Gallatin made a distinction between the administration and the legislature, and in lieu of the words, wise, firm, and patriotic administration, proposed to address the compliment directly to the wisdom, firmness, and patriotism of Washington.

But Ames defended his report, and it was adopted by a vote of 67 to 12.

Gallatin voted with the majority, but Livingston, Giles, and Macon held out with the small band of disaffected, among whom it is amusing also to find Andrew Jackson, who took his seat at this Congress to represent Tennessee, which had been admitted as a State at the last session.[5] The indebtedness of the States to the general government, in the old balance sheet, on the payment of which Gallatin insisted, was a subject of difference between the Senate and the House.

Gallatin was appointed chairman of the committee of conference on the part of the House.

The reduction of the military establishment, which he wished to bring down to the footing of 1792, was again insisted upon.