The Ruthenian voivodeship included, apart from the three mentioned lands of Lviv, Przemyśl and Sanok, also the lands of Chełm and Halicz. The latter lands took part in the general confederations of the first interregnum, they deliberated together, and the resolutions of the Glinno Honfederation of 1572 and the Lviv Honfederation of July 28, 1584, adopted after Henry's departure, covered the entire voivodeships, including the Chełm and Halych lands. The same can be said about the confederation of January 7, 1587, after the descent of King Stephen. Matters relating to all lands were dealt with there; it was marked where each land was to gather for the popular uprising, ductors, i.e. commanders, and hood judges were elected for each of them, it was marked when the years in each land were to be judged, in short, these were general meetings of the entire voivodeship. In this way, these general deliberations and their resolutions kept all voivodeship lands united during the interregnum, and all particular congresses held on the voivodeship lands at that time had their source and directive in this general confederation.
These properties and privileges of the general congress disappeared in the second period, because in the years 1648-73 there was only one general confederation, and not during the interregnum, so the confederations were established in their particular assemblies. But the privileges of the general sejmik fell due to the fact that the Chełm and Halicz lands had separate sejmiks, the former in the 15th century, the latter in the 16th century. It is true that the Galician sejmik was not equivalent to the Wisła sejmik, such as the Chełm sejmik, but it was somehow lower than the general sejmik. This inferiority was manifested in the fact that, according to law and custom, the Halych sejmik was supposed to send its resolutions and parliamentary instructions, etc. by his envoy to the Wisze sejmik, which is why the king, when convening sejmiks, always scheduled the Halicz sejmik one week earlier than the general sejmik of Wisze.
Already in the times of Władysław IV, the landowners of Galicia began to break away from the law subordinating their meetings to the general assembly. It was also at the Wisła sejmik on December 14, 1634 that the deputies were instructed to seek a constitution in the sejm so that the landowners of Galicia would not insult the prerogatives of the general sejmik 2). There was no such constitution. However, due to the increasing symptoms of decentralization of the general assembly, the Galician assembly began to completely break its connection with the general assembly. There is also a conclusion from the resolution of the Wiszeń sejmik of 16G6 3),
>) Lauda II. No. 196. ') Lauda 1. No. 193 art. 46. ») II. No. 824 art. 49.
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pursuant to which the members of the Sejm were instructed to accuse Mr. the inhabitants of Halicz for not sending an envoy and instructions to the Wisze sejmik, and even the envoy had the power of attorney to take away the floor of the Halicz deputies when electing the sejm marshal. But the demands of the general assembly were not successful; the Galician sejmik gained its complete independence and independence, even though the Wisze sejmik in 1673 repeated attempts to regain its former supremacy.
It turns out that the general assembly, despite its decentralization, sought on the one hand to obtain the former voivodeship generality, and on the other hand to repel attacks on unity from outside. We will best understand the importance of this struggle of the general assembly when, in the next chapter, we consider its relationship to the assembly and to the king.
II.
Reasons for the growth of the sejmik in the second period. Postponing tax and defense matters from one council to another earthly. Appointment of sejmiks by the sejmik. The attitude of the sejmik to the Sejm and to the king. Position on matters ennoblement. Irregularity in the growth of the assembly.