The Madisonian. (Canton, Miss.) 1850-1855, 1850-12-05
NO, Al,
RISE OF SENATOR IeUsK.

the romantic incidents which led to the
Texan war Of Independence fnd their
parallel only in the Roman history Of
Lucretia and the elder Brutus. Juan
Costa was person of great influence
and bravery in the wild forests, but he
fell llunder the displeasure of Santa An
ma, and his minion, Pedras, the COM
mandant of Nacogdoches, was sent TO
arrest him. He arrested the father at
his supper table, attended by bis only
daughter-a young girl Of Surprising
beauty and intelligence, He loaded
him with chains aud cast him into pris-
on, Notwithstanding her tears and en>
treaties. Finally, he proposed to free
the father, if the daughter would con-
sent to sacrifice her innocence and hon
or. She rejected the infamous propo.
sitlon with blow in the face, whenthe
armed rutfian swore a horrible oath 10
execute his will on them both. and
then m# #N5aAg
With dark eyes, fearless, CLASSY,
liked as those of "a corpse, yet flashing
double. portion of luminous FIRE, she
mounted horse and hurried away
wildly around the country. She halt
ed at every house, no matter whether
Mexican or American, and rehearsed,
in tones ofthrilling horror, her faith
er's wrongs and her own. All timid
modesty, all weakness, had vanished
from her tongue, utterly consumed by
the scorchiug thirst for vengeance
She painted, in passions fiery language,
and with awful ninuteness, the facts
Of the damnlng deed; she barred her
virgin bosom, and showed the livid
marks Of the ravisher's fingers among
the mazes of those azure veins, along
the surface ofthat expanse ofsnow, now
so polluted and soiled, but before pure
PAS the CLEAN Of an angels wing.
And still, wherever the beautiful
maid wandered, deafening yell OF
wrath and vengeance rose up against
the tyrants. The people of both races
and all classes few to arms, appointing
general rendezvous for the gath of
June, at the residence of the absent
and now imprisoned Juan Costa.
1t 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
a tall and powerfully built stranger,
who had just entered Texas from the
States, came forward and addressed
the multitude as follows: a.r..,
81 am stranger, but | am also II
man and owe my life, soul, body,
health, happiness-all-all to wo-
NANNY mother! And if / turn
deaf ear to the prayers of. an innocenr
woman, asking my aid against vii
lain, may both my mother and my God
curse me! go for one, and-should
you all stay behind-alone to fight Col.
Pedras and his armed ravishers of your
wives and daughters" ~
The speech was received with three
tremendous cheers, and then a gener>
al shout, that seemed 10 shake the solid
earth, uttered the first peal Of the rev
olulion. W g'h" a"' Aoii
"We will go! Death to the tyranr&
Freedom for Texas! and the giapt
shall be our leader p
And then, for the first time, was
heard in the land of the wild oak,
name destined to become an echotu
the puIsation of all hearts--the name
of Thomas j. Rusk. na ase .j6ia
The next day he led his raw troops
to the attack Of Nacogdoches, and
stormed every position against igl-
meuse odds, after an assault OF four
hours, the carnage being dreadful On
both sides; and fortunately, among the
slain, was found the body Of the alro-
cious Ferdinand Pedras. sS,a'.e
Such was the debut Of Rusk in Tex.
as; and from that day his popularity
has gone on steadily increasing, with
out even transitory eclipse, or so
much as cloud to dim its splendor,7-
In vain, for three years, Gen. Cos de-
manded his arrest. Mexico had mot
soldiers enough TO take him, and ~
1856 he assisted TO chase, the last Of
tLese out ofthe country. Afterwards,
he amassed q fortune at the Texan
bar, and was chosen one Of the first
senators Of the new State annexed
place which he may hold for life. ifhs
wills il. gs8d
Rusk isthe only public man ia Tex.
as that has never engaged in duel;
and for this single reason, 50 honorable
to himself-he never had "a personal
enemy In the world. To conclude, >he
is a Titan Ia physical force, with the
loving soul Of a happy child. He IS
not distinguished BY eIoquence q
speech, but his laugh is sometimes tli
vlne---the clear ring Of a heart, sound