Prince Frederic-Augustus, when he became Elector, did not alter his Manners, but retain'd the same Piety, the same Regularity. He kept most of the Servants of the late King his Father, and settled Pensions on those whom he thought fit to dismiss. His first Care, when he came to the Electorate, was to provide himself with Ministers, whose Candor and Sincerity were above Envy it self. For this purpose, he call'd to his Cabinet-Council, the Count de Gabaleon-Wackerbarth-Salmour, M. de Baudissin, the Count Sulkowski, and M. de Bruhl; to the two last of whom he committed the Direction of Affairs.
All Saxony applauded this Choice, and doubted not of being very happy under the Reign of a Prince, who was capable of forming so true a Judgment of Persons for his Ministers. But what the Saxons saw with extraordinary Satisfaction, was the sure Proof the King gave of his Gratitude and Esteem for Virtue, in recalling M. de Miltitz, heretofore his Governor, who for some Years past was retired to his Estate. This Gentleman wou'd fain have been excus'd from returning to Court, alledging his great Age, and his being a Stranger to Business; when his Majesty sent him word, that he requir'd no more at his hands than what his Health wou'd permit; that he knew his Probity, his Love for his Country, and his Attachment to himself; that therefore he was willing he shou'd be near his Person, and assist him with his Advice, which he knew wou'd be solid, by what he gave him when he had the charge of his Education. In this manner Frederic-Augustus, by the display of his Gratitude, an uncommon Virtue (especially among Princes) encourag'd his Courtiers to do what might also give them a Title to it.
These great Qualities procur'd him the Suffrages of the most judicious Part of the Republic of Poland which chose him for King. His Majesty having sent the Count de Gabaleon-Wackerbarth-Salmour, and M. Baudissin to Warsaw, with the Character of Plenipotentiaries, to take care of his Interests, these Ministers found the Polish Lords very much divided: Foreign Gold, with the Intrigues, Cabals, and ensnaring Promises of a Minister who was lavish of it; all these had corrupted a great number of them, and others were oppress'd, and must undoubtedly have submitted to Violence, if they had not had a very great share of Courage and Love to their Country. God, who never abandons the Virtuous, was their Support and their
Protector, as well as the Shield of the Plenipotentiaries, whose sacred Character could not guard them from all manner of Outrage. And tho' the Blood of the Jagellons, which flows in this Prince's Veins, tho' his being the Son of one of the greatest Kings that Poland ever had, as well as his own Dignity of a Sovereign, ought to have procured him the Respect of all the Poles, yet every Person and Thing belonging to him at Warsaw, was maltreated. Such was, at that time, the unhappy Fate of Poland; Oppression and Tyranny having succeeded the glorious, mild, and peaceful Reign of Augustus II.
Mean time, those generous Noblemen who had so bravely stood up in the defence of the Liberties and Honour of their Country, after having tried all their Efforts to reclaim their wandering Brethren, found they could not succeed, and therefore broke up; after which, they met in the very same Place where Henry de Valois had been elected, and there they chose and proclaim'd Augustus Elector of Saxony, King of Poland. They then sent a Deputation to his Majesty, to intreat him to come immediately, with the Queen his Consort, to take possession of the Throne. The King comply'd with their Intreaty, and set out from Dresden, after having return'd solemn Thanks to God, the sovereign Disposer of Crowns, and of the Fortune of Kings.
In a few days the Queen followed the King, and overtook him at Tarnovitz, where their Majesties received the grand Deputation from Poland; and after giving them Audience, proceeded in their Journey towards Cracow. There the King made his Royal Entry on the 14th of January 1734, and on the 17th of that Month, their Majesties were consecrated and crowned by Lipsky the Bishop of that See.
Some time after this august Ceremony, which, in Poland, is absolutely necessary and essential for a King Elect, the Queen return'd to Saxony; but the King staid at Cracow, where he held a Diet, in which he made several Regulations for restoring the Tranquillity of the Kingdom. When the Diet was ended, his Majesty march'd towards Dantzic, which the Russians, his Allies, had invested, in order to drive out the Primate and his Adherents, who were retir'd thither.
But after a March of several Days, which the Severity of the Weather render'd very painful, his Majesty yielded to the Instances that were made to him from Saxony, to assist in Person at the opening of the Assembly of States which he was under a necessity of calling; and he returned to Dresden, where his Arrival caus'd an inexpressible Joy. Mean time the Army, under the Command of the Prince of Saxe-Weissenfels continued its March towards Dantzic.