42] 
twenty-fifth, was of much the same 
import ; and stated his design to 
seize and incorporate into his own 
dominions, several considerable pro- 
vinces of Poland, lying on his fron. 
tiers, and which were particularised 
in the declaration. The courts of 
Petersburgh and Berlin took care to 
mention, in their, respective publi. 
cations, that they aéted in concert, 
and with the assent of the emperor. 
Astonished at these peremptory 
proceedings, the Polish diet solemn- 
ly disclaimed all participation in the 
measures taken to dismember their 
country. But the ministers of Rus- 
sia and Prussia, mindless of this re- 
presentation, insisted on the appoint- 
ment of a deputation by the diet, to 
treat with ‘hem concerning the in- 
tended partition. The months of 
April and May, and best part of 
June, were consumed ina corres- 
pondence of this nature, between 
these ministers and the Polish go- 
vernment. Irritated, at last, by 
the arbitrary mandates daily signi- 
fied to them, the diet resolved, in 
the sitting of the twenty-fourth of 
June, to apply to the courts of Eu- 
rope, for their mediation with the 
empress and king of Prussia, in be- 
half of Poland. This application, 
appearing however, a frail resource, 
jt was moved and carried by one 
hundred and seven votes against 
twenty-four, that the deputation 
demanded should be commissione 
to treat only withthe Russian mini- 
ster. It was additionally proposed, 
that the imperial president should 
be invited to the conferences, as 
-the court of Vienna was guarantee 
eo the settlement of Polandin 1775. 
These motions occasioned such 
violent debates, and so much 
time appeared requisite to reconcile 
opinions, that the diet thought it 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1705. 
necessary to adjourn to the middle 
of July. 
But, before this-time, the Russian 
ambassador committed so many acts 
of violence, that neither the king 
nor the diet thought themselves se. 
cure from any outrages he might be 
inclined to perpetrate. He had ar. 
rested several members of the diet, 
sequestrated the estates of several 
persons of the first rank, and had 
even intercepted provisions coming 
to Warsaw for the king. Repre- 
sentations being made, requesting 
him to desist from such proceedings, 
and to transmit their request to the 
empress,, the deputies who had pre- 
sented it met witha positive refusal ; 
and he sent a menacing note to the 
diet, requiring the immediate sig- 
nature and ratification of the treaty 
of alliance and commerce, demand. 
ed betveen Russia and Poland. 
The diet had the courage to refuse 
their consent to the treaty of al- 
liance, which included new cessions 
of territory toRussia; and adjourn. 
ed to the end of the month. 
On this refusal, the Russian am. 
bassador sent notice, that unless his 
demands were complied with, he 
would lay the estates and possessions, 
and even the very houses and habi- 
tations, of every member of the 
diei, under military execution, those 
of the king himself not excepted, 
were he also torefuse.. During the 
remainder of July, and the whole of 
. August, the Russtanand Prussian mi- 
nisters continued te urge the signa. 
ture of the treaty, in the most me- 
nacing strain; but’on the second 
of September, finding their threats 
ineffetual, the Russian minister 
sent word to the diet, that he had 
ordered a body of grenadiets, with 
cannon, to surround the castle they 
were in, and expected they would not 
depart 
