The Eaton Affair

Emily Donelson

Floride Calhoun

             Kristen Wood, the author of “One Woman So Dangerous to Public Morals,” recounts the political uproar surrounding Margaret Eaton’s personal life and documents her impact upon Washington society.  Eaton, the wife of Jackson's Secretary of War, faced rejection due to her reputation as a women of questionable character. While some accepted her into the political inner-circle (for a variety of reasons), others vehemently disapproved of her lifestyle and were determined to “shun the Eaton Woman.”[1]  The wives of the prominent men in Washington saw Eaton’s “malignant” actions as an extremely serious matter with the potential of degrading their own reputations, “corrupting the country’s leaders,” and negatively influencing national political perceptions.[2]  Despite being a “cabinet lady” herself, Eaton was seen by the Washington ladies as an immoral woman to be avoided at all costs.  Floride Calhoun and Emily Donelson, women with close ties to the White House at the time, led the charge in upholding the idea that the morality of women could truly influence the reputation and divert the course of their beloved nation.  Pursuing this end, they were determined that Eaton should be excluded from the Washington social and political scene and live as a “stranger in the capital.”[3]    

Margaret Eaton

               But why was such a dramatic reaction triggered by so private a matter? Prizing virtue, prudence, and etiquette, the wives collectively argued that they had an important and influential role to play and that their actions, good or bad, had the potential to “influence the destiny of nations.”[4]  As the “personification of purity,” the ladies resolved that the “slightest contact with the sinful woman” would have manifold negative repercussions.[5]  Although it may be argued that their exclusion of Eaton was improper, disrespectful, and an overreaction, the determination and resolve of the Washington ladies proves that this was a pivotal issue with deep roots.    

The Washington Wives

John Adams

                Looking back to the writings of our founders, it becomes clear that the Washington ladies were neither irrational nor overly zealous, but were articulating an age-old principle.  Indeed, there is a long-standing tradition that emphasizes the vital role female morality plays within a nation.  John Adams, in his Autobiography, explained this idea.  He stated that “the manners of women are the surest criterion by which to determine whether a Republican government is practicable in a nation or not.”[6]  Adams went on to warn America of the danger that is imminent if this truth is not observed.  Recalling the downfall of ancient societies, he marked that “the Jews, the Greeks, (and) the Romans…all lost their public spirit, their Republican principles,…and their Republican forms of government when they lost the modesty and domestic virtues of their women.”[7]  While personal animosities and “insider politicking” may have been woven throughout the Eaton Affair as Wood describes, a close reading of Adams’ 18^th century writings legitimizes the Washington wives’ unwavering stance. 

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[1] Kristen Wood, “One Woman so Dangerous to Public Morals": Gender and Power in the Eaton Affair,” Journal of the Early Republic 17: 2 (1997), http://www.jstor.org/stable/3124447 (accessed September 25, 2013).

249.

[2] Ibid., 250.

[3] Ibid., 253.

[4] Ibid., 250.

[5] Ibid., 253.

[6] John Eidsmoe, Christianity and the Constitution: The Faith of Our Founding Fathers. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Publishing Group, 1995: 272.

[7] Ibid.