THE HONORABLE MATTHEW LYONS (1749-1822)

Lyons was a Democratic-Republican who was also a member of the House of Representatives for Vermont. The Federalists despised him for his ideas and his heritage - Lyons was born in Ireland. According to Freedom's Fetters, page 222, this happened in the House between July 2nd and 3rd, 1797:

The nativist John Allen was disdainful of this un­American view and appealed to the better blood and accent of Americans to carry the question raised by the Irish-born Lyon.

The Vermont Republican replied that he had never before heard of congressmen boasting of their blood, but he had no objection to gentlemen of "high blood" going through with the "boyish piece of business" of carrying the answer to the president. Though he had no pretentious to "high blood" he thought he had as good blood as any Federalist, as he was born of a "fine, hale, healthy woman."

He did not claim to be

"descended from the bastards of Oliver Cromwell, or his courtiers, or from the Puritans who punished their horses for breaking the Sabbath, or from those who persecuted the Quakers, or hanged the witches."

Lyons should be considered one of the first Americans to point out that the Fundies were full of bullshit.