Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1899-06-06
HISTORIC SOCIAL FEUD.
Row Peggy o'Nen blasted the Pres
identini Ambitious of John
9. Calhoun.

principal figure on the anti-Jackson |
side. The quarrel was melted by two
causcs-Jackson's discovery that Cal !
houn, who was secretary Of war in
Monroe's cabinet, was hostile TO Jack
son during the Florida war, in Monroe's
days, and the refusal of the wife OF
Calhoun and those Of the members OF
Jackson's cabinet in 1929 to recognize
Mrs. Eaton, wife Of Jackson's secretary
of war, socially.
The origin of the social war which
changed factors in politics. and in
directly resulted in the formation OF
the whig party, was this:
John II. Eaton, a personal friend Of
Jackson, was appointed by jackson
secretary of war and took his seat in
the cabinet in March, 1929, on Jack
sons entrance into the white house.
Eaton a few months earlier married Mrs
Undertake, whose maiden name was
Margaret 1. O'Neill commonly called
Peggy O'NeilD. a woman OF great
beauty, of some accomplishments, and
Of unbounded ambition. She was the
daughter Of a Washington tavern keep
err. Gossip had been free with her
name during her welded life with
Timberlake, and when, after Eaton's
marriage TO her and the intelligence
that he was to be a member Of the cab
met reached the public, some Of Jack
sons friends told him that Eaton's en-
trance into the cabinet would cause
some embarrassment to the admins
tration, Jackson. who was creditably
slow to believe anything III Of wom-
an, responded that Mrs. Eaton wus not
to be in the cabinet. He made il known
TO his personal friends Immediately aft
er the administration began that he
desired that Mrs. Eaton should he nc
corded all the courtesies TO which her
station entitled her The wife of Vice
President Calhoun and the wives Of
all the members Of the cabinet who
had any wives refused 10 recognize
Mrs. Eaton. Jackson took up her cause
with the usual energy, and the question
entered politics. Van Buren,, the sec
rotary Of state, had no wife (he was a
widower). lie had no daughters. lie
was thus free to extend to Mrs. Eaton
the conventional courtesies, which he
did with the dignity and grace for
which he was noted.
This made Van Buren's political for
tune. There had been keen rivalry be
tween Calhoun and Van Buren pre-
viously for the succession to Jackson in
the presidency. The democratic par
/ ty was invincIble, and the man who
got the presidea tial candidacy was GER
/ tain Of election. jackson was the par
tvs dictator. Calhoun by his position
as vice president and by his prom
: inenee in the party, was believed 10
stand next in the line to Jackson. In
/ the first year CT two Of Jackson's term
, Jackson's feeble health was thought K
I be barrier in the way Of his accept
{ ance Of a nomination for a second term
aud Calhoun was popularity supposed &c
be has political heir. The discovery
through the Crawford disclosures, Of
the uRfriendliRess of Calhoun for Jack
son in 1918, in the Monroe cabinet, anC
D., the quarrel which the Mrs. Eaton in
cident brought, destroyed this hope
Van Buren's championship Of Mrs
Eaton's cause endeared him 10 Jack
son.
Van Buren's call upon Mrs. Eaton a
her residence had mighty political con
sequences. Like the shot OF the "em
battled farmers" at Concord bridge, th'
sound of the silver knocker touched a
4 Mrs Eaton's door by Martin Van Burei
was heard round the world, or at leas
round that part of the world com
prised in the United States. As a resul
OF the Peggy O'Neill war supplement
cd in Calhoun's case by the Crawior'
disclosures) Calhoun was shut out from
the presidency, was dwarfed from a ma
/ tional into a sectional figure, and hi
broodlng over his effacement probabl
. assisted in melting that system OF pc
b litical philosophy out of which result
ed secession and civil war Eaton an
Van Buren, resigned in Aprils 1881, IL
I order to facilitate general reconstruc
ton of the cabinet which would FIRE
! Jackson from the husbands of the wlve
who had disregarded his 'Itaton ukas
especially of lngham. secretary OF III
treasury; Branch. secretary OF IN
, navy, and Berrien, attorney genera
, The country was conyulsed, a larg
fragment Of the democratic party wa
cast off and united with the element
which founded the wing party thre
years later, and that party received
strength which 1t would not otherwis
have gained al the outset-St. LOU
Globe-Democrat.
s An Uncomfortable superstition.
I A very uncornfortable superstitio