Richard Harrison considers Hamilton’s written advocacy skills as exemplified in The Reynolds Pamphlet
Alexander Hamilton was a soldier, a politician and, notably, a lawyer. Articles in this series, inspired by Lin-Manuel Miranda’s eponymous hip-hop musical, have already touched on his negotiating skills (‘The Room Where It Happens’), his advocacy in the many essays he wrote as part of The Federalist Papers on behalf of his adopted client, the new US constitution (‘Hamilton for lawyers’, 167 NLJ 7761, p22), and the way in which his ‘Ten Duel Commandments’ can form the basis for a theory of litigation (‘Hamilton for lawyers #2’, NLJ 23 February 2018, p22).
However, his most notable piece of written advocacy, and one he deployed entirely in his own interests, is found in the work entitled Observations on certain documents contained in no. V & VI of “The History of the United States for the Year 1796,” in which the charge of speculation against Alexander Hamilton, late secretary of the Treasury, is fully refuted. Written by himself. Or, more briefly and famously, and providing the title for a song: The Reynolds
