Would it be prudent for him to give Hamilton the advantage of being able to appear in person before the House, and probably to supplant Madison himself as the spokesman of the Administration?
Divergence between the two men had already begun in details.

At the time the vote on the powers of the Secretary of the Treasury was taken, the tariff bill and the tonnage bill were still pending, and Hamilton's influence operated against Madison's views on some points.

Moreover, the question of the permanent residence of the federal government was coming forward and was apparently overshadowing everything else in the minds of members.

Ames several times in his correspondence at this period remarks upon Madison's timidity, which was due to his concern about Virginia State politics.

Any arrangement that might enable Hamilton to cross swords with an opponent on the floor of the House could not be attractive to Madison, who was a lucid reasoner but not an impressive speaker.