Politician (1790-1856) who served as Secretary of War under President Jackson and played a key role in the 'Petticoat Affair' which led to the resignation of all but one of Jackson’s cabinet members and facilitated Martin Van Buren's rise to the presidency. ALS signed “J. H. Eaton,” one page both sides, 7.75 x 9.75, December 22, 1820. Handwritten letter to an unnamed recipient, in full: “I have recd. From Kirk & Mercier a letter requesting that I will honor a draft if drawn in y'r favor for $150. It is true I have rec’d from Mr. Robertson at Nashville that am't as due to them; but those gentlemen for the life of Jackson placed in their hands in 1817 one no more than this; it is not proper therefore that I should accept their draft. I wrote you last winter upon this subject & you hence will have some recollection of it. Since then $ 250 was p'd to my order, still the debt over & above that rec’d from Robertson is not discharged; Their conduct towards me in this business is such as I never have, nor could approve of and now that the funds are in my hands it is proper I should return them. I state these things to you in confidence alone: that you may avoid taking any draft from them on me (for I cannot accept it) & endeavor to settle with them. You can make some excuse for not taking the draft, without suggesting to them my complaints. I certainly will not accept it. I wish to get from Robertson the balance they may owe me, then I will explain my course to Kirk & Mercier fully.” In very good to fine condition, with scattered staining, and old tape residue along the left edge.
Eaton’s letter concerns funds from his 1817 campaign biography 'The Life of Jackson' which he co-authored with John Reid. Original copies of the 1817 first edition are so scarce that even the Library of Congress does not own an undamaged copy.
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