Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-08-17
The Woman over whom AmdreW Jack.
sons cabinet went to Pieces

| Few people know write: Washington cor.
respondent, that the once famous Mrs Eaton
still lives she who, wife OF General } scksun 3
| secretary Of War raised such q commotion,
nearly half century ago, in Washington So
| ciety. As pretty Peg ie o. Neil, the daughter
| ot country tavern keeper at Bladcnsburg she
won the heart Of purser in the navy MIR. Tim
| berake and after his death married Gen James
| Eaton. Society in those days was decidedly in
a rough, rude STATE and, according IT, vera
cious chronicle the only REQUISITES Tor introduce
toI into the b,s st circles Were "a clean shirt. 3
whole Coat ard congressional friend" bot
disputes characterized social parties, where GEL
| tlomen dashed wine in .ch others faces, ladie-
elias ped their glass IN the palms o. their hands
to hide the quantity Of WHISKY they drank, MnG
members OF Congress, who re neither gentle.
men nor ladies, resorted to isticuif. in tie gold
and lilac halls, and pistols at the Old cross roads.
Not an inviting picture Of the times of our
fathers. but rather necessary to IN understand
ing of the state OF atfaira when this woman WAS
the uncrowned queen Of the nation. After
long but unquieL reign bitter 'alousics were
aroused by her eYactons, and the mine finally
exploded under her feet at Il stale dinner, when
the wife of II foreign minister refused to sit At
table with her, a,d marching with outraged dig
nifty out of the room, she Was oioWed by Il coo!
stare through Mrs Eat )u's eye glasses, and The
satirica compliment, What u fine carrlgc Mad
anne - has
The breach was made; tho battle grew hotter;
the wives OF the Cabinet oticers rei.sed u visi,
her. Mrs. Eat com ylaihed To the President;
he rem JnstraLe! with his Cabinet; a fer quar-.
rel nsued, which resulted in the formatpn Of
the famous Kitchen Cabinet" in which Amos
Kendall Frank Blair. sr.. and other politicians,
holding minor positions Or none at all. welded
an authority superior to that Of the members o!
the Cabinet themselves
Like the blind Samson, the downfall Of the
uua had hni sha at npj at
rcr enemies should be buried with her in the
ruins Her fame and influence Wa:.t down with
the setting sun of Jacks ms administrat Dn and
as her bitterest enemy, Van Buren,, came into
power, her days OF royal sovereignty were gone
forever. She had the grit and audaclty t. visit
that gentleman, however, and deliver to him her
opinion Of his conduct, winding up her TRADE
by shaking her st in his lace and calling him
"a sneaking Old fox, which nickname chung to
him all his ie A ftcr her decline and fall she be-
came religious, devotlng her large fortune t.
cha tiles and her leisure time to the education Of
her adopted grandchildren
handsome young gner-Buchignan By
name-was employed rs dancing mas er IN the
family, aad again Washington rang with Mrs
Eston'a name, tor shea woman past sixty
after brief courtshp, msrrieI dancing m As
ter who lad lust attained his majority In r |
few years ne had 81 isndered all her property |
and t last brought TO ms3lf everlasting dis
grace And t" her eternal sorrow. by robblng her |
of all her jewels and personal property of which |
he could gain pos ession and clipping with her |
granddaughter. SO fell the curtain again on
Iii: ~, scene in her life, and l saw her few |
evenings ago, still !" sprightIy woman with traces
OF former beauty in her face framed by silver
h air. and watching with proud eyes the mimic
scene where her grsndson-who IL her comfort
and support-was acting we'll his part so
goes the world
The President will leave WASHINGTON 90 Fri
day or Saturday for Long Branch, and will be
gone several weeks. ]