https://open.spotify.com/track/1DLfR4MOfLYbV6v3xrmWa8?si=T7PEWetWSNuhfFzeM6LAjg
[ Alexander Hamilton ] Mr. Vice President Mr. Madison Senator Burr What is this?
[ Thomas Jefferson ] We have the check stubs from separate accounts
[ James Madison ] Almost a thousand dollars, paid in different amounts
[ Aaron Burr ] To a Mr. James Reynolds way back in Seventeen ninety-one
[ Alexander Hamilton ] Is that what you have? Are you done?
[ James Madison ] You are uniquely situated by virtue of your position
[ Thomas Jefferson ] Though virtue is not a word I’d apply to this situation
[ James Madison ] To seek financial gain, to stray from your sacred mission
[ Thomas Jefferson ] And the evidence suggests you’ve engaged in speculation
[ Aaron Burr ] An immigrant embezzling our government funds
[ Thomas Jefferson / James Madison ] I can almost see the headline, your career is done
[ Aaron Burr ] I hope you saved some money for your daughter and sons
[ Aaron Burr / Thomas Jefferson / James Madison ] Ya best g'wan run back where ya come from
[ Alexander Hamilton ] Ha, you don’t even know what you’re asking me to confess
[ Thomas Jefferson / James Madison / Aaron Burr ] Confess
[ Alexander Hamilton ] You have nothing, I don’t have to tell you anything at all Unless
[ Thomas Jefferson / James Madison / Aaron Burr ] Unless
[ Alexander Hamilton ] If I can prove that I never broke the law Do you promise not to tell another soul what you saw?
[ Aaron Burr ] No one else was in the room where it happened
[ Alexander Hamilton ] Is that a yes?
[ Thomas Jefferson / James Madison / Aaron Burr ] Um, yes
[ Aaron Burr ] “Dear Sir, I hope this letter finds you in good health And in a prosperous enough position to put wealth In the pockets of people like me, down on their luck You see, that was my wife who you decided to”
[ Thomas Jefferson ] Whaaaat
[ Alexander Hamilton ] She courted me Escorted me to bed and when she had me in a corner That’s when Reynolds extorted me For a sordid fee I paid him quarterly I may have mortally wounded my prospects But my papers are orderly As you can see I kept a record of every check in my checkered history Check it again against your list and see consistency I never spent a cent that wasn’t mine You sent the dogs after my scent, that’s fine Yes, I have reasons for shame But I have not committed treason and sullied my good name As you can see I have done nothing to provoke legal action Are my answers to your satisfaction?
[ Thomas Jefferson ] My God
[ James Madison ] Gentlemen, let’s go
[ Alexander Hamilton ] So?
[ Thomas Jefferson AND James Madison ] The people won't know what we know
[ Alexander Hamilton ] Burr How do I know you won’t use this against me The next time we go toe to toe?
[ Aaron Burr ] Alexander, rumors only grow And we both know what we know
Three political enemies of Hamilton: Burr, Jefferson, and Madison, find the transactions of Hamilton's blackmail payment to James Reynolds and think he is slandering the government's money. They privately meet with Hamilton and tell him if they cannot find means to compromise, they will expose him. Hamilton was not using the government's funds, but was involved in an affair that could severely damage his reputation. He admits to the men that it was a scandal, not theft, and the men are shocked, but Hamilton does not know if he can trust them to tell the truth or spread to the public that he stole money, something he could not live down.
<aside> ⏪ Previous Track
</aside>
<aside> ⏩ Next Track
</aside>