The Office of the Consul of the United States of Atlantis was directly modeled on the Roman system of republican government. Per the Atlantean Charter, two consuls, selected by the Atlantean Senate for two-year terms, shared executive authority in the United States of Atlantis; each consul had the power to veto the actions of his colleague. Consuls could serve up to three consecutive terms, and a total of five terms altogether in their lifetimes.
The Consuls acted as both heads of state and heads of government. The Consuls were also the supreme military commander. In the event of war, the Consuls were to take the field as generals. Each would have absolute control on alternating days.
Not long after the Treaty of Croydon was signed in 1778, Victor Radcliff and Isaac Fenner were selected by the Senate to the first duo of consuls in Atlantean history.
While the consular system of compromise and powersharing worked reasonably well in the first generations, as various issues began dividing the country, slavery foremost among them, the power-sharing mandated by law often proved inefficient. Several consuls were looked upon by history as do-nothings who used their veto more to halt the system than for the benefit of the country. This became especially glaring during the Atlantean Servile Insurrection, when then-Consuls Leland Newton and Jeremiah Stafford frequently battled over how the country should respond, and how the Atlantean Army should be used.
Known Consuls
Victor Radcliff, one of the two First Consuls, elected in 1778
Isaac Fenner, one of the two First Consuls, elected in 1778
Leland Newton, in office 1852
Jeremiah Stafford, in office 1852
See also
- Consul, the historical model from the Roman Republic.
- Censor of the Federated Commonwealths of America, a similar office in A Different Flesh.
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