At first, Gales was the Senate's sole reporter, and Seaton reported on the House of Representatives. The Intelligencer supported the Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe administrations, and Gales and Seaton were selected as the official printers of Congress from 1819 to 1829. In addition to printing government documents, they began compiling their reports of floor debates and publishing them in the Register of Debates, a forerunner of the Congressional Record.
Initially, Gales was the Senate's only reporter, while Seaton covered the House of Representatives. The Intelligencer backed Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe administrations, and Gales and Seaton were selected as Congress' official printers from 1819 to 1829. They started compiling their reports on floor debates and publishing them in a document that would eventually become the Congressional Record.