b o o k a ]efS) in order to avoid all caufe of reproach, the king, with
. “ the advice of the fenate, again appeals to the guaranties of
“ the treaty of Oliva.”
The diet met at the appointed time; and fuch was the fpi-
rit of the members, that notwithftanding the deplorable fitu-
ation of their country, the threats and bribes of the three
powers, the partition-treaty was not carried through without
much difficulty. For fome time the majority of the nuntios
appeared determined to oppofe the difmemberment, and the
king firmly perfifted in the fame refolution. The embafla-
dors of the three courts enforced their requifitions by the
moft alarming menaces ; and threatened the king with depo-
fition and imprifonment. They alfo gave out by their emif-
faries, that in cafe the diet continued refractory, Warfaw
ihould be pillaged. This report was induftrioufly circulated,
and made a fenfible impreffion upon the inhabitants. By
menaces of this fort, by corrupting the marfhal of the diet,
who was accompanied with a Ruffian guard ; in a word, by
bribes, promifes, and threats, the members of the diet were
at length prevailed on to ratify the difmemberment. In the
fenate however, or upper houfe, there was a majority of
only fix ; in the lower houfe, or affembly of the nuntios,.
but one fingle vote in favour of the meafure * . An a£t was
then pa{Ted to limit the feffions of the diet to the term of a.
few days, and delegates were appointed, with full powers to
adjuft, in concert with the embafladors, all the terms of the
■difmemberment.. The commiffioners, or delegates, on the-
breaking up of the diet in May, immediately entered upon
their office; and, by the month of September, finally concluded
the treaty of the partition in conformity to the die-
* By 54 againit 5.3*.
tates
tates of the three courts. At this juncture, feveral nobles c h a p .
were bold enough to iflue manifeftos and remonftances in ‘J' ,
various parts of the kingdom, againft the ceffion of the pror
vinces, and to reprobate the conduct of the partitioning powers
; but fuch remonftrances were totally difregarded, and
may be confidered only as the laft convulfions of an expiring-
nation.
Of the difinembered countries , , the Ruffian province is
the largeft, the Auftrian the moil populous, and the Pruffian
the moft commercial. The population of the ’whole
amounts to near 5,000,000 of fouls; the firft containing
1,500,000, the fecond 2,500,000, and the third 860,000.
Weftern Pruffia was the greateft lofs to Poland, as, by the
difmemberment of that province, the navigation of the Vif-
tula entirely depends upon the king of Pruffia; by the lofs
confequently of this diftridt a fatal blow was given to the
trade of Poland ; for his Prufliamnajefty has laid fuch heavy
duties upon the merchandize paffing to Dantzic, as greatly
to diminiih the commerce of that town, and to transfer a
confiderable portion of it to Memmel and Konigfburgh.
Although the limits of Poland were fettled by the treaty
of Partition, yet the Auftrians and Pruffians continually extended
their frontiers: the emperor feized uponCafimir, and
even avowed an intention of taking pofleffion of Cracow and
KaminieC; while Frederic alledged thefe ufurpations of the
emperor as a j unification for fimilar incroacb merits on his
part; urging, that he could not, confiftent with his own fe-
curity, fee the emperor increafing his dominions without following
his example, and afluming an equivalent.
* Th e reader, by confulting the map o f bored provinces. For an account o f the
Poland (prefixed to this work), will fee the Auftrian province, fee Book II. chap. I . ;
fituation-and »extent o f the three diimein- o f the Ruffian, Book XII, ch. I.
H 2 Catharine