The Irish standard., 1901-05-11
nah Of Litchfield for a pair Of bull.

nah Of Litchheld for pair Of bulls
valued at f12. Hence q tfavorite ex-
preston Of Lyons in latter years: by
the bulls that bought me-" After
serving out his time, Lyons seems to
have ,prospered, fol-, he married a;niece
OF Ethan Allen, by whom he had four
children. In the spring Of IVA he re-
moved from Connecticut to the town
ship of Wallingford, vt. He was "a
private soldier in one Of the companies
called Minute Men," who first took
arms in defence of American liberty,
and, with his gun on his shoulder, he
marched under Ethan Allen to the
capture of Ticonderoga. A little later
he was made adjutant in the regiment
commanded by Seth Warner, and took
part in the campaign conducted by
General Montgomery in Canada.
After some vicissitudes he was ap-
pointed paymaster with the rank of
captain in Warmers. regiment, and held
this position until after the surrender
of Burgoynes army, when he rejoined
his family in Vermont, where he be-
came leader in the organization Of
the state. In 1888 he founded the
town of New Haven, where he estab-
lished extensive mills, factories and
iron works. For his second wife. he
married a daughter Of Thomas Chit
itenden, the first governor Of Vermont.
On the admission Of the state to the
Union, he was an unsuccessful candi-
date for the office of United States
senator, and in 1896 was elected to
congress from the western division.
During an exciting political contest in
his district in 1898, when he was again
running for congress as an anti-Fed-
eralist, he started a semi-monthly mag
azine named the Scourge Of Aristoc-
racy. To this publication his indict-
ment under the sedition law may prob
ably be traced. The first number Of
the Scourge appeared on Oct. 1 of the
year named, and four days later he
was indicted. Nominally, however, it
was not for any article in that paper,
but for private letter criticising Pres
ident John Adams, which had found
it's way into print. Convicted under
the new federal statute, he was i'm
prisoned in Vergennes Jail, but his
constituents reelected him to congress,
and two years later he helped to GUST
Adams from the presidency.
While he was member of the
house of representatives from Vermont
he had a memorable encounter with
Roger Griswold In the presence of
the speaker of the house and several
other members, Griswold asked Lyon
whether he meant to wear his wooden
sword when Ire next went into Con-
necticut. The allusion was to an ut
terly unfounded SANDER circulated by
Lyons Federalist enemies in Vermont
Burning with indignation, but mindful
of his surroundings, Lyon pretended
not to hear the question, and turning
his head in another direction, contin-
ucd the conversation in which he had
been previously engaged. Thereupon
Griswold got up from his seat, walked
over to Lyon, pulled him by the arm
and repeated the insulting inquiry
Thus goaded, Lyon turned on his tor
mentor and spat in his face. This I'M
pleasant incident took place on Jan.
80, 1913, and on the same day COM
mittee Of investigation was appointed.
On Feb. Is, 'Griswold, armed with a
bludgeon, stole upon Lyon, who was
seated at his desk, and began to beat
him about the head and shoulders I'M
mercifully. Lyon, however, seized a
pair of tongs and began to give thump
for thump until the combatants We're
parted. The attempt made by the Fed
eralists to eXpel Lyon from the house
was unsuccessful, a two-thirds vote
LOT the reSOluIlOu lOl USlA5 OOCeAhesoAS'
but both antagonists were obliged to
appear before the speaker and pledge
their words not to commit any further
acts Of violence upon each other dur
ing the session.
During Lyons second term in con-
,ress he helped to elect Jefferson presi-
dent Of the United States. 1t will be
remembered that eight states voted
for Jefferson, and six for Burr, while
two states were disqualified from vot-
ing, their representatives being equally
divided. II Jefferson could secure the
vote Of one more state, he would be
elected. Ultimately, Lewis r. Morris,
one Of the two members from Yer
mont, was persuaded to absent him
self from the house, wllereupon the
vote of that state was cast by Lyon
for Jefferson.
Matthew Lyon was a pioneer, not
only in Vermont, but also in Ken
lucky, and even further west. After
the close of his second term in con-
,v,,. bo ,au,ovod from Vormont to