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Matthew Lyon, only Congressman elected to office while in jail...
Matthew Lyon, only Congressman elected to office while in jail...
Item # 686876
November 03, 1798
COLUMBIAN CENTINEL, Boston, Nov. 3, 1798
* Matthew Lyon elected while imprisoned
* Vermont Congressman - sedition charge
The front page has over a full column taken up with: "Matthew Lyon's Trial - Trial of Matthew Lyon For Sedition".
At different times Lyon represented Vermont & Kentucky in Congress. His tenure was tumultuous. He brawled with one Congressman, and was jailed on charges of violating the Sedition Act (this article), winning re-election to Congress from inside his jail cell, giving Lyon the infamous distinction of being the only person to be elected to Congress while in jail. See the web for more.
Page 2 has two addresses to the President with his response signed in type: John Adams.
Four pages, very nice condition.
background: In the 1798 election, Vermont Congressman Matthew Lyon, a Democratic-Republican known for his fiery temperament, won re-election while imprisoned under the controversial Sedition Act for criticizing President John Adams. Earlier that year, Lyon had made headlines for a violent altercation in Congress after spitting on a Federalist opponent, Roger Griswold, leading to a physical fight. Despite his imprisonment and a $1,000 fine, Lyon's popularity surged, and he secured victory over Federalist Samuel Williams with 55.5% of the vote. His re-election from jail made him a symbol of resistance to Federalist overreach and a defender of free speech, highlighting the intense political polarization of the era.
Category: The 1600's and 1700's
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