Early supporter of king Stanisław August Poniatowski, he disapproved of his more liberal policies and threw his lot with the pro-Russian conservative faction. From 1789 he was recruited by Russian ambassador to Poland, Otto Magnus von Stackelberg. From Stackelberg he received a yearly pension from Russia (2000 ducats). He joined the Confederation of Targowica which was opposed to the reforms of the Great Sejm (particularly the Constitution of the 3 May). In 1792 he became the commander of the Warsaw's garrison as well as of the Lesser Poland division. At the Grodno Sejm he supported the Second Partition of Poland and in 1793 he was nominated to the rank of Great Crown Hetman and commander of Warsaw. He acted as the messenger between Stanisław Szczęsny Potocki and king Poniatowski.