Author
Jacek Jezierski 1722-1805

His family came from the region of Łuków. He served in the Polish Army for 22 years as a Captain of a royal artillery regiment. Following his resignation from a further military career, he bought up the family lands from his siblings. He was a deputy to the regional council and participated in the Convocation Sejm of 1764. He supported the Czartoryskis’ program for reforms in the hope that the changes would favour the interests of medium nobility at the expense of the magnates. In 1775 he became the castellan of Łukow. During the Partition Sejm, he supported Antoni Poniński’s faction, speaking up against Tadeusz Rejtan and other deputies of the opposition camp. In course of time, he associated himself with the king’s faction. He devoted much energy to his endeavours aimed at increasing his wealth. For instance, he traded in real estate in Warsaw and lent money to his partners. In 1780 he also added industrial undertakings to such businesses, becoming an owner of salt-works, sawmill, manufactures of scythes, and fineries. Already as a famous entrepreneur, he got involved in a publicist debate pursued on the eve of the Great Sejm and during its proceedings. His pamphlets entitled Zgoda i niezgoda z autorem Uwag nad życiem J. Zamoyskiego (1788), and Projekt sejmowy z autora Zgoda i niezgoda wynikający (1788), date back to that period. They referred to Stanisław Staszic’s arguments and strongly emphasized the need for economic development of the Polish Commonwealth. Jezierski also engaged into polemics with the Rev. Wojciech Skarszewski in his Respons na List Plebana pod płaszczykiem kanonika (1789). The increase of the numbers of the Polish Army, postulated during the Sejm proceedings, he perceived as a chance not only to improve the external security of the State, but also to accelerate the development of its industry; thus to increase his own profits, too. After his plan to create an industrial centre on the estates confiscated from the Bishopric of Kraków, he entertained a project of renting the ironworks in Suchedniów and Samsonów to private individuals. Jezierski also postulated for the establishment of a national bank and improvement of river transport. He opted for an alliance with Prussia without, however, giving Gdańsk up to Prussia (Kopia listu do Angielczyka pisanego w Warszawie 1791 r.). Moderately progressive regarding the peasant question, he wanted it to be settled for the sake of the recovery of the national economy (Wszyscy błądzą, 1790). He spoke up against the townspeople’s demands, who were hoping to improve their legal position in relation to nobility, as well as against the left-wing ideology with its postulates of liberty and equality. For instance, he criticised his relative Franciszek Salezy Jezierski on that account. He spent the final years of his life at the Otwock estate where he died in 1805.

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