The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-11-17

INV ENl11L0 ~, slSV1U. 3s-3E
White House. His ridicule of the prac-
tfce broke it up but made Adams, then
President, his bitter enemy, for history
tells us that Adams was born aristo-
crat and loved display. In 1908, Lyon
published the first number of a maga-
zine, which he called ",The Scourge OF
Aristocracy," and its publication
caused his arrest, Indictment and con
viction under the "alien and sedition
law" He was found guilty of q libel
upon President Adams, confined in Jail
for four months and fined $1,000, which
was at once paid by his friends, who
sent him back to Congress by such an
overwhelming majority as few men
ever had. An attempt was made to
expel him from Congress as con
victed felon, but it failed for want of
wo:thirds vote.
During this term of Congress, Lyon
was the hero of the first fight on the
floor of Congress. Griswold of Con-
necticut, Federalist, was the aggres-
sor. Lyon forgot himself, during a
wordy debate and spit in Griswold's
face. Afterward Griswold approached
him from behind and without any
warning began to beat him over the
head with his heavy hickory cane
Lyon finally secured pair of heavy
tongs and would have killed Griswold,
had not the other members rushed in,
A motion to eXpel both members
failed to carry. This new book is Ell,
ricEed with a copy of an old cartoon
depicting the scene in Congress and
bearing these lines:
He in trice struck Lyon thrice u.
Upon his head, enraged, sir,
Who seized the tongs to ease his
wrongs,
And Griswold thus engaged sir"
| At the expiration of his term III
Congress, Lyon removed to Kentucky,
and founded the town of Eddyville,
Lyon county, not far from Paducali;
and as the next county to it is called
Crittenden we may surmise he named
that Or was the cause of having it so
named after his father-in-law. Yer.
mont's first governor.
l o,sl-o hi IN at .c,$
election after his arrival in kentucky,
he was returned to Congress, and re-
manned member until 1911. He was
eventually appointed United States
commissioner for the Cherokee Indians
by President Monroe and removed to
Arkansas. for which he was the terri
torial delegate-elect at the time of his
death in 1922.
The author deserves the thanks of
every lever Of American history for
thus rescuing from oblivion the name
and life of as unique character as
these pages ever made mention of.
An Irish exile sold by the captain of
the sailing vessel into bondage to pay
his passage, he bought his freedom III
a State. whose representative he was
destined afterwards to so bitterly OPP.
/. pose on the floor of Congress-. What Il
strange career; Connecticut, Vermont
Kentucky and Arkansas saw him and
honared him. and out of Jail he went
to Congress-; from felon's cell fol
freedom of the press to combat the
ablest Federalsts. A Democrat he re
smained-true to the people and they to
him-as is proved by the fact that nc
sooner had he. set foot on Kentucky
soil and ayowed his intention of be.
coming citizen of that State, than the
pioneers of that region made prepare.
tons to send him back to Congress-
/ AS he lived. so lie died-laboring foi
humanity, working for the Cherokee
Indians that justice might be done to
them by the white man.
While Buchanan was running fol
President back in 1856, he had a friend
n the West who worked late and early
for him. This man had wife who
was an invalid. and after Buchanan
was seated. he thought he was entitled
to some reward for his work and ap.
piled for a consulate on the coast Of
the Mediterranean, thinking resi-.
dence there would improve his wifes
health. se
He sent in his application. Months
went by and he heard nothing of it.
Finally word came to him that he had
been named consul at some little place
in Iceland In the meantime his wife
had died. He sat down md wrote this
brief letter: ITO james Buchanan
President United States. Dear Sir:
Since applying to you some months
ago fora consulate on-tlie balmy shore
of the Mediterranean, my wife, who
was i'll. has gone to heaven and you
can go to --,. Yours, etc.
$50 remarked a friend to old Lady
AIalaprop your son has become a
newspaper MANI" Yes, . replied the
old lady with pleased smile. ..he's a
supporter on one of our leading pa
pers," ''Oh indeed?" "Oh yes and
i b. . - >