▁Commonwealth ▁politics . ▁The ▁Patri otic ▁Party ▁was ▁established ▁during ▁the ▁Four - Year ▁Se jm ▁( Gre at ▁Se jm ) ▁of ▁ 1 7 8 8 - 9 2 ▁by ▁individuals ▁who ▁sought ▁re forms ▁aim ed ▁at ▁strength ening ▁the ▁Polish - L ith uan ian ▁Commonwealth ▁and ▁ass uring ▁its ▁independence ▁from ▁the ▁Russian ▁Empire . ▁The ▁re forms , ▁however , ▁did ▁not ▁enjoy ▁a ▁un anim ous ▁support . ▁ ▁The ▁party ▁The ▁Het mans ' ▁Party ▁was ▁formed ▁to ▁opp ose ▁the ▁reform ers . ▁The ▁Party ' s ▁most ▁notable ▁members ▁included ▁prominent ▁magn ates ▁such ▁as ▁Het mans ▁Francis zek ▁K sa wer y ▁Bran icki ▁and ▁Se wer yn ▁R zew us ki , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁Stanisław ▁Sz cz ę s ny ▁Pot ock i ▁and ▁Kaz im ierz ▁N est or ▁S ap ie ha . ▁They ▁wished ▁to ▁preserve ▁the ▁status ▁qu o , ▁as ▁the ▁in efficient ▁state ▁mach in ery ▁meant ▁that ▁the ▁ ▁magn ates ▁had ▁little , ▁if ▁any , ▁responsibility ▁to ▁the ▁state ▁and ▁were ▁the ▁major ▁power ▁w ield ers ▁on ▁their ▁lands . ▁They ▁hid ▁their ▁desire ▁for ▁power ▁from ▁the ▁public , ▁and ▁sought ▁support ▁among ▁the ▁less er , ▁poor er ▁nob ility , ▁port ray ing ▁themselves ▁as ▁def enders ▁of ▁the ▁traditional ▁privileges ▁and ▁fre ed oms ▁of ▁the ▁Polish ▁nob ility ▁( the ▁Golden ▁Libert ies ) ▁and ▁of ▁the ▁Card inal ▁La ws . ▁The ▁magn ates