The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1888-02-23

scandal 10 President Jackson, supposed
to be ignorant of it, They assured him
that Peggy had always borne o bad repu'
tation from her girlhood; that no respect
able ladies would speak TO her; that
several gentlemen we're ready to testify to
personal knowledge of her dissoluteness
that she had told her servants to call hel
two children Eaton, not Timberlake, fol
that was their name, and that she and
Eaton had travelled together on several
occasions TO various cities and registered
as man aEd wife.
Jackson replied Indignantly in defence
of Peggy Eaton. A correspondence Of
months resulted-on his part long, vehe
ment and bitter. The whole mass OF
these confidential writings, mostly in the
handwriting of Gen. Jackson, and still
extant, would fill thirty columns Of q
newspaper-uot less than two hundred
letters in all. He brought TO the defence
of Peggy all of the energy that had made
him such an Indian fighter.
But be was fighting women now
instead of mere Indians, and they defed
him and cut Peggy dead.
Then he called o Cabinet meeting on
the subject, and assured his advisers that
Peggy Eaton was as "chaste as snow"
and formally demanded that their wives
should recognize and visit her. "You
seem, Mr. President, to labor under a
misapprehension as TO who is general in
my family" said Attorney General Ber'
rien.
Still the ladies reyolted. The wives OF
John G. Calhoun, Vice President; John
NJ. Derriep, attorney general; S. D.
Ingham, secretary of the treasury, and
John Branch, secretary Of the navy,
refused either to receive Peggy or call
upon her, and The wives of the foreign
ministers declined to bow to her OF
recognize her in any way, Even jack
sons niece, Mrs. DonelsoD, the mistress
Of the White House, joined the revolt,
and said, Anything else, uncle, ask nee
to do; but I cannot call upon Mrs
Eaton"
The warriors blood was up. "You
take the next stage and go home to Ten
nessee!" he replied, and she and her
husband packed their things and went.
He then started to discipline his in
tractable Cabinet. Van Buren, secretary
ofstate, was widower, end Barry. post
master general Was bachelor, so they
good naturediy lent themselves to the
Presidents wishes. They called on Mrs
Peggy Eaton, as also did Amos Kendall,
COL Benton and Isaac Hill, prominent
partisans, ard Lord Vaughan, tie Brit.
ish minister, and Baron Krudener, the
Russian minister, both bachelors, joined
the wbitewashing brigade,
Vaughan gave brilliant and expen'
siye ball in the direct interest of "Bello
na," which was Mrs. Eatou's nickname.
but though the British minister himself
led her to the head Of the banquet table,
other ladies we're persistently unconscious
of her presence aud every co'illion abe
Joined was Immediately broken up by
their withdrawal.
Then Baron Krudener gave q splendid
ball, and when the wife OF the Holland
minister refused to sit by Peggy's side at
supper, Jackson threatened to send hei
husband home
Jackson's whole fiery soul was iu Peg
gy's yindication and often while he was
President he used to stroll across The
lots to the little cottage where Peggy'i
mother lived and plan the campaign.
The women were inexorable. The
three married men in the Cabinet refused
to speak to Eaton, secretary of war
except as official business absolutely
required, and in the presence of the
President. Mrs. Calhoun snubbed Peggy
publicly, and for every snub, Immediate
ly reported to him by Peggy who was 8
constant visitor at the White Houee, Old
Hickory laid away poisoned arrow TO,
the Great Nullifer, his associate in Office
It was at this time, and during the
progress Of this affair, that Van Buren,
became pet uf Jackson, and his preor'
dained successor. The President slapped
him familiarly on the shoulder at recep
tiops, and addressed him as "Matty" il
pablic.
Duff Green's Administration "orgau.
the Telegraph, spoke slightingly Of Peggy
and Jackson at once threw it overheard
and called Francis P. Blair from Ken
lucky to start new organ, the Globe
which sprang, by the aid Of Peggy's par
tisans, into instant SUCCESS.
Daniel Webster watched with deiigh
the breach in the Democratic party anf
wrote at this time: "AIr. Van Burer
has at this moment quite the lead il
influence and Importance. He controls
all the pages at the back slairs and fat
ters what seems to be at present tht
Aaron's rod among the PRESIDENT
desires, settled purpose Of making GU
the lady Of whom SO much las been aait
person of reputation. This dispute
may very probably determine who shal
be the successor tu the present Chic
! Magistrate. Such great events" &c.
And Bennett wrote from Washington
to the Herald: II think John C. Cal
| houa has doomed himself 10 oblivion b!
his refusal to rehabilita.e Peggy Eaton
So, Indeed, i: proved, aad very shortly
With The promp,aess which character
lied him 10 all warfare, Gen. Jackson
when his first term WAS half ended
demanded the designations Of Secretarie
Incboc, Pranch and Berrien. the thre