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Reynolds Pamphlet
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, Paperback
First published August 25, 1797
107 people are currently reading
816 people want to read
About the author
Alexander Hamilton
1,067 books969 followersLibrarian 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 124 reviews
January 10, 2016
Wow. Just. Wow. Reading this requires a ton of patience, a good dictionary, a tolerance for pain, a couple of college credits and a top notch brain.
August 2, 2016
i guess alex couldn't say no to this
December 28, 2023
Have you read this?
Read
August 25, 2025Well I guess he’s never gon’ be president now…that’s one less thing to worry about
May 30, 2022
Have you ever seen a man ruin his own life? His poor wife… LOL
July 13, 2020
"You and your words - obsessed with your legacy! Your sentences border on senseless, and you are paranoid in every paragraph!"
Yeah, pretty sure Eliza's review spells out how a person should view this. Damn it, Ham.
Yeah, pretty sure Eliza's review spells out how a person should view this. Damn it, Ham.
October 26, 2017
Rave reviews for “The Reynolds Pamphlet” from some of the author's contemporaries:
“If you have not seen it, no anticipation can equal the infamy of this piece.”
--James Thomson Callender, September 28, 1797
“The publication under all its characters is a curious specimen of the ingenious folly of its author.”
--James Madison, 4th President of the United States
October 20, 1797
“Can talents atone for such turpitude? Can wisdom reside with such gullibility?”
--John Adams, 2nd President of the United States
September 17, 1797
“Beware of that Spair Cassius, has always occured to me when I have seen that cock Sparrow. O I have read his Heart in his Wicked Eyes many a time the very Devil is in them.”
--Abigail Adams, First Lady of the United States
January 28, 1797
“The ‘precious confessions’ of Hamilton are very salutary, and equally as sincere as if he had made them in the broad aisle of a Church.”
--Anonymous, Greenleaf’s New York Journal
October 7, 1797
“I have not yet seen Hamilton’s pamphlet: but I understand that finding the straight between Scylla and Charybdis too narrow for his steerage, he has preferred running plump on one of them.”
--Thomas Jefferson, 3rd President of the United States
October 8, 1797
“His ill-judged pamphlet has done him incomparable injury.”
--Robert Troup, June 3, 1798
“I sent you a pamphlet worth perusing; it is colonel Hamilton's, and such a one as, it would seem, he would not have written had he not previously taken leave of his senses. . .[his] book came out here this morning; and now, at six o'clock in the evening, the whole town rings with it. The women cry out against him, as if its publication was high treason against the rights of women.”
--Extract of a letter from New-York, Aurora General Advertiser
October 10, 1797
“If the work possesses merit, it is in the undisguised manner in which you confess the crime alleged against you, of having a criminal connection with the property of another man.”
--“Juno”, Greenleaf’s New York Journal
September 20, 1797
“But what shall we say to the conduct of a man who has borne some of the highest civil and military employments, who could deliberately write and publish a history of his private intrigues, degrade himself in the estimation of all good men, and scandalize a family, to clear himself of charges which no man believed; to vindicate integrity which a legislative act had pronounced unimpeachable, and which scarcely a man in America suspected!”
--Noah Webster, 1800
“Such another piece of ridiculous folly: sure, never Man was guilty of.”
--John Barnes, October 3, 1797
“In truth I have no desire to persecute this man, tho’ he justly merits it.”
--James Monroe, 5th President of the United States
August 6, 1797
“Congratulations. You have invented a new kind of stupid.”
--Angelica Schuyler Church, sister-in-law
December 2, 2016
“Dear Col'nel did you never hear,
(If you did not, I think ’tis queer)
That only fools do ‘kiss and tell’
Ev’n tho’ they tell their story well.”
--Jemima Spinningwheel, Greenleaf’s New York Journal
October 18, 1797
“See him. . . lolling in the lap of an harlot!!”
--“Justice”, The Centinel of Freedom
October 18, 1797
“If you have not seen it, no anticipation can equal the infamy of this piece.”
--James Thomson Callender, September 28, 1797
“The publication under all its characters is a curious specimen of the ingenious folly of its author.”
--James Madison, 4th President of the United States
October 20, 1797
“Can talents atone for such turpitude? Can wisdom reside with such gullibility?”
--John Adams, 2nd President of the United States
September 17, 1797
“Beware of that Spair Cassius, has always occured to me when I have seen that cock Sparrow. O I have read his Heart in his Wicked Eyes many a time the very Devil is in them.”
--Abigail Adams, First Lady of the United States
January 28, 1797
“The ‘precious confessions’ of Hamilton are very salutary, and equally as sincere as if he had made them in the broad aisle of a Church.”
--Anonymous, Greenleaf’s New York Journal
October 7, 1797
“I have not yet seen Hamilton’s pamphlet: but I understand that finding the straight between Scylla and Charybdis too narrow for his steerage, he has preferred running plump on one of them.”
--Thomas Jefferson, 3rd President of the United States
October 8, 1797
“His ill-judged pamphlet has done him incomparable injury.”
--Robert Troup, June 3, 1798
“I sent you a pamphlet worth perusing; it is colonel Hamilton's, and such a one as, it would seem, he would not have written had he not previously taken leave of his senses. . .[his] book came out here this morning; and now, at six o'clock in the evening, the whole town rings with it. The women cry out against him, as if its publication was high treason against the rights of women.”
--Extract of a letter from New-York, Aurora General Advertiser
October 10, 1797
“If the work possesses merit, it is in the undisguised manner in which you confess the crime alleged against you, of having a criminal connection with the property of another man.”
--“Juno”, Greenleaf’s New York Journal
September 20, 1797
“But what shall we say to the conduct of a man who has borne some of the highest civil and military employments, who could deliberately write and publish a history of his private intrigues, degrade himself in the estimation of all good men, and scandalize a family, to clear himself of charges which no man believed; to vindicate integrity which a legislative act had pronounced unimpeachable, and which scarcely a man in America suspected!”
--Noah Webster, 1800
“Such another piece of ridiculous folly: sure, never Man was guilty of.”
--John Barnes, October 3, 1797
“In truth I have no desire to persecute this man, tho’ he justly merits it.”
--James Monroe, 5th President of the United States
August 6, 1797
“Congratulations. You have invented a new kind of stupid.”
--Angelica Schuyler Church, sister-in-law
December 2, 2016
“Dear Col'nel did you never hear,
(If you did not, I think ’tis queer)
That only fools do ‘kiss and tell’
Ev’n tho’ they tell their story well.”
--Jemima Spinningwheel, Greenleaf’s New York Journal
October 18, 1797
“See him. . . lolling in the lap of an harlot!!”
--“Justice”, The Centinel of Freedom
October 18, 1797
Want to read
August 6, 2025Have you read this?
he aint never gon be President now...
You ever see somebody ruin their own life?
he really just couldnt say no to this, but hey! he wrote his way out <3
he aint never gon be President now...
You ever see somebody ruin their own life?
he really just couldnt say no to this, but hey! he wrote his way out <3
Read
December 19, 2025have you read this?
November 12, 2015
It was an experience, I can say that for sure. Of course I did read this at around 2 a.m. due to listening to the Hamilton Musical on repeat. It was amusing, horrifying, and eye opening to say the least. Basically it is one of those things that is talked about so much that I just wanted to read it. My favorite part was how Hamilton would cite specific letters then included them. You have to cite your sources if you want to completely destroy your personal life.
November 25, 2021
he aint never gon be president now
October 12, 2015
A few thoughts:
In Maria Reynold's letters, she always calls Hamilton "Col. Hamilton." They had an affair for quite a while. It seems like it would have been okay to call him Alexander. Her letters are so desperate, they are so similar to cliche break up letters of today. After a tirade about how miserable she is, she says she has something so very important to tell him and says, "think not my friend that I say this to make you come and se me and that I have nothing to tell you." My immediate thought was "This is a trap."
James Reynold's letters always started with something about his "unfortenate setuvation." After a while, I can imagine Hamilton rolling his eyes every time a letter appeared. Also, I liked how after he invited Hamilton to keep seeing his wife, he retracted that invitation after Hamilton always made a big deal about not being seen coming to his house. "Am I a person of Such a bad Carector" he asked in one letter. Yes, yes he was.
Hamilton does come off as somewhat paranoid in his letters to Monroe, but as it turned out that letters had been leaked to the press, he can be forgiven in hindsight. Besides, he took the accusation of treason pretty seriously and needed those with the power to accuse to be on his side. Enough to threaten a duel (which was pretty exciting, even though history has shown he never dueled Monroe).
It was sort of refreshing to read a defense like this by a founding father. Full of fire and ready to shoot anyone who tried to cross him.
In Maria Reynold's letters, she always calls Hamilton "Col. Hamilton." They had an affair for quite a while. It seems like it would have been okay to call him Alexander. Her letters are so desperate, they are so similar to cliche break up letters of today. After a tirade about how miserable she is, she says she has something so very important to tell him and says, "think not my friend that I say this to make you come and se me and that I have nothing to tell you." My immediate thought was "This is a trap."
James Reynold's letters always started with something about his "unfortenate setuvation." After a while, I can imagine Hamilton rolling his eyes every time a letter appeared. Also, I liked how after he invited Hamilton to keep seeing his wife, he retracted that invitation after Hamilton always made a big deal about not being seen coming to his house. "Am I a person of Such a bad Carector" he asked in one letter. Yes, yes he was.
Hamilton does come off as somewhat paranoid in his letters to Monroe, but as it turned out that letters had been leaked to the press, he can be forgiven in hindsight. Besides, he took the accusation of treason pretty seriously and needed those with the power to accuse to be on his side. Enough to threaten a duel (which was pretty exciting, even though history has shown he never dueled Monroe).
It was sort of refreshing to read a defense like this by a founding father. Full of fire and ready to shoot anyone who tried to cross him.
August 26, 2020
For those who are Hamilton fans, I'll let Lin Manuel Miranda's lyrics say it all:
Congratulations;
You've invented a new kind of stupid
A damage you can never undo
Kind of stupid
An open all the cages in the zoo
Kind of stupid
Clearly, you didn't think this through,
Kind of stupid.
Everything in this pamphlet is pretty summed up right there. It's written like a lawyer trying to defend the undefendable. I would say what was interesting to reading how "overly polite" the Reynolds couple were in their extortion notes.
Congratulations;
You've invented a new kind of stupid
A damage you can never undo
Kind of stupid
An open all the cages in the zoo
Kind of stupid
Clearly, you didn't think this through,
Kind of stupid.
Everything in this pamphlet is pretty summed up right there. It's written like a lawyer trying to defend the undefendable. I would say what was interesting to reading how "overly polite" the Reynolds couple were in their extortion notes.
July 10, 2017
Review to come
Summary: I didn't steal ur money I just cheated on my wife. I also have some complaints. Okay bye.
Also, shew? Really Alex?
Summary: I didn't steal ur money I just cheated on my wife. I also have some complaints. Okay bye.
Also, shew? Really Alex?
October 26, 2016
Ignoring the fact that this document demolishes the reputation of my beloved Hamilton, it's a great piece of writing. I've been studying him for over seven years. Yes, since before the musical. Imagine that. Anyway, one of the things that always amazes me is his eloquence. He was long-winded at almost all times, it's true, but he chose his words well and this is no exception. For those who do not read a lot of Revolutionary texts, the syntax and word choices may be a little awkward and you might want to have a dictionary handy. But worth the effort, in my opinion.
April 4, 2022
8th grade me would be so proud that I read this
Read
August 4, 2022And he wrote it down right there.
February 12, 2024
Welp. He didn’t say no this. Guess he��s never gon be president now. His poor wife.
June 7, 2025
lin manuel miranda was right, this does border on senseless
March 8, 2024
“The Reynolds Pamphlet. Have you read this?”
Yes, it’s 0200. Why? I was watching Hamilton edits, and I said to myself, “why don’t I just read the Reynolds Pamphlet?” And that’s how I’m here. Yes, in case if you’re wondering, I was listening to the song at the same time. The Pamphlet being written 1797, H. writing style is truly unique. I actually find it more enjoyable than most writers during that time, and today (I am a little ashamed over that). This little Pamphlet has more drama than a 400 page spice-filled-15-act-breakup. I’m only giving it 4 stars right now because it’s 0200 and I need to comb through it with a dictionary later. Anyway, if you like the late 1700’s - early 1800’s politics, you’d probably enjoy this.
Truly scandalous. His poor wife!
Yes, it’s 0200. Why? I was watching Hamilton edits, and I said to myself, “why don’t I just read the Reynolds Pamphlet?” And that’s how I’m here. Yes, in case if you’re wondering, I was listening to the song at the same time. The Pamphlet being written 1797, H. writing style is truly unique. I actually find it more enjoyable than most writers during that time, and today (I am a little ashamed over that). This little Pamphlet has more drama than a 400 page spice-filled-15-act-breakup. I’m only giving it 4 stars right now because it’s 0200 and I need to comb through it with a dictionary later. Anyway, if you like the late 1700’s - early 1800’s politics, you’d probably enjoy this.
Truly scandalous. His poor wife!
November 4, 2021
guess he ain’t ever gonna be president now
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 16, 2024
well he never gonna be president now 🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳
September 9, 2016
Alexander Hamilton was a pompous, arrogant man. Seriously, no thought of your wife & children? Just your reputation as a politician. Unbelievable. Or typical?
April 25, 2025
Never gon’ be president now
June 8, 2025
throwback to when a torrid affair ruined one’s presidential aspirations
March 6, 2021
I know this is not supposed to be funny but the whole affair is so outlandish, even to this day, that I enjoyed myself a tad too much reading this.
Reynold's letters were by far my favourite part, they really depict his character as someone you may know today, 230 years later. And Hamilton's invoices gathered after each request for money! I love this.
Reynold's letters were by far my favourite part, they really depict his character as someone you may know today, 230 years later. And Hamilton's invoices gathered after each request for money! I love this.
July 8, 2017
This was not necessarily an easy read. I kept dictionary.com open. After seeing the play, Hamilton, and listening to the musical score, my curiosity was piqued.
I do have to say, it was an interesting read.
I do have to say, it was an interesting read.
January 7, 2024
I don’t know how to quite review this - given that it is a memoir convincing the public that he had not committed crimes; just cheated on his wife.
I do have to say though, it was absolutely fascinating to read. His writing style was quite interesting for his time.
I do have to say though, it was absolutely fascinating to read. His writing style was quite interesting for his time.
August 13, 2022
Interesting to read but very dense
Displaying 1 - 29 of 124 reviews