Reformers lost the race to time on 3 May, and besides to military powerlessness and anarchy of the Republic. In the face of the threat from Russia, the work on the Constitution had to be conducted in secret, so the king with a group of patriots acted in conspiracy (he was always the engine of past against the enemies of conspiracy theory) and meetings of the consorts were held at night in the rooms of Scipion Piattoli, a teacher Stanisław August and a secretary for correspondence in Italian. It was marched there in the evening through the corridors of the Castle, in a candlelight carried by the deaf-hearted castel of Wilczewski, in order to prevent rumors about conferences that could origin concern to neighbouring countries, especially to Ambassador Catherine.
No 1 can call into question the importance of adopting specified an crucial paper as the Constitution of 3 May, the Republic of Poland has necessarily needed to repair its own political system. This was a prerequisite for the state to get out of lethargy. And so that the Republic could face its powerful neighbors, although there were no shortages of pessimists who thought it was already beyond the Kingdom's capabilities. Without a strong army, the top laws could not save the country, for there was no 1 to defend them! And for Russia, the laws were besides the last thing of any importance, never had respect for documents, codes or global treaties. The Constitution of 3 May was for Russia specified a part of paper as the Gdańsk agreements with the “Solidarity” for the government of the Polish People's Republic of Poland. Tsaric agents will then buy copies of the Constitution to destruct the material traces of its existence.
Russia mattered only with force, due to the fact that force was the foundation of its existence and expansion. This eternal feature of this empire is inactive alive, giving a speech to Moscow's politics, specified as in the invasion of Georgia and now actions in Ukraine. Therefore, it would be more effective to participate in an open conflict with Russia, which was drawn in 1787/8 as the war between Turkey and Sweden and Russia approached. Unfortunately, the Republic did not join the alliance with Constantinople or Stockholm, possibly losing a unique chance to halt the expansion of Catherine's empire. Despite the slim numbers of troops, Poles were able to fight in this run and in time set up a larger army. At the beginning of this war, the Swedes had major military successes, threatened Petersburg. On the front with Turkey, the conflict besides looked unfortunate for Russia, the Polish attack could have determined the result of the war. Unfortunately, the participation in specified an alliance was forfeited by Stanisław August himself in 1787, proposing that the Tsars join the war with Turkey on the side of Russia! . It was apparent political suicide, a futile teasing of St. Petersburg, who was a declared enemy of the Republic, and proved it already by its first dissection. Catherine's policy was as simple as that "you have neither the benefits nor the request for Poland to become more active". According to the Tsaric, Poland should not come out of nothing either. These were signals leaving no illusions. Unfortunately, Stanislaus August lived most likely the memories of the Newa affair... Catherine, of course, rejected the proposal of an alliance with Poniatowski, due to the fact that politically he gave nothing to Russia controlling Polish matters for a long time. It was then said outside that the king had spent 3 million, and he besides lost 3 months to see the Tsar in Kaniów for 3 hours! And the Tsar's embassy in Warsaw chessd both Ciółka and his magnate-Hetman opposition.
The completion of the Constitution under these conditions was bordered by a miracle. And partially its adoption, under the defender of troops gathered under the command of Prince Joseph Poniatowski. There was almost a bloodbath in the Sejm. Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz wrote: “The king, having repeated the dangers that we were in danger of, advised us to immediately adopt a permanent form of government, and to read the project... there was a common almost universal cry: “Consent,” here Moscow’s trumpeters looked at themselves as if ready to begin the bloody work. Janikowski, a Łeczycki MP, trusted a supporter and Branicki's fellow drinker, having approached him, whispered in his ear: "What, Mr Ksawery, will we wave?" Branicki only answered him with the word “Wara”. More attention to your own danger than Branicki's deficiency of desire to "wave" withholds..." (end of quote).
There was no massacre in the Seyma, but the Confederates of Targowice were on the side of Catherine's troops, guaranteeing the inviolability of cardinal rights. And Poland stood alone until the war, practically without a chance. Turkey and Sweden, beaten, were no longer inclined to intervene, and Prussia withdrew from the false alliance. The Targovians with the aid of the Russians have overthrown the large work of the 4 Year Sejm.
past does not repeat symmetrically, its contexts are different, but 1 seems certain: the IIIRP besides requires reform, and any elites fear the IVRP. Unfortunately, this time the patriots' bias is weaker, can't cope with the nuisance of the PRL and its guardians. So we are not prepared for a fresh May constitution, due to the fact that the arrangement does not want for specified a one, especially in the post-Smolenian republic. He is satisfied with this, which was "squealed" during a controlled transformation, and the vague principles of this constitution were outlined in Magdalena under the individual court of Comrade Kiszczak, who toasted Michnik. We dreamt of free Poland, but crows inactive bow the Eagle...when the "liberators" from the Platform tighten a noose around his neck with the approval of a burnt reptile, and with the indifference of those citizens who, on election day, stay in homes, deluded substitutes of the Homeland. These citizens do not realize that their inactivity will bring in strangers tomorrow, and they will break down the doors of their supposedly safe homes!
Marek Baterovich
 | Marek Baterovich (born 1944 in Krakow), poet, prozaik, journalist, translator of poesy by Roman, Latin and Quebec countries. Romanist – a doctorate with Spanish influences on French poets of the 16th/ 17th century (1998), fragments of this thesis appeared in France. He besides published a book of poems in French – "Fée et fourmis" ( Paris, 1977). As a poet, he made his debut in "The Weekly of the Common" and "Student" (in 1971). Book debut: "Verses to the Dawn" (W-wa, 1976) – the title was a hint for the night of the PRL. In 1981 he released a collection of poems outside censorship: "Breathing branches of silence". Since 1985 on emigration, after 4 years of waiting for a passport, first in Spain, and since 1987 in Australia. In 1992 he visited Poland, in the same year with a letter in the “Arce” he broke up with the “Powszechny Tygodnik” environment, which supported a thick line facilitating fresh enslavement. Author of many collections of poems specified as "heart and fist" ( Sydney, 1987), "From that side of the trees" ( Melbourne, 1992 – poems collected), "Place in the atlas" ( Sydney, 1996), "Chair and Shadow " ( Sydney,2003) or "On the Sun leash" ( Sydney, 2008). In 2010 a selection of his poems, "Canti del piano", was published in Italy. The publisher ( Roma, Empire) described his poesy as saying: “It is the invitation of a planetary man, who values the universal value of all mankind and brotherhood among men.” He besides published respective prose titles, including a fresh from the martial law entitled “The Seed Rises in the Wound” ( Sydney, 1992). He lives in Sydney. |
