His first incursion into the legislative realm occurred shortly after he assumed office, during the Senate debates over titles for the president and executive officers of the new government. Although the House of Representatives agreed in short order that the president should be addressed simply as "George Washington, President of the United States," the Senate debated the issue at some length. Adams favored the adoption of the style of "Highness" (as well as the title of "Protector of Their United States' Liberties") for the president. Others favored the variant of "Electoral Highness" or the lesser "Excellency". Anti-federalists objected to the monarchical sound of them all. All but three senators eventually agreed upon "His Highness the President of the United States and Protector of the Rights of the Same". In the end, Washington yielded to the various objections and the House decided that the title of "Mr. President" would be used.