Details
Title Congressional Pugilists [graphic] : He in a trice struck Lyon thrice ... / Congress Hall, in Philada Feb. 15, 1798 ...
Publisher [Philadelphia] : [publisher not identified]
Date [1798]
Physical Description 1 print : etching ; sheet 27 x 30 cm (10.75 x 12 in.)
Description Depicts a fight on the floor of Congress Hall between Vermont Representative Matthew Lyon and Connecticut Representative Roger Griswold. In the right, Griswold kicks Lyon and holds a cane up to strike him. Lyon grasps Griswold's right arm and raises a pair of fireplace tongs to hit him. Speaker Jonathan Dayton and Clerk Jonathan W. Condy (both seated), Chaplain Ashbel Green (in profile on the left), and several others look on. In the background on the wall is a framed picture with two roosters whose caption reads "Royal sport." The fight was originally prompted by an insulting reference to Lyon on Griswold's part.
Is referenced by F.W., 1798-3b (p. 12).
Reilly, B. American political prints, 1766-1876, 1798-1
Murrell, W.A history of American graphic humor, no. 37
Weitenkampf, F. Political caricature in the United States in separately published cartoons, p. 110
Notes Title from item.
Date inferred from content.
19th century restrike.
Weitenkampf lists three states of this print: in the first only the title appears above the image and the four lines of verse in the center below the image and "Congress Hall, in Philada. Feb. 15, 1798" etched in the lower right corner; in the second the title, and keyed references in the (plate) margins of the second appear above the image and "Congress Hall, in Philada. Feb. 15.1798" is etched in the lower right corner; the third is identical to the second state but has "17" etched in the upper right hand corner and "Congress Hall, in Philada. Feb. 15, 1798. "S.E. Cor. 6th & Chesnut St." in the lower right corner; the images remain the same in all three states.
Below image in lower right corner: Congress Hall, in Philada., Feb. 15, 1798, S.E. Cor. 6th & Chestnut St.
Four lines of verse in two columns below image in center: He in a trice struck Lyon thrice, upon his head, enrag'd sir, who seized the tongs to ease his wrongs, and Griswold thus engag'd, sir.
Three of the spectators are identified by numbered references etched on left and top of plate, outside image.
Retrospective conversion record: original entry, edited.
Subject Condy, Jonathan Williams, 1770-1828 -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Dayton, Jonathan, 1760-1824 -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Green, Ashbel, 1762-1848 -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Griswold, Roger, 1762-1812 -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Lyon, Matthew, 1749-1822 -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Congress Hall (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Fighting.
Legislators -- United States -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Geographic subject United States -- Politics and government -- 1797-1801 -- Humor.
Genre Etchings -- 1790-1800.
Political cartoons -- 1790-1800.
Location Library Company of Philadelphia| Print Department| political cartoons - 1798-3b (second state) [2569.Q.17]
Accession number 2569.Q.17