Grodno Sejm - Proceedings

Proceedings

Many deputies were not allowed to speak, and the main issue on the agenda was the project of 'Eternal Alliance of Poland and Russia', sent to the Sejm by Russian Tsarina Catherine the Great, and presented to the Sejm as the 'request of Polish people' by the Polish supporters of Russia. Nonetheless out of 140 deputies present about 25 vocally protested against the proposal, especially against the Prussian territorial demands. On 2 July the Russian troops surrounded the town, and several deputies (Szymon Szydłowski, Dionizy Mikoreski, Antoni Karski and Szymon Skarżyński) were arrested. With further threats and actions by Russians, on 14 October 1793 the alliance was passed by "acclamation". In fact, after a long debate, around 4 a.m., with Russian forces present and preventing anybody from leaving the room, the marshal of the Sejm asked three times if there is agreement to pass the act. When not a single deputy spoke, Józef Ankwicz, another known supporter of foreign powers, declared that it was as unanonimous vote of support ("He who is silent means agreement").

It was not the first time Russian Empire used such strategy: the fate of the Grodno Sejm resembled that of the Sejm Niemy of 1717 - where the only person allowed to speak was the marshal of the Sejm or the Repnin Sejm of 1767-1768, where opponents of Russian intervention were arrested and exiled to Russia.

The Sejm has passed the following acts:

1. the Eternal Alliance of Poland and Russia: Poland became a subservient Russian ally, in effect a Russian protectorate. Russian Empire was granted the right to have bases in Poland and the right to move forces through Polish territory at will. Poland was not to sign any alliances without Russian approval and to have sent diplomatic missions to foreign countries only together with Russians ones
2. territorial changes: granting parts of former Commonwealth territory to Russian Empire and Prussia
3. Constitution of May 3 was abolished, although some it its provisions granting rights to burghers were retained
4. certain cardinal laws (wolna elekcja (free election), liberum veto) were restored, together with the Permanent Council, now presided by the Russian ambassador.
5. Polish army was reduced to 15,000
6. Polish highest military award, Virtuti Militari, recently created and awarded during the preceding 1792 war against Russia, was abolished

The Russian Empire guaranteed this new constitution, and sanctions for its violation were stated.