Reynolds Pamphlet

by Alexander Hamilton

The Reynolds Pamphlet (1797) is an essay by Alexander Hamilton. Written while Hamilton was serving as Secretary of the Treasury, the Pamphlet was intended as a defense against accusations that Hamilton had conspired with James Reynolds to misuse funds meant to cover unpaid wages to Revolutionary War veterans. Admitting to an affair with Maria, Reynolds’ wife, Hamilton claims that the accusation is nothing more than an attempt at blackmail. This revelation not only endangered Hamilton’s career as a public figure, but constituted perhaps the earliest sex scandal in American history. “The bare perusal of the letters from Reynolds and his wife is sufficient to convince my greatest enemy that there is nothing worse in the affair than an irregular and indelicate amour. For this, I bow to the just censure which it merits. I have paid pretty severely for the folly and can never recollect it without disgust and self condemnation. It might seem affectation to say more.” Accused of corruption in his role as Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton was forced to confess his adultery, bringing shame to himself as a married man and supposedly honorable public figure, yet saving his political career in the process. Looking back on his affair with Maria Reynolds from a distance of five years, Hamilton expresses regret for his foolishness, yet wholeheartedly denies her husband’s accusation that he had been involved in his scheme to misuse government funds. Perhaps the first sex scandal in American history, the Reynolds affair sent shockwaves throughout the burgeoning republic, leaving many to question the motives and character of their leaders for the first time, though certainly not the last. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Alexander Hamilton’s Reynolds Pamphlet is a classic of American literature reimagined for modern readers.

34 pages, Hardcover

Published May 11, 2021

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.

American politician Alexander Hamilton, the first secretary of the treasury of United States from 1789 to 1795, established the national bank and public credit system; a duel with Aaron Burr, his rival, mortally wounded him.

One of the Founding Fathers, this economist and philosopher led calls for the convention at Philadelphia and as first Constitutional lawyer co-wrote the Federalist Papers , a primary source for Constitutional interpretation.

During the Revolutionary War, he, born in the West Indies but educated in the north, joined the militia, which chose him artillery captain. Hamilton, senior aide-de-camp and confidant to George Washington, general, led three battalions at the siege of Yorktown. People elected him to the Continental congress, but he resigned to practice law and to found in New York. He served in the legislature of New York and later returned to Congress; at the convention in Philadelphia, only he signed the Constitution for New York. Under Washington, then president, he influenced formative government policy widely. Hamilton, an admirer of British, emphasized strong central government and implied powers, under which the new Congress funded and assumed the debts and created an import tariff and whiskey tax.

A coalition, the formative Federalist Party, arose around Hamilton, and another coalition, the formative Democratic-Republican Party, arose around Thomas Jefferson and James Madison before 1792; these coalitions differed strongly over domestic fiscal goals and Hamiltonian foreign policy of extensive trade and friendly relations with Britain. Exposed in an affair with Maria Reynolds, Hamilton resigned to return to Constitutional law and advocacy of strong federalism. In 1798, the quasi-war with France led him to argue for an army, which he organized and commanded de facto.

Opposition of Hamilton to John Adams, fellow Federalist, contributed to the success of Thomas Jefferson, a Democratic-Republican, in the uniquely deadlocked election of 1800. With defeat of his party, his industrializing ideas lost their former prominence. In 1801, Hamilton founded the Federalist broadsheet New-York Evening Post, now known as the New York Post. His intensity with the vice-president eventually resulted in his death.

After the war of 1812, Madison, Albert Gallatin, and other former opponents of the late Hamilton revived some of his federalizing programs, such as infrastructure, tariffs, and a standing Army and Navy. His Federalist and business-oriented economic visions for the country continue to influence party platforms to this day.

Reviews

[Izzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

once a man whore. always a man whore

[sheryne!! · Rating 4 out of 5]

mais il est malade mdrrrr

[Bethany Quayle · Rating 3 out of 5]

He still cheated and this didn’t justify it

[Payton Aryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let's just say, if I were to write fanfiction about myself it would look like this. I feel like I was in the same room as Reynolds and hamilton. I could practically hear the corsets dropping to the floor as I read this. This is amazing self-written erotica and I'll never get over it. He wrote with so much detail, it was basically me there instead of Hamilton. Bro was reminiscing as he wrote this, I would be as well. This is by far my favorite book, spicy fanfiction, founding fathers got crazy.

[Catia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wrote everything to prove he was innocent. Admitted to the affair but never apologized to Eliza. SMH but man was this a good read.

[DJ Mellott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a fun read. I wouldn’t say short and to the point, but it keeps your attention and is an interesting political blunder from one of the founders of our early republic.