288 SPECIMENS OF PUBLIC VIRTUE. 



Thus the Diet was broken, and the nefarious designs of the 

 Russian party thwarted for a moment by the patriotism of an old 

 man. Those, however, who possess force and power, care seldom 

 for legality. The nuncios, only eighty out of three hundred, assem- 

 bled in the royal castle, and chose another marshal. It was under 

 his presidence that they contrived " to prepare and to ensure the 

 election of Catherine's minion. Their acts, however, were rendered 

 illegal by the noble conduct of Malachowski. Honour to the lonely 

 patriot to the man who, with his almost dying breath, spared yet, 

 for once the Polish Diet from their own disgrace ; who could calmly 

 withstand the threats of a blood-thirsty soldiery, and condemn with 

 his protest the shameful intrigues of an unnational party ! 



II. ELECTION OF THE MARSHAL. 



The first death-blow was struck ; the first partition of Poland 

 took place without interference even of those nations whose aid she 

 looked for, and whose history vouches their attachment to national 

 honour and integrity. Vain were the senatorial efforts of the patriots 

 vainer yet their enormous sacrifices, and the blood spilt on the 

 battle fields. At first they divested themselves of their privileges; 

 they introduced some strong measures to prop the falling edifice, 

 and endeavoured to sweep away the old abuses ; but all their designs 

 were thwarted by the intrigues of the Russian empress. They sought 

 then to transfer the struggle from the hidden machinations of the 

 court to the open field of war. There, after some glorious fights, 

 they failed likewise, and were forced to yield to the number of their 

 enemies. In the meantime the indolent king pined away in the 

 galling chain of his former paramour. To break those chains to 

 carry him away from his capital was the last resource of the patriots. 

 He might well leave his splendid court for a while, and fly into the 

 forests, now the shelter of the brave and the faithful of his country. 

 He might well displace for a while the crown of the deputy-king of 

 Catherine, for the cap of a partisan chief leading his soldiers to re- 

 conquer their rights, and his throne. But fortune again destroyed 

 their hopes. Their plan miscarried. The king was secured, and 

 Poland doomed to destruction. The enemies of the republic, and 

 lukewarm patriots, covered this bold scheme with the opproprium of 

 a regicide attempt. 



These unfortunate efforts gave to the three rapacious neigh- 

 bours of Poland an opportunity and a pretext to invade her 

 territory. Having divided among themselves the spoils, they pur- 

 posed to add insult to injury. They pretended to want the sanction 

 of a Diet to that most atrocious act. The elections for that Diet, 

 which opened on the 19th of April, 1773, were carried by intimida- 

 tion and bribery. Everywhere the electoral assemblies v/ere sur- 

 rounded by Russian soldiiers. The greatest part returned feeble and 

 timid men few districts only elected free, bold, and independent 

 members. Among those few, that of Nowogrodek eminently distin- 

 guished itself by electing two illustrious nuncios, Reyten and Koasak. 

 When this latter was leaving his paternal house, the old father, while 

 giving him his blessing, told him : " My son, my oldest servants will 



