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Q. Did Eliza ever forgive Alexander Hamilton after his affair with Maria Reynolds?A. Over time Eliza and Alexander reconciled and remained married. They had two more children together. Elizabeth forgave him. There were many reasons that made her do so; her loyalty and love for her husband, years of marriage and of course she felt the need to do so to save the political career of Hamilton. Although her actions succeeded with Hamilton’s career surviving the storm, his reputation has tampered for the rest of his life.America’s first ‘hush money’ scandal: Alexander Hamilton’s torrid affair with Maria Reynolds (washingtonpost.com)Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton - WikipediaElizabeth Schuyler Hamilton: A Complete Biography Of Alexander Hamilton’s Wife (most complete)Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton American National BiographyThe protect Maria Reynolds squadAmerica’s first ‘hush money’ scandal: Alexander Hamilton’s torrid affair with Maria Reynolds (washingtonpost.com)(Library of Congress)On Dec. 15, 1792, James Monroe and two other members of Congress stepped through Alexander Hamilton’s door, ready to torpedo the powerful treasury secretary’s career.They did not realize the curtain was about to rise on the nation’s first major political sex scandal.The three men believed they had uncovered a financial scam linking Hamilton to a pair of shabby fraudsters, James Reynolds and Jacob Clingman. Notes in Hamilton’s own handwriting to Reynolds and his wife seemed to back up the allegation. Monroe and the two others — Rep. Frederick Muhlenberg of Pennsylvania and Rep. Abraham B. Venable of Virginia — had already drafted a letter to President George Washington outing the Cabinet member.The house call was only a sign of respect before exposing Hamilton to the long knives of public scorn.As Hamilton would later write, the three politicians “introduced the subject by observing to me that they had discovered a very improper connection between me and a Mr. Reynolds.” The treasury secretary, however, cut them short. They had it wrong, he explained. He was not involved in financial duplicity, but an extramarital affair with Reynolds’s wife, Maria.The woman’s husband knew of the affair, forcing Hamilton — one of the most powerful figures in the fragile republic — to fork over hush money.“Another man might have been brief or elliptical,” Ron Chernow wrote in his 2005 classic biography. “Instead, as if in need of some cathartic cleansing, Hamilton briefed them in agonizing detail. . . . It was as if Hamilton were both exonerating and flagellating himself at once.”Realizing they were dealing with an affair of the heart, not the state, Monroe, Muhlenberg and Venable pledged to stay mum. The letter to Washington went unsent. But the affair would eventually explode into the public domain, marking the first high-profile sex scandal to rock the new nation’s political scene.The scandal not only sank Hamilton’s larger political aspirations and inspired a song in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s blockbuster musical, but the payoffs also prefigure the current headlines.On Sunday, porn star Stormy Daniels will sit down with Anderson Cooper on “60 Minutes.” She is expected to detail not only her alleged affair with President Trump but also efforts on the part of the real estate developer’s team to buy her silence with a $130,000 payment in conjunction with a “nondisclosure agreement.”Hamilton’s “Reynolds Affair,” as it’s known, began in the summer of 1791 when the 23-year-old blond woman, Maria Reynolds, knocked on his door in Philadelphia in desperate need. As Reynolds explained, her husband had abandoned her and she was in need of financial help getting back to New York City. Hamilton, then 36 and by all accounts dashing, offered to bring money to Maria’s home. When he arrived, he was shown into the bedroom.Maria Reynolds - Wikipedia“Some conversation ensued from which it was quickly apparent that other than pecuniary consolation would be acceptable,” Hamilton later wrote.Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton - WikipediaMaria and Hamilton continued to meet, including at Hamilton’s own house when his wife, Eliza, and their children were visiting family in Albany. “It is baffling that Hamilton, having worked to achieve a spotless reputation as treasury secretary, did not see that he was now courting danger and would be susceptible to blackmail,” Chernow says in his book.James Reynolds eventually reappeared on the scene, confronting Hamilton about his relationship with his wife. Initially appearing outraged, the husband then encouraged Hamilton to continue the affair. As Hamilton wrote, he “invites me to renew my visits to his wife.”“Its true its in your power to do a great deal for me, but its out of your power to do any thing that will Restore to me my Happiness again for if you should give me all you possess would not do it,” Reynolds said in a note to Hamilton. “I have this preposial to make to you. give me the Sum Of thousand dollars and I will leve the town.”That sum, $1,000 in hush money, is the equivalent of about $25,000 today.Hamilton paid and continued to make amorous calls on Maria. Her husband continued to hit up the powerful government official for money after the encounters, $30 or $40 sums Reynolds cast as loans. He even gave Hamilton receipts. According to Chernow, both Maria and her husband were probably working together on the extortion plot.By the summer of 1792, Hamilton cut off the affair. But that November, Reynolds found himself in a Philadelphia jail cell. Along with a partner, Jacob Clingman, he was charged with defrauding the U.S. government. The two men were accused of posing as the executors of a Revolutionary War veteran to claim $400 in back pay due to him.While free on bail, Clingman tried to secure the help of his former employer, Muhlenberg. The accused scammer sparked the politician’s curiosity.Muhlenberg wrote later: “Clingman, unasked, frequently dropped hints to me that Reynolds had it in his power, very materially, to injure the secretary of the treasury and that Reynolds knew several very improper transactions of his.”Muhlenberg brought this information to Monroe and Venable. The trio interviewed both Maria and her husband about the connection with Hamilton. The couple declined to give specifics on their relationship with the treasury secretary, but Maria provided the politicians with letters between her husband and Hamilton. She claimed she had burned many others.The three men were convinced Reynolds was involved in some official misconduct with Hamilton. Free on bail, Reynolds fled — further confirming their suspicions. On Dec. 15, they decided to confront the Cabinet official.Hamilton instead shocked Monroe, Muhlenberg and Venable with his story about the affair. He showed — and allowed them to copy — letters from both Maria and James Reynolds as evidence.“The small delegation seemed satisfied with Hamilton’s chronicle, if not a little flustered by the awkward situation,” Chernow wrote. “They apologized for having invaded his privacy.”They also pledged to keep the matter private. Maria Reynolds eventually sued her husband for a divorce. The attorney she hired to represent her was Aaron Burr.The affair eventually went public in 1797 as part of a complex political chess match between Hamilton and his enemies in Thomas Jefferson’s Republican Party.That year, a pro-Jefferson writer named James Callender published a series of pamphlets, “The History of the United States for 1796.” The text revived accusations that Hamilton, now out of the Cabinet, had engaged in official misconduct with Reynolds and Clingman.As proof, Callender published the same letters Hamilton had shown Monroe, Muhlenberg and Venable in 1792. The pamphlet suggested the romance between Maria and Hamilton was a cover story for shady financial dealings.Hamilton was in a tight spot. Five years earlier, cornered with the allegations by Monroe and the others, he had opted for disarming honesty. Now, with the Reynolds affair again circulating, he did the same on the public stage with a preemptive strike that would allow him, as the phrase now goes, to put his own spin on everything.Hamilton published a 95-page pamphlet. For 37 pages, he confessed and outlined the affair and extortion; the remaining 58 pages were supplemental letters and affidavits proving his case.Lin-Manuel Miranda appears at the curtain call following the opening night performance of “Hamilton” at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in New York in August 2015. (Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)The song, “The Reynolds Pamphlet” in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical opens with Jefferson, Madison and Angelica Schuyler (Hamilton’s sister-in-law) exclaiming “Have you read this?” Founders Online “Reynolds Pamphlet”, 1797Aaron Burr, Jefferson and Madison then describe the horror revealed: “Alexander Hamilton had a torrid affair. And he wrote it down right there.”The pamphlet’s actual words are something less than “torrid”-sounding to modern eyes.“The charge against me is a connection with one James Reynolds for purposes of improper pecuniary speculation,” Hamilton wrote. “My real crime is an amorous connection with his wife, for a considerable time with his privity and connivance, if not originally brought on by a combination between the husband and wife with the design to extort money from me.”The confession may have cleared Hamilton of official misconduct, but it also smeared his name and embarrassed his family. Both Hamilton and his wife, Eliza, believed that James Monroe — a close friend of Hamilton’s archrival Thomas Jefferson — had provided the letters to Callender.Hamilton eventually confronted Monroe at his home in New York.“I will meet you like a gentleman,” Hamilton said, using the language of a duel.“I am ready, get your pistols,” Monroe shot back.The two were eventually talked down from a violent confrontation. The man responsible for defusing Hamilton’s anger was none other than Aaron Burr, the New York senator who would later kill Hamilton in his own duel in 1804.Alexander Hamilton's Death: Suicide or Lost ShotKyle Swenson is a reporter with The Washington Post's Morning Mix team. He previously worked at the New Times Broward-Palm Beach and Cleveland Scene. Follow @kyletalkingElizabeth Schuyler Hamilton - WikipediaEliza was at the time pregnant with their sixth child. Despite her advanced pregnancy and her previous miscarriage of November 1794, her initial reaction to her husband's disclosure of his past affair was to leave Hamilton in New York and join her parents in Albany where William Stephen was born on August 4, 1797. She only came back to her marital house in New York in early September 1797 because the local doctor had been unable to cure their eldest son Philip, who had accompanied her to Albany and contracted typhus.Over time Eliza and Alexander reconciled and remained married, and had two more children together. Only two years later, in July 1804, Alexander Hamilton became involved in a similar "affair of honor," which led to his infamous duel with Aaron Burr and untimely death.Eliza defended Alexander against his critics in a variety of ways following his death, including by supporting his claim of authorship of George Washington's Farewell Address and by requesting an apology from James Monroe over his accusations of financial improprieties.Elizabeth Hamilton petitions Congress to publish her husband Alexander Hamilton's writings (1846). Eliza remained dedicated to preserving her husband's legacy. She re-organized all of Alexander's letters, papers, and writings with the help of her son, John Church Hamilton, and persevered through many setbacks in getting his biography published. She was so devoted to Alexander's writings that she wore a small package around her neck containing the pieces of a sonnet which Alexander wrote for her during the early days of their courtship.Elizabeth Schuyler Hamiltonby Jenny L. Presnell American National BiographyHamilton, Elizabeth Schuyler (9 Aug. 1757-9 Nov. 1854), statesman's wife and charity worker, was born in Albany, New York, the second daughter of Philip Schuyler, a revolutionary war general, and Catherine Van Rensselaer Schuyler. Schooled at home, her early years were typical of most young women of colonial, aristocratic families. At the age of twenty-two, she met Alexander Hamilton, a dashing aide-de-camp of General George Washington, at the home of Gertrude Cochran, her aunt, wife of John Cochran. For Elizabeth it was love at first sight, a love that remained strong through the many scandals ahead. Accepted into the Schuyler family despite his illegitimate birth and lack of wealth or social standing, Alexander Hamilton held political beliefs similar to those of his future father-in-law. Both supported a strong centralized government and General Washington. Both had been soldiers as well as members of his military staff. The entire Schuyler family revered Alexander as a young political genius. As for Alexander, it is possible that he considered marrying Elizabeth for her family's money and status, for the Schuylers were one of the most influential families in the state of New York. Yet, his true love seemed evident in their courtship correspondence, which was intimate and childlike. Believing his sincerity, Elizabeth, with no formal education, became interested in military and political affairs, and Alexander even discussed Benedict Arnold's treason with her. In many of his letters Alexander also expressed his worry about his poverty and ability to provide for his future wife. The pair were finally married on 14 December, 1780; he was just shy of the age of twenty-four, and she was twenty-three.The Hamiltons' marriage was both blessed with many children and fraught with scandal and credit problems. Elizabeth bore eight children between the years 1782 and 1802, miscarrying at least once. Ironically, her eldest son Philip, aged nineteen, was killed in a duel by an associate of Aaron Burr. After Philip's untimely death, her eldest daughter, Angelica, named after Elizabeth's sister, went insane. Six months later, Elizabeth bore her last child, also naming him Philip. Alexander adored children, both his own and Fanny Antil, a daughter of a fellow revolutionary war veteran, whom Alexander adopted. Elizabeth's frequent pregnancies often prevented her attendance at social functions at which Alexander was accompanied often by Elizabeth's eldest sister, Angelica. Both of the Hamiltons adored Angelica, but Alexander's affection appeared to exceed mere brotherly sentiment. It is unclear if this attraction actually turned into an affair. Alexander believed that his marriage vows to Elizabeth were unbreakable promises, but between 1791 and 1792 Alexander did have an affair with Maria Reynolds. Elizabeth and the children spent summers in Albany, New York, away from the disease-ridden summers of urban Philadelphia, leaving Hamilton alone. Maria claimed to be an abandoned relative of several prominent New York families, and Hamilton's pity for her plight resulted in a liaison. Probably entrapped by Reynolds's husband, James, Alexander publicly confessed the affair by publishing his personal account. Elizabeth forgave him; if she had not, his career and reputation would have been irrevocably ruined.Despite Alexander's actual and rumored affairs, the Hamiltons' personal relationship was one of mutual respect. Elizabeth accepted his flirtatiousness. Alexander continued to solicit her advice on political and family matters, as he had early in their courtship. Before their marriage, he had trusted his wife to negotiate the purchase of a house. Throughout their married life, he often read selections of his writings to her, seeking her opinion and approval. She listened to his early drafts of Washington's "Farewell Address" and excerpts from the Federalist Papers. She probably copied some of the Federalist Papers for Alexander to distribute.Never idyllic, the Hamiltons' marriage was hampered by incessant credit problems. Alexander resigned from military service and qualified for the bar in 1782. From 1789 to 1795, he worked for the fledgling American government as the first secretary of the treasury and as a member of President Washington's cabinet. He resigned in 1795 and returned to his New York City law practice. The Hamiltons struggled financially, never accepting assistance from General Schuyler, with the exception of food and goods from Schuyler's estate. With credit already stretched, Alexander bought fifteen acres in Harlem Heights, New York, to build his own estate, "The Grange," named after his ancestral home in Scotland.Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton: A Complete Biography Of Alexander Hamilton’s WifeTragically, Elizabeth's life changed dramatically in 1804 with the deaths of both her husband and father. Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton had quarreled over Hamilton's alleged personal slurs against Burr's reputation and political aspirations, and Burr challenged Hamilton to a duel, which took place on 11 July 1804. Told he was just having spasms to prevent her hysterics, Elizabeth rushed to the mortally wounded Alexander. He left Elizabeth and his family virtually destitute.Left to pay her husband's debts and raise their children (the youngest was two), Elizabeth relied on the help of friends and family. The death of her father four months after her husband's provided her with some financial relief through her inheritance of property and money. She was able to repurchase The Grange, which had been sold at public auction. She also petitioned the government for her husband's army pension that he had waived. Not granted until 1837 through a special act of Congress, her petition provided her with $30,000 and included land.Even though Elizabeth spent her widowhood in poverty, she was active in charitable organizations. She held positions in the New York Orphan Asylum Society and founded orphanages in New York City and Washington, D.C. She was known to take homeless children into her own home. To establish her husband's political legacy and repair his reputation, she spent nearly fifty years after his death collecting and preserving his papers and letters. She corresponded with and visited the leading Federalists to collect papers and other information concerning her husband. Ironically, none of her correspondence to Alexander survived, although she did save his letters to her.Throughout her life Elizabeth Hamilton staunchly defended her husband against his critics, maintaining his authorship of Washington's "Farewell Address" and refusing to acknowledge his responsibility in the duel and sexual scandals of his life. James Monroe had accused Alexander of financial irregularities during the Reynolds affair. Steadfast until the end, Elizabeth demanded a complete apology, which Monroe would not give, but before her death he visited Elizabeth to reconcile their differences concerning her husband's reputation. Alexander Hamilton's papers were not published until 1850-1851 by his son, John Church Hamilton, and after the U.S. government had purchased them in 1849. Elizabeth lived her final years in Washington, D.C., with her daughter Eliza Hamilton Holly. She was buried with her husband in the graveyard of Trinity Church in New York City.Bibliography: Most of the information on Elizabeth Hamilton must be gleaned from biographies written about her husband. Broadus Mitchell has written widely on Hamilton, including Alexander Hamilton (2 vols., 1957-1962). Allan McLane Hamilton, the grandson of Alexander and the son of Philip, the youngest child, has selected and compiled many letters and other documents written by Hamilton in The Intimate Life of Alexander Hamilton (1910). His narrative is one of the more comprehensive for information on Elizabeth. Other useful biographies include Forrest McDonald, Alexander Hamilton: A Biography (1979); Robert A. Hendrickson, The Rise and Fall of Alexander Hamilton (1981); Noemie Emery, Alexander Hamilton: An Intimate Portrait (1982); and Jacob Ernest Cooke, Alexander Hamilton (1982). For the later years of her life and charity work, see George W. Bethune, Memoirs of Mrs. Joanna Bethune (1863).Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton PoemThe protect Maria Reynolds squad