Was John Q. Adams right in his accusation that Andrew Jackson was an adulterer and a bigamist? Explain?

Answer 1

Rachel Hays Robard Jackson was, technically, guilty of bigamy.

Divorce was a pretty rare thing in the 18th century; it was a pretty complicated affair. Rachel and her first husband, Lewis Robard, lived in Kentucky when it was still a part of Virginia. She left him one time because of his treatment (or mistreatment) of her and returned to her family in Tennessee, but a reconciliation was brought about. As is, sadly, often the case, once back in Kentucky the situation reverted back to the old pattern. Rachel left again, returned to her family, and never went back.

She fell in love with Andrew Jackson, but they were aware of the legal tangle. Word came to them that Lewis Robard had sought a divorce by petitioning the state government of Virginia for one, but by the time this news arrived in Nashville, it had been garbled to the point that the couple thought the divorce had been granted.

They traveled to Natchez, which was then Spanish territory (and the laws there were quite different from in the US, especially in their treatment of women, which was a good deal more equitable) and were married there.

It was only after living openly as husband and wife (which they thought they were) for a number of years that they discovered that the divorce had only been granted recently, on grounds of adultery and bigamy.

The Jacksons remarried in a private ceremony, but the ensuing scandal made life miserable for both of them. Andrew Jackson was a hothead who loved his wife passionartely, and would immediately fly into a rage if anyone dared to so much as hint that she was a woman of loose morals, and many a fight and at least one duel came of men doing a whole lot more than just hinting about it.

It's believed by many that the stress of living so much in the public eye and the constant gossip (and of course the stories were exaggerated as they circulated) led to Rachel's death before Jackson was elected president.

Answer 2

Technically he was correct, but in very poor taste, and perhaps a matter of opinion. Jackson's wife, Rachel, had left her first husband and filed for divorce citing abuse. The papers were not fully processed before she married Jackson. Jackson had met Rachel while she was married, so he knew about her marital problems, but did not pursue her until he learned of her leaving her first husband.

This all happened during the 1828 election that made today's "mudslingers" look like amateurs. People who think politics is dirty today, should do some reading.

Answer 3

how can you make a good argument out of this when obviously no one here was alive at that time to read the gossip column on an 18th century copy of US weekly? WHO CARES!

Answer 4

If we do your homework assignment, how will you learn anything ?