and the affair soon developed from a skirmish into a war. The
climax was reached when Mrs. Huygens, wife of the minister from Holland,
on finding herself placed next to Mrs. Eaton at dinner, turned and swept
from the room on the arm of her husband.

President Jackson, always combative, entered into the affair with his
usual zest. He was within an ace of demanding Huygens's recall for the
affront put upon Mrs. Eaton; and, though he did not carry his enthusiasm
quite thus far, he espoused the cause of the lady with most militant
zeal. The contest continued to rage; the cabinet was styled the
"Petticoat Cabinet," and Mrs. Eaton was far-famed as Bellona, the
Goddess of War. There was no surrender on either side; and at last came
the state of affairs which Webster had prophetically foretold. For Mr.
Van Buren, always a staunch supporter of Jackson in all ways, had warmly
adopted the cause of Mrs. Eaton as his own. This lost him the position
of minister to England, since Congress, with Calhoun as chairman casting
the deciding vote, refused to ratify the nomination; but it gained him
the presidency,--which was the fulfilment of Webster's prophecy,--as
Jackson practically had the power to appoint his successor, and there
can be no doubt that Mr. Van Buren's countenance and aid in the social
war influenced him in his choice quite as much as, and probably far more
than, the recollection of his secretary's political services to him
during his campaign and term of office. So that the forces of the fair
Peggy triumphed at last, though she herself gained no victory. Mr. Van
Buren appointed General Eaton as Governor of Florida and, later,
Minister to the Court of Madrid, and Washington society knew its apple
of discord no more.

There may have been instances before this time, there certainly have
been many since, when the decision of our chief legislature was
influenced by the charms of a woman; but the case of Peggy O'Neill and
Martin Van Buren stands as the unique instance of the selection of the
president of the United States resulting from a purely feminine cause.
Not only is the incident thus singular, but it is equally suggestive; it
speaks trumpet-tongued of the power which had by that time been won by
the social element at the national court and it illustrates the changes
which had come into American society as exemplified in its highest and
most typical circles.

Chronology has been neglected in order to give prominence to