Matthew Lyon - Political Life

Political Life

Lyon served briefly during the Revolution, ending his service when General Horatio Gates court martialed him for cowardice. Lyon was reportedly ordered to carry a wooden sword to represent his shame. Lyon became a member of the Vermont House of Representatives, serving from 1779 to 1783. He founded Fair Haven, Vermont in 1779 and returned to the state House of Representatives from 1783 to 1793.

Lyon built and operated various kinds of mills, including one for the manufacture of paper. He established a printing office in 1793 and published the Farmers' Library, afterward the Fair Haven Gazette. Lyon was an unsuccessful candidate for election to the Second and Third Congresses, and unsuccessfully contested the election of Israel Smith to the Fourth Congress. He was elected as a Democratic-Republican to the Fifth and Sixth Congresses (March 4, 1797 - March 3, 1801); he was not a candidate for renomination in 1800.

Lyon had the distinction of being the first member to have an ethics violation charge filed against him when he was accused of "gross indecency" for spitting in Roger Griswold's face. Griswold, a Congressman from Connecticut, had insulted Lyon, calling him a scoundrel, which at the time was considered profanity. On January 30, 1798. Congress planned to have a meeting to remove William Blount, of Tennessee, from office. Griswold was trying to attract Lyon's attention, but Lyon was ignoring him on purpose, since they belonged to opposing political parties (Lyon was a Democratic-Republican and Griswold a Federalist). Griswold finally lost his temper and insulted Lyon. Their clash began when Lyon began a Congressional discussion by declaring himself a champion for the interest of the common man. Mockingly, Congressman Griswold asked if Lyon would be fighting with his wooden sword, a reference to Lyon's dismissal for cowardice during the Revolution. Furious, Lyon spat on the Congressman, earning himself the nickname "The Spitting Lyon". On February 15, 1798, Griswold retaliated by beating Lyon about the head with a wooden cane in view of other representatives on the Senate floor. Lyon retreated to a fire pit and defended himself with the tongs until other Congressmen broke up the fight. Griswold had to be pulled by his legs to urge him to let go of Lyon. Although the Ethics Committee recommended censure, the House as a whole rejected the motion to censure him. Having married the daughter of Governor Chittenden, it is possible Lyon had too much influence to have been removed; though others argue it was because any actions taken against Lyon would have to be pursued against Griswold.

Lyon also has the distinction of being the only person to be elected to Congress while in jail. On October 10, 1798, Lyon was found guilty of sedition, in violation of the Alien and Sedition Acts; which prohibited malicious writing of the American government as a whole, or of the houses of Congress, or of the President. Lyon was the first person to be put to trial for violating the acts on charges of criticizing Federalist president John Adams for his pretense of going to war against France.