38] ANNUAL REGISTER, -1795. 
actuated by one spirit, nor too feeble 
to enforce its authority. Accord- 
ingly, the institution of the general 
diet soon gave a new dire¢ticn to 
the views of the aristocracy. Pre- 
viously to this era, the nobles aim- 
ed rather at an exemption from 
grievances, than at the possession of 
ower. The opposition lay rather 
etic the exertion of the prero- 
gative, and the enjoyment of inde- 
pendence, than between the actual 
power of the sovereign, and, the 
claimed power of the nobles. But, 
from this period, the crown and the 
diet were directly opposed to one 
another; each aimed at a dired 
ascendency in the legislature; and 
neither.could gain, except in as far 
as its antagonist lost. 
In addition to the concessions al_ 
ready made to the nobles, the ne- 
cessities of Casimir IV. obliged him 
to resign yet another very important 
right of the crown, namely, the 
right of summoning the feudal ba- 
rons to attend his standard, at the 
head of their retainers, whenever 
he should be engaged in hostili- 
ties with any of his enemies. 
The nobility, harassed by -his fre- 
quent wars, wished to secure them- 
selves against the destructive effec 
of the ambition of their kings. Ca- 
simir wished to replenish his ex- 
hausted treasury ; and money was 
to be procured in no other way 
than by yielding to the claims of the 
diet. Accordingly, the bargain, 
being mutually advantageous, was 
soon concluded, and the feudal! ser. 
vices abolished. 
The establishment of genera] 
diets may be considered as the 
zra of the Polish constitution. It 
was intended as a regular counter- 
poise to the power of the crown; 
but the government was as irregu~ 
larly balanced as before. The king, 
who, by economy, could confine 
the expences of his government 
within the hereditary revenue of the 
crown, was under no necessity of 
summoning the diet; and» conse- : 
quently there was no legal remedy 
for whatever grievances’ might ex. 
ist during his reign, On the other 
hand, the ele&ive nature of the 
crown threw the whole power of 
the state, at every vacancy, into 
the hands of the aristocracy, who 
might, under the pretence of secur- 
ing their privileges, impose what- 
ever limitations they pleased on the 
successor, or even annihilate the so. 
vereign power. There was no he- 
reditary body of men, who, from a 
similarity of interests, were induced 
to support the dignity of the crown, 
The king was obliged to choese his 
servants out of that order whose 
views were directly contrary to his 
own, By a peculiarity in the Po- 
lish constitution, the great officers 
of the crown had an interest dire€lly 
contrary to that of their master, 
Instead of deriving support and 
strength from the power of the 
crown, they derived the importance 
and splendour of their offices from 
its diminution. They were ap. 
pointed for life, and, of course, in- 
dependent of the king. Their 
weight in the government increased, 
in proportion as the royal authority 
was diminished. 
Still, however, the crown would 
have retained sufficient energy for 
the purposes of regular government, 
had it been possible for the Poles to 
fix their constitution on the prin- 
ciples on which it rested at the 
death of Casimir 1V. and to pre- 
vent all farther innovation; but 
the 
