Who doesn’t enjoy spending some time with the hardworking, shy, cerebral heartthrob adored by Dolley Payne Madison, the darling of Washington, DC, society? Certainly, I do.

I confessed last week to harboring a wee bit of a historical crush on this Virginia scholar who found great joy wallowing in the most philosophical ideas regarding liberty, self-government, and balance of power and man in a state of nature and community. He emerged early as a quiet man who thought deeply and who could listen and entertain ideas, always looking for the solution that would move citizens toward engagement. Having served George Washington — until they split over some of those philosophical ideas — and Thomas Jefferson, where Madison was a most agile and disciplined secretary of state, Madison seemed well-prepared for the presidency. After all, he had studied the ideas of leadership for decades and had his fingerprints on Article II of the United States Constitution.

Today, we’ll see if Madison can translate his ideas into actions.

He entered office with problems already stacking up on his desk. The issue of free trade and the U.S.‘s relationship with Great Britain and France loomed large. Remember, he took office in March 1809. What’s going on in Europe? Napoleon is attempting to expand the French Empire by marching in every direction, capturing lands and peoples. A coalition has formed to stop his conquests, but the coalition nations of Austria, Prussia, Russia, and Great Britain are struggling mightily. Spain has already been united with France, and the lowlands have seen the swift movement of troops. In reality, only Great Britain, separated from the continent by the English Channel, seems to have the strength of confront Napoleon’s forces.

Jefferson had earlier tried a trade embargo, but it had failed to stabilize fair trade for the states. Congress then tried its hand at trade regulation and, just before Madison’s inauguration, had enacted the Intercourse Act of 1809 (who names these pieces of legislation?!), which basically reopened world trade with the exception of France and Great Britain (both major players, right?). How did the legislation work? Let’s say Great Britain removed its trade sanctions against U.S. products; the the U.S. would reopen its ports to British ships and resume trade, but keep restrictions on the other country, France. It was an attempt to see which nation would say “uncle” first. Neither did.

Congressional members scratched their heads. Playing the two nations against each other should have worked. Hmm. Let’s try the same idea with a couple of minor changes and a new name and see if that works. Macon’s Bill No. 2 was drafted, removing all restrictions on trade, including with France and Great Britain, with a provision that the first nation to agree to trade with the U.S. would cause the other nation to have restrictions imposed on it. France agreed in August 1810 and followed up with a reaffirmation in March 1811, at which point the U.S. ceased trade with Britain.

How did the British respond? Now that the U.S. had resumed trade with France, the wartime enemy of the coalition and Britain, Great Britain announced it would seize U.S. ships until France resumed trade with Britain. You might recall that France had “boycotted” Great Britain, believing that it could force the British to withdraw from the coalition because, as Napoleon announced, Britain was nothing more than a “nation of shopkeepers.”

Next question: How did the United States react to the seizing of its ships and cargos? Guesses, anyone?

Exactly. Congress appropriated increased funds for military preparedness in April 1812, anticipating where this conflict was going to lead. When Madison addressed Congress that summer and listed the actions that Great Britain had taken in violation of international law — including impressment of American sailors, supplying arms and munitions to the Native Americans so they could attack American settlers on the western frontier, and the continuing violations of free seas and trade — the House passed a war resolution on June 4, followed by the Senate two weeks later. Madison, viewing the possible war as a test of U.S. strength and resolve, began referring to the possible conflict as “the Second War for Independence,” subtly reminding Parliament it had underestimated its opponents only decades earlier.

While most Americans hoped to seize Canada and drive the Spanish from western Florida, the war hawks, led by John C. Calhoun and Henry Clay, expanded congressional goals to also include squelching Indian uprisings across the western territories and stabilizing maritime freedom and trade. By the fall of 1812, it became apparent that the Canadians were not anxious to join with the United States, and the focus turned back to the U.S. The patriots were more successful in 1813 — Commodore Perry gained fame on Lake Erie and William Henry Harrison made Tippecanoe a household name. And then there was Tennessee’s favorite hometown hero, Andy Jackson, who created a coalition of Creek, Cherokee, and Choctaw natives to defeat the Red Sticks at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend and propelling his military career to the national level. The Americans were not stepping backward in fear of the British.

Next week, the British will burn the White House, but Dolley Madison will prove that the nation’s first lady was strong, independent, and courageous.

See you then.