Iowa news. [volume] (Dubuque, Upper Mississippi Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory) 1837-1841, 1838-05-26

It is useless to tell the reader, that Gen.
Jackson was satisfied with such an ex-
cusc from this old veteran.
After the Indians were subdued, the
General discharged his militia and vol.
unteer forces, and the old patriot Rus
sell and his associates returned to Rus.
sells valley, and although they had
tired down and left behind every horse
utfive, out Of sixty carried from home.
vet not murmur was heard; and to
prove beyond question the depth Of
their love Of country, before summer
was out, body Of Greek Indians max
ing their way to the west, defeated a
party Of whites below Tuscaloosa; up
on the hearing Of which, within twelve
hours time Russell had company
mounted and in pursuit: the Indians
however, uade their escape.
Such have been the virtues and SER
vices of the Russell's and their neigh
bors, and such are the feelings and
worth Of hundreds of patriots in all
the new States, who do not happen TO
be rich enough to own land. Reader,
can you wonder that members from
those States, knowing these men,
should be anxious 10 save them harm.
less from the avarice Of those who may
happen to have little more money.
and who covet their places made valu-
able only by their own labor? All, but
you are ready to say, 'thcre is no dan
ger, no man would bid against an up
ri sht settler for his little improvement
made in the wilderness" Don't mis-
take so far the nature of avarice; al
though the inhabitants Of Russell's val
ley made the first corn, and made the
sacrifices which l have communicated,
they had scarcely time to recruit them
selves from their last march, ere they
were summoned by the Presidents
proclamation, TO attend thesale Of their
lands at Huntsville Yes, these patri-
OTIS were brought iuto competition with
the holders Of Yazoo stock, and the We
ry men who l had seen rushing into
battle undismayed by the war whoop
of the savage, or the crack Of his dead
ly rifle, were now seen to tremble and
sweat at every pore, when about COM
ing in contact with Yazoo script, or
the reams of uncut bank notes, which
had been made and issued to buy pub
lie lands with. Nearly all the settle
ment were driven from their homes, by
the very people their va!or had protec-
ted; and even the veteran Russell, who
chad never in his life run from yell
low skim" was humbled and made to
quail before sordid wretch with a
white one; man who had never wet
his face in his country's service. The
old mans land, Improvement rather,)
was bid up on him to near thirty dol
lars per acre, and being unable 30 pay
the money, he was compelled to forfeit
his bid, and next pay was publicly at
tempted 10 be disgraced by the United
States officers, who ordered q procla-
nation to be made Of his dcfalcation,
and he was not allowed to bid again at
the sales. He was not disgraced, how
ever: Alabama, looking upon him as
one Of her patriot fathers, has perpetu-
atcd his memory, by calling one of her
counties RUSSELL in grateful recollcc-
ton Of his services.
Here let me ask the American peo-
pie, whether they live in town or coun-
try, whether in stately dwelling or
humble cabin, was it humane, just and
right, to drive those patriots from their
improvements with Yazoo script and
bank notes? The bank broke and gov
eminent never got pay for the land;
and would it not have been far better
to have given them their homes al Con-
gress price? / ask also the Wings in
Congress, who speak SO contcmptuous-
ly OF squatFers, .lenouncing them as
p!underers, whether they would not
have hated the man who bid old Major
Russell's land upon him? Why, let
me ask, are those who are now settled
on public lands denounced? Hun
drcds, nay, thousands, Of them in the
different States, are as good as the Rus.
sells and their neighbors. DO you new.
er expect to want their services again,
that you must not only refuse to sell
them their improvement s at Congress
price, but you must also insult them
by opprobrious words? If you are toe
niggardly TO give those who fight your
battles their small tracts at Congress
price, what makes your heartt SO open
and generous that you can give to
States and rich companies thousands.