The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-08-31

! congressional vote of confidence in Wash
! ington and Matthew Lyon now began
! rebellion against the forms and ceremo-
mails which Washington had established,
and which Adams wished to continue
Congress was federalist. the fashions
of the time were federalist and Lyon was
/ democratic Batteries of ridicule ana
abuse were opened upon him, as - the
case always Lyon was not scholar,
but he was far from being either 1901
/ or vulgarian
His father had lost his life resisting
British tyranny in ireland, and Matthew
Lyon. at the age of Is. had fed to this
country fo~ refuge. He had received
| some schooling in ireland and he seems
to have continued his education In TINS
country. Marrying a niece OF Ethan Al
| Ian he settled in Vermont In l'4
His natural position, as an lflshmah'
! was with the colonists in their rebelioi'
| and he was one of the Green Mountain
boys who under Ethan Allen, mace the
capture of Ticonderoga. lie continued 10
serve during the war and distinguished
| himself He was promoted from grace
to grade until he became colonel. ana
after the war he was a leading man IN
Vermont, both in business and poil'ics'
His first wife dying he married the
Serving constantly in the Legislature. he
| held high positions in the state admins
| tration. such as secretary of the board OF
| war and deputy secretary Of the council
| He founded the town Of Fair Haven, and
established manufactures on Poultney
river. lie erected a paper mill, print
ing press. corn mills saw mills and iron
works lie was one of the first to make
paper from the bark Of the Eastwood
tree Under his practical touch this rural
wilderness which he had settled became
one Of the most fourishing business cen
ters in New England.
From the bark Of the forest tree the
| ingenious Irishman made paper, and upon
this paper OF his own make he printed
the Farmers Library, a small journal
edited by himself and his son. james
who also set the type. He also published
books al New Haven, one Of these beng
a life OF Benjamin Franklin. In q sec
ton where federalism was intrenched,
Lyou made the fight for democracy. lie
met with all kinds of obstacles. oihef
papers would not publish his articles 70
get a hearing he was compelled to run
"a pauer OF his own. Defeated time and
again for congress- he at length won the
seat. and so it was that Matthew Lyon
become thorn in the flesh of John
Adams and to federalism generally.
When he asked to excused from the
childish pageantry of paradlng through
the streets TO attend upon the president,
he was laughed at, and the excuse con-
tenptuousIy granted. But when ne POI
sisted in hts attitude again sought eN-
enption from the procession and con
gress realized that public approval was
about to give its support 70 Lyon, ahst4
debate took the place Of ridicule
From this time on he was made the putt
for fcderalist sarcasm and abuse. otd
SANDERS, OF the local envy type, We're
raked up aud circulated The soldier OK
liconderoga, Bennington and Saratoga
was accused OF being a coward. 4 young
member named Griswold was put forward
to publicly insult the offensive Irish s'n
lie did So and Lyon spat in his iace.
Later Griswold armed himself with
big stick. came 10 Lyons desk Ia the
house, just -s-er prayers, and, while Lyon
was looking down at some papers struck
him over the head .-;ning blow after
blow upon him. Lyon struggling from
amid seats and desks. sought 10 close in
with Griswold. but could not Snatching
VI the tongs from the nearest fireplace,
he struck his assailant with them, and
at this turn in the combat the speaker Of
the house regaiued his parliamentary hab-
l.. and Justify called for ,"order."
Gliswold caught the tongs, Lyon the
stick, and down they went on the floor
INon underneath Members rushed mp,
Griswolds legs Were grpped, and he was
pulled off Lyon fighting all the time and
expressing regrets that they had not been
allowed TO fight il out. Criswold had not
been hurt Lyon was bruised and bloody
And the federalist party gathered all its
ft,ts
void?
NO! Lyon and Griswold.
Bitter, acrimonious debates followed,
the question being made party issue, but
Lyon held his seat Grswold was not
even censured Then Adams determined
To crush him with the power Of the fed
eTal Judiciary. He was arrested, tried
and convicted under the sedition law for
an alleged libel which would now pass
any presidential target without scoring u
hit Lyon had accused Adams Of ayarice,
vanity and childish love OF, pomp- The
federal Judge was so shocked at this lam
guage that he threw Lyon into Jail and
Tined him $1,000
The prisoner was reelected to congress
while he lay In jan After the expira-
ton of his four months sentence he would
stfll have remained in custody had not
political and personal friends taken up a
collection to pay the fine. Apollos Aus
tin, of Vermont, gathered contributions
In silver and took them south, but Gen
eral Stevens Thompson Mason, of Lou
doun county Virginia, had ridden north
his saddle bags stuffed with gold; and
ii was Mason who paid the fine. From
his cell the unconquerable Lyon, who had
refused to ask Adams for clemeney, went
back in triumph to congress. The very
school houses poured forth their chill
dren to swell the ovation which welcomed
the valiant democrat to liberty.
Bayard. Of Delaware, renewed the effort
to eXpel Lyon from congress. but failed.
Under the alien and sedition la VS. many
others beside Lyon were prosecuted and
punished. Frightened Foreigners, most of
whom We're French refugees, fled in ter
ror 10 the ships, and pat to sea. Federal
judges became hot partzans and stump
speeches volleyed and Numbered from the
bench.
The Father Of his Country mentally laid
the farewell address upon the ia bic and
made his way into the thickest of the
party warfare All OF his influence was
exerted TO bring Patrick Henry over to
the federal side. and the last fash of TN,
sun of this great orator. who was far
gone into the evening of life. was in be-
half of the party of the alien and sedition
laws Washington himself rode 10 miles
to vote