2) 
tion of that influence which she ex- 
ercised with so much despotism, 
could not fail to behold with satis- 
faétion a people eminent for their 
long attachment to liberty, and 
once of the'first consequence in. the 
north cf Europe, in a way of re- 
covering their iormer importance ; 
and setting bounds to the ambition 
of the court of Petersburgh. The 
Turks, Jately humbled by the 
Russian arms, and whose preserva- 
tion was entirely due to a fortunate 
concurrence Of accidents, were well 
pleased to sce that rapacious power 
checked in her restless progress to 
aggrandizement. ‘The powers at a 
distance from the scene of action, 
could not be altogether dissatisfied 
that the balance of Europe should 
promise, by this great event, to 
regain that poise it had lost for 
some years in those northern parts. 
The only consideration that could 
possibly obstruct this sentiment, 
was the apprehension that Poland, 
in order to resist that coinkinatipns 
of which she had been the victim, 
would have recourse to -the assist- 
ance cf France: and, rather than 
submit to the tyranny which she 
had so long experienced, enter into 
the strictest bonds of union with 
that power ; now become odious: to 
all crowned heads, and aiming at 
a dissemination of its principles, 
wherever it could procure them ac- 
ceptance. 
‘This, indeed, was the sole rea. 
son that couid be alleged for the 
surprising inattivity and indif. 
ference that prevailed in so ma. 
ny courts; which, as in times 
past, would have felt themselves 
deeply, interested in the transac. 
tions, relating to Poland, had uot 
events of a more pressing impert- 
ance confined: their views nearer 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
1795. 
home. This was visibly the case in 
every country bordering upon 
France. In Spain, ever since the 
meeting of the States-General at 
Paris, and their converting that de- 
nomination into another more ap- 
posite to their wishes and designs, 
the celebrated name of National 
Assembly,’ the public had assumed 
a liberty of speaking that greatly 
alarmed the court. The example 
set before the subjects of all absolute 
governments was of a nature to fill 
them with the most serious appre~ 
hensions, and to engage them to unite 
together for the suppression of all 
attempts similar to those that had 
succeeded in so sudden and unex. 
pected a manner in France, and 
changed it from the most absolute 
to the most limited of monarchies. 
Hence it happened, that those pow- 
ers excepted, of which the imme. 
diate satety required the depression 
of Russia‘upon any terms, all the 
ethers concurred unanimously in 
hoping that no power would start up 
ot which the interest should lead it 
to espouse the cause of the French ; 
whom, in the cabinets of the Eu- 
ropean potentates, deep schemes 
were laid to crush with all speed. 
Little more than two months at- 
ter the revolution in Poland, was 
held the famous convention of Pil- 
nitz, in which it is said to have 
been striétly stipulated or under- 
stood bythe contracting powers, that 
Russiashould be atfull liberty to pur- 
suc her schemes tn Poland, while they 
were occupied in the pursuit ‘of 
theirown. ‘This satisfa€torily ac- 
counts for the ina¢tivity of the 
crowned heads in Europe, during 
the transaCtionsthat followed, incon. 
sequence of the alterations intro- 
duced into the Polish forms of go- 
vernment, by the new er, 
n 
