PREFACE.

THE HISTORICAL MAGAZINE, established originally in Boston, and edited during the first year by John Ward Dean, Esq., whose agency in establishing a work of such real value, and launching it fairly into the American public, deserves the grateful remembrance of scholars of the historic past of our country, has now passed entirely into the hands of the present editor, who has directed its columns since its advent to New York, except for the first year, when it was under the direction of the Hon. George Folsom.

Appreciating its value as а contribution to American history, a record and auxiliary to the constantly increasing and laboring Historical Societies, a stimulus and helper to all students in the science to which it is devoted, and all conscious of my few qualifications for the task, I have grown to regard the Historical Magazine as part and parcel of myself. When the publisher who had so ably commenced and conducted it found it necessary to relinquish its management, I felt reluctant to see it pass to other hands or cease.

A large southern subscription, lost by

Its condition has not been too prosperous. the war, has not been replaced by an increased northern list; but I felt assured that, properly brought to the notice of societies and students, this would soon be remedied; and that its friends will, each in his own sphere, exert themselves to increase its list.

With the January number will begin the series of promised papers on American historians. These will, in many instances, be accompanied by portraits; and I shall endeavor to give, also, other illustrations not unbecoming the character of the Magazine. Endeavor shall be made to render the General Department more

attractive by giving it a popular character, without impairing its general and recognized form.

Hoping to continue for years the connection so long and pleasantly made as editor, the proprietor ushers in the ninth volume of the Historical Magazine.

NEW YORK, December, 1864.

JOHN G. SHEA.

THE

HISTORICAL MAGAZINE.

VOL. VIII.]

General Department.

JANUARY, 1864.

CARICATURE OF AN EARLY FRACAS IN

CONGRESS.

IN presenting to our readers a copy of an early caricature of what unfortunately has been a precedent too often followed, we are happy to give the following account of the scene from the pen of one of our kind contributors.

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[No. 1.

Connecticut, May 21, 1762; graduated at Yale College in 1780, and studied law. From 1795 to 1805 he was a Representative in Congress from Connecticut. In 1801 he declined the appointment of Secretary of War, offered him by President Adams, a few days before the accession of President Jefferson. In 1807 he was chosen a Judge of the Supreme Court of the State; was Lieutenant-Governor from 1809 to 1811, and then elected Governor; while holding that office he refused to place four "The disgraceful scene which the accom- companies under General Dearborn at the panying engraving presents occurred in the requisition of the President, for garrison United States House of Representatives, purposes, deeming the requisition unconthen sitting in Philadelphia, on the 15th of stitutional, as they were not wanted to February, 1798. The building in which" repel invasion," etc. repel invasion," etc. He died in 1812.' Congress then met is that at the S. E. cor- MATTHEW LYON. He was born in ner of Sixth and Chestnut streets. The Wicklow County, Ireland, in 1746, and Senate sat in the back room, second story, having emigrated to this country when now occupied by a branch of the District thirteen years of age, participated to some Court for the City and County of Phila- extent in the revolutionary struggle, havdelphia. In the room below, near the ing, in 1777, been appointed temporary Court of Quarter Sessions, sat the House Paymaster of the Northern army, and in of Representatives. 1778 Deputy Secretary of the Governor of "The combatant with the uplifted cane Vermont, and at the same time Clerk of is the Hon. Roger Griswold of Connecti- the Court of Confiscation. He settled in cut; he with the brandished tongs is the Vermont after the war, and was elected a Hon. Matthew Lyon of Vermont. The member of the State Legislature in 1789 Speaker, the Hon. Jonathan Dayton, of and the three following years. In 1783 he New Jersey, is in his chair; beneath him founded the town of Fair Haven, where he sits the Clerk of the House, Jonathan W. built saw-mills, grist-mills, established a Condy, Esq., of Pennsylvania. In the left forge or iron-foundry, manufactured paper hand corner, leaning his elbow on his knee, from bass-wood and established a newsis the Rev. Ashbel Green, an eminent Cler- paper called The Farmers' Library. He gyman in the Presbyterian church, who served that town in the legislature ten died only a few years ago. years. In 1786 he was Assistant Judge of

"Of the two prominent actors in the Rutland County. He was a Representative scene we have the following account in Mr. in Congress from Vermont, from 1799 to Charles Lanman's 'Dictionary of the Uni- 1801, and it was during his first term that ted States Congress.' (Philadelphia, 1859.) he had a personal difficulty on the floor of "ROGER GRISWOLD, born in Lyme, Congress with Roger Griswold of Connec

ticut, when an unsuccessful effort was made wooden sword for cowardice in the field. to have him expelled. The fact of his Upon this Mr. Lyon spit. in Mr. Griswold's giving the vote that made Jefferson Pre- face.

"On the 1st of February a letter from Mr. Lyon to the Speaker was read, in which he disclaimed any intentional disrespect to the House.

sident is well known. At the end of his "Mr. Sewall desired that the galleries second term as a Representative from Ver- might be cleared, and when the doors were mont he removed to Kentucky, served two closed he moved that Mr. Lyon be expelled. years in the Legislature of that State, and The House ordered the doors to be opened was a Representative in Congress from that and the subject was then referred to the state from 1803 to 1811. After his final Committee on Privileges. The committee retirement from Congress, and on Novem- soon reported to the effect that, if either ber 13, 1811, the Speaker of the House of of the members offered any violence to the Representatives presented a petition from other before a final decision of the House, him, setting forth that he had, many years he should be considered guilty of a high before, been prosecuted and convicted un- breach of privilege. der the sedition law (see "State Trials of the United States") that he had suffered imprisonment and been made to pay the sum of $1060.90, and that he wished to have the money refunded to him. On July "On the following day the Committee 4, 1840, a law was passed paying to his of Privileges reported the facts of the case heirs the specified sum, with interest from to the House and recommended the passage February, 1799. It was while in prison at of a resolution for Mr. Lyon's expulsion. Vergennes that he was elected to Congress The debate upon this report continued from Vermont, and at the close of his ser- until the 12th of February, when the vote vices in Congress from Kentucky he was upon the question of expulsion was taken employed to build gun-boats for the war, and stood-ayes 52, nays 44. A vote of but became bankrupt from the operation. In 1820 he was appointed a Factor among the Cherokee Indians in Arkansas; when that Territory was organized he was elected the first delegate to Congress, but did not live to take his seat, having died at Spadra Bluff, Arkansas, August 1, 1822.'

two-thirds being constitutionally required to effect an expulsion the motion was lost.

"Of the affair of January 31st, a càricature is in existence representing Mr. Lyon as a lion standing on its hind legs and having a man's head in profile. A wooden sword is hanging by his side. Griswold, whose name admitted of no pun, is holding a handkerchief in his hand and exclaiming, "what a beastly action."

The Aurora of February 16th, 1798, gives the following anecdote of the battle represented in the engraving.

"The encounter represented in the curious engraving herewith reproduced was not the first which had occurred between Messrs. Lyon and Griswold. On the 31st of January, in the same year (1798), a difficulty occurred between them, of which the following account has been abridged "Yesterday, after prayers, nearly half from The Aurora newspaper (Republi- an hour after the time to which the House can). had adjourned, and after the Speaker had "The House of Representatives was taken the chair, Mr. Lyon was sitting in his engaged in balloting for managers to con- seat (which is the centre of a row of desks) duct the impeachment before the Senate of with his hat off and inclining forward with Senator Blount of North Carolina, the his eyes on a paper before him. Mr. GrisSpeaker being out of the chair. Just be- wold left his seat with a stout hickory club, fore the adjournment, Mr. Griswold and came up to Mr. Lyon on his right front, and Mr. Lyon being outside of the bar, the former made some allusion to a story circulated in some of the eastern states that Mr. Lyon had been obliged to wear a

without warning struck him once and again over the head and shoulders before he could rise, and repeated his blows, which Mr. Lyon endeavored to ward off with his arm,

while extricating himself from the sur-stroke across Mr. Lyon's head, who was rounding desks and chairs. Mr. L. at- sitting uncovered and looking down upon tempting to close in, in order to avoid the some papers upon the desk, which stood blows, pushed forward towards the Speak- between him and Mr. Griswold. The er's chair; Mr. G. endeavoring to preserve stroke was so sudden and unexpected that the distance and repeating his blows. Mr. Mr. L. did not even make an effort by L. at length got hold of the tongs; but raising up his arms to ward off the danger. after one stroke with them, his antagonist Mr. G. repeated his stroke before Mr. Lyon closing in, both the tongs and the club could rise from his seat. Mr. L. put his were dropt and the two members fell, Mr. cane between his legs when he first sat G. having Mr. L. partly under him. There down but seemed to have lost it, as he was no call of order from the Speaker all pressed forward unarmed to extricate himthis time. Two members endeavored to self from the chairs and desks with which take Mr. G. off by pulling him by the legs. he was surrounded. Mr. G. continued his The Speaker alleged he should be taken assault during the favorable opportunity off by the shoulders; they were, however, furnished by Mr. L.'s embarrassed situation, separated. gave several severe strokes, one of which

"A few minutes afterwards Mr. G. was visibly staggered him. As soon as Mr. L. standing in that part of the house where had got into the open area before the water is placed for the use of the members. Speaker's chair he attempted to close with Mr. L. came up to the same place, with a Mr. G., but finding this not easily effected, cane in his hand; as soon as he recognized by the wariness of his antagonist, he seemed Mr. G. he struck him with his cane; on compelled to seek for arms that should put which Mr. Sitgreaves brought Mr. G. a hickory club; but the members interfered, the Speaker then called to order and Messrs. L. and G. separated.

"We are happy to add that Mr. L. is not so much hurt as might have been expected from the violence and manner of the

assault.'

him more on a level with Mr. G. With this view he passed on to the nearest fireplace, followed by Mr. G., who continued striking. At length Mr. L. seized the firetongs and proceeded to repel Mr. G.'s attack, but in this he was prevented by Mr. G., who quickly caught hold of the tongs also and made a thrust with his cane at Mr. "So far from the organ of the Republi- L.'s face. The combatants now closed and can party. The following account, copied abandoned their weapons; after a short from a newspaper slip, appears to be from struggle they fell side by side on the floor, some paper of the Federal party: when several other members interposed "PHILADELPHIA, February 16.-Ano- and separated the combatants. Mr. L. imther Fracas in Congress.-Yesterday mediately expressed a wish that they had morning, immediately after prayers were been left alone to settle the matter in the over, and while the Speaker was in the way Mr. G. had proposed. chair, but before the house was called to 'A few minutes only had intervened order, Mr. Griswold, a member from Con- when, by accident, Mr. Lyon and Mr. necticut, observing Mr. Lyon, of Vermont, Griswold met at the water-table near the in his seat, left the chair in which he usually south-east door; Mr. Griswold was now sat and moved diagonally towards the table without any stick and Mr. Lyon had a cane occupied by the sergeant at arms. He in his hand; their eyes no sooner met than made a momentary halt, assumed a fierce- Mr. Lyon sprang to attack Mr. Griswold, ness of countenance to which he is unac- who, stepping back, in some measure customed, grasping at the same time with avoided the blow. Mr. G. continued to firmer nerve the hickory stick he had in his retreat until another cudgel was put into hand, passed on with three or four quick steps till he came near to Mr. Lyon, when he raised his stick and draw a violent

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his hand by Mr. Sitgreaves, but on the Speaker and some of the members calling to order the business terminated for the present,