Wincenty Skrzetuski "O senacie" w Rzeczypospolitej szlacheckiej

Abstract

Wincenty Skrzetuski, describing in his work A political law of the Polish nation, pointed to the fact that the senate is one of the three governing organs, the most important tasks of which is to serve and advise the king, as well as support him in performing some of public duties, including justice administration, being in charge of state unity as well as laws and citizenship freedom, and mediating between a monarch and free gentry nation. An important crucial point in shaping competences and reinforcing the position and senate power was 1505 and constitutions of the Sejm in Radom when the former royal council obtained, according to the piarist, the feature of a separate state of the Republic of Poland. Skrzetuski discussed the institution of senators residents relatively thouroughly as well as raised such issues as unanimity in senate councils, mutual relations between the senate and parliamentary chamber, a passive election law, a ban on combining senate seats with other honours. The piarist described senators’ tasks, including their free participation in Rada Nieustająca and committees, presiding in regional councils and making some judgements. Referring to the contemporary composition of the senate, Skrzetuski informed that it contained bishops, voivodes, ministers and castellans, of course, having been elected by Rada Nieustająca and appointed by the king.