"when ruffians, with arms upon them, insulted us with impunity"

   And here is a discovery which casts some more light on this previous post:

   "Is not he a "hectoring bully" who habitually rants and raves and threatens on the floor of the Senate--who tells that body "he will camp on his ground"--he, Thomas H. Benton--until other forty-nine senators, at least as honest as, and equal with, himself--are driven to the vote he requires--who habitually talks of "bank ruffians," and when opposed, foams at the mouth, and shatters the impassive mahogany around him, in furious denunciation and gesticulations--out of place everywhere--but most misplaced in such a body as the Senate of the United States once was? Is not the language of a "bully" conspicuous in this extract of Mr. Benton's outcry at the hisses in the gallery on the passing of the expunging resolution:

   "I hope the galleries will not be cleared, as many innocent persons will be excluded who have been guilty of no violation of order. Let the ruffians who have made the disturbance, alone be apprehended. I hope the Sergeant-at-Arms will be directed to enter the gallery, and seize the ruffians, ascertaining who they are in the best way he can. Let him apprehend them, and bring them to the bar of the Senate. Let him seize the bank ruffians. I hope that they will not now be suffered to insult the Senate, as they did when it was under the power of the Bank of the United States; when ruffians, with arms upon them, insulted us with impunity. Let them be taken and brought to the bar of the Senate. Here is one, just above me, that may easily be identified--the bank ruffians!

   "If this be a true representation--as we most sincerely believe it is--we call upon the Plaindealer to approve our plainness of speech.

   "If this representation be not true--concerning which, though entertaining no doubt, we are yet open to conviction--we will as promptly recall, as we have unhesitatingly used, the plain Dorick English objected to."--"THE AMERICAN AND MR BENTON", Pg. 146, The Plaindealer, No. 1. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1836. Vol. I.