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34] ANNUAL REGISTER For the YEAR 1772. [35

presume to disobey those orders, by any, either, act, or neglect, or should in any wise render himself guilty, or even suspected of infidelity and disobedience, such delinquents are threatened, without exception of persons, with all those punishments, which are usual in such cases.
 No security, either of person or property, is granted by the letters patent, to those who from principles of honour, or conscience, or a dislike to foreign laws and a military government, would sooner abandon their country, than be guilty of a violation of the one, or submit to a compliance with the other; as little regard is shewn to the rights of those who are absent in other countries, and who from the shortness of the time, cannot possibly comply with the terms prescribed. The same disregard to the established rights of mankind are shewn in the Austrian specifications, by which no alternative is allowed to those who do not chuse to accept of the terms proposed, nor are they even informed, whether they are to be governed by their own laws, or by any other, the will of the Count de Pergen being the only code that is at present communicated to them.  The empress of Russia, indeed, allows three months, to those who are not willing to submit to her government, to dispose of their effects, with liberty then to depart where they please, which though much too short a time to answer any effectual purpose, carries with it, however, some appearance of equity and humanity, which the other two powers seem totally regardless of. These, however, are matters that can only affect the land--holders, or the opulent traders, the bulk of the people are considered as annexed to the soil, which they must till, and raise recruits for the armies: as for the others, in the present righteous system, of disposing of the rights of nations, and of the property of mankind, confiscations may, probably, form no inconsiderable part of the great objects in view.

CHAP. IV.

Declaration from the king and the senate of Poland.  Its effects upon the partitioning powers; produces a second declaration from the court of Vienna. The king and the senate, overawed by the threats of the partitioning powers, consent to the assembling of a diet, and issue circular letters, for the convocation of an extraordinary council of the senate. Wretched state of the nobility and inhabitants of Poland. The King of Prussia, contrary to his declaration, seizes upon the territories, suburbs, and revenues of the city of Dantzick; erects a custom-house at the harbour, and levies insupportable duties upon all commodities; foreign ships stopped: injuries to the British traders, contrary to treaty; grants destructive monopolies; seizes upon the post-office; artful measures to induce the magistrates and citizens, to surrender the city into his hands.  The city of Thorn oppressed in the same manner: noble fortitude of the inhabitants. Conduct of the partitioning powers with respect to the holding of a diet, and other matters.

Oct. 17th

The manifesto presented by the partitioning powers, produced in about a month, a counter declaration from the king, and his reduced senate at Warsaw. In this declaration, a spirit appears, which could scarcely be expected in their forlorn circumstances.  After expatiating pathetically upon the five years of scourge and desolation which have ruined the country, whose miseries arose in proportion to the interposition of foreign courts, the number of their troops, and the length of time which they were in it, every argument is made use of in opposition to the present measures, which reason and justice can urge, against force and injustice. The rights of the republic are rested, upon long and uninterrupted possession, avowed and maintained by the most solemn treaties, and guarantied by the greatest powers in Europe; all of which are particularly pointed out.  the question is then put, what titles the three powers can oppose, to rights so long established, and fixed upon such authentic and solid foundations? If they are titles dug out of the obscurity of ancient times, those times of sudden and momentary revolutions, which erected and destroyed, ceded and restored states, in a few months or years; such titles, if admitted, would re-unite to Poland many provinces which formerly belonged to her, but which have been for many years occupied by the very powers who now make these pretensions. And that as it is undeniable, that all transactions whatever, are annihilated by subsequent stipulations, and as all the latter stipulations between Poland and her neighbours, oppose directly the partition they now would make, it follows, that the titles on which that partition is founded, cannot be admitted, without undermining the rights of every state, and shaking every throne from its foundation. It concludes with a declaration in the king's name, that the conduct of the three courts, is unjust, violent, and contrary to his lawful rights: he appeals to the treaties, and to the powers who are guarantees of the kingdom; he finally appeals to the almighty, at whose feet he lays his rights, and puts his cause into his hands; and lastly, protests solemnly, and before the whole universe, against every step taken, or to be taken, towards the dismembring of Poland.  This declaration and protest was signed by the great chancellors of Poland and Lithuania.
 The foregoing piece did not fail to excite the highest indignation in the partitioning powers. It is probable they did not imagine that the king and the senate, when they had properly considered, as the King of Prussia emphatically expresses it, "the circumstances attending their demands," would have ventured upon an appeal, to reason, justice, mankind, and the almighty.  As the court of Vienna had seemed to act only a secondary part in the first transaction, it was now thought proper that it should take the lead upon the present occasion. The imperial minister accordingly presented a declaration, in which the empress-queen expresses the most unspeakable astonishment, at the little impression made upon the King of Poland by the former manifesto, which was intended to accelerate a definite arrangement between the republic and the three neighbouring powers, touching the pretensions formed pretensions formed by them on Poland; pretensions, which the essential interests of their crowns will not permit them to expose to the hazard of future contingencies; that the justice

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