Anniversary of the beginning of the alleged Grand Sejm.
Today in our calendar we will look at the reforms of the large Parliament from 1788 to 1792.
The impetus for reforms in the Republic of Poland was not only the initially favourable global economy and the success of the French Revolution, but besides strong centrifugal tendencies. In fact, all states demanded change, including nobles. Only a fewer were opposed, focused in Hetmanian camp.
The country's systemic abandonments were so large that reforms required fundamentally everything – from the structure of executive authority, through seyms, seyms, troops, to diplomacy. In particular, the obstinate and heavy outdated strategy of farm - serfdom in villages, which took on almost slave character in the hands of many settlers, struck the eyes. Nevertheless, during this period, Tsarica Catherine complained about the Russian peasants' fugitive from Poland. This proved to be little oppressive and more friendly treatment of property in the Republic of Poland.
39 members of the masonry were elected to the Grand Sejm starting in 1788, for an overall number of 177 MPs. The lodges took on a strong patriotic character at the time and became a place of exchange for authentically developing political thought. The influence of the bed on the form of reforms continued to increase until the 4 main authors of the Constitution 3 May, 3 were masons (Stanisław August Poniatowski, Ignacy Potocki, Scipione Piatolli), and the 4th 1 was thoroughly devoured by the ideals of enlightenment (Hugo Kolłataj).
The parliament was bound in the form of confederation, which meant that it was not to be broken up with the aid of veto liberal. This simple solution has been utilized almost since the beginning of Stanisław August's rule, so it is incorrect to rise in many historical publications that the liquidation of the fatal institution in 1791, was of an highly crucial character. On the contrary, erasing the anticipation of a single associate breaking the Sejm was only symbolic.
In the course of the meeting, fresh plots were established and opposition MPs excluded. Part of the constitution was adopted in the atmosphere of the coup, utilizing the absence of the Hetman and Magnate factions. This must have clearly set the oligarchs against the reforms and accelerated the departure of their leadership in the form of Branicki, Rzewuszki and Potocki to Petersburg.
Contrary to the official, simplified version of the communicative that is usually propagated, the four-year Grand Sejm has worked out respective constitutions. Here is their list and a brief description:
- The law “About the Royal Cities” of April 18, 1791, this law aligned all royal cities and townspeople in laws and duties;
- The Law on the Sejm of 24 March 1791, which dealt with the way in which land and region seymists were organised, their competence and the way in which they were elected to the Sejm;
- The law of the “Extraordinary Constitutional Sejm” of 28 May 1791.- this bill treated the convocation and organisation of the Constitutional Sejm, which was to be convened all 25 years according to the Constitution of 3 May;
- "Cardinal Laws Unmoved" dated January 8, 1791. This act briefly described the basic constitutional assumptions of the Republic of Poland, with which all subsequent constitutions and laws should agree. On the basis of this legislative act, a Constitution 3 May was written;
- "Congregated States Declaration" of May 5, 1791. This act, passed 2 days after Constitution 3 May, reaffirmed its validity by signing it by representatives of nobles and clergy. It besides required the Government of the State (called the defender of Rights) to immediately implement the provisions of erstwhile legislation;
- "Common engagement of the 2 Nations" dated 22 October 1791, which was a declaration of indivisibility of Polish lands, made the Republic of Poland a state full uniform in its constitutional and legal terms;
- Act dated 28 May 1791. "Semy". This law specifically regulated the organisation and functioning of the Sejm. It was of the nature of the Sejm Regulations;
- Act dated 28 May 1791. "Symical courts". Established by the Sejm, a four-year parliamentary court served as today's state tribunal. In particular, he was to justice guilty crimes against the State;
- Act “On the Law of Grace” of May 31, 1791. This law equips the king with the conventional right of grace (ius aggratiandi), but with many limitations;
- The Law on the Law defender Act of June 6, 1791. This law contained detailed provisions on the organisation and operation of the Law defender as sui generis Royal Council working with the monarch on the current government of the state (Rights Guard= Government of the Republic of Poland);
- Police Commission Act of 21 June 1791. The Police Commission was the central office of the State appointed to watch over national safety and public policy;
- Act "On the taxation Commission of the Republic of both Nations" dated 29 October 1791. The Commission was to be the central body of the administration, managing the state's finances, and thus the full of its gross and public expenditure;
- "On the Military Commission of both Nations" Act of May 31, 1792. The committee was to have a Crown or Lithuanian hetman, as its chairman, and 14 commissioners, including 2 senators, six military and six civilian, elected at provincial parliament sessions in equal number from the Crown and Lithuania. Its task was to “government of the general and common army,” that is, to regulation over the army, and thus to realize the vigilance of the appropriate organization, training and supply of the state's armed force. The committee was liable for the financial management of the army and military justice;
- The Law on the territorial division of the country and the office of land seymists dated 20 November 1791. It divided the country into seismic electoral districts;
- The Act “Internal device of the cities of the free Republic in the Crown and in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania” dated 21 June 1791. It regulates the mode of organising city assemblies and holding elections to city authorities and municipal departments, including courts;
- The Law “On Order Commissions in the Crown and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania” passed in 1789 a number of legal acts for the individual voivodships treating the local authority under central authority;
- "On readiness to defend the common defence" Act dated 17 April 1792. It was issued in order to defend the country and the Constitution itself on 3 May in the face of the betrayal of the trade union and Russian aggression. Whereas it required King Stanislaus August to take the essential enforcement measures for this purpose;
- The Law of the “Duties of Kurlandia and Semigalia” of 31 May 1792. It was a paper of the nature of a fundamental law for Lenna Kurland. She predicted the convocation all 2 years fourteen days before the Polish Sejm, a Kurland convention. This was to be an authority representing the Kurland nobility, appointed to confer on the exercise of fundamental rights and to submit draft fresh rights;
- The Government Act (later referred to as the Constitution) of May 3, 1791, which was only a brief summary of the abovementioned acts and their assumptions.
Overall, the reforms active a definitive abolition veto liberal, free election and the right to confederation. In addition to this, a 100,000 army was introduced, political rights were granted to burghers, the separation of the army and the treasure of the Crown and Lithuania, the 3 divisions of power and hereditary monarchy were introduced. The approval to buy land by townspeople and to trade by nobles was besides positive. As a result, the social initiative was stimulated and blocked capital was put in motion, driving the economy.
The key to the reforms was the restoration of the hereditary throne. In this way, the anticipation for abroad states to influence the usage of typical bribery during the alleged free election was blocked.
Previous entry from our calendar is available Here.
