### April 12 On April 12th, 1789, I was sworn in as the first United States Secretary of the Treasury. It was a great honor and one of the most exciting days of my life! Not everyone at the time agreed with my plan for the fledgling nation's economy, but I was determined to make sure it would be successful. I can remember walking with friends from Federal Hall in New York City to my new office in the dignified "Executive Mansion" (today known more familiarly as the White House). Our conversation was full of jovial banter and witty repartee, inspiring me to improvise a poem on the spot: >"Let Americans embrace, \ And guard the rights they prize \ Give every power its proper place \ And form a government that's wise." It was a momentous day full of excitement, optimism, and the joys of friendship. Although two centuries have passed since then, the sentiment still rings true today.