Hamilton–Reynolds affair
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The Hamilton–Reynolds affair was the first major
sex scandal Public scandals involving allegations or information about possibly immoral sexual activities are often associated with the sexual affairs of film stars, politicians, famous athletes, or others in the public eye. Sex scandals receive attention ...
in
American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...
political history. It involved
Secretary of the Treasury The United States secretary of the treasury is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, and is the chief financial officer of the federal government of the United States. The secretary of the treasury serves as the principal a ...
Alexander Hamilton Alexander Hamilton (January 11, 1755 or 1757July 12, 1804) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first United States secretary of the treasury from 1789 to 1795. Born out of wedlock in Charlest ...
, who conducted an affair with
Maria Reynolds Maria Reynolds (née Lewis; March 30, 1768 – March 25, 1828) was the wife of James Reynolds, and was Alexander Hamilton's mistress between 1791 and 1792. She became the object of much scrutiny after the release of the Reynolds Pamphlet and cen ...
from 1791 to 1792, during the presidency of
George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...
. When he discovered the affair, Reynolds' husband, James Reynolds, subsequently blackmailed Hamilton over the affair, who paid him over $1,300; about a third of his annual income, to maintain the secrecy. In 1797, Hamilton publicly admitted to the affair after his political enemies attacked and accused him of financial corruption during his time as the Treasury Secretary. Hamilton responded by writing, "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."


Background

In the summer of 1791, 23-year-old Maria Reynolds allegedly approached the married 34-year-old Alexander Hamilton in
Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
to request his help and financial aid by claiming that her husband, James, had abandoned her. Hamilton did not have any money on his person and so he retrieved her address to deliver the funds in person. Once Hamilton arrived at the boarding house at which Maria was lodging, she brought him upstairs and led him into her bedroom. He later recounted, "I took the bill out of my pocket and gave it to her. Some conversation ensued from which it was quickly apparent that other than pecuniary consolation would be acceptable." The two began an illicit affair that would last, with varying frequency, until approximately June 1792. Over the course of those months, while the affair took place, James Reynolds was well aware of his wife's unfaithfulness. He continually supported their relationship to gain regular blackmail money from Hamilton. In the ''Reynolds Pamphlet'', Hamilton goes as far as to argue that James Reynolds, along with his wife, had conspired the scheme to "extort money from me." The common practice in the day was for the wronged husband to seek retribution in a pistol
duel A duel is an arranged engagement in combat between two people, with matched weapons, in accordance with agreed-upon Code duello, rules. During the 17th and 18th centuries (and earlier), duels were mostly single combats fought with swords (the r ...
, but Reynolds, realizing how much Hamilton had to lose if the activity came into public view, insisted on monetary compensation instead. After Hamilton had shown unequivocal signs that he wanted to end the affair in autumn 1791, Hamilton received two letters on December 15, 1791, one each from Mrs. and Mr. Reynolds.Schachner, Alexander Hamilton, 1946, pp. 366-369 The first letter, from Maria, warned of her husband's knowledge and of James' attempting to
blackmail Blackmail is an act of coercion using the threat of revealing or publicizing either substantially true or false information about a person or people unless certain demands are met. It is often damaging information, and it may be revealed to fa ...
Hamilton. By then, Hamilton discontinued the affair and briefly ceased to visit, but both James and Maria were apparently involved in the blackmailing scheme, as both sent letters inviting Hamilton to continue his visits. After extorting $1000 in exchange for secrecy over Hamilton's adultery, James Reynolds rethought his request for Hamilton to cease his relationship with Maria and wrote inviting him to renew his visits "as a friend," only to extort forced "loans" after each visit, which the most-likely-colluding Maria solicited with her letters. By May 2, 1792, James changed his mind again and requested for Hamilton to stop seeing his wife but not before James had received additional payment. In the end, the blackmail payments totaled over $1,300 including the initial extortion (). Hamilton had possibly become aware of both Reynoldses being involved in the blackmail and both welcomed and strictly complied with James' request to end the affair. The historian
Tilar J. Mazzeo Tilar J. Mazzeo is an American-Canadian cultural historian, wine writer, and author of several bestselling works of narrative nonfiction. She was the Clara C. Piper Associate Professor of English at Colby College in Maine from 2004-2019. she is P ...
has advanced a theory that the affair never happened. Outside of the Reynolds Pamphlet, there is no evidence that the affair actually occurred. Others connected with the scandal, from
James Monroe James Monroe ( ; April 28, 1758July 4, 1831) was an American statesman, lawyer, diplomat, and Founding Father who served as the fifth president of the United States from 1817 to 1825. A member of the Democratic-Republican Party, Monroe was ...
, who held the papers relating to James Reynolds, to Maria Reynolds herself, said that it was a coverup for a financial scandal. Hamilton never produced the manuscript copies of Maria's letters, but both the newspapers and Maria suggested obtaining a handwriting sample. Hamilton said that they had been placed with a friend, who claimed that he had never seen them, which suggests that the letters may have been forged. The newspaper writers also pointed out that Maria's letters correctly spell long, complex words but sometimes misspelled simple words in a way that made no phonetic sense. As the
Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from 18 ...
biographer
Julian P. Boyd Julian Parks Boyd, (1903–28 May 1980), was an American professor who was Professor of history at Princeton University. He served as president of the American Historical Association in 1964. For his efforts in preserving the site of the Battle ...
stated, the letters could resemble what an educated man believed an uneducated woman's love letters to look like. A Hamilton biographer also stated that the letters look like the letters between Alexander and his wife, Eliza, which could explain why Eliza burned her letters.


Scandal

In November 1792, after James Reynolds was jailed for participation in a scheme involving unpaid back wages intended for Revolutionary War veterans, he used his own knowledge about Hamilton's sex affair to bargain his way out of his own troubles. Reynolds knew that Hamilton would have to choose between revealing his affair with Maria or falsely admitting complicity to the charges.
James Monroe James Monroe ( ; April 28, 1758July 4, 1831) was an American statesman, lawyer, diplomat, and Founding Father who served as the fifth president of the United States from 1817 to 1825. A member of the Democratic-Republican Party, Monroe was ...
, Abraham Venable, and
Frederick Muhlenberg Frederick Augustus Conrad Muhlenberg (; January 1, 1750 – June 4, 1801) was an American minister and politician who was the first Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and the first Dean of the United States House of Represent ...
were the first men to hear of this possible corruption within the nation's new government, and on December 15, 1792, they decided to confront Hamilton personally with the information that 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 the Reynoldses in all of its unsavory details. He turned over the letters from both of them. 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, sent the letters to his close personal friend,
Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from 18 ...
. 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. Also in 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 the journalist
James Thomson Callender James Thomson Callender (1758 – July 17, 1803) was a political pamphleteer and journalist whose writing was controversial in his native Scotland and later, also in the United States. His revelations concerning George Washington, Alexander Hamilto ...
. Included were copies of the documents that 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 Aaron Burr Jr. (February 6, 1756 – September 14, 1836) was an American politician and lawyer who served as the third vice president of the United States from 1801 to 1805. Burr's legacy is defined by his famous personal conflict with Alexand ...
, who years later would ironically challenge and kill Hamilton in a duel. After writing a first draft in July 1797, on August 25, Hamilton responded to Callender's revelations by printing his own 95-page pamphlet, ''Observations on Certain Documents'', later known as the "Reynolds Pamphlet," in which he denied all charges of corruption. However, he openly admitted his relationship with Maria Reynolds and apologized for it. While his candor was admired, the affair severely damaged his reputation. While Hamilton's admitted affair served to confirm rival Jefferson's conviction that he was untrustworthy, it did nothing to change Washington's opinion of him, who still held him in "very high esteem" and still viewed him as the dominant force in establishing the federal law and government.


In popular culture

This early sex scandal in American history has received multiple fictional portrayals.


Theater and film

*A stage play, ''
Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: People * Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname ** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland ** Lord Hamilt ...
'', ran on
Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
in 1917, was co-written by
George Arliss George Arliss (born Augustus George Andrews; 10 April 1868 – 5 February 1946) was an English actor, author, playwright, and filmmaker who found success in the United States. He was the first British actor to win an Academy Award – which he ...
, who also played the title role.
Jeanne Eagels Jeanne Eagels (born Eugenia Eagles; June 26, 1890 – October 3, 1929) was an American stage and film actress. A former Ziegfeld Girl, Eagels went on to greater fame on Broadway and in the emerging medium of sound films. She was posthumously no ...
portrayed Maria Reynolds and
Pell Trenton Pell Trenton (born William T. Baker; August 29, 1883 – March 3, 1924) was an actor in theater and Hollywood films during the silent film era. He was popular and had leading roles. Background Pell Trenton was born August 29, 1883, in New Y ...
played James Reynolds. *The biographical film ''
Alexander Hamilton Alexander Hamilton (January 11, 1755 or 1757July 12, 1804) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first United States secretary of the treasury from 1789 to 1795. Born out of wedlock in Charlest ...
'', based upon the 1917 play, was released in 1931, with George Arliss reprising his role.
June Collyer June Collyer (born Dorothea Heermance, August 19, 1906 – March 16, 1968) was an American film actress of the 1920s and 1930s. Early life Born in New York City, Collyer chose to use her mother's maiden name when she decided to pursue acti ...
portrayed Maria Reynolds and
Ralf Harolde Ralf Harolde (born Ralph Harold Wigger, May 17, 1899 – November 11, 1974) was an American character actor who often played gangsters. Between 1920 and 1963, he appeared in 99 films, including '' Smart Money'' with Edward G. Robinson and ...
portrayed James Reynolds. *In the 2015 musical ''
Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: People * Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname ** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland ** Lord Hamilt ...
'', written by
Lin-Manuel Miranda Lin-Manuel Miranda (; born January 16, 1980) is an American songwriter, actor, playwright and filmmaker. He is known for creating the Broadway musicals ''Hamilton'' (2015) and ''In the Heights'' (2005), and the soundtracks for the Disney animate ...
(who also debuted the title role), the Reynolds affair is a key moment in the Second Act. It figures into the following songs: **" Say No to This", in which the affair begins. **"We Know", in which Hamilton is confronted by Burr, Jefferson, and
James Madison James Madison Jr. (March 16, 1751June 28, 1836) was an American statesman, diplomat, and Founding Father. He served as the fourth president of the United States from 1809 to 1817. Madison is hailed as the "Father of the Constitution" for hi ...
. **"Hurricane", in which Hamilton decides to write the Reynolds Pamphlet. **"
The Reynolds Pamphlet ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
", in which Hamilton is humiliated by Burr, Jefferson and Madison as his affair is revealed. **"
Burn A burn is an injury to skin, or other tissues, caused by heat, cold, electricity, chemicals, friction, or ultraviolet radiation (like sunburn). Most burns are due to heat from hot liquids (called scalding), solids, or fire. Burns occur mainl ...
", which depicts Hamilton's wife,
Eliza ELIZA is an early natural language processing computer program created from 1964 to 1966 at the MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory by Joseph Weizenbaum. Created to demonstrate the superficiality of communication between humans and machines, E ...
, burning all of her letters to him in response to the Pamphlet's publication, the events the Pamphlet describes and then suggesting that Hamilton himself "burn." *On July 3rd, 2020,
Disney+ The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and interest of an audience or gives pleasure and deligh ...
released the film ''
Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: People * Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname ** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland ** Lord Hamilt ...
'', an authorized film of the Broadway stage production, with Miranda playing Hamilton,
Jasmine Cephas Jones Jasmine Cephas Jones (born July 21, 1989) is an American-British actress, singer, and producer, who originated the dual roles of Peggy Schuyler and Maria Reynolds in the Broadway stage musical ''Hamilton''. In 2020, Cephas Jones won a Primetime ...
playing Maria Reynolds, and Sydney-James Harcourt playing James Reynolds. All three actors were part of the Original Broadway Cast.


Literature

*''Scandalmonger'' (2000), by
William Safire William Lewis Safire (; Safir; December 17, 1929 – September 27, 2009Safire, William (1986). ''Take My Word for It: More on Language.'' Times Books. . p. 185.) was an American author, columnist, journalist, and presidential speechwriter. He w ...
. *''
The Whiskey Rebels ''The Whiskey Rebels'' is a 2008 historical novel by American writer David Liss, inspired by events in the early history of the United States. According to Liss (from the 'Historical Note' following the novel), "This novel, in many respects, deta ...
'' (2008), by
David Liss David Liss (born March 16, 1966) is an American writer of novels, essays and short fiction; more recently working also in comic books. He was born in New Jersey and grew up in South Florida. Liss received his BA degree from Syracuse University ...
. *''The Hamilton Affair'' (2016), by
Elizabeth Cobbs Elizabeth Cobbs is an American historian, commentator, and author of eight books including three novels, a two-volume textbook, and four non-fiction works. She holds the Melbern Glasscock Chair in American History at Texas A&M University. She ...
. *''I, Eliza Hamilton'' (2017), by Susan Holloway Scott. *''My Dear Hamilton'' (2018), by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie. *''Eliza Hamilton: The Extraordinary Life and Times of the Wife of Alexander Hamilton'' (2018), by
Tilar J. Mazzeo Tilar J. Mazzeo is an American-Canadian cultural historian, wine writer, and author of several bestselling works of narrative nonfiction. She was the Clara C. Piper Associate Professor of English at Colby College in Maine from 2004-2019. she is P ...
.


Television

*'' George Washington II: The Forging of a Nation'', a 1986 television miniseries, includes the events of the affair.
Richard Bekins Richard Bekins (born July 17, 1954) is an American actor in theater, film, and television. One of his earliest roles was as Jamie Frame in the daytime soap opera '' Another World'' (1979–1983). He has made numerous guest appearances on tele ...
portrayed Hamilton, with
Lise Hilboldt Lise Hilboldt (born January 7, 1954) is an American actress. She had a leading role in the romantic comedy film ''Sweet Liberty'' (1986), co-starring with writer-director Alan Alda and Michael Caine, and was featured in ''Noon Wine'' (1985). Car ...
portraying Maria Reynolds.


References


Sources

* * * *Mazzeo, Tilar (2018). ''Eliza Hamilton.'' New York: Simon and Schuster. *


Further reading

* Cerniglia, Keith A. "An Indelicate Amor: Alexander Hamilton and the First American Political Sex Scandal," Master's Thesis, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, 2002. * * Cogan, Jacob Katz. "The Reynolds Affair and the Politics of Character." ''Journal of the Early Republic'' 16, no. 3 (1996): 389–417,


External links


Letters of James Monroe regarding the Reynolds affair in 1792 and other related archivesOriginal Draft of The Reynolds PamphletPrinted Version of the “Reynolds Pamphlet”, 1797
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hamilton-Reynolds American fraudsters History of New York City Alexander Hamilton Federal political sex scandals in the United States 1791 in the United States 1791 crimes in the United States