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Matthew Lyon

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Matthew Lyon
Member of theU.S. House of Representatives
fromKentucky's1stdistrict
In office
March 4, 1803 – March 3, 1811
Preceded byThomas Davis
Succeeded byAnthony New
Member of theU.S. House of Representatives
fromVermont's1stdistrict
In office
March 4, 1797 – March 3, 1801
Preceded byIsrael Smith
Succeeded byIsrael Smith
Personal details
Born(1749-07-14)July 14, 1749
nearDublin,Ireland
DiedAugust 1, 1822(1822-08-01)(aged 73)
Spadra Bluff,Arkansas,U.S. (now Clarksville)
Political partyDemocratic-Republican
Spouse(s)Mary Horsford
Beulah Chittenden
Children12, includingChittenden
Signature

Matthew Lyon(July 14, 1749 – August 1, 1822) was an Irish-born American printer,farmer,soldierandpolitician,who served as aUnited States representativefrom bothVermontandKentucky.

Lyon represented Vermont inCongressfrom 1797 to 1801, and represented Kentucky from 1803 to 1811. His tenure in Congress was tumultuous. He brawled with one Congressman, and was jailed on charges of violating theSedition Act,winning re-election to Congress from inside his jail cell.

Lyon's trial, conviction, and incarceration boosted his status among the fledglingDemocratic-Republican Partyas a free-speech martyr.[1]

Early life and military career

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Lyon attended school inDublin,after having been born in nearbyCounty Wicklow,Ireland.[2]Some sources indicate that his father was executed for treason against the British government of Ireland, and Lyon worked as a boy to help support his widowed mother.[2]He began to learn the printer and bookbinder trades in 1763, but emigrated toConnecticutas aredemptionerin 1764.[3]To pay his debt, he worked for Jabez Bacon, a farmer and merchant inWoodbury.[3]The debt was later purchased by merchant and farmer Hugh Hannah ofLitchfield;while working for Hannah (or Hanna), Lyon continued his education through self-study when he was able.[4][3]By working for wages when he was permitted, Lyon saved enough to purchase the remainder of his indenture, and he became a free man in 1768.[3]

While living in Connecticut, Lyon became acquainted with many individuals who became the first white settlers of Vermont.[3]In 1774, Lyon moved toWallingford, Vermont(then known as theNew Hampshire Grants), where he farmed and organized a company ofmilitia.[3][5]He was anadjutantin ColonelSeth Warner's regiment in Canada in 1775, and in July 1776 was commissioned asecond lieutenantin theGreen Mountain Boys' regiment.[6]He moved toArlington, Vermont,in 1777.[7]

During theRevolutionary War,Lyon initially served underHoratio Gatesin upstateNew Yorkand Vermont.[8]In a version of the event later circulated by his political opponents, he wascashieredfor cowardice and ordered to carry a wooden sword to represent his shame.[9][10]In Lyon's version, he and his men were assigned to guard wheat growing in the fields nearJericho, Vermont;unhappy at not being put to good use, he asked to leave Gates' command and join the regiment commanded by Seth Warner.[3][8]Lyon's conduct was vindicated by bothArthur St. ClairandJames Wilkinson.[11][12]

Lyon subsequently joined Warner's regiment as a paymaster with the rank of captain, and served during theBattle of Benningtonand other actions.[13]After leaving Warner's Regiment following theBattle of Saratoga,Lyon continued his revolutionary activity, serving as a member of Vermont'sCouncil of Safety,a captain in the militia (later advancing to colonel), paymaster general of the Vermont Militia, deputy secretary to GovernorThomas Chittenden,and assistant to Vermont'streasurer.[14]

Political career in Vermont

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The Fair Haven home of Matthew Lyon

Lyon served as a member from Arlington in theVermont House of Representativesfrom 1779 to 1783.[15]He foundedFair Haven,Vermontin 1783 and returned to the state House of Representatives from 1787 to 1796 as its member.[16][n 1][17]In October 1785, while serving as clerk of the Vermont Court of Confiscation, Lyon wasimpeachedby theVermont Council of Censorsfor his failure to provide the state with records of the Court of Confiscation. Three days later, after animpeachment trialbefore both the council and the governor, Lyon was reprimanded and ordered by the court of impeachment to pay the expenses of the prosecution. It was additionally ordered by the court of impeachment that Lyon be fined 500 pounds if he failed to comply by delivering the documents. Lyon requested a new trial, and the Council obliged, again finding against him. There are no records that suggest that Lyon paid any of the fines he was ordered to, however.[18][17]Lyon was elected assistant judge ofRutland Countyin 1786 and was elected to again serve in the state house later the following year.[17]

Lyon also built and operated various kinds of mills in Fair Haven, including a gristmill, sawmill, and paper mill, in addition to an iron foundry.[19]In 1793, he started a printing office and published theFarmers' Librarynewspaper; though his son James was the nominal owner, Matthew Lyon oversaw the paper's management and supplied much of its content.[20][n 2]The newspaper was later renamed to theFair Haven Gazette,and was published until Lyon sold its works.[22]In 1794, Lyon sold the printing press and other equipment for theGazetteto Reverend Samuel Williams and Judge Samuel Williams ofRutland,who used it to found theRutland Herald.[23]

Congress

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Lyon was an unsuccessful candidate for election to theSecondandThirdCongresses.[24]He unsuccessfully contested the election ofIsrael Smithto theFourth Congress.[25]Lyon won election as aDemocratic-Republicanto theFifthandSixthCongresses (March 4, 1797 – March 3, 1801); he was not a candidate for renomination in 1800.[1]

Altercation with Roger Griswold

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Political cartoon of Lyon (holding tongs) brawling with Roger Griswold

Lyon had the distinction of being one of the first two members investigated for a supposed violation of House rules when he was accused of "gross indecency" for spitting inRoger Griswold's face; Griswold was investigated for attacking Lyon in retaliation.

On January 30, 1798, the House was considering whether to removeWilliam BlountofTennesseefrom office.[26]Griswold was trying to attract Lyon's attention in order to have a dialogue on the issue, but Lyon was ignoring him on purpose, since they belonged to opposing political parties (Lyon was a Democratic-Republican and Griswold aFederalist).[26]Griswold finally lost his temper and insulted Lyon by calling him a scoundrel, which at the time was consideredprofanity.[26]Their clash escalated when Lyon declared himself willing to fight for the interest of the common man.[27]Mockingly, Griswold asked if Lyon would be using his wooden sword, a reference to Lyon's supposed dismissal from Gates' command during the Revolution.[28]Furious, Lyon spat tobacco juice on Griswold, earning himself the nickname "The Spitting Lyon".[29][30]

Lyon later apologized to the House as a whole, claiming he had not known it was in session when he confronted Griswold, and meant no breach of decorum or disrespect to the body; he also provided a written letter of apology.[31]Not satisfied with the apology, on February 15, 1798, Griswold retaliated by attacking Lyon with a wooden cane, beating him about the head and shoulders in view of other representatives on the House floor.[26][29]Lyon retreated to a fire pit and defended himself with the tongs until other Congressmen broke up the fight, with several pulling Griswold by his legs to get him to let go of Lyon.[26][29]Although the committee appointed to investigate recommended censure of both Lyon and Griswold, the House as a whole rejected the motion.[32]The issue was resolved when both Lyon and Griswold promised the House that they would keep the peace and remain on good behavior.[33]

Imprisonment for sedition

[edit]
Criticism of John Adams (pictured) landed Lyon in prison.
Criticism of John Adams(pictured)landed Lyon in prison.

Lyon also has the distinction of being the only person to be elected to Congress while in jail. On October 10, 1798, he was found guilty of violating theAlien and Sedition Acts,[34]which prohibited malicious writing about the American government as a whole, or of the houses ofCongress,or of thepresident.During theQuasi Warwith France,[35]Lyon was the first person to be put to trial for violating the acts after he published editorials criticizingFederalistPresidentJohn Adams.[36]

Lyon had launched his own newspaper,The Scourge of Aristocracy and Repository of Important Political Truth,[37]when theRutland Heraldrefused to publish his writings. On October 1, Lyon printed an editorial which included charges that Adams had an "unbounded thirst for ridiculous pomp, foolish adulation, and selfish avarice," as well as the accusation that Adams had corrupted the Christianreligionto further his war aims.[38][n 3][39]Before the Alien and Sedition Acts had been passed, Lyon had also written a letter to Alden Spooner, the publisher of theVermont Journal.In this letter, which Lyon wrote in response to criticism in theJournal,Lyon called the president "bullying," and the Senate's responses "stupid."[38]

Once the Alien and Sedition Acts were passed, the Federalists pushed for this letter to be printed in theVermont Journal,which Spooner did, thus adding additional charges against Lyon.[38]One other charge included publishing letters written by the poetJoel Barlow,which Lyon had read at political rallies.[40]These also were published prior to the Acts.[38][41]Lyon's defense was to be theunconstitutionalityof the Acts, asJeffersonianssaw them as violating theFirst Amendment to the Constitution.In Lyon's particular case, there was the aforementioned letter to Alden Spooner as well as that of Barlow, which meant Lyon felt entitled to bring up theConstitution's safeguards againstex post factolaws.[42][43]This defense was not allowed.[43][44]

Judge William Paterson(pictured)lamented being unable to give a harsher punishment.

Lyon was sentenced to four months in a 16 by 12 feet (4.9 m × 3.7 m) jail cell used for felons, counterfeiters, thieves, and runaway slaves inVergennes,and ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and court costs (equivalent to $18,317 in 2023);Judge William Patersonlamented being unable to give a harsher punishment.[44]A bit of a resistance movement was created; the Green Mountain Boys even threatened to destroy the jail and might have done so if not for Lyon's urging peaceful resistance.[45]While in jail, Lyon won election to the Sixth Congress by nearly doubling thevotesof his closest adversary, 4,576 to 2,444.[45]Upon his release, Lyon exclaimed to a crowd of supporters: "I am on my way toPhiladelphia!"[46]

After years of effort by his heirs, in 1840 Congress passed a bill authorizing a refund of the fine Lyon incurred under theAlien and Sedition Actsand other expenses he accrued as the result of his imprisonment, plus interest.[47]

Election of 1800

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In theelection of 1800,the vote went to the House of Representatives because of a tie inelectoralvotes betweenThomas JeffersonandAaron Burr,who were supposed to have been the Democratic-Republican candidates for president and vice president respectively.[48]Many Federalists decided Burr as president was preferable to Jefferson.[49]

House members voted by state, with a majority required for a state's vote to be awarded, and a majority of nine states required to win.[50]During the first 35 ballots, Jefferson carried eight states and Burr six, with two states counted as "no result" because of a tie among their House members.[51]Vermont was one of the two "no result" states, becauseLewis Morrisvoted for Burr and Lyon cast his ballot for Jefferson.[52]On the 36th ballot, several Federalists decided to break the impasse by allowing the election of Jefferson through either casting blank ballots or absenting themselves from the House chamber during the vote.[52]Morris was among the Federalists who took part; as a result of Morris's decision to be absent, Lyon's vote for Jefferson moved Vermont into his column.[52]Vermont was one of two states to switch from "no result" to Jefferson, and he carried 10 states on the final ballot; Lyon thus played an important role in Jefferson's victory.[53]

Later career

[edit]

Kentucky

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Lyon moved toKentuckyby 1801, settling inEddyvilleinLivingston County, Kentucky(laterCaldwell Countyand nowLyon County).[54][55]He established a paper mill propelled by oxen and a distillery, and subsequently engaged in boat building.[54]Lyon also owned tenslavesin 1810.[56][57]

TheDepartment of Waremployed him to buildgunboatsfor theWar of 1812.[58]When the war ended, Lyon had on hand large quantities of wood and other supplies he had purchased at wartime prices for this endeavor; the government subsequently failed to honor its contract, and Lyon became bankrupt.[59]He worked diligently to repair his finances, and by 1818 he had satisfied his debts and was again living in comfortable circumstances.[60]

Return to Congress

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He became a member of theKentucky House of Representativesin 1802 and was elected to the8th United States Congressand to the three succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1803 – March 3, 1811).[53][61]He sought reelection in 1810 to the12th Congress,but was unsuccessful.[62]

Arkansas

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After repaying his debts and recovering financially, but failing to obtain payment for hiswar of 1812contract, Lyon solicited a federal appointment that would provide a salary and stability in his final years.[63]In 1820, PresidentJames Monroe,a friend and political supporter of Lyon's, appointed him United Statesfactorto theCherokee Nationin theArkansas Territory.[64]He again attempted to serve in Washington, D.C. by running for theArkansas Territory'sdelegateseat in Congress against incumbentJames Woodson Bates.[65]He narrowly lost the election to serve in the17th Congress(1,081 to 1,020), and then unsuccessfully contested the result.[65]Lyon wrote to the House that the governor of the territory and other officials refused to allow him to inspect ballots and returns, or to have a hearing where he could call witnesses.[65]As a result, Lyon was unable to gather proof to support his claim to the seat.[65]He withdrew his contest, and Bates continued to serve.[65]

Death and burial

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Lyon died in Spadra Bluff, Crawford County, Arkansas (now withinClarksville,Johnson County, Arkansas) on August 1, 1822.[66]He was initially interred in Spadra Bluff Cemetery, and in 1833 he was reinterred in Eddyville Cemetery.[67]

Personal life

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Lyon was married twice. His first wife was Mary Horsford whom he married in 1772. She was the daughter of Samuel Horsford and Mary Grant and had been married previously to Daniel Allen, the uncle ofEthan Allen,until his death in 1772. She died in 1782.[68]Lyon's second marriage was to Beulah M. Chittenden, the daughter ofThomas Chittenden,in 1784.[69][70]

His son James (1776–1824) was a newspaper editor and publisher in Vermont and several southern states, and worked with both his father andJames Thomson Callender.[71]Lyon's sonChittenden Lyon(1787–1842) was also a member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1827–1835) from Kentucky.[54]His son Matthew (1792–1839) was the father of Confederate GeneralHylan B. Lyonof Lyon County, Kentucky.[72]

His daughters Anne and Pamelia marriedJohn MessingerandGeorge Cadwell,respectively, pioneers and politicians ofIllinois.[73]

Lyon was also the great-grandfather ofWilliam Peters Hepburn,who represented Iowa in Congress.[74]One of Lyon's descendants is the American operatic baritoneSherrill Milnes.[75]

According to research conducted byThe Washington Postin 2022, Lyon was included in the list of more than 1,700 men who served in the U.S. Congress who ownedslaves.[56]

Legacy

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In 2006, the post office in Fair Haven was named for Lyon.[76]In 2018, a concept album based on the life of Matthew Lyon,Spit'n Lyonwas released. Music & Lyrics by John Daly, orchestration & recording by Greg Goldman, musical support from Neil Maurer.[77]

TheWorld War IILiberty ShipSSMatthew Lyonwas named in his honor.

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^At the time, Vermont apportioned the House by town, with each town having one representative.
  2. ^It was officially listed as being operated by his son, James Lyon.[21]
  3. ^It was common for Federalists to cite religious reasons for going to war against France, as well as for silencing the opposition.

References

[edit]
  1. ^abMiller 1951,p. 109
  2. ^abMcLaughlin 1900,p. 28
  3. ^abcdefgCoyle, John G. (January 1, 1917)."Matthew Lyon, Redemptioner".The Journal of the American Irish Historical Society.Concord, NH: American Irish Historical Society. pp. 37–51.
  4. ^McLaughlin 1900,pp. 41–48
  5. ^Austin 1981,p. 13
  6. ^Austin 1981,pp. 15–17
  7. ^McLaughlin 1900,p. 59
  8. ^abMcLaughlin 1900,p. 127
  9. ^McLaughlin 1900,p. 225
  10. ^Montagno 1954,p. 96
  11. ^Walton, Eliakim Persons (1880)."Records of the Governor and Council of the State of Vermont".8:469.{{cite journal}}:Cite journal requires|journal=(help)
  12. ^McLaughlin, J. Fairfax (1903)."A Picturesque Politician of Jefferson's Time".The Century Illustrated Monthly Magazine.65:932.
  13. ^Austin 1981,p. 18
  14. ^Johnson, Rossiter; Brown, John Howard (1904)."Matthew Lyon".The Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans.
  15. ^Forbes, Charles Spooner (September 1, 1900)."Caricature of an Early Fracas in Congress".The Vermonter.St. Albans, VT: C. S. Forbes. pp. 41–44.
  16. ^Hemenway 1877,p. 721
  17. ^abc"Matthew Lyon, Impeached, Tried, and Convicted, 1785".Office of Vermont Secretary of State/Vermont State Archives. Archived fromthe originalon March 9, 2003.RetrievedJune 15,2023.
  18. ^Multiple sources:
  19. ^"Caricature of an early Fracas in Congress".
  20. ^The Farmers' Library, or, Vermont Political & Historical Register.Rutland, Vt: J. Lyon. 1793–1794.OCLC14152194.
  21. ^Goldsmith 1962,p. 183
  22. ^The Fair Haven Gazette and Poultney Journal.Fair Haven, Vt.OCLC37328623
  23. ^Forbes, Charles S. (August 1, 1905)."History of Vermont Newspapers".The Vermonter.St. Albans, VT: C. S. Forbes. p. 13.
  24. ^Vermont State Archives (June 12, 2006)."U.S. Representative, 1791–1800 (Two Districts)"(PDF).General Election Results.Montpelier, VT: Vermont Secretary of State. pp. 1–2.
  25. ^Clark, Suzanne M. (1998).New England in U.S. Government Publications, 1789–1849.Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. p. 478.ISBN978-0313281280.
  26. ^abcdeMiller 1963,p. 208
  27. ^Martinez, J. Michael (2015).The Safety of the Kingdom: Government Responses to Subversive Threats.New York: Carrel Books. p. 22.ISBN978-1631440243.
  28. ^The Safety of the Kingdom: Government Responses to Subversive Threats.
  29. ^abc"Representative Roger Griswold of Connecticut attacked Matthew Lyon of Vermont on the House Floor".history.house.gov.Archived fromthe originalon December 26, 2016.RetrievedDecember 21,2016.
  30. ^Hakim 2003,p. 45
  31. ^Committee on Standards of Official Conduct (2004)."Historical Summary of Conduct Cases in the House of Representatives, 1798–2004"(PDF).ethics.house.gov/.Washington, DC: U.S. House of Representatives. p. 2.
  32. ^McLaughlin 1900,pp. 276–300
  33. ^Summary of Conduct Cases in the House of Representatives, 1798–2004.
  34. ^McLaughlin 1900,p. 374
  35. ^McLaughlin 1900,p. 331
  36. ^McLaughlin 1900,p. 338
  37. ^McLaughlin 1900,p. 199
  38. ^abcdBowers 1925,p. 386
  39. ^e.g."Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness Against Thy Neighbor".Vergennes Gazette.March 14, 1799.
  40. ^"The Sedition Act Trials – Historical Background and Documents".Federal Judicial Center.
  41. ^Miller 1951,p. 107
  42. ^McLaughlin 1900,p. 207
  43. ^ab"Trial of Matthew Lyon for Sedition".Vergennes Gazette.October 11, 1798.
  44. ^abMiller 1951,p. 108
  45. ^abBowers 1925,p. 387
  46. ^Bowers 1925,p. 388
  47. ^Peters, Richard (1846).The Public Statutes At Large of the United States of America.Vol. VI. Boston, MA: Charles C. Little and James Brown. p. 802.
  48. ^U.S. Department of State (1835).Statistical View of the Population of the United States from 1790 to 1830.Washington, DC: Duff Green. p. 139.
  49. ^Henry, W. H. F. (1885).The Voice of the People; Or, the History of Political Issues in the United States.Indianapolis, IN: J. E. Sherill. p. 201.
  50. ^Statistical View of the Population of the United States from 1790 to 1830.
  51. ^Gordy, John Pancoast (1903).Political History of the United States.Vol. I. New York: Henry Holt and Company. pp. 380–381.
  52. ^abcPolitical History of the United States.
  53. ^abCollins 1877,p. 491
  54. ^abcCollins 1877,p. 489
  55. ^Battle 1885,p. 290
  56. ^abZauzmer Weil, Julie; Blanco, Adrian; Dominguez, Leo (January 10, 2022)."More than 1,700 congressmen once enslaved Black people. This is who they were, and how they shaped the nation".The Washington Post.RetrievedJanuary 14,2022.
  57. ^McCallum, Kevin."Database Reveals Vermont Congressman Was a Slave Owner".Seven Days.
  58. ^Hagan 1992,p. 72
  59. ^Collins 1877,p. 492
  60. ^Townsend, John Wilson (1913).Kentucky in American Letters, 1784–1912.Vol. I. Cedar Rapids, IA: Torch Press. pp. 8–9.ISBN978-0722249413.
  61. ^Montagno 1954,p. 347
  62. ^"The following gentlemen will compose the representation of the state of Kentucky in the 12th Congress".Raleigh Weekly Register.Raleigh, NC. September 20, 1810. p. 3.
  63. ^Marion, Nancy E.; Oliver, Willard (2014).Killing Congress: Assassinations, Attempted Assassinations and Other Violence Against Members of Congress.Lanham, MD: Lexington Books. p. 167.ISBN978-0739183601.
  64. ^McLaughlin 1900,p. 472
  65. ^abcdeUnited States Congress, House Committee on Elections 1834,p. 372
  66. ^McLaughlin 1900,p. 474
  67. ^McLaughlin 1900,p. 475
  68. ^Austin 1981,pp. 11–13
  69. ^Austin 1981,pp. 31–32
  70. ^Pruden, William H. III (November 6, 2015)."Matthew Lyon (1749–1822)".Encyclopedia of Arkansas.Central Arkansas Library System.
  71. ^Lyon, James."To Thomas Jefferson from James Lyon, 29 November 1800".Founders Online.national Archives and Records Administration.RetrievedNovember 29,2019.
  72. ^Battle 1885,p. 585
  73. ^McLaughlin 1900,p. 428
  74. ^Gates 1906,p. 44
  75. ^Milnes, Sherrill(1998).American Aria: From Farm Boy to Opera Star.Schirmer Books. p. xiv.ISBN978-0028647395.
  76. ^Sanders, Bernie(August 2, 2006)."Public Law 109–263, 109th Congress: An Act To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1 Marble Street in Fair Haven, Vermont, as the" Matthew Lyon Post Office Building ""(PDF).Gov Info.gov.Washington, DC: United States Congress.
  77. ^Daly, John; Goldman, Greg; Maurer, Neil (2019)."Spit'n Lyon".Spit'n Lyon.com.RetrievedNovember 29,2019.

Sources

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U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of theU.S. House of Representatives
fromVermont's 1st congressional district
1797–1801 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of theU.S. House of Representatives
fromKentucky's 1st congressional district
1803–1811 		Succeeded by
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