Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1888-10-26
OLD HloKoRY's TROUBLE.
His Futile Efforts TO Reconcile tho Ladio
of tho Cabinet.

His Futile Efforts TO Reconcile tho Ladies'
Of tho Cabinet.
II was n question Of etiquette and Of
social relations that soon brought a
storm around Jackson's head, that
not even his iron will could dispel, and
he found that woman's sweet will was
quite us imperious as his own. This
was the Mrs. Eaton episode.
Peggy o'Neal was the dashing daugh-
ter Of tavern keeper in tho early days
of the city, and 0'Neal's tavern was the
place where many Congressman and
Senators boarded. Peggy often waited
upon them, and, OF course, flirted with
them. She was very pretty, very
bright and very gay. She finally mar
ried n purser in the navy named Tim
berlake, who after few years COM
mitted suicide and left her widow.
General jackson and Major John
Eaton boarded atO'Neal's tavern when
they were Senators from Tennessee,
and Major Eaton's simpressionable heart
yielded to the fascination of the widow
Undertake. About the time jackson
was elected President the Major mar
ried the widow, and when jackson was
inaugurated Eaton was appointed Sec
retary of War. Thereupon Washing
ton society awolSe to the fact that Peg
O,Neal, n tavern-keeper's daughter,
was a giddy, if not an improper female,
and as the wife of n Cabinet officer would
not only have high social station, but
would have the pas over them. Such
n social tempest as arose at that time
had never been seen before in Wash
ington, and has never been seen since.
With one accord the ladies of the Cabi-
net and of the diplomatic corps, Sena-
tors wives and ladies of high and low
degree who revolved about the White
House as social center, declared they
would not visit Mrs. Eaton, nor return
her calls, nor meet her socially upon
any terms, except as might be obliga-
tory upon them at public receptions.
Thereupon jackson, who was the most
chivalrous gentleman in the world,
took up the cause of Mrs. Eaton, utter
ly discrediting all the stories told about
her, remembering how his own wife
had been maligned.
But all the power of the President
could not force the ladies of Washing
ton to recognize Peg ONeal. Mrs.
Calhoun refused, the wives OF Secre-
taries Ingham, Branch and Berrien re-
fused, and Mrs. Donelson, Jackson's
niece, who was the mistress OF tho
White House, refused. At the public
receptions and levees Mrs. Donelson
received Mrs. Eaton with courtesy, but
when the President asked her to call
upon her, and thus give her public
recognition, the favorite niece fatty
refused.
Then you must 90 back to Ten
nessee, my dear" said Old Hickory.
Every well, uncle, I'll go back" was
the decided reply. And back she went,
but the President soon sent for her
again .
jackson then appealed to his Secre-
taries, asking them to induce their
wives to call on Mrs. Eaton, but these
gentlemen informed the President that
biVS SOuiu hO0 NOlLtOl dIblOllo vi
their wives in social matters. Mean
time the adroit Van Buren,, Secretary
of State, who was widower and with
out female complications, entertained
Mrs. Eaton. and induced the English
Minister, who was bachelor, to do the
same. This was Van Buren's first step
to the Presidency, for it won Jackson's
heart; but it was all in vain, so far as
Mrs. Eaton was concerned. Finally
the relation between the President and
Major Eaton on one side and the recall
citrant Secretaries on the other beceme
SO strained that no Cabinet meetings
were held for months, and Eaton finally
challenged Secretary Branch, who de-
clined the meeting. Van Buren, then,
as way out of the difficulty, rendered
his resignation, and induced Major
Eaton to do the same. But the other
Secretaries refused to resign, and
Jackson was obliged to request their
Thus woman was at
the bottom of Jackson's first Cabinet
explosion, and it all grew out of
White House etiquette. Mrs. Eaton
lived in Washington for many years
after, and died a few years ago.-&i- |
cago Her9ld.