Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-02-20
A Fight in Congress Sixty Years Ago.

The first open hgh, which ever occurred IN
Congress, took place in old Congress Hall -
phiiadell hla. on the 10Th Of February. I79s -
The comlaianis were Matthew LYON 0f Yer
mont. and Roger Griswnld. Of Connecticut 49,
What WAS the precise nature Of the difficulty
between them will more fully appear" pr, hab
ly. on consulting Niles Register OF that day
certain i is, the parties were intensely bitter
towards each other, and appear 20 have "nursed
Thur wrath 10 keep il warm for many days
On The 3plh OF January, 79s. the two members
had high words, when Lyon deliberately spat in
Griswuld's face. II seems the insult was not re-
senied until the 18th uf February ensuing. On
this day. Griswold on his way to ;he Hall. call
ell at the store OF John M'Allister, As Chestnut
street, and purchased a heavy cane, and enter
Ing the Hall. where he found the members in
session, approached Lyon (who sitting witt
his back 10 him) and dealt him three heavy
blows on the head. Lyon recovered himself al
once. and seized n pair Of tongs, and between
cane and iongs the fight was continued Tor some
minutes. A song Of those days, describing the
scene, says;
He in trice struck Lros thrice
Upon his head, enrag'd sir
Who seized the tongs To- ease his wrongs
And GHiswo1D thus engaged sir.
On the day Lyon insulted Griswold, the House
appointed committee OF investigation. The
witnesses were sam Smith, Brooks. Hosmer,
Dana, Cot, Goodrich aud Chapman. What nc.
non the committee RECOMMENDED, does not ap.
pear probably none whatever. and hence Girls.
wold sought his own remedy The sracas alter
wards WIS also made the subject of investigation,
but neither member was expelled Mutual
explanations were probably as much in vogue in
those DAYS as now.
John NJ. Stevenson. Esq. of Cambridge. Wash.
rl.,. 4 Al
OF wool engraving. published a, the tim.)
representing th, scene OF the floor Of the House
The attitude of Lyon and Griswold is decidedly
savage 1t is difficult 10 say whether the upt.
eel cane NJ the heavy pair longs appears the
most formidable weapon hut We notice that Ly-
on has caught Cirisw oils cane arm with his left
hand. II he preserved this advantage any length
OF time, & must have ie.t the force Of LYONS
blows. As represented by the artist, Griswold
looks the most composed but Lyon, with hi e,
tongs. the most savage.
An Interesting group of characters surrounds
1.-The nier OF muscle" Joshua DAYTON, of y.
j., was The Speaker. lie looks as pleased as
Stakeholder Of Camden and Amboy'' on divid-
end day, though his knuckles do duty in de
mandng order; Jonathan W. Caly, of Phiia.
delphia, was Clerk He evidently enjoyed the
scene Rev. DR.. Ashbel Green, 1--WE hope Ash
bel was really a better looking man than he is
reprcsented) was Chaplain. BY the side OF him
is represented dog. (probably truthful Great
ure of his own.) and 1t is difficult to say which
looks the most Interested. The members gen
orally are represented as rather quiet lockers
on, hu' az either end Of the Hall are persons
waving handkerchief and hats, evidently high.
y pleased, and urging the combatants 10 go
IN.
1t is perhaps unnecessary. in this connection,
to remind Mrssrs keitt and Grow that there
are excellent artists in Washington and that.
while the speeches of Matthew Lyon and Roger
Griswoli in the Congress of 1898, have long
since been iorgotIen,a wood-cut has perpptn .ted
for sixty years, their exhibition of "pluck" and
muscle" "A word 10 the wise is sufficient"
Troy american.