In conclusion he accused the Republicans of making one continuous attack upon the administration, and charged that the opposition to the appropriation bill was not a single measure, but connected with others, and intended to clog the wheels of government.
The purpose of the Republicans being thus declared by Nicholas and squarely met by the friends of the administration, Mr.Gallatin, March 1, 1798, summed up the opposition arguments in an elaborate speech three hours and a quarter in length.

He denied the novel doctrine that each department had checks within itself, but none upon others; he claimed that the principle of checks is admitted in all mixed governments.
Commercial intercourse, he said, is regulated by the law of nations, by the municipal law of respective countries and by treaties of commerce, the application of which is the province of consuls.

What advantages, he asked, had our commercial treaties given us, either that with France or that with England?
He excepted that part of the treaty with Great Britain which arranged our difference with that power, as foreign to the discussion.

He claimed that the restriction which we had laid upon ourselves by our commercial treaties had been attended with political consequences fatal to our tranquillity.

Washington had advised a separation of our political from our commercial relations.