This debate would later be overshadowed with issues regarding the expansion of slavery out west, and whether Missouri would be a free or slave state.

[a] On March 6, 1820, Congress passed a law directing Missouri to hold a convention to form a constitution and a state government.

By the time Congress was due to meet to count the electoral votes from the election, this dispute had lasted over two months.

Knowing ahead of time that Monroe had won in a landslide and that Missouri's vote would therefore make no difference in the final result, the Senate passed a resolution on February 13, 1821, stating that if a protest was made, there would be no consideration of the matter unless the vote of Missouri would change who would become president.

Immediately, Representative John Floyd of Virginia argued that Missouri's votes must be counted.