HISTORY OF EUROPE. 
In the mean time, that country 
was filled with universal exultation 
at the late these were 
evidently so beneficial to all con. 
ditions of society, that they all un- 
feignedly agreed in testifying their 
cordial acquiescence. The principal 
opposers of the revolution scon 
were convinced that it was too 
popular and desirable a'measure to 
be resisted. Count Braniki, grand 
general of the kingdom, and Mala- 
chowski, great chancellor, both of 
them sincere patriots, had however 
been the leaders in that opposition ; 
Fossibly from an apprehension that 
the measuré proposed was too 
hazardous. Refle¢ting, however, 
On its justice aud propriety, they 
acceded to it, and were followed 
by all their adherents. The he. 
reditary succession to the crown 
was the chief, and indeed the only 
motive assigned for their non- 
compliance. An attachment to 
usages, confirmed by the practice of 
centuries, could not easily be eradi- 
cated ; and the dread of those abuses 
of power, so prevalent in monar- 
chances ; 
chies ruled by successors of the- 
same family, operated on the Poles 
too forcibly to permit the idea of 
inheritance in the crown. It was 
not therefore until they were com- 
pletely convinced that the liberties 
of the nation would not suffer 
by hereditary royalty, that they 
were prevailed on to unite their 
assent to that of the vast majority 
against which they had atted. 
The fa&t was, that they had been 
particularly instruéted by their con- 
Stituents, to resist this dangerous in- 
novation, as it was termed, by that 
portion of the Polish nation which 
disapproved of it; but when they 
saw with what applause the new 
- Ne, 
(3 
system, after being carried so tri. 
umphantly through the diet, was 
received by the people ; when they 
-onsidered the limits within which 
the power of the crown was circum. 
scribed, and that the sovereignty of 
the nation was maintained in the 
diet, they thought it their duty to 
desist from opposing what appeared 
manifestly the will of the nation. 
They frankly, therefore, declared 
their concurrence in the revolu- 
tionary measures adopted, and their 
determination to adhere iieh fide. 
lity to a constitution established 
by such a plurality of votes, as 
amounted to an almost wnanimous 
assent of the legislative body of 
the nation. 
All parties being thus happily 
agreed, a day of public thanksgiving 
was appointed throughout the king. 
dom, rand an annual commemoration 
onthe third of May. And it was 
also decreed, that a magnificent 
church should be constructed at thé 
public expence, with an inscription, 
perporting that it was erected in 
gratitude to Divine Providence, in 
order to eternize the remembrance 
of a revolution effected almost una- 
nimously, and without the loss of a 
drop of blood. This was accom- 
panied by a solemn declaration of 
the statés, by which they bound 
themselves to defend the constitu 
tion to the utmost of their power; 
and enjoined the magistrates and 
military at Warsaw to take an oath 
to the same intent immediately, and 
all civil cfficers and individuals be. 
longing to the army, inevery part 
of the kingdom to do the same. 
In order at the same time to ims 
press the public and all Europe with 
a due sense of the resolution they 
had taken, to mdintain their new 
{B2] system 
