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30] ANNUAL REGISTER For the YEAR 1772. [31

miles of Kaminieck. By this transaction, the house of Austria becomes possessed of two third of the upper Poland, the provinces of Red Russia and Pocutia, together with a part of Podolia, if not of Volhynia, containing in a direct line, from the borders of Silesia, west, to the district of Kaminieck, east, an extent of country, of considerably more than 300 English miles, and in its greatest breadth, from the Crapach mountains, which divide Pocutia from Moldavia on the south, to the borders of Lithuania in the north, of not less than two hundred, forming a vast extent of frontier, along the borders of Silesia, Hungary, Transylvania, and Moldavia.
 Notice was given in this specification, that the Count de pergen was appointed commissary, plenipotentiary and governor in the new provinces, and the people were strictly commanded to pay ready and chearful obedience to every thing he should ordain. They were also informed, that though the day was not yet appointed for their taking the oath of allegiance to her imperial majesty, it should however be soon determined upon, and they were charged in the mean time, to conduct themselves as quiet and obedient subjects, in the same manner as if the oath had been already administered; in failure of which they were threatened with those punishments due to rebellious subjects.
 The specifications delivered by the Empress of Russia, were as little adhered to, as those presented by the Empress-queen. She also, by way of indemnification and exchange for divers ancient rights, and just and indisputable pretensions, seizes on the following provinces and people, whom she incorporates for ever with her empire; viz. all Polish Livonia; that part of the palatinate of Poloczk situate on the right of the Dwina, or Duna; all the palatinate of Witepsk, on both sides of that river; all the palatinate of Mscislaw; the upper part of the palatinate of Minsk, along an imaginary line to the source of the Druetz; and also the lower part of the same province, which extends on the other side of the Druetz and the Nieper. Though these limits take in a vast extent of country, comprehending, besides Polish Livonia, about one half of the great dutchy of Lithuania, it is said, that the usurpation on this side has been since much increased, and now includes the country between the Berezina and the Nieper.
The Empress not only solemnly promises her new subjects the free and public exercise of their religion, and security in their property; but also declares, that looking upon them now as her dear children, she renders them all in general, and without exception, equal sharers in all the rights, liberties, and prerogatives which her ancient subjects enjoy.  In return for all these graces and benefits, it is only expected that they will render themselves worthy of them, by a sincere love of their new country, and an inviolable attachment to so magnanimous a sovereign.  All the inhabitants, from the highest to the lowest, are, at the same time, strictly commanded, to take a solemn oath of allegiance to her Czarian majesty, in the course of a month; but if any of the nobility or land-holders should not chuse to conform thereto, they were allowed three months to sell their lands, and to retire freely; after which time, all unfold lands and goods were to be confiscated. The declaration also secures to the Jews the free exercise of their religion, promises that a strict discipline shall be observed by the troops, and orders that the Empress and the Grand Duke should be prayed for in all the churches.
 As the king of Prussia, it is supposed, would be considered as highly in the character of a royal philosopher and writer, as in that of a warrior, a more clear and learned illustration of his rights was accordingly expected from him, than from the other partitioning powers.  His specifications were issued under the appellation of letters patent, and were addressed to the different orders and estates by name, whether ecclesiastical or secular, and to all the inhabitants in general, of the territories of Prussia and Pomerania, hitherto possessed by the kings of Poland; and also to those of the districts on this side of the Nottée; that the dukes of Stettin, were the legal and natural heirs of the dukes of Dantzick; that the latter line being extinguished, so early as the year 1295, their territories, which consisted of that city and Pomerellia, fell into the hands of the knights of the Teutonic order, from whom (in the course of some ages) they passed into those of the kings of Poland; by all which means, the house of Stettin was deprived of its rights, and prevented ever after from recovering them; and that the house of Brandenburgh, are the heirs and universal successors of all those dukes we have mentioned.
Without entering into the system of northern jurisprudence, many objections will arise to claims founded upon these principles; among which, the darkness of the history of ignorant and barbarous nations in those remote times, and the uncertainty in attempting to trace marriages, settlements, and descents, through the families of petty lords, whose names are doubtfully preserved in books of heraldry, and were scarcely heard of beyond their own districts when they lived, are sufficiently obvious.  It might also be observed, that long and unimpeached possession, is acknowledged by the universal consent of mankind, as the most certain and equitable title, by which a right can be claimed in anything and would in itself be sufficient to preclude any claims, set up in the darkness, and founded upon the rubbish of a blind antiquity. Historical facts, however, militate as strongly against those claims, as any reasons drawn from their nature, or the opinions and practice of mankind. It appears that Mestvin, the last duke of Dantzick, four years before his death, appointed his nephew Premislaus, then duke, and afterwards king of Poland.

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