Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1899-11-09
PLACES THAT BRING TROUBLE.
Few Cabinet Officers Have Found
Their Positions Sinecures.

Their Positions Sinecures.
Secretary Alger is far from being the
first cabinet officer who has found the
position embarrassing, Jefferson, In his
diary, referring to the controversies be-
tween himself, MS secretary OF state IN
the cabinet of Washington, and Alex
ander Hamilton, MS secretary OF treas
ury, remarked that I'VE were pitted
against each other like two lighting
cocks" This condition soon con-
strained Jefferson To resign, and Ham
tlton did not remain long after him.
Some OF the scenes between tho first
President Adams ON the one side and
Timothy Pickering, secretary OF state;
oliver Wolcott, secretary OF the treas
ury, and James McAenry, secretary of
war, on the other, one OF which Is
given to the world In a letter by Nc
Henry, were picturesque In their tenn
pestuousncss and led to the retirement
Of all three OF them,
Everybody remembers the story of
how Jackson, In 1889 said he would
h"ht NNihpNHi tHNu VIM HlNNlNtut,
higher that Hannah. IL South Cardinals
notification IN that year carried her
into rebellion, There were several
men In Jackson's cabinet around the
same time for whom Jackson. for
much smaller offense than Calhoun's,
had about the same sort OF feeling.
One OF these was William j. Duane,
secretary OF tho treasury. who refused
to obey Jaekson's request to remove
the government deposits out OF tho
United States bank. which jackson was
lighting at that time. and who was him
self removed by jackson In conse-
quence. Others were Samuel ]. Ing
ham, an earlier secretary OF the treas
ury than Duane; John Branch, secre-
tary of the navy, and John Mep. Ber-
rien, attorney general. The wives OF
these three, like Calhoun's wife, re-
fused to recognize" Mrs. Eaton, the
wife OF the secretary Of war. who was
a particularly close friend Of Jackson's.
Martin Van Buren, tho secretary of
state. had no wife-~ho was widowor--
and consequently was free TO extend
social attentions to Mrs Eaton, which
no did with HIS accustomed grace and
delicacy, and thus won tho everlasting
friendship Of Jackson. lie was snbsti-
tuted for Calhoun MS Jackson's political
heir, and went to the presidency on
lackson's retirement. Ingram, Branch
and Rerrlon were sent out OF the cnbi-
net and went over To the wings. The
affair got into politics for the time and
tho democratic partey was shaken to
Its center, This episode, which was
one OF tho most absurd Incidents IN
American politics. was called by tho
ways OF the day the Peggy ONcill
war" ONeill having been Mrs Eaton's
maiden name.
All of President Tylcrs cabinet OK
copt the secretary OF state. Daniel Web
ster, resigned In lSi1 because Tyler, N
they said. betrayed his party by His
refusal to sign the bill to restore tho
United States bank which Jackson had
killed, The accusation was absurd, OF
course, because the wings, who elected
Harrison and Tyler. had made no dec
lATntlOn on the UHHk uuehIlbH III LHo
campaign OF $40. or on any other Ia
sue The quarrel between the president
and cabinet put the country against
their party In the congressional cleo
tiuns of 1912 and helped to defeat them
In the presidential election Of 1874
Stick" was the laconic message OF
Charles Sumner to Edwin NJ. stanton,
secretary OF war, during the contest oe-
tween Stanton and President Johnson.
stanton stuck" and the wrangle be-
tween them was one OF the causes OF
the impeachment proceedings against
Johnson. The Blaine-Conh ing feud,
when Blaine, In 1881, was secretary OF
state, In the cabinet Of President Car
field, split the republican party In the
state of New York. weakened II In ov-
cry state, and was the cause OF Its de-
feat in the congressional election OF
1897 and the presidential election OF
| 1884 Leslie's Weekly.