“Warnings for Poland” by Augustyn Debole, Envoy of the Polish-Lituanian Commonwealth in St. Petersburg, in the Light of His Correspondence from the Titimes of the Great Sejm (1788–1792)

Abstract

The article presents the advice of the Polish diplomatic representative in St. Petersburg, A. Debole, addressed to the Polish elites of the time. His recommendations were intended to strengthen the supporters of reform and provide them with tools to defend these reforms against a potential Russian attack. The study is based on Debole’s extensive manuscript correspondence, analyzed in relation to the issues under discussion. The actions he suggested to the reformers – which he himself supported – proved accurate; importantly, he also anticipated Russia’s policy towards the reformed Commonwealth, clearly identifying its main goals. He warned not only against Russian aggression but also against relying too heavily on potential allies of the Polish–Lithuanian state. Debole rationally highlighted the threats to the state’s existence, while at the same time pointing to realistic ways of preventing them, showing that the Commonwealth still had a chance. His judgments and opinions, often expressed in a highly suggestive way, certainly influenced the political elite, though it remains an open question whom he persuaded to defend the May 3 Constitution and whom he convinced to pursue reforms that would prepare the state for the anticipated Russian attack. The article demonstrates that contemporaries were well aware of the dangers, and that Debole’s counsel offered clear guidance on how to avert the threat looming over his homeland.