Russia, under its youthful Emperor Alexander, was rising to a prominent and influential position among the nations of Europe.

Mr.
Madison deemed it of great importance that the United States should be represented at that court by some individual eminent alike for talents, experience, and influence.

John Quincy Adams was selected for the mission.
In March, 1809, he was appointed Minister to Russia, and the summer following, sailed for St.Petersburgh.
In the meantime, our relations with Great Britain became every day more dubious.

While striving, in every honorable manner, to come to terms of reconciliation, President Madison was making rapid preparations for war.
The people of the United States, deprived by the non-intercourse act of the cheap productions of England, began to turn their attention and capital to domestic manufactures.

At length the American Government demanded peremptorily, that the restrictions of Great Britain and France on our commerce should be abrogated; war being the alternative of a refusal.