He Resigned As Secretary of State To End A Scandal Known As The Petticoat Affair

Margaret O'Neale, sometimes known as Peggy, was a lowly socialite who was married to John Eaton, Andrew Jackson's secretary of war. Peggy allegedly started dating John Eaton while she was still legally wed to her first husband. The spouses of some members of Andrew Jackson's Cabinet objected to Mrs. Eaton's inclusion in their social circle because they disapproved of the conditions of her marriage. They avoided Mrs. Eaton socially, which led to the Petticoat affair or the Eaton affair, a significant scandal.

Martin Van Buren was unaffected by the status of the cabinet wives because he was a widower. He came up with a strategy to end the scandal. Van Buren's resignation as Secretary of State gave Andrew Jackson the chance to rearrange his cabinet and select new senior government leaders. The new cabinet was significantly shaped by Van Buren.