Poland attempted to resist and a military league called the Confederution of Bar was formed under the leadership of Court Casimir Pulaski, the future hero of the war of American Independence,—Unfortunately the Confederation falled in its purpose, and in 1772 the first partition of Poland took place; Prussia annexed the Baltic coast, Russia the eastern provinces and Austria the southeastern section, It is significant that the partition was first suggested by that monstrous idol of modern Nazi-dom, Frederick the Great, Deeply impressed by the disaster of the first partition, the Polish nation undertook internal reforms on a large scale, The first ministry of' public education in the world was created in Poland in 1773 and in 1785 a remarkable diet was opened which lasted four years, It declared the Throne to be hereditary and a new constitution was voted on May 3, 1791, This constitution established the basis of the political thought of Poland and the foundation of a modern system of government, It strengthened the authority of the State which Had füllen a victim to an inordinate insistence upon what was called the "golden freedom." This golden freedom of old Poland had deteriorated into licence, since it had come to mean, not the welfare of the Státe and of the nation, but the absolute freedom of those citizens who belonged to the class of nobles.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.