The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1884-03-21

tFrom Review Of Parton's Noted Womn ;&
Another woman Of different kind
Peg O'Neal, better known q Mrs. Ea-l
ton, is recalled by Mr.. Parton in : vefy
readable chapter. She was the pretty
and vivacious but not overprudent tav.
ern-keeper's daughter in Washington,
you know, who became the wife Of Gem.
eral Jackson's Secretary of War, and in
whose social behalf the whole power of
the Jackson Administrator has brought
to bear with SO much determination and
with such unusual consequences. The
ladies of Washington made up their
minds with ono accord that Mrs. Eaton
was ON improper and unworthv woman.
and that they would not cali upon her
nor recognize her in any way as the
wife of Cabinet Minister. Cen
eraa Jackson took her part
and became her personal champion, u.s.
ing every means at his command to COM
pei attention and consideration for her.
II have had in my hands, /" says Mr..
Parton, hundreds of pages of manu.
script in General Jackson's writing, all
relating to this affair" He summoned
the propagators of the scandals concern
ing her; he made her case topic of cab-
met discussion he threatened represen-
tatives of foreign government with dis
missal on her account; he sent his own
niece away from the White House be-
cause she refused to second his efforts
in the tabooed woman's favor. But it.
was all futile. General Jackson's will
was strong" Mr.. Parton observes, "but
he discovered on this occasion that wepa-.
ans won't was stronger" In spite Of
oil his fuming and storming,
the ladies resolutely refused to
have any thing to do
with Mrs. Eaton. When she appeared
in cotillon at fashionable ball they
would Immediately retire from it; when
seated next to her at supper they would
quit the table; when brought tete-a-
tete with her in conversation they would
turn their backs upon her. and other
wise manifest their utter dLspproval of
her presence.
1t was this CONTROVERSY oy
Eaton that really contributedm
anything else to General ia
quarrel with Calhoun and DIR,
latter into the notification projec,
cabinet was conv1llsed and brok,
under the same pressure. And it
questionably true that Mr.. Van b,
gained the presidency by siding Wit
jackson in. this matter. Mrs. Eato
does not appear to have been an esrecl.
ally remarkable woman in any way.
She was passably handsome and intelii-
gent, and her father had been
an old friend of General jackson. When
Major Eaton married her she was q
widow, her first husband, purser in
the navy, having committed suicide,
leaving her with two children and very
little fortune. According to the hest
testimony she was not in fact wantor
or n bad woman, but only careles
and indiscreet one. She liked adn,y
ton and social excitement, tsaL
given, We should say, to intfig,.&
calculation, and the ,eirqy
which made her sneIh a prosW
Pally accidental rath- Gllan OIL
choosing or cs.r.mg. 1t is no
less true, however. that she
occasion of more contention and
Political and maneuvering
than any other
woman .he has ever figured L.
American hlstois Soon after the close
of the jackson Administration she vas
again left widow, anu n rich one at i.
that, and she continued to live in
Washington for many years in elegant
style, though she never succeeded inA
overcoming tho old prejudice against
her or in winning tho measure OF social
recognition which General jackson
strove SO hard and perseveringly to Sc
cure for her. Near the close Of her life,
when experience should have saved her
from such folly, she took third hus-
band in the person of worthless
young Italian dancing master, who
squandered her fortune and brought
her in poverty and sorrow to the grave
at the age of eighty-four years.