What event is referred to as "An Assembly of Gladiators" in the House of Representatives?

The event referred to as "An Assembly of Gladiators" in the House of Representatives specifically describes the physical altercation that took place between Roger Griswold and Matthew Lyon in 1798. This confrontation was emblematic of the intense partisan conflicts and personal animosities that characterized early American politics. Griswold, a Federalist, attacked Lyon, a Democratic-Republican, using a cane, and Lyon retaliated by spitting in Griswold’s face. Such incidents were not only unusual but highlighted the charged atmosphere in Congress at the time, which often resembled a battleground more than a legislative body. The term "gladiators" aptly captures the combative nature of this confrontation and serves as a vivid illustration of the bitter rivalries that existed among the nation's lawmakers in its formative years.