Urged by thefe confiderations, and defirous of preventing the dreadful effects of thofe diffenfions which, as in former inftances, might have arifen at this laft vacancy of the throne, the court of Peterburgh haftened to take all poffible measures to unite the citizens of Poland in favour of the candidate, who fhould appear to be moft worthy of the throne, most agreeable to his fellow-citizens, and neighbouring powers.

This court applied herfelf at the fame time, and with equal zeal,, to the rectifying of many abufes and defects in the conftitution, which had been equally prejudicial to Poland and her neighbours.

The court of Berlin feconded the attempts of her ally.

And the court of Vienna, defirous on her part of contributing to the fuccefs of fo laudable views, but willing at the fame time to avoid the danger of augmenting the difficulties and intricacies which might arife from multiplying the number of those who undertook openly and directly to fettle the affairs of Poland, thought proper to obferve the moft exact neutrality, with regard both to the ar

rangement of the affairs of Poland, and the war which was afterwards kindled on this fubject between Ruffia and the Porte.

The immediate confequences of these measures were the free and legal election of Stanislaus, reigning king of Poland, and the forming of many useful and falutary eftablishments. In a word, every thing feemed to promife to Poland and her neighbours a firm and lasting tranquillity.

But unhappily, in the midst of thefe promiling appearances, the fpirit of difcordfeized upon one part of the nation: citizen armed against citizen; the fons of faction feized the reins of authority; and laws, and order, and public fafety, and' juftice and police, and commerce, and agriculture, all are either gone to ruin, or ftand on the brink of deftruction. And the excelles of every kind, natural confequences of fuch an anarchy, will bring on the total diffolution of the state, if not timely prevented.

The connections between nations which border on each other are fo intimate, that the fubjects of the neighbouring powers have already felt the molt difagreeable effects from thefe diforders. These powers are obliged, at a great expence, to take me.fures of precaution, in order to fecure the tranquillity of their own frontiers; they are expofed to the uncertain, but poffible confequences, of the entire diffolution of Poland; to the danger of feeing their mutual harmony and good friendship deftroyed; the maintenance of which, at the fame time that it fecures their own peace and tranquillity, is a matter of the highest importance to all Europe.

From this view of things it will appear,

appear that nothing can be of a more urgent neceffity than to apply an immediate remedy to evils from which the neighbouring nations have already experienced the most difagreeable effects; and the confequences of which, if not timely prevented, muft bring on fuch changes in the political fyftem of this part of Europe, as may be fatal to the general tranquillity.

Urged by reafons fo many and fo weighty, her majefty the Empress of all the Ruffias, her majefty the Emprefs Dowager Queen of Hungary and Bohemia, and his majefty the King of Pruffia, find themfelves under a neceffity of taking a decifive part in circumftances fo very critical. And their faid majefties havedetermined amongthemfelves, without loss of time, and with one accord, to take the most effectual and beft combined measures, in order to re-establish tranquillity and good order in Poland; to ftop the prefent troubles, and to put the ancient conftitution of that kingdom, and the liberties of the people, on a fure and folid founda

tion.

But whilft they take advantage of that mutual friendship and good harmony which happily fubfifts between them at prefent, in order to prevent the absolute ruin and arbitrary diffolution of Poland; they cannot but be fenfible how little it is in their power to promife themfelves in future periods the fame happy concurrence. And as they have refpectively very confiderable claims on the poffeffions of the Republic, which they cannot permit themselves to expofe to the hazard of poffible contingencies; they have therefore determined among themfelves to affert thefe their ancient rights and lawful

claims, which each of them will be ready to juftify in time and place by authentic records and folid reafons; but for which the fituation of the republic will never leave them hopes of obtaining juftice in the ordinary courfe of proceed ing.

In confequence hereof, her ma jefty the Emprefs of all the Ruffias, her majefty the Emprefs Dowager Queen of Hungary and Bohemia, and his majesty the king of Pruffia; having communicated reciprocally their respective rights and claims; and being mutually convinced of the justice thereof; are determined to fecure to themselves a proportionable equivalent, by taking immediate and effectual poffeffion of fuch parts of the territories of the republic, as may ferve to fix more natural and fure bounds between her and the three powers. The faid three powers engaging to give hereafter an exact specification of their refpective quotas: and renouncing from the prefent moment all revival of right, demand, or claim, on account of damages fuftained, debt, intereft, or any other pretence whatever, which they might otherwife have or form on the poffeffions or fubjects of the Republic.

Their faid majefties have thought it right to notify thefe their inten tions to the whole Polish nation in general; inviting at the fame time, all orders and ranks thereof to banish, or at least fufpend, all fpirit of difcord and delufion; in order that, a dyet being legally aflembled, they may co-operate with their faid majefties, in eftablifhing, on a firm and folid foun dation, the good order and tran quillity of the nation, and may, at the fame time, ratify, by public and

folemn

folemn acts, the exchange of the titles, pretenfions, and claims of cach of their faid majefties, against the equivalents, of which they have refpectively taken poffeffion. Given at Warsaw, &c. &c.

NOTE. This manifefto was delivered on the 18th of September, by the Baron de Stackleberg, minifter from the Court of Peterburgh; and by the Sieur de benoit, minifter from the

court of Berlin; and on the 26th of September, by the Baron Rzewickt, minifter from the court of Vienna.

ceeding the death of Auguftus III. declared" ufeful and falutary" by the three powers: he would ever with the emanations of the fovereign power of the Republic to be regarded with a favourable eye by all his neighbours.

ed of the original and fucceffive All Europe is long fince informcaufes of the prefent troubles in Poland: all Europe knows, that the king, and the foundest part of

endeavours to prevent the rife and the nation, exerted their utmost ftop the progrefs of them; unfortunately thefe efforts have been un. fuccefsful; and certainly the con

THE

Warfaw.

HE underwritten, minifters of the king and republic of Poland, having laid before his majefty the declarations given in on the 18th and 26th of September, by the minifters from the courts of Vienna, Petersburgh, and Berlin; and his majefty having taken the advice of his fenate thereupon, the underwritten are commanded to make the following answer there

— of

The difinterested and fuccefsful pains of her majefty the Empress of all the Ruffias, to preferve tranquillity in Poland during the last interregnum, and promote the free election of the reigning king, univerfally recognized; the concurrence of the king of Pruffia in the fame defigns; and the fyftem of neutrality at that time adopted by the Empress queen; are circumflances, which, appreciated as they ought to be by the king, will never be effaced from his memory or heart.

The king is happy in feeing the regulations and internal eftablifhments of the diets, immediately fuc

fupreme and legal authority of the ftate has been denied by fome: anarchy has fpread itself over the provinces; all Poland has been impoverished, ravaged, trodden under foot, as well by her own citizens, as by foreign troops; fhe has felt, and all Europe has feen, those fufferingsproportionedto the length of time thefe troops have been in the country, the orders of their refpective courts, and the manner in which their orders have been put in execution.

In a word, five years of scourge and defolation have ruined this country, and make the return of peace a matter of urgent and indifpenfable neceflity.

The engagements entered into by the three powers, to co-operate in effectuating this great work, appeared therefore full of humanity, and would have been regarded by the king with the livelieft gratitude, if the latter part of their de. claration had left room for any fentiment, but thofe of the utmost furprize, and the most profound grief.

Thefe courts pretend confider

able

ble claims on the unhappy Poland: a plan of indemnification, the actual and effectual feizure of equivalents are avowed.

The ftri& attention of the king and republic to fulfil all their engagements with thefe powers; the laws of good neighbourhood, fo religioufly obferved by Poland; the manner to friendly, and full of regard, in which the king has reprefented, on fo many occafions, the different fubjects of complaint he has unfortunately had againft his neighbours; the prefent fituation of Poland, fo worthy in all respects of the compaffion of generous and fenfible minds; all should have fecured to him the return of mutual good will, and protected him for ever from enterprizes fo injurious to his rights and the legality of his poffeffions.

The rights of the Republic to all her provinces have every poffible mark of folidity and authenticity: an uninterrupted poffeffion of many ages, avowed and maintained by the most foleinn treaties, and particularly by thofe of Velaw and Oliva, guarantied by the houfe of Auftria, by the crowns of France, England, Spain, and Sweden; by the treaty of 1686, with Ruffia; by the exprefs and recent declarations of this laft power; by thofe of Pruffia in 1764; and laftly, by treaties with the houfe of Auftria, ftill in full force and vigour ;-on these foundations the rights of the Republic are grounded.

The court of Warfaw contents itfelf with barely pointing them out at prefent, referving the right of fupporting them by proofs more ample and particular in time and place.

What titles can the three powers oppose to these? If they are titles

dug out of the obfcurity of ancient times, of thofe times of fudden and momentary revolutions, which erected and destroyed, ceded and restored ftates in the fhort space of a few months or years; these titles, if admitted, would re-unite to the kingdom of Poland many provinces which formerly belonged to it, but have for many years been occupied by the very powers who now form pretentions on her.

But as it is undeniable, that not only tranfactions buried in the ob livion of diftant ages, but all tranf actions whatever, are annihilated by fubfequent ftipulations; as all the later ftipulations between Poland and her neighbours oppose directly the partition they now would make, it follows, that the titles on which that partition is founded, cannot be admitted, without undermining the rights of every fate, without fhaking every throne from its foundation.

The very powers, who declare that the fituation of Poland will not permit them to obtain juftice in the ordinary ways of proceed ings, cannot be ignorant that its prefent fituation is accidental and momentary; that it is in their own power to change it. Their confent alone is wanting to restore the Republic to the free and lawful exercife of its independent fovereignty. That would be the time to produce and examine their claims. This is the method of proceeding which the king had a right to demand from the equity of the three courts, which he could not but expect to be adopted, rely ing on the letter written to him by the Emprefs-Queen of Hungary and Bohemia, on the 28th of January, 1771.

But the prefent proceedings of

the

the three courts, giving the most ferious fubject of complaint to the king; and the duties of his crown not permitting him to be filent on this occafion, he declares in the moft folemn manner, that he looks upon the actual feizure of the provinces of Poland by the courts of Vienna, Petersburgh, and Berlin, as unjuft, violent, and contrary to his lawful rights: he appeals to the treaties and powers guarantees of his kingdom and its appurtenances. And lastly, full of confidence in the justice of the Almighty, he lays his rights at the feet of the eternal throne; and puts his caufe into the hands of the King of Kings, the fupreme Judge of nations: and, in the full affurance of his fuccour, he protefts folemnly, and before the whole univerfe, against every step taken, or to be taken towards the difmembering of Poland.

Given at Warsaw, Oct. 17th, 1772.

Signed by the Great Chancellors of Poland and Lithuania.

Declaration of the Imperial Minifter at the Court of Warfaw.

HER Majefy the EmprefsER Majefty the Emprefs

hemia, has feen, with unfpeakable aftonishment, the little impreffion made by the declaration prefented to his Polish majesty by the underwritten, and the minifters from Peterburgh and Berlin, in order to accelerate a definite arrangement between the Republic and the three neighbouring powers, touching the pretenfions formed by the faid powers on Poland; pretenfions, which the effential interefts of their

crowns will not permit them to expose to the hazard of future contingencies, and of those troubles with which Poland has at all times been agitated.

The justice and dignity of the three courts prefcribe bounds to their moderation: this truth can neither efcape the difcernment of his Polish majefty, nor be indifferent to his heart, if the cries of his country have preferved their influence there.

Her majefty the Emprefs-Queen of Hongary and Bohemia, hopes therefore, that the king will not expofe his kingdom to events, which must be the confequences of his delay to affemble a dyet, and enter on a negociation, which alone can fave his country, reftore vigour to the conftitution of the Republic, which has received fo many and fo dangerous hocks; and terminate the evils, to which private intereft, anibition, hatred, and diffenfions have given rife.

Done at Warfaw, Dec. 4th,