Serpent in Eden: Foreign Meddling and Partisan Politics in James Madison's America

Tyson Reeder presents a fascinating history of foreign interventions in American politics from the end of the war for American independence through the end of the War of 1812. Reeder provides a fascinating cast of characters as they wrestled with a fundamental dilemma for a democratic republic: Where does sovereignty reside, in the people or the government? That question invited numerous individuals to meddle in American politics and influence public opinion. Reeder illustrates in dramatic fashion that it was never determined who held the ultimate sovereignty. The significance of his book rests with the fact that, even today, Americans have not yet answered this question, which continues to invite foreign interference in our elections. James Madison understandably garners most of the attention throughout the book, from his part in bringing about the Constitution of the United States in the 1780s to his role as president during the War of 1812. Reeder brings a large cast of the usual suspects in early American political intrigue, including Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and Aaron Burr, along with a host of familiar foreign intermediaries such as Don Diego de Gardoqui, Edmond-Charles Genêt, and Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand. Serpent in Eden also impressively introduces readers to a cast of fascinating little-known characters, including a French con man, Paul-Émile Soubiran; an explorer turned spy, Georges-Henri-Victor Collot; and an embittered British spy, John Henry. Reeder brings these figures into the spotlight and reveals the significant roles they played in the events of the era.