Hello and welcome to a history of the United States. Episode 167. Prime Minister Hamilton.

In mid-1789, Congress set about establishing the core of the federal government.

I know I've been hammering the point over and over during the last few episodes, but in April 1789, the federal government basically didn't exist.

We're talking about the Senate, House of Representatives and George Washington. Everything needed to be

founded, which is what Congress was doing. The first three to be established were the departments of foreign affairs, war and finance.

This was followed by the creation of the Attorney General, the Postmaster General,

the Superintendent of Land, and the Governor of the Northwest Territory.

While these departments and offices were created by Congress,

they were part of the executive and they were appointed by the president with the advice and consent

of the Senate. But there was still a question over their removal. Hamilton argued in Federalist

77 that the Senate needed to consent for the removal of a presidential

appointee, but Madison saw the danger of an overpowerful Congress. He convinced the House to allow

for a strong and independent president, but the debate was fiercer in the Senate, who held

responsibility for confirming appointments and was

resistant to relinquishing the right to remove them. In the end, a tie-breaking vote by Vice

President Adams was required to force it through. Similar precedent setting was involved with treaties. The key section here, which I've already

referred to, was Article 2, Section 2, Clause 2 of the Constitution, otherwise known as the

advice and consent clause. It goes, he shall have power by and with the advice and consent of the Senate to make treaties,

provided two-thirds of the senators present to concur. And he shall nominate, and by and with

the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint ambassadors, or the public ministers and consuls,

judges of the Supreme Court, and all other officers of the

United States, whose appointments are not herring otherwise provided for, and which shall be

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