The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-11-25

: LyOn, M. T.. now. ana DounQ 10 make
a ser satiop. he seized the very first op
portunitv for his maiden effort. L
; was The ne wo, thy Of the man-th'
righteousness of the House payins
rersonal courtesy 10 the new Pres
dert, Jchn Adams. 1t was slavish. 1
, was outrageous. 1t was anti Demo
cratic. 1t YVES anti Republican. 1t VIZ
sheer nonsense. So argued Lyon. II
tone Of his address was not very agrc" "
able 10 the rest of the opposition
Dana of Connecticut said that il Lyor
desi, | to be excused from pei: ,nal' :
calIirg on the President Re, for one
would by no means press Lyons con
psuy. A few months la n Lyon?g :
ienewed his Trade aeairsS cor~esy
His reques. 10 be excused was proml |
ly voted down.
Lyon also opposed the serd'ng c'
the extraordinary commlss IN
France. In short, his politica | car. g
was one in which be syste ia 'ca
pae I'd as ultra radical. dolrg t,f
thing in his power, unoer ?" c. =
stances and on sll occasiops. &C; "'.
q Vulgar sens alton: -. ;.
It was but short time after this :
tie episode that Lyon became the {
tral feui, ju a drama that ike ! p:
fame for all me to come. AS has b' :"
intimaisd. it was during the deba
C. yer the Blouut mapsge.;. The 81 :
ler bos ler; his c'' r, The ment' 70.
have grour themselves together =
jitile K lo;; aud are engaged in ger.'
al conver ,l';o1; up cones R12er Girls
wold of { ,unecticut, a Federal leader
He eniers into a con'ab with Lyon
!, at,ers .drn 10 a discussion OF the
merits of the good r: ,ple of Connec
lieut.: Lyc !, as v,.,a' IS arrogant aud
.ltcooceit' J, ard he aps e! mapne
of satire on wooden nutmegs; some
thing is also said as % Republ'co1 \
methods of politics; the group OF list
ere's grows larger; / 1te' wakes
warme~ pro and col; Lyon is not II
be ou lore; he makes a p?%fpg shot :
"Whv,"r re says addressing finse't
to the nused gentlemen round AZ oIt
8 .ghv, my friends, lad I the ptiviless
otedl, pg 8 newsf lper 10 Conn 'et:
he Rspab'icars would be drive: out
verV shol: order!'
wilt you fg' + With your VIC. len
5 Y. dr." eeked Gr.,wo'd de:isively.
Ion dc not iot:ce tbs e'lus on
II military record he proc: Is
With his banter, Gr;s~ old ures uo.
lie lays his band savage'y on Lyons
e.. II.
'Lvor," ne :.ys snee':r rlv, "yCu
could not change the opiulen OF tee
nee ,ot hostlc~ IN the SSatc!'
At this retort Lyon Suddenly derl
bach lurces f"rwa,i j Pee end sei'S
in Girls wold's face.
Gr;swold raises his arm go it t"
strike. Members interfere. Speaker
resumes his chair. Rips C orce".
Friends restrain the rising ire Of the
combatants. Quiet is restored. House
7roceeds 10 the business OF the t?v.
.dember Sswell ,cite3 } the facis OF the
/: ,dig 'tv, and insists that Lyon mus
be expelled. The House must sustain
IFS dignity. Gallatiu comes to the de
ferse. II anv one has offended that
man is Griswold. Gliswold isthe ag'
eres y. Member Lyon should have
sit Twice. Out with Griswold. u?
IS tbe cne who has Offended the d'gni
ty of the chamber. The conserva.ivc
minority al puts IN its oar. 1t irsis $
that both are to blame and that both
should be expelled. AT this junc!ure
some genius OF diplomacy solves the
question, proposing that the matter be
referred to the committee on privileges
and that, pending the decision of the
committee, should either member offer
additional insolt to the other, both
shall be expelled together.
Two days pass. Days of high CT n
motion. There is blood on the facs OF
the moon. Vengeance for Lyon. Dit
10 for Griswold.
Lyon. for once in his life. makes a
political move. He promptly writes
letter 10 the Sf eaker, in which the val,
liant combatant repres sntS that If he
has offended the dig nity OF the House
his error was not thr rough malice or
viud;ciiveness. He trusts that his con,
duct, under these circumstances does
not merit punishment. The specia'
examining committee submits revie "
Of the facts = the House, together
with a very brief yet Startling rel 9rt.
Member Lyon must be expelled. In
stautly the question is taken up on
party lines, and to Lyons relief flies
the entire Democratic wing OF the
House. A violent debate eDsues. Fin
ally the House consents to 60 in
committee of the whole on the mate
The subject isrehearsed again. Mrc'
time IS consumed. Member ChipT
tells the story OF Lyons wooden swc
Lyon makes scathiug .oersonal
tort. Had he not erred in his first con
duct, his language now would certa'n
ly have been sufficient TO have Caus
his instant expulsion. He gives J
version OF the affair of the VIC ID :,
sword. He surrendered The ouLl s
because he had been 50 ordered by the
superior officers. Personally, he " Z
much mortified to give up the pla :,
out he was powerless 10 resist bis cor
manders.
Gslatin and Nichols side with Ly D
Then for Lyons choicest troke: H.
argues that. as the House was nc. il
session at the time ef his alleged mis-
& smeauor, he has not offended, ano
therefore he is not fable for punish
ment. In this absurd construction o.
the rules he firds a dozen tongues eag
er for his defeuie.
An attempt is made tn slt5' ;tute
reprimand. This fails. Avote is ther
taSen on the question Of expulsion. L
proceeds on strict pa"ty liues. Lyon