This resolution, than which nothing can be conceived more arbitrary and base, was communicated to a diet, summoned by the Russian ambassador for the express pur pose. The members, disgusted with the cruel and insult ing proposition made to then), refused to sanction it with an obstinancy as honourable as it was unavailing. The qustion was soon decided ; for an ultimatum terminating in these words was submitted to the diet by the Russian ambassador : "The undersigned must moreover inform the states of the republic assembled in general diet, that he has thought it absolutely necessary, in order to prevent every kind of disorder, to cause two battalions of grena diers with four pieces of cannon to surround the castle, to secure the tranquillity of their deliberations. The un dersigned expects, that the sitting will not terminate until the demanded signature of the treaty is decided." And these threats were immediately put into execution. The castle was surrounded by the Russian soldiers. Some of the officers even entered the assembly, under the false and absurd pretence of guarding the person of the king against conspirators. In such circumstances the Poles had no al ternative but submission, though the treaty was not agreed to till threw o'clock in the following morning, and not till after much discussion, and many successive divisions.
. They appealed, however, to the right of nations, and to every power of Europe, and declared, that, deprived of their liberty, and surrounded by a foreign army, they were compelled, contrary to their feelings and their principles, to sign this treaty of dismemberment. It was towards Prussia that the Poles felt the stronget aversion. Prussia had guaranteed the independence of Poland so recently as 1790, and had, at the same time, entered into a treaty, by which she bound herself to furnish her new ally with 36,000 auxiliary troops. These conditions, however, were not only not adhered to, but Prussia had used them in sub servience to her ambitious designs. Russia, to which in some degree the Poles had for a considerable time been reckoned tributary, was regarded as less deserving of their hatred ; but the result showed that the views of both these powers were the same, though the latter adopted more honourable and iugenious means in the prosecution of them.
Nor were the views of either any longer concealed. The constitution of 1791 was ordered to be annulled, and every - paper relative to it to be delivered up. These orders the council hesitated to obey ; and Iglestrom, the Russian ambassador, to deprive them of all power of resistance, immediately issued a mandate to reduce their military force to 16,030 men. The army was as inflexible and patriotic as thy council ; the gallant Aladalinsky put him self at the hear of the troops, who refused to lay down their arms. TI'e spirit of resistance was inveterate, and was widely diffused ; and the Russians, to see their orders put into execution, marched into Poland with a numerous army. The ruthless conduct of these invaders drove the Poles to desperation : the peasantry were compelled to lodge, to feed, to transport their enemies from place to place without remuneration. Such degradation roused the spirit of the nation ; and the brave Kosciusko, whose name will ever adorn the history of his unfortunate coun try. suddenly appeared, (1794,) surrounded by a very con
siderable number of the armed peasantry, and by his skill and intrepidity supported for a while the falling honour of his country. This great man having driven the Rus sian's out of Cracow, this city became the centre of the patriotic army ; and having issued a proclamation, express ed in the most energetic terms, calling on every rank and class of men to shake off their disgraceful fetters, and to conquer or perish in defence of their country, the appeal was not made in vain : he was immediately elected gene ralissimo of the national troops, and received the support of the nobility, who, having proclaimed the constitution of 1791, departed for their respective estates to arm and as semble their vassals. And the success of Kosciusko cor responded for a while with the justness of his cause, and the bravery with which he supported it. A body of troops amounting to 6000 men, having marched towards Cracow to give hint battle, was completely defeated ; they lost 1000 men, with eleven cannon, and their general Wonon zow was taken prisoner. This was the signal for general hostility. The Russians, who had seized upon Warsaw, and were attempting to become masters of the arsenal, were resolutely attacked by the inhabitants, and, after three days of the most bloody engagements, were driven from the city. Similar achievements were performed in other towns. Poland was all in arms ; and her troops amounted to 60,000 men, exclusive of the peasantry, who were armed with pikes. Russia and Prussia in the mean time marched 110,00o troops against Poland; and KoScitisko made a skil ful retreat upon Warsaw, which he defended for ten weeks against the Prussians, who, after losing 20,000 men in an inglorious and unavailing siege, found it prudent to with .draw into their own territories.
Kosciusko, thus freed of the Prussians, marched to op pose the new Russian troops, who, during the siege of Warsaw, had conquered Lithuania and Volhynia. The eyes of all Europe were placed upon him ; but fortune had declared against him ; and though he and his brave companions in arms performed feats of valour, the Rus sians (19th October) gained a' signal victory, Kosciusko himself being dreadfully wounded, and taken prisoner.* The fate of Poland was now irrevocably sealed, the whole kingdom being in the power of the Russians, with the single exception of Warsaw, whither they immediately marched their victorious army. The Polish troops in that city, « few but undismayed," resolved to make a desperate resistance ; but how could 10,000 men withstand the im petuosity of five times that number ? The suburb Praga was taken by assault, and, after eight hours of the most obstinate defence, Warsaw w.as obliged to surrender at discretion. But the implacable Russians", commanded by the infamous Suwarrow, were not yet satisfied. About ten hours after the battle was finished, they set fire to the city, and plundered and massacred the inhabitants in the most brutal manner ; no age or sex escaped their violence ; they perpetrated deeds at the bare idea of which humanity shudders, and of which even the history of Poland affords few examples.