John Randolph of Roanoke
The late 1820s found Sparhawk working as a reporter in Washington, DC for the "National Intelligencer". On January 25, 1928, the owner and editor of the "United States Telegraph", Duff Green, confronted Sparhawk in the United States Capitol and accused him of deliberately and maliciously misquoting a speech by John Randolph of Roanoke. The "Intelligencer" reported that Green viciously assaulted Sparhawk, while the "Telegraph" insisted that any physical altercation was minor and that Sparhawk has barely been hurt. A few days later, Sparhawk petitioned the United States Senate for redress.