PRESIDENT ANDREW JACKSON - AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED 10/23/1826 CO-SIGNED BY: JOHN H. EATON - HFSID 4708

ANDREW JACKSON and JOHN H. EATON
The friends discuss their shared passion for race horses, and Eaton sends Jackson a gift of a pipe. When President Jackson appointed Eaton to his Cabinet, it triggered a major political scandal which changed the course of American history.
Autograph Letter Signed: "A.J." on lower half of concluding page of 2½p Autograph Letter Signed (separate sheets) of John H. Eaton to Jackson, 8x9¾. Eaton's letter is written from Granville, North Carolina, 1826 September 12. Integral address leaf addressed by Eaton to General Jackson at "Hermitage, Davidson County, Tennessee" noting that it would be delivered by "Rev'd H.M. Cryer". In part: "The Sir Archie Horse sold to Mr. Cryer was bred by me-his Dam and grand Dam were very fine mares, of Roanoak's color-five feet three inches high ellegant (sic), compact and active...I am quite partial to old Archie, but think the Dam of Roanoak was certainly as fine or a finer Nag. In the Autumn of 1819 after covering some mares in the early part of the Spring, this Horse was trained & run at Warrenton. He was beaten by Mr. Drummonds Napoleon...The mare brot (sic) me a Horse (Van Tromp) from Sir Hall-he has beaten Betsey Richards at three heats at Lawrence Ville-she winning the first heat to the saddle skirt & he the next two, the last under a strong pull. Van Tromp has also beaten Sir Henry who ran against Eclipse at Long Island...Our friend Mr. Cryer will present you with a pipe which I hope you will receive as a token of my regard and sense of gratitude for your inestimable services which have confirmed the peace, Liberty and glory of our beloved Country...." Docketed by Jackson: "Genl J.R. Eaton/12th Sept 1826/with the present/of a pipe answd/23rd Ocbr 1826 as/within". Jackson's reply, in full: "Your letter of the 12th ult by the Revd H.M. Cryer has been recd and by him has been handed me, the much esteemed present of a pipe you had the goodness to send me, as a token of your approbation & respect for my public services. For your kind expressions of approbation accompanying this valuable gift of respect, accept a tender of my thanks - it shall be deposited with those testimonials of the approbation of my country for my public services heretofore recd. I am happy to learn that so fine a horse as Roanoak is in our country, he must add much to the improvement of our stock of horses which such a brood horse was much needed in our country." In 1826, ANDREW JACKSON (1790-1856) was out of office, having left the US Senate in 1825 after narrowly losing the 1824 Presidential election to John Quincy Adams, a 3-way contest decided in the House of Representatives when the third candidate, Henry Clay, threw his support to Adams. Jackson's friend, fellow Democrat JOHN HENRY EATON (1790-1856) remained in the Senate until appointed Secretary of War by the victorious President Jackson in 1829. In 1828, Eaton had married Peggy O'Neill Timberlake, the recent widow of the much older naval officer (and Eaton friend) John B. Timberlake. Washington society was scandalized, because of Peggy's prompt remarriage but also because she was rumored to have been having an affair with Eaton. This triggered a feud, "the Petticoat affair." (A famous political cartoon showed Peggy Eaton dancing on the table at a Cabinet meeting.) Jackson, who blamed his own wife's recent death on slanderous accusations in the 1828 Presidential campaign, fiercely supported Eaton. The Cabinet - including members of both factions - resigned en masse. Vice President John C. Calhoun, whose wife had led the "anti-Peggy" faction, became permanently estranged from Jackson. He returned to South Carolina and secured election to the US Senate, becoming one of the staunchest advocates of slavery and states' rights. Martin Van Buren, who loyally supported Eaton and Jackson, was rewarded with the Vice Presidential nomination in 1832, and succeeded Jackson as President in 1836. Fragile. Lightly creased. Folds, vertical folds touch "ton" in Eaton's signature and the "J" in Jackson's initials. Separated at integral leaf, 1¾-inch separation at lower horizontal fold, touching 2 words of Jackson's writing. Pinhead-size holes at cross folds. Light show through.