The atmosphere in Congress today was charged with an urgency that felt historically significant. Speaker of the House, Stanisław Małachowski, opened the session by painting a picture of a nation at a crossroads, poised to either secure its happiness and independence or fall prey to recurring misfortune. Emotions ran high as representatives and the public alike understood the weight of the decisions being made.

During today's vehement discussions, members like Stanisław Sołtyk from Krakow raised alarms about the dire straits the Union found itself in, emphasizing the necessity for immediate action to safeguard the country's future against the looming threat of another territorial partition.

Delivering news on behalf of the Foreign Affairs Delegation, Tadeusz Matuszewicz spoke of concerning international developments, including declarations and military preparations by neighboring powers that indicated possible hostilities or territorial demands being made upon the Union.

Then, a bombshell proposal was introduced, essentially an entire governmental reform bill. It contained numerous revolutionary articles, including the most contentious issue: transitioning from an elective monarchy to one with hereditary succession, signaling substantial political shifts and a move toward stabilization.

The debate around this proposal was fiery. While members like Jan Suchorzewski from Kalisz passionately warned against the dangers of the proposal, fearing it could curtail Polish-Ukrainian freedoms, others recognized the potential for this bill to bring about necessary reforms and strengthen the nation externally and internally.

The President himself, Stanislaw August Poniatowski, advocated for the reform, emphasizing his commitment not to personal power but to the prosperity of the Union. He assured that his willingness to embrace the proposal was not born out of self-interest but out of a deeply felt obligation to secure a better future for his people.

As senators and representatives grappled with the enormity of the situation, some proposed taking more time to deliberate on such drastic reforms, whereas others argued for prompt action, despite reservations about certain aspects of the proposed bill.

Ultimately, the day culminated in a profound moment as lawmakers, one by one, took the oath to uphold the newly adopted Constitution in the chamber and subsequently in a nearby church, amid public acclamations and the booming sound of artillery—signaling not just the passage of reform but the dawning of what many hoped would be a new era for the Union.

Today’s session underscored in no uncertain terms how high the stakes are—decisions made now will shape the Union's destiny, dictating whether this territory will stand united and strong or fall victim to external aggression and internal discord once more.

Topics: May 3rd Constitution; parliamentary debates; sovereignty and reforms of the Commonwealth of Poland-Lithuania; partition threats; royal succession; king's election; governmental bill proposal; national unity; military and defense of the country; influence of foreign powers; civil rights and liberties; church relations; king's oath on the constitution;