Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-10-18

SENATOR RUSK, OF TEXAS.
Thrilling incident OF the Texar
War.
The following article, which we fnt
going the rounds of the press, describe.
in graphic style, thrilling incident o
the Texan war, in which the Hon
Thomas j. Rusk, one of the present u
s. Senators from that State, figured very
prominently.
The tragedy of Nacogdoches, ant
the romantic incidents which led to the
Texan war Of independence. find their
parallel only in the Roman history Of
I.ucretia and the elder Bru.us. Juan
Costa was person of great influence
and bravery in the wild forests; but he
fell snder the displeasure Of Santa An.
ma, and his minion, Pedras, the com.
mandant Of Nacogdoches, was sent ia
arrest him. He arrested his father al
the supper table, attended by his only
daughter--a young girl Of surprising
beauty and intelligence lie loaded him
with chains, and cast him into prison,
Notwithstanding her tears and entreaties.
Finally he proposed to free the father, il
the daughter would consent 10 sacrafice
her innocence and honor. She rejected
The infamous proposition with blow in
the face; when the armed ruflian swore
"a horrible oath to execute his viii on
them both and then
With dark eyes, fearless, CLASSY, fix
ed as those of a corpse, yet flashing a
double portion of luminous fire, she
mounted horse and hurried away wild
ly around the country. She halted a.
every house, no matter whether Mexican
or American, and rehearsed, in tones of
thrilling horror, her fathers wrongs and
her own. All ,imid modesty, all weak
ness, had vanished from her tongue, ut
terly consumed by the scorching thirst
of vengeance. She painted in passions $
fiery language. and with awful minute
ness, the facts of the damning deed; she
barred her virgin bosom and showed the
lived marks of the ravishe-s fingers "a
mong the nazes of those azure veins
along the surface of that expanse of
snow, now so polluted and suiled, bu,
before pure as the gleam Of an angels
wings.
And still. wherever the beautiful maid
wandered, deafening yell of wrath and
and vengeance rose up against the tyr
ants. The people of both races and all
classes flew to arms, appointing gener-
al rendezvous for the 24th of June, at
the residence of the absent and now inn
prisoned Juan Costa.
|, was there debated by the people as
TO the mode of attack, and who should
be their leader. but nothing being agreed
on, the whole assemblage bid fair TO
break up in confusion; when tall and
built stranger, who had jus,
ent, red Texas from the States, came
forward and addressed the multitude as
follows:
IL am stranger, but | am also a
man; and | owe my life. soul, aid body,
health, happiness-all-all to woman
my mother! And if turn deaf ear
to the prayers of an innocent woman,
asking my aid against villain, may
both my mother and my God curse me-!
go for one, and-should you all stay
behlnd-alone to fight Col. Pedras, and
his armed ravlshers of your wires and
daughters.
The speech was received with three
.remenduous cheers, and then general
shout, that seemed to shake the solid
earth, uttered the first peal Of the revo-
luton. "We will go. Death to the
iyrants! Freedom for Texas, and the
giant shall be our leader"
And then for the first time, was heard
in the land Of the wild name destined
10 become an echo TO the pulsation of all
hearis-the name of Thomas j. Rusk.
The next day he led his raw troops TO
the attack Of Nacogdoches, and stormed
every position against immense odds, af-
Ter an assault of four hours, the charge
being dreadful on both sides; and foriu-
na.ely among the slain was the dead bo-
dy oc The atrocious Ferdinand Pedras.
Such was the debu. of Rusk in Tex
as; and from that day his popularity has
gone on steadily increasing, without
even transilory eclipse, or SO much as
a cloud 10 dim its spleudor. In vain,
for three years Gen. Cos demanded his
arrest, Mexico had not soldiers enough
10 take him, and in 1856 he assisted
to chase the last of these out of the
country. Afterwards he amassed for
tune at the Texan bar, and was chosen
one of the first Senators Of the new
State annexed--a place which he may
hold for life If he wills il.
Rusk is the only public man in Texas
that has never engaged in duel, and for
this single reason, SO honorable To him.
self, he never had personal enemy in
the world. To conclude, he is Titan
in physical strength with the loving soul
of a happy child. He is not distinguish.
ed by eloquence Of speech, but his laugh
is sometimes divine-and heart sound
to the very centre.
Resources Of Cuba.
The island of Cuba. with one million
4 4 - 1.