Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1879-11-27

ended with the conclusion with which he
began, that Mrs. Eaton was q much injured
women. The President held to his opinion
that Mrs. Eaton was, to uso his own words,
''as chastc as virgin" and the Presden-
tial family ceased to attend tho church of
Mr.. Campbell, By whom DR.. Ely had boon
invited to intervene. President Jackson had
an iron will, but that of the women of
Washington rovedlequalIy Grm. A few
ofIioe-seekers called on Mrs. Eaton, but
Mrs. Calhoun, Mrs. Berrien and even Mrs.
Donaldson, wfo of tho Presidents nephew
and private secretary, would not do so. Tho
latter lost his position for six months on
this account. Martin Van Buren, Secretary
of State, was wdowcr without daughters,
and could therefore afford to bo polite. He
called upon Mrs. Eaton and made parties
for her, but he could not compel lis COL
Leagues and the foreign Ministers with
wives to do tho same. Mr., Vaughan, tho
British Minister, gave ball, ct which Mrs.
Eaton was present Almost every cotllon
which she attempted to join was broken up.
Her host conducted her to tho supper table,
and mono of tho Indies appeared to know
she was present. At the Russian Minister'S
ball the wife of the Dutch Minister, sorely
against her will, was taken to supper by
Maj. Eaton. On arriving at tho table she
found Mrs Eaton sitting at tho head with
on empty chair beside her intended for tho
Dutch lady. Thcrcupon the high spirited
Batavian declined to take supper, and left
the room with her husband. The President
was so angry OF this that he threatened to
procure the Minister'S recall. At dinner
party at tho White House, she was placed
next to the President, but on returning to
the drawing room she was cut all the same.
The Cabinet was soon after dissolved,
largely through the want of harmony
which Mrs. Eaton's doubtful status created.
Mr. Van Burcn owed his domination for
President to Gen. Jackson, and there is
little doubt that his strongest claim to the
friendship of Gen. Jackson was his cordial
recognition of and marked attention to Mrs.
Eaton. Gen Jackson was in position to
name his successor, and letter written by
Daniel Webster, in 1880, to u personal
friend says: "NIr. Van Buren has evidently,
at this moment, quite the lead in influence
and Importance. He controls all the pages
on the back stairs, and auttcrs what seems
to be at present the Aaron's scrpeut among
the Presidents desircs-.-a settled purpose
of making out the lady, of whom so much
has been said, person OF reputation. 1t
is odd enough, but too evident to be
doubted, that the consequence of this dis.
pute in the sociul and fashionable world is
producing great political effects, and may
very probably determine who shall be the
successor to tho present Chief Magistrate"
Maj Eaton was promoted to the rank of
General, and appointed Governor of Florida.
Mrs. Eaton enjoyed her life iu tho Land of
Flowers; it was quiet, refreshing episode.
On the expiration of his torn of office in
Florida, Gen. Eaton was appointed Minis
ter to Spain, an Office which filled for
thirteen years. Of all the periods of her
ovcntful career, probably Mrs. Eaton's life
abroad was most brilliant. All her life sho
looked back to it and spoke of it with pride
and pleasure, and in momory atil lived in
her "Chutcau en- Espague." She was
greatly admired, and her sociai conoucsts
arc among the brilliant traditions of Mad
drid. Mrs. Eaton always stoko of her life
abroad as being very delightful With
husband loving and indulgent, with her
children with her, in affluent circumstances,
and position Of honor, she had the essen
tiaI elements Of happiness. She describes
dinner party given by the Queen of Spain
to Gen. Espartero, just after he had won a
battle for the Spanish arms and was in high
favor at Court. 1t was on this occasion
that Mrs Eaton was first formerly received
in the palace. A Spanish Court dinner
was loDgthy and laborious ceremony, and
Mrs. Eaton, not feeling very strong at that
time, was somewhat reluctant to go. 81
kept on hoping that my dress would not
come from Paris" she says, "but it did
come, beautiful palo blue velvet, and it
was madc SO small that could only wear
!. by tho old fashion of fastening my corset
lace to tho bed post and walking away from
it," This fent of physical self torture
would hardly be worth recording but for the
fact that later in tho day, 10 consequence
Of tho tight lacing, she tainted away and
had to leavo tho dinner table. 1t was an
innovation. No one else had ever been
is,a known to faint away at royal dinner party.
Tho barriers of Spanish etiquette had never
been so far carried away as to allow any
one to leave the table bofore the Queen rose.
'lt cannot bo done," said tho ladies in
waiting, "such thing was never heard off,"
"But it must be donc," said Gen. Eaton,
"my wife is i'll, and must 20 homo" And
ho himself spoke to the Queen, and was
granted permission to retro. Once again
that eventtul day Spanish Court etiquette
was shaken to its foundations, and this
time it was Gen. Eaton who achieved that
result. AS they wcro making tho grand
tour Of the rooms the crmino mantle worn
by the Queen slipped from her shoulders
and fell to tho floor. There it lay. No
ona ntfen,ntcd fo ,iok II ~ Tho oa..:I