The spirit of reform was growing rapidly except that each measure had to be taken by circumvention and tactful strategy because Russia and Prussia threatened with armed Intervention in case the Parliament would attempt any strong positive action. When a plan for the abolishment of the onevote veto was devised in 1766. the Russian ambassador placed the parliament in jeopardy of Russian military action. During the same session three patriotic deputies were kidnaped by Russian officers and deported to Si.beria. This was the first deportation of political prisoners from Poland to Russia. that was to be followed by hundreds of thousands in later years and to be climaxed by the deportation of one and onehalf million Polish citizens for extermination to Asiatic Russia in this war. Thus the reforms were to be introduced through custom. and as in the case of the onevote veto. liberum veto. they began disappearing by themselves. with no parliamentary session being broken up for many years even before the adoption of the May 3 constitution. Also. the emancipation of peasants. a great innovation in those days in Europe. was gradually approached. and political equality to the urban population in some cities granted.
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deported Asiatic deportation