AFFAIRS OF POLAND.
France was not the only European state now in commotion. It has been seen that the two imperial courts of Austria and Russia had seized a great portion of Poland as their prey, and that they had imposed their yoke upon the nation. This ignominious situation of Poland remained unchanged until the year 1788, when, encouraged by the war which had broken out between their oppressors and the Porte, and by the secret promises of Prussia, the Poles meditated the means of effecting their salvation. The Russians had requested them to conclude a defensive alliance against the Porte; and, under these circumstances, a diet assembled in Warsaw, which immediately declared itself a confederated diet, in order that it might not be dissolved by the right of veto, which, under the old constitution, belonged to every deputy individually. Those who were in the interests of Russia were completely overpowered by the patriotic party, and the proposed alliance was rejected. The confederative diet further decreed the increase of the army, granted imposts on the property of the nobility and clergy, and established a commission of war dependent on the diet only, in order to check the influence of the permanent council of state, which their spoliators had created, for the purpose of destroying the national power. All these regulations were expressly sanctioned by Prussia, and that power solemnly promised to respect and protect the independence of Poland. Thus supported, the Polish diet demanded the removal of the Russian troops from their territory; and Catherine, alarmed at the terrible energy with which the demand was made, felt herself compelled to recall her soldiers. The diet now commenced the work of remodelling the constitution of Poland. The new constitution was finished in the space of a year; and though it was opposed by some aristocrats it was adopted by the majority, and solemnly sworn to and proclaimed. By this constitution the Catholic religion was fixed as the dominant religion of the kingdom, though liberty was granted to other confessions; the Polish throne was declared hereditary; Frederic Augustus of Saxony was appointed the successor of Stanislaus, the reigning king, with right of succession for his descendants; the king, with his council of state, was to exercise the executive power, and was to have some influence on the legislative; the diet, which was composed of two chambers, one of the deputies, and the other of the senators, was to assemble every two years, and was to possess the right of making war or peace; independent judges were to administer justice in the name of the king; the ministers of the crown were to be responsible, and the person of the king inviolable; the prerogatives of the nobility were to remain untouched; the royal cities were to be endowed with the right of personal liberty for their citizens; the citizens of these cities were to possess the right of electing their magistrates, as well as the right of acquiring titles of nobility, and the estates of nobles; at every diet a number of citizens were to be elevated to the rank of nobles; the cities in which were courts of appeal were to have the privilege of sending a deputy to the diet; the peasantry were to be protected from an aggravation of their hard lot by the laws; and personal liberty was to be possessed by foreign settlers. By the mass of the nation this constitution was received with gratitude and joy; but some of the aristocracy protested against it, and their resistance was encouraged by Russian gold. At first, however, their opposition was fruitless, and everything promised well for the establishment of this new order of things. Russia, it is true, threatened to subvert them; but the Porte, Sweden, and Prussia, with other European powers, looked upon them in a friendly manner. Prussia, indeed, solemnly promised assistance; and in the month of March, 1790, Frederic William even concluded a defensive alliance with Poland. But the friendship of courts is variable, and the favour of monarchs fickle. The King of Prussia had attached himself to the cause of Poland, not from any respect for her rights, but from a spirit of jealousy towards Russia, and in the hopes of obtaining something for himself. He was to have Dantzic and Thorn for his support; and when the republic refused to cede these cities, his ardour on the behalf of the Poles underwent a great change. He grew cool, and when peace was concluded between Russia and the Porte, Frederic William withdrew from the cause of Poland altogether, and even joined with her old and inveterate enemy. When the Russian hordes entered the Polish territory, under the pretext of assisting those aristocrats who protested against the new constitution, he not only refused his promised assistance, but took a menacing attitude. But the Poles were not discouraged by his perfidy. The diet summoned the nation to its defence; and the army fought valiantly, under the command of the celebrated Kosciusko. The enemy, however, proved too strong for Poland. The king was not in heart on the side of the patriots; and Kosciusko himself deserted them and went over to the aristocratic party. The patriots now fled; and the Russians having advanced to within three days march of the capital, compelled the king to save his throne by consenting to the abolition of the new constitution. On the 23rd of July, 1732, an armistice was concluded, and the command of the Polish troops consigned to a Russian general. Vengeance soon followed. On the 29th of October a diet assembled in Grodno, to which diet it was declared, on the part of Russia and Prussia, that a second division of Poland was necessary, and that its members would be called upon to comply with this measure. There was no alternative; for, at this time, Prussian as well as Russian troops had entered Poland, and there was no means of defence against their combined operations. So that whatever Russia and Prussia chose to demand, that they were sure of obtaining; for what, it has been asked, can feeble justice do against exorbitant power? But it was not till the spring of the succeeding year that the diet were called upon to give their consent to this second spoliation of their fatherland.