The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-10-14

one of the most remarkable men that ever
figured in the political history, or business
industry, of Vermont, or of the United
States, big, burly, rough uncouth, semi
educated and oyerbcaring, though he was.
At the present day, outside of certain
wards in certain cities, he never could have
obtained prominence in public life, save.
perhaps, as a ward politician. but his very
nature rendered him valuable and useful
man in bis day and generation, and fitted
him to wres,lc with the difficulties of new
settlements, give an impetus 20 business
enterprise and, even, shape to civil insti-
tutions. Born in obscurity and poverty,
and although, at times, in possession of
property which would, even, at this day,
have placed him among the heavy capital
lists of the land yet there never was year
when he was not embarrassed by debts and
in want of money. He had all the energy
and push requisite to inaugurate business
enterprises, overcoming what to others
have been insurmountable obstacles. and
place them upon q successful footing.
Right here, he failed Whether this was
for a lack of business tack, or because he
had too many irons in the fire at the same
time, we will not undertake to say. and.
indeed, it is no part of our purpose to in
quire. Neither do we intend to give de-
tailed or, even, brief sketch of his life. any
further than it may be necessary to show
who he was, and to throw light upon the
question we purpose to breach. In fact, it
would be work of supereriogaton for us
to attempt to say anything in reference to
either his life or character, inasmuch as il
has been already done in the most exhaust.
i've manner by the late Rev. Plimy H..
White, in an address before the Vermont
Historical Society, and by A. N. Adams in
his admirable history of Fairhaven. Lyon
came to this country when about sixteen
years old, being indentured--as was fire.
quently the custom in those days-to some
one in Connecticut who. in consideration
thereof, payed his passage money. The
indcnturc was, subsequently, sold for a
pair Of steers, hence his favoratc oath or
ejaculation by the two bulls that re-
damcd me- From this time until 1875 or
177G, his life is wrapped in impcntrablc OBJ
security. In one of these two years he is
first known TO be in Vermont and then, or
soon after in the employ of Governor Chit
tenden in Arlington orelsewhcrc.
Here is where the trouble, difficulty and,
as II now appears, lingering doubt comes
in. The fact that Matthew Lyon was a
victim to the odious alien and sedition law
and represented, or was elected to repre-
sent three different states or territories in
the national congress, has made the facts
connected with his history Of absorbing in
tie est to every historical student of Yer.
mont, while his connection with one in
dustrial and business enterprises have con-
tributed to intensity that interest. Every
detail and particular connected with him
has been diligently: and carefully traced,
perhaps to greater extent than those of
any of our earlier public men. L, has been
unquestionel, until within recent date.
that while in Vermont he resided in Ar.
lngton until 1888, when he removed to
Fairhaven, whence, in 1900, at the close
of his second term in congress, he removed
to Kentucky. A convention of delegates
of "the social Inhabitants of the n. Hamp.
shire Grants on the West side" and CHOSE
on the east side the Range of the Green
Mountains was held at Dorset on the Oath
of July 1910. The proceedings of the con-
vention were not published in full until re.
Gently, although portions thereof were
printed IN the Connecticut Courdnt i'm Feb
rnary, l7'', and from these copied into
Forces American Archieves," and. with
these exceptions, were supposed to be lost
past recovery. Within few years, what
purporls TO be complete copy of the pro-
ceedings, including u list of delegates has
been discovered, in which Matthew Lyon
and Abraham jackson are reported as dele
gates from mo. Walingford." If we I'M
dcrstand the matter, this statement is the
only thing to connect Lyon with Walling-
ford, or rs indicating that he ever resided
there. To our mind this furnishes not the
slightest reason for believing that he ever
lived IN Wallingford, # in fact, he repre-
sented it in that connection. We will give
our reasons for this opinion in the fewest
words possible and without any attempt at
argument Our reasons are briefly thus
there was never such a town as "North
Walllngford the copy of the journal is
full OF errors, James "Bantley' is credited
as delegate from Cornwall but he signs hi,
name "Iantle,' and one of the delegates
from Pittsford appears alternately as
"Rowley" and 'Rowlec"; Thomas Chitten-
den represented Wiliston while living in
another part of the state Isaac Lawrence
repre- both IInesburgh and Monkton.
The convention adjourned to meet again in
September when Abraham Ives was the
delegate from Walingford, but we have
nothing to do with this convention save to
note the fact that Col. Benjamin Carpenter
represented Halifax, while residing in and |
also, representing Guilford. These facts
prove two things, namely that the list is |
not to be relied upon and that the fact of |
being delegate does not, necessarily, i'm.
ply residence. Furthermore. 1t is known
hat Lyon lived in Arlington in 1778, as It
was during this same summer, or possibly
fall, that he, being lieutenant, was sta
'ioned at Jericho with body of soldiers,
and was cashiered for deserving his post
There Is bare possibility that Lyon was,