It was without fear of intervention from her that the German powers began to discuss between them the partition of Poland.
She was at the same time suffering disseverment at her own hands through her intestine divisions and the mutual jealousy of her chiefs.

In Warsaw the confederates had attempted to carry off King Stanislaus Augustus, whom they accused of betraying the cause of the fatherland; they had declared the throne vacant, and took upon themselves to found an hereditary monarchy.

To this supreme honor every great lord aspired, every small army-corps acted individually and without concert with the neighboring leaders.

Only a detachment of French, under the orders of Brigadier Choisi, still defended the fort of Cracow; General Suwarrow, who was investing it, forced them to capitulate; they obtained all the honors of war, but in vain was the Empress Catherine urged by D'Alembert and his friends the philosophers to restore their freedom to the glorious vanquished; she replied to them with pleasantries.

Ere long the fate of Poland was about to be decided without the impotent efforts of France in her favor weighing for an instant in the balance.