Eaton Affair and the Eaton Affair and the Kitchen CabinetKitchen Cabinet

Chris Rose

Mike Alonso

Steve Miller

Brian Rodziak

John Eaton

In 1818 he was appointed to the Senate– Defended Jackson’s activities in Florida

Elected into the Senate again in 1821 and 1826

Resigned in 1829 so he could be part of Jackson’s cabinet– Appointed Secretary of War

Margaret “Peggy” O’Neill

Wife of John Henry Eaton First husband was John Timberlake

– He was in the US Navy

In 1829, she married John Henry Eaton after Timberlake died

It is said that there was an affair between her and Eaton

Jackson and Eaton

The only man that Jackson could trust in his cabinet was John Eaton– Calhoun tried to take over the presidency, he tried to manipulate him– He relied on John Eaton a lot and trusted his and only his judgments

There were comments made by the wives of the cabinet members that made it clear that Peggy Eaton was not wanted

– Jackson tried to defend Peggy, but that action only made the cabinet split

Calhoun’s wife was the leader of the wives’ group– Calhoun said that he was in no way involved with the social snubbing

The foreign ministers and Martin Van Buren tried to be on Jackson’s side

– It was easier for them because they did not have any wives This “alliance” only split the cabinet even further

Cabinet Walkout

The conflicts between the cabinet members led to a schism– There were two sides of this schism: Calhoun’s and Jackson’s– Took place in the 1830’s

In May of 1830 Jackson received a document that said that Calhoun tried to get Jackson arrested and punished for his actions in Florida

Calhoun used his support (newspapers such as the Telegraph) to gain political power

– The newspapers criticized Jackson’s every move and notion Jackson could no longer trust his cabinet as a result of the political

mudslinging– Van Buren suggested that he resign his position of Secretary of Sate in hopes that

the rest of the cabinet will do the same– Van Buren’s plan worked and the embarrassment and corruption left with the

cabinet members

Political Cartoon of the

Cabinet Walkout

“Kitchen Cabinet”

This cabinet was formed when Calhoun started to gain control This “cabinet” that was made up by Jackson was not approved of by

Congress This cabinet made decisions that the regular cabinet would do and

also worked on how to get rid of the Calhoun “plague”– That “plague” was the mass number of newspapers that he had under his

influence

Due to this cabinet, Jackson was able to enjoy the remaining years of his presidency

Members of the “Kitchen Cabinet”

These members were:– Francis Preston Blair– Duff Green– Isaac Hill– Amos Kendall– William B. Lewis

Francis Preston Blair

Born in Abingdon, Virginia in the year 1791

His first newspaper was the Argus in which he edited with Amos Kendall

Moved to Washington DC and founded the Globe in 1830

After the Jackson and Van Buren presidencies, Blair was forced to sell the Globe after the election of James K. Polk

He supported the Free Soil party because of its opposition of slavery and its expansion

In 1786, Francis Preston Blair died

Duff Green

Born in Woodford Kentucky in the year 1791 Served in the War of 1812 In 1824, he became the editor of the Enquirer in Saint Louis A year later, he moved to DC and bought the United States

Telegraph– The newspaper became the administration journal during

Jackson’s presidency– Because of this, Green became part of Jackson’s kitchen cabinet

Green later left the United States Telegraph and started the Republic in New York city in 1844

Duff died in 1875

Amos Kendall Amos Kendall was born in Dunstable, Massachusetts on August 16,

1789 He migrated to Kentucky and had worked for Henry Clay for some time He became an editor for the Argus in Frankfort, Kentucky

– worked with Francis Blair– Through the paper, Kendall achieved relief for debtors

Clay offered him a gov’t job in DC and Kendall took the offer He then came out for Jackson

– This was odd because he had no preference between Adams or Jackson

– As a result, Clay took away the federal publishing from the Argus– Kendall had a hatred for both Clay and Adams because that

Kendall wrote many documents for Jackson After Jackson, Kendall was the Postmaster General from 1835 to 1840 Kendall died on November 12, 1869

Isaac Hill

Born April 6, 1789 in West Cambridge New Hampshire Purchased the New Hampshire Patriot

– Kept it for 20 more years From 1820 to 1823 and 1827 to 1828 Hill was elected as a member

of the State senate In 1826, he became a member of the House of Representatives Hill was appointed as the Second Comptroller of the United States

Treasury from 1829 to 1830 Hill was then elected to the Senate as a Jacksonian from March 4,

1831 to the day he resigned, which was May 30, 1836 Hill was elected Governor of New Hampshire from 1836 to 1839 Hill returned to publishing from 1840 to 1847 Isaac Hill died on March 22, 1851

Thank You

Thank you for your time and attention

Chris Rose, Mike Alonso, Steve Miller, Brian Rodziak

11 December 2001

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