St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-03-09
WOMEN AT THE WHITE HOUSE.
Peggy O'NeaI-Ihe Woman Who Seriously
Troubled Jackson's Cabinet.

Peggy O'NeaI-The Woman Who Seriously
Troubled Jackson's Cabinet.
Ben, Perley Poore's "reminiscences.
Peggy O'Neal, better known as Mrs. Eaton,
is recalled by Mr.. Parton in very readable
chapter. She was the pretty and vivacious,
but not over prudent, tavern keepers daugh-
ter in Washington, you know, who became
the wife of General Jackson's Secretary of
War, and in whose social behalf the whole
power of the Jackson administration was
brought to bear with so much determination
and with such unusual consequences. The
ladies of Washington made up their minds
with one accord that Mrs. Eaton was an i'm
proper and unworthy woman, and that they
would not call upon her nor recognize her
in any way as the wife of a cabinet minister.
General Jackson took her part and became
her personal champion, using every means
at his command to compel attention and con-
sideration for her. II have had in my
hands, says Mr.. Parton, sshundreds of
pages of manuscript in General Jackson IS
writing, all relating to this affair. He sum
moned the propagators of the scandals con-
corning her; he made her case a topic of
cabinet discussion; he threatened represent
atives of foreign governments with dismiss
al on her account. he sent his own niece
away from the Witt House because she re-
fused to second effort in the tabooed
womans favor. but it was all futile.
General Jackson viii was strong" Mr.
Parton observes, ".IIt he discovered on this
occasion that womaH's won't was stronger"
In spite of all his tuning and stormfng, the
ladies resolutely refused to have anything to
do with Mrs. Eaton. When she appeared in
cotillion 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 otherwise manifest their utter
disapproval Of her presence.
1t was this controversy over Mrs. Eaton
that really contributed more than anything
elseto General Jackson's quarrel with Calhoun
snd drove the latter into the notification
project. The cabinet was conVulsed and
broken up under the same pressure. And it
is unquestionably true that Mr.. Van Buren,
gained the presidency by siding with Jack
son in this matter. Mrs. Eaton does not APP
pear to have been a specially remarkably
woman in any way, she was passably hand
some and intelligent, and her father had
been an old friend of General jackson. When
Major Eaton married her she was widow, her
first husband, pursuer in the navy, having
committed suicide, leaving her with two
children and very little fortune. According
to the best testimony she was not in fact a
wanton or a bad woman, but only careless
and indiscreet one. She liked admiration
and social excitement, but was not given,
we should say to intrigue and calculation and
the circumstance which made such promi-
nent factor in Washington affairs were prin-
cipally accidental rather than OF her own
choosing or causing.
1t is none the less true, however, that she
was the occasion of more contention and
more political maneuvering and animosity
than any other woman who has ever figured
in American history. Soon after the close
of the Jackson administration she was again
left widow, and a rich one at that, and she
continued to live in Washington for many
years in elegant style, though she never sue
ceeded in overcoming the old prejudices
against her or in winning the measure Of
social recognition which General Jackson
strove so hard and perseyeringly to secure
for her. Near the close of her life, when eX
perience should have saved her from such
folly, she took third husband in the per-
son 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