Account of the late King of Poland. 
local afd temporary confequences ; it is 
ot ‘to be concealed, however, that it 
gaye a fatal blow not only to European 
policy, but alfo to the fuppofed faith of 
princes, and prepared the way, in fome 
meafure, fer the revolutions that have 
fince enfued. 
~The Poles had been overawed by the 
three great allied powers on the continent, 
but, as yet, they were not annihilated as 
a nation. ‘They perceived all the dan- 
fers of an elective monarchy, in a feeble 
ftate, furrounded by powerful neigh- 
bours, and they determined to remove 
the caufe of fo many calamities. A ge- 
-neval enthufiafm feized the minds of the 
people; the cities, in particular, evinced 
the moft earneft defire for a change inthe 
exifting conftitution, and this was ac- 
cordingly effected by the revolution of 
the 3d of May, 1791. The ‘republic 
once more caft its eyes towards Saxony, 
‘and a new dynafty was to commence in 
the perfon, and be hereditary in the fa- 
mily of Frederic Auguitus. 
A. great orator, now no more, has 
Yavihed much unneceflary praife on a 
{fcheme that was falfe and hollow, which 
afforded new pretexts for frefh conffca- 
tions, and, at leneth, led fo the entire 
fibresation of Poland. * This revolu- 
tion,” fays he, ‘* was effected with a 
policy, a difcretion, an unanimity, and 
decrecy, fuch as have never before been 
known on any oceafion; but fich won- 
‘derful condu& was referved for this gio- 
rious confpiracy, in favour of the true 
and genuine rights and interclts of men. 
Happy people! if they know how to 
proceed as they have begun! happy 
‘prince, worthy to. begin-with {plendour, 
orto clofe with glory, a race of patriots 
and of kings, and to leave 
«* A name, which evry mind to, heav’n will 
bear, ; 
© Which'men to tell, and angels joy to hear.” 
In exprefs oppofition to this, it may 
be obferved, that the feeming content of 
*Pruffia*to the new conftitution, was a 
fhare obvioufly laid for the deftruction of 
the* republic ; that the king was drawn 
into the vortex, rather by the-current of 
popular opinion, than the genuine im- 
“pulfe of his own fentiments; and that no 
Provifion was made for infranchifing the 
peafants, and peopling and deitnding a 
free country, with freemen. 
“* What conftitutes a ftate ? : 
Wot high rais’d battlements, or lalLouz’d 
; mound, 
208 
Thick wall, or moated gate 3 te 
Not cities proud, with fpires and turrets 
crown'd 3 
Not bays, and broad-arm’d ports, 
Where laughing at the ttorm, rich navies rides 
Not ftarr'd and fpangled courts, 
Where low-brow’d bafenefs wafts perfume 
to pride; ! 
—~—-No: MEN, HIGH-MINDED MEN, 
With powers as far above dull brutes endued, 
In foreft, brake, or den, | 
As beafts excel cold rocks and brambles rude: 
MEN, WHO THEIR DUTIES KNOW, 
But KNOW THEIR RIGHTS, AND KNOW-~ 
ING, DARE MAINTAIN} 
PREVENT THE LONG-AIM’D BLOW, 
AND CRUSH THE TYRANS WHILE THEY 
REND THE CHAIN: 
THESE CONSTITUTE A STATE, 
The elector of Saxony, on being con- 
fulted refpecting a meafure, feemingly 
calculated to illuftrate his family, coldly 
declined his aflent, and the emprefs of 
Ruflia having poured in freth troops, 
the new conftitution was abandoned. 
This attempt of a iree nation‘to melio- 

ix 2 
he 
rate its condition, was actually confider- 
das an infurreCtion; and Zuboft, the 
paramour of the emprefs, is {aid to have 
decided on the utter annihilation’ of Pe- 
land, as an independent ftate.’ But an 
avenger feemed to ftart up, im. the perfon 
ot the brave Koteiufko, whole ‘brilliant 
actions afforded a fhort gleam of comfort 
to his countrymen; it was impoflible, 
however, to fave a nation in“which the 
peafants had been depreficd by bondage, 
and the nobles had depenerated ‘into the 
worlt of tyrants, by means of an ufurped 
authority. ARS 
The ravages committed by the Ruflians 
begear ali defcription. “he cruel Su- 
warroif*, acting like an exterminating 
angel, put 20,600 men, women, and 
children to the {word in Praga alone,and 
fuch of the chiefs as efcaped military ex- 
ecution, were transferred to Ruffia, where 
they langwifhed im prifon, until they «ere 
releafed by the clemency of the *prefent 
emperor. 
King Staniflaus, who had hitherto a&t- 
ed a part merely pafflive, and neglected, 
like a magnanimous prince, to choofe be- 
tween acofiin and acrown, was involved 
in the miferies of his country.. Accord- 
incly, he was obliged to remove from 
W arfaw to Grodno, where hé refigned all 
pretenfions to the crowh, on‘ the 2 5th-cf 
November, 1795. He remained in:ob- 

* This monfter has been exiled by the pre- 
fent emperor. * 
+ One. of the fuburbs of. Warfaw. 
{curity 
