Professing to regard the attitude of the protesters as
nothing less than an affront to his Administration, he called upon the
men of the Cabinet, and upon the Vice President, to remonstrate with
their wives in Mrs. Eaton's behalf. But if any such remonstrances were
made, nothing came of them. "For once in his life, Andrew Jackson was
defeated. Creeks and Spaniards and Redcoats he could conquer, but the
ladies of Washington never surrendered, and Peggy Eaton though her
affairs became a national question, never got into Washington
society."[8] The political effect of the episode was considerable. Van
Buren was a widower, and, having no family to object, he showed Mrs.
Eaton all possible courtesy. On the other hand, Mrs. Calhoun was the
leader of those who refused Mrs. Eaton recognition. Jackson was not
slow to note these facts, and his opinion of Van Buren steadily rose,
while he set down Calhoun as an obdurate member of the "conspiracy."
Throughout the winter of 1829-30 the Calhoun and Van Buren factions
kept up a contest which daily became more acrimonious and open.
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