ˌɔn ˈɔːɡəst ˈeɪt, wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi sˈɪks, hiː wʌz ɐpˈɔɪntᵻd baɪ dˌɛməkɹˈæɾɪk pɹˈɛzɪdənt dʒˈeɪmz kˈeɪ. pˈɑːlk ðə fˈɔːɹmɚ spˈiːkɚɹ ʌvðə hˈaʊs ʌv ɹˌɛpɹᵻzˈɛntətˌɪvz tə sˈɜːv æz ðə sˈɪkstiːnθ jˈuː.ˈɛs. mˈɪnɪstɚ tə ðə ɹˈʌʃən ˈɛmpaɪɚ.
On August 8, 1846, he was appointed by Democratic President James K. Polk (the former Speaker of the House of Representatives) to serve as the sixteenth U.S. Minister to the Russian Empire.