The man who would be king

"Monarchism in America" is a short book by William B. B. Moody, a self-professed monarchist and member of the quixotic Constantian Society. His book was originally a thesis, put forward already in 1959. It mentions a number of monarchist "plots" (the author's quotation marks) during the American Revolution, including Baron von Steuben's offer to Prince Henry of Prussia to occupy an American throne. The Cincinnati are featured, and so are the quasi-monarchist leanings of Hamilton and Adams. The author believes that these leading Federalists (and perhaps president Washington himself) could have turned monarchists in the event of a political crisis situation, since they were secretly beholden to such a governmental form.

Since the main bulk of this book is based on a half-century old thesis, it's possible that the author's interpretations have been superseded by others. I honestly don't know, not being a scholarly expert on every obscure episode of the American Revolution. But yes, I'm familiar with the allegations against Hamilton being "the man who would be king of America".

The author's favoured candidate for the kingship is George Washington, and in a somewhat tongue-in-cheek diagram, he points out that if Washington had been crowned as king George I, the present ruler of the United States would be one Paul Emery Washington, a descendant of George Washington's brother Samuel. The author even dubs him "Paul I". Imagine that!

"Monarchism in America" is probably not for the general reader, but history buffs might find it of some interest.