from his youth małachowski laboured zealously for the good of his country, and as president of the royal court of justice won the honourable title of the "polish aristides." he was first elected a deputy to the coronation diet of 1764, and the great four-years sejm unanimously elected him its speaker at the beginning of its session in 1788. accurately gauging the situation, małachowski speedily gathered round him all those who were striving to uphold the falling commonwealth and warmly supported every promising project of reform. he was one of the framers of the constitution of the 3rd of may 1791, exceeding in liberality all his colleagues and advocating the extension of the franchise to the towns and the emancipation of the serfs. he was the first to enter his name as a citizen of warsaw in the civic register and to open negotiations with his own peasantry for their complete liberation. disappointed in his hopes by the overthrow of the constitution, he resigned office and left the country in 1792, going first to italy and subsequently to his estates in galicia, where he was imprisoned for a time on a false suspicion of conspiracy.