I make this communication to you in confidence, at the desire of the President, communicated to me yesterday by the Secretary of State.

You must keep it an entire secret until it shall be announced to the public in the journal of the Senate.

But our son must hold himself in readiness to come to Philadelphia, to converse with the President, Secretary of State, Secretary of the Treasury, &c., and receive his commissions and instructions, without loss of time.

He will go to Providence in the stage, and thence to New York by water, and thence to Philadelphia in the stage.

He will not set out, however, until he is informed of his appointment." "Your son!" is the phrase by which the father meant to convey his own sense of how large a part the mother had in training that son; and to enhance the compliment, it is communicated to her at the desire of President Washington..