Today's congressional session, initiated by Speaker of the Polish-Ukrainian Confederation Mr. Stanisław Małachowski, was briefly interrupted due to a four-hour private meeting of His Excellency the President and the Arbitrators.

Upon their return, Mr. Jan Łuszczewski, Secretary read aloud two newly adopted laws drafted during their meeting. The first law, titled "The Temporary Declaration," outlines urgent measures for national defense. It reads:

THE TEMPORARY DECLARATION

Recognizing the growing need for The Union to ready itself for comprehensive defense, the President, alongside the legislature, decrees the following measures to be adopted to strengthen our armed forces, especially concerning the articles detailed below:

Firstly, to expedite the mobilization of a 100,000-strong contingent for defense purposes, it shall be ensured that necessary conscription will be carried out immediately from all types of properties at the ratios already determined by the current Congress.

Secondly, the appointment, dismissal, and transfer of military corps commanders shall be entrusted to the President to address the genuine needs of national defense.

Thirdly, we order local authorities in municipalities and even regional leaders to assist and comply with requests from the high-ranking commanding generals—who are authorized by the Military Commission of Poland-Ukraine and Lithuania-Belarus—for supplies and logistics required for warfare. Such requisitions may include immediate provisioning of food, transportation means, construction material, and the usage of fortifications or spaces essential for camps, hospitals, depots, etc.

Fourthly, while focusing on the common defense, we also commit to indemnifying and compensating citizens for their contributions, guaranteeing the reimbursement for supplies and services provided in response to the specified military demands. We assure that a separate congressional commission will validate and repay owners for these requisitions.

The second law concerns the "Placement of Twenty Officers from Foreign Services into The Union's Army," thereby allowing for the integration of twenty foreign officers—ranging from captaincy in infantry to colonelcy—recognized for their merit and experience, into the Union's Army. This decision is based on our trust in the President's devotion to our nation's welfare and his desire to improve our military.

Session was adjourned until Monday, April 25th.

Keep in mind, friends, that these documents reflect a time when Poland-Ukraine and Lithuania-Belarus were preparing to defend their sovereignty, a concern that is not unfamiliar in the world today. The Union was looking to bolster its military amid turbulent times, and these proceedings give us a glimpse into how an 18th-century parliament made crucial defense decisions. Stay tuned for more updates from the 18th century that echo in modern politics.

Topics: Sejm session; Stanisław Małachowski; Confederation of Poland-Ukraine; Temporary Declaration; national defense; military; Military Commission of Both Nations; Order Commission; recruitment; foreign service officers; session adjournment;

Temporal Declaration

Citizens of The Union, buckle up for some military muscle flexing as Congress lays down the law! The big man on campus, our President, joined forces with the Houses of Congress to cook up some fresh rules to beef up national defense. Essentially, it’s all about rapid military mobilization, cutting red tape for mounted officers, and streamlining supply chains.

First up, a grand army of 100,000 is getting the fast-track treatment. The President's been empowered to enlist troops straight out of the property pool, based on the quota set in today's Congress session.

Next, the President's got a new toy – He's calling the shots on appointing or benching commanders, and shuffling them around to where the action's hottest.

When it comes to the nitty-gritty of supplies, local committees, city officials, and even local bigwigs have got to deliver – pronto. We're talking grub and forage at fixed rates, wagons, horses, no time for dilly-dallying. And if you’ve got storage, prepare to stock up on grain, oats, hay – the works. Need a fortress beefed up or a sick bay stocked? The President’s your go-to guy for grabbing the resources.

Lastly, let's not forget about the little people. The Union's promising to pay back anyone who gets their stuff requisitioned for the military machine. Recap time: all this grabbing and mobilizing has to run through the local committees, and there’s a special Congress commission warming up to handle all those IOUs.

So, that’s the scoop from the political powerhouse – full steam ahead on defense, but they swear they’re not gonna leave anyone high and dry. Let's see how that promise holds up!

Topics: defense of the Commonwealth; military; recruitment; military commanders; requisitions; city magistrates; orderly commissions; supply provisioning; common defense; compensations and payments;

Integration of Twenty Foreign-Service Officers into The Union's Military

In a strategic move to bolster the capabilities of The Union's military, Congress greenlit President Stanisław August Poniatowski's proposal to commission twenty foreign-service officers into active duty. These seasoned soldiers will be slotted into open or soon-to-be-available positions within the ranks, starting from captain in the infantry to colonel. The emphasis is on candidates exceptionally skilled and experienced. This decision rides on the trust we place in our President's dedication to the nation and his ardent desire to enhance our military strength.

Topics: Placement of officers in the Commonwealth military; Foreign service; King Stanisław August Poniatowski; Officer promotion; Officer recruitment; Infantry; Cavalry; Military ranks; Military quality improvement;