The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1884-02-28
woMEN rrHE WHITE HOUSE.
Peggy 0.NeaI-The woman Who Serious
IL Troubled Jacksonss Cabinet.

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u Troubled JacksoAas Cabinet.
Peggy O'Neal, better known as Mrs.
Eaton, Is recalled by Mr. Parton, in q
very readable chapter. She was the
pretty and viyacious, but not over-pru
dent. tavern-keeper's daughter in Wash
ington. You know who became the wife
of Gt neral Jsckson's secretary of war,
and in WHOSE social behalf the whole
power of the jackson administration
was brought 10 bear with so much de-
termination and with such unusual con-
sequences. The ladies of Washington
made up their minds with one accord
thai Mrs. Eaton was an improper and
unworthy woman. and they would not
call upon her nor recognize her in any
way as the wife of cabinet minister.
General jackson took her part and be-
came her personal champion, using
every means at his command to cempel
attention and consideration for her. II
have had in my hands, :" says Mr. Parton,
Hundreds of pages of manuscripts in
General Jackson's writing. all relative
to this affair" He summoned the pro.
pagator of tie scandals Concerning her;
he made her case topic of cabinet dis
cussIon; he threatened representatives
of foreign COVE rnment with dismissal on
her account; he sent his own niece away
from the White House because she re-
fused To second his efforls In the taboo
ed wonan's favor. But II was all futile.
General Jackson's will was strong"
Mr. Parton observes, shut he discovered
on this occasion that woman's wont was
stronger" Ia spite of all his Tuning
and stoI mings, the ladies' resolutely re-
fused to have anything to do with Mrs.
Eaton. When she appeared In cotll-
Ion at fashionable ball. they would lm-
mediaIely retire from it; when seSted
next to her at supper, they would quit
the table; whtn broug hit tete-a-t te with
her in conversation, they would turn
their backs upon her and otherwise
| manifest their utter disapproval of heI
| pI essence.
| 1t was this gontr1ve rsy over Ms Ea-
| ton that really contributed more than
anything else to General Jackson's guar
rel with Calhoun and drove the latter
into The notification project The cab
| met was convulsed ana broken up undeI
| the same pressure. And it IS unques
/ tionably true that Mr.. Van Buren, gained
| the presidency by siding with Jack
| son 10 this matter. Mrs Eaton does
not appear to have been specially re
maIkable woman in any way. She wa'
| passably handsome and intelligent, anC
her father had been an old friend of Gen
eral Jackson. Whtn Major Eaton mar
RED her she was a widow, he
first husband, purser in thu
navy, having committed suicide
| leaving her with two children
and very little fortune. According Il
the best t. stimony she was not in TACT
wanton or a bad woman, but only care
less and lndiscrete one. She liked ad
miration and social excitement, but wa
not given, we should say, to intrigue
and calculation, and the circumstance;
which made her such prominent fea-
ture in Washington affairs wer'
principally accidental rather than o
her own choosing or causing. 1t Is nom
the less tue, however, that she was tn
occasion of more contention and NOR
political manpuvering and animosltl
than any other woman who has eve
figured IN American history. Soon atte
the close of the jackson administration
aud rich one at that
and she continued to live in Washington
for many years in elegant style, thougl
| she never succeeded in overcoming tn
old prejudices against her or in winnIn!
the measure of social recognition which
General Jackson strove 60 har'
and perseveringly to secure 10
her. Near the close of he
life, when experience should have savet
her from such folly. she took a th1r'
husband in the person of WORTHLESS
young Italian dancing master, VIII
souandered her fortune and brought he
in poverty and sorrow to the grave at tn
age of "a years Ben. Perley Poore'
"Reminiscences.