civil procedure which have ceased to be in force, or have become unbearable, and for the better regulation and management of the East India Company by reinstatement of the prerequisite concerns established in “The Subjugation of the EITC Act of 1748”, by formally dissolving the East India Company’s Court of Directors, and bringing the Company to heel under the direct control of Parliament once more.

Be it enacted by the House of Lords and House of Commons of the Kingdom of Great Britain & Ireland in Parliament assembled.