The Hamilton–Reynolds affair involved Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, who had a four-month affair with Maria Reynolds during George Washington's presidency. The affair was one of the first sex scandals in American political history.
History[]
Upon discovery of the affair by Maria's husband, James Reynolds, Hamilton paid him over $1,300 (about a third of his annual income) of blackmail money to maintain secrecy. Hamilton was forced to admit to the affair after James Reynolds threatened to implicate him in Reynolds' own scheme involving unpaid back wages intended for Revolutionary War veterans.
In November 1792, James Reynolds was jailed for participation in a scheme involving unpaid back wages intended for Revolutionary War veterans.
He used his knowledge about Hamilton's sex affair to bargain his way out of his own troubles. Reynolds knew Hamilton would have to choose between revealing his affair with Maria or falsely admitting complicity to the charges. James Monroe, Abraham Venable and Frederick Muhlenberg were the first men to hear of this possible corruption within the nation's new government and on 15 December 1792 decided to personally confront Hamilton with the information they had received, supported by the notes of Hamilton's payments to Reynolds that Maria had given them to corroborate her husband's accusations. Denying any financial impropriety, Hamilton revealed the true nature of his relationship with Maria Reynolds and her husband in all its unsavory details. He even turned over the letters from both Maria and James Reynolds.
Apparently convinced that Hamilton was not guilty of the charge of public misconduct, Monroe, Venable and Muhlenberg agreed not to make public the information and documents on the Reynolds Affair. Monroe and his colleagues assured Hamilton that the matter was settled.
However, Monroe did send the letters to his close personal friend, Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson and Hamilton were self-described nemeses, and five years after receiving the letters, Jefferson used the knowledge to start rumors about Hamilton's private life.
In that same year, 1797, when Hamilton no longer held the post of Secretary of the Treasury, the details of his relationship with Maria and James Reynolds came to light in a series of pamphlets authored by journalist James Thomson Callender. Included were copies of the documents Hamilton had furnished to the Monroe commission in December 1792. Hamilton confronted Monroe over the leakage of the supposedly confidential documents. Monroe denied any responsibility. Hamilton came very close to calling Monroe a liar, and Monroe retorted that Hamilton was a scoundrel and challenged him to a duel. The duel was averted by the intercession of none other than Aaron Burr, who years later would himself kill Hamilton in a duel.
On 25 August 1797 Hamilton responded to Callender's revelations by printing his own 95-page pamphlet called Observations on Certain Documents, later known as the "Reynolds Pamphlet", in which he denied all charges of corruption. He did not, however, deny his relationship with Maria Reynolds; instead, he openly admitted it and apologized for it. While his candor was admired, the affair severely damaged his reputation. While Hamilton's admitted affair served to confirm rival Thomas Jefferson's conviction that he was untrustworthy, it did nothing to change George Washington's opinion of him, who still held him in "very high esteem" and who still viewed Hamilton as the dominant force in establishing federal law and government.
Musical[]
With the affair already being known to the audience, the Reynolds Pamphlet is first referenced at the end of "Hurricane", after Alexander Hamilton asserts that every success he has in his life has come from his writings, which brings him to the decision to write his way out of the Reynolds scandal, fearful that James Madison, Thomas Jefferson or Aaron Burr would out him despite their assurances. This leads directly into "The Reynolds Pamphlet", in which the cast of Act II react to the titular paper. It is seen as a big scandal and the effects of the pamphlet on Alexander's life is shown, particularly Angelica Schuyler shunning Alexander and Jefferson finding comfort in Hamilton's political life being over.
"Congratulations" is featured in the Off-Broadway Production of Hamilton and The Hamilton Mixtape. In this song, Angelica Schuyler shouts at and lectures Alexander, not for his affair, but for publishing the paper and embarrassing her sister and his wife, Eliza Schuyler.
Historical Inaccuracies[]
Most of the events check out in regards to the musical's telling of the real life events. However, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and Aaron Burr are shown to be the ones to call Hamilton out for his financial indiscretions, while in reality James Monroe, Abraham Venable and Frederick Muhlenberg were the ones to call him out. These men are not shown or spoken of in Hamilton.
The events in the play take place during The Adams Administration, however in truth Hamilton was called out in 1792, and Hamilton didn't write the pamphlet until August 1797, which was during John Adams' Administration.
In Hamilton, Alexander Hamilton wrote the pamphlet out of fear of being exposed. However, in reality, he already had been exposed and published the paper in order to defend himself.
Document[]
The entire 95-page is available to read here, and the comparison of the content shown in the musical can be seen below
| The Reynolds Pamphlet | Observations on Certain Documents |
|---|---|
| The charge against me is a connection with one James Reynolds! For purposes of Improper speculation my real crime is an amorous connection with his wife for a considerable time with his knowing consent |
The charge against me is a connection with one James Reynolds for purposes of improper pecuniary speculation. My real crime is an amorous connection with his wife, for a considerable time with his privity and connivance |
| I had frequent meetings with her, most of them at my own house. Mrs. Hamilton with our children being absent on a visit to her father. | After this, I had frequent meetings with her, most of them at my own house; Mrs. Hamilton with her children being absent on a visit to her father. |
Song References[]
- "Alexander Hamilton had a torrid affair and he wrote it down right there!"
- — Aaron Burr/James Madison/Thomas Jefferson, "The Reynolds Pamphlet"
- "You took a rumor a few, maybe two, people knew and refuted it by sharing an affair of which no one has accused you"
- — Angelica Schuyler, "Congratulations"