340 
by which it was dictated, equally 
foreign, undoubtedly, to the known 
magnanimity of her Majesty the 
Empress, as to the true character of 
the facts alleged as the reasons of 
it, bear the invisible stamp of unfa- 
vourable impressions; . the work of 
a dexterous and interested impos- 
ture, which assuming the mask of 
civic zeal, has found means to sur- 
prise the confidence of a sovereign, 
whose heart it knew accessible to 
the imposing voice of patriotism. 
A connected and explanatory nar- 
tative of the objects set forth in 
that declaration, will be sufficient 
completely to dispel the false light 
under which malevolence has en- 
deavoured. to represent the most 
simple details, for the purpose of 
distorting them. Can it be possi- 
ble that the ascendency of truth 
~unveiled, should find no access to 
the panitable spirit of her Imperial 
Majesty ? 
The liberty, and the independence 
_of Poland, these two essential attri- 
butes of ee political existence, are 
recognized by the declaration itself, 
to be the objects of all her neigh- 
\bours in interesting themselves in 
her affairs.» The) confirmation! of 
them has also been the guide, the 
limit of all the wishes andthe’ ef- 
forts of the present diet. 
To shew to the eyes of all Eu- 
Tope, as well as to those of her Ma- 
jesty the Empress, that the national 
liberties, far from having been in- 
fringed or sacrificed to the ambitious 
views of a pretended ruling faction, 
receive, on the contrary, in the late 
jaws, wise combined powerful safe- 
guards against all usurpation, a sim- 
ple exposition of the progress and 
the results of the labours of the pre- 
sent assembly shall suffice. It will 
exhibit the whole equally free from 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
1792. 
the vice of illegality chargec 
it, as from characters incom: 
with republican principles. 
Convoked under the happy : aus- 
pices. of the public spirit, whose 
energy was soon displayed, the pre- 
sent diet commenced its operations 
with all the favour of the national 
opinion. This advantage pointed 
out the epoch of useful reforms; 
and it was seized with ardour. But 
to be efficacious, such an enterprise 
was ill adapted to the duration and | 
forms of an ordinary diet. The ne- 
cessity was felt of transforming. it 
into a considerable diet—a mode 
known and useful, even on less im- 
portant occasions. The happy. ef- 
fects of this measure soon demon- 
strated ‘its. propriety. The harmo- 
ny; the active progress of the deli- 
beration, a spirit of fraternity daily 
more and more apparent, announc- 
ed a revolution happily effected in 
the national ideas and dispositions. 
-The public voice applauding the 
patriotism that centered. all efforts 
in the public good, encouraged the 
legislators to give to their labours 
a greater degree of latitude than 
‘ the tepour of the act of confedera- 
tion, prepared in the first fermenta- 
‘tion of indefinite ideas of ameliora- 
tion, seemed to embrace. 
From the natural connexion of 
the different parts of administration, 
a partial reform could have produce 
ed only results incomplete or inco- 
herent. The administration of 
justice, the finances, the police, 
public force, all equally demanded 
the enlightened eye of examination, 
and were fully investigated. The 
general approbation followed close 
upon and justified every reform that 
was made. A second choice of re- 
presentatives, founded. on the ex- 
piration of the biennial term, im- 
pressed 
