The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-04-08

- A@oAo y MA kO<~ 40CY WO0l0
not invite her to theirs Foreign min.
tsteTs and their families Atuo became
involved in the affair. At q reception
given by the Ru0ian minister. Ma
dame HuygenA, vita Of the Dutch min.
tster. refused to remain in the dining.
room when ahe found she was to sic
next q NF1 Eaton II soon became
rumored that che had declared she
would give q ball to which the up-
start should not De admitted: and thae
Mrs. Branch. Mrs. Ingham and Mr..
Beuien promised to do b same. The
President ragged and stormed, and
swore that. II the rumor were true,
he would pack the Dutch minister OF
to Holland and dismiss his Cabinet.
The rumor proved TO be false. but the
Presidents anger did not subside. By
way Of diverting his mind" said
Branch. II several times spoke OF the
difficulty he would experience IN at
tempting to regulate the intercourse
OF the ladies: that they were in mat
ters OF that kind u~ncontrollable and
omnipotent; that he would find less
difficulty in fighting over again the
battle OF New Orleans" To make mat
tiers worse, Van Buren,. who was =
widower, and had no family ties 10
control his conduct. was anxious for
political purposes to keep IN the good
graces OF the President; and therefore
paid 1.-THE most devoted and assiduous
attention to Mrs. Eaton" His ready
compliance with the wishes OF the
President served to incense Jackson
all the more At the characterization OF
the others. whose position dailv be-
came more and more embarrassing.
Finally Branch. tn an interview with
the President. after stating plainly
h q he would not obey b Presidents
riders IN this matter, declared his
readiness to resign whenever the
President should intimate that he de-
sired him to do SO. HE answered me.
in reply. that he did not desire It:
that he was entirely satisfied with the
manne in which I had discharged
| my official duty. and that he did not
/ claim the right to dictate to us in
our social relations. but that he fell
himself bound to protect h family
OF Major Eaton, as he o mine un-
der similar circumstances"
Nevertheless jackson would have
welcomed he resignation of Branch.
Ingham and Berrien, but did not care
to Dismiss them without some better
reason to offer to the public h a their
refusal to comply with his wishes in
the Eaton affair. It was Van Buren's
fertile brain that found a way out OF
eO IA L
for the Presidency. and understood
to be Jackson's choice for the sue
cession, he was anxious to get ont OF
the Cabinet, II he could do 80 without
offending Jackson. before h storm.
which he foresaw coming. should
burst. by getting u he would re-
lieve himself from the charge OF di-
recting h government in his own
behalf. he would suffer no less but
H0tL0~ rA1- ~~A~nAA 18th YonLOo~
who would now regard him as a gen
erous and self-denying man. and ha
would remove himself from what
might be an unpleasant storm CEN
ter" He therefore suggested to the
President that IL he we're to resign, the
President would have a good excuse
Cor requesting the resignation OF the
other members OF the Cabinet. After
some hesitation, Jackson agreed to the
plan which carried with it Eaton's res
tgnattnn also. Accordingly, on April :,
1881, Eaton, and -four days later, Van
Buren, rendered their designations set
Ting forth 1t length numerous rea-
sons other than the real one. April
18th. the President vent for Branch
and 1ne1tam. Berrfen being absen
from Washington, and informing them
Of he action OF Van Buren, and Eaton
stated that fnaSmuch as his Cabinet
Al a. a utXx IL "01 HIS dColA
that 1t should go out n. unit. Branch
promptly sent in his resignation. which
q followed 9 day later by Ingham's
both were promptly accepted.
Thus occurred the first dissolution
or q Cabinet, except at the close of ar
administration. Ia the history Of thu
. government and the affair created
|, An immense sensation. The public o,
course was not deceived; indeed. tn
opposition press could be depended OF
to see that the whole story was mad'
Known EAton. toe. rushed into print
demanding "~sattsf2ction Of Branch an<
ngh2m for alleged injuries. and de
? I them as towards when the.
laughed at his threats. In his eager
: : less to destroy Branch he did not hest
: tate to give out to the press certai,
letters TIT had passed between tn
: PRESIDENT and his Secretary, the date
). OF which he had first tempered with
: inaily the three dismissed secretaries