Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1857-06-06
ThriIsi;sg incident.

The tragedy of Nacogdoches, and the 70
mantle incidents which led to the Texa
war of Independence, find their parallel on
ly in the romantic history 20 Lucretia ant
the elder Brutus
Juan Costa was person of influence ant
bravery, in the forest but he fell Under
the displeasure Of Santa Anna and his min
ions. Pedras, the commander of Naeogdo.
ches, was sent to arrest him
He arrested the father at the supper Ia
BILE, attended by his only daughter, young
lady Of surprising beauty and intelligence
| He loaded him with chains and cast him
into prison, Notwithstanding her entreaties.
Finally he proposed to free the father if the
daughter would consent to sacrifice her IN
noccnce and honor She rejected the infa-
nous proposal with blow in the face. -
The armed rufiian swore horrible cath to
execute his will on them both,
With dark eyes, fearless, fixed as that Of
{ corpse, yet flushing double picture Of
luminous fire, she mounted horse and hur-
ried wildly through the country.
She halted at every house, no matter
whether Mexican or American, and re-
hearsed in tones of thrilling sorrow, her
fathers wrongs and also her own.
All tinlid modesty, all weakness had van
ished from her tongue, utterly consumed
by the scorching thirst for vengeance. She
panied in passions fiery language, and with
awful minuteness, the fact OF the da1nuinq
deed, barred her virgin bosom and showed
the liyid marks of tie ravisher's fingers
| Il 81,
the snow so polluted and soiled, but before
as pure az the CLEAN Of the wing Of an an.
gel.
| And still wherever the beautiful lnsid
wandered a deafeniug yell of wrath and
vengeance rose up against the tyrants. The
people of both races and all classes flew tt
arms and appointed general repdezvou,
for the 18th of June, at the residence of thC
absent and now imprisoned Juan Costa.
1t was there debated by the people, tho
mode Of attack, and who should be their
leader, but nothing being agreed on, the
whole assembage babe fair to break up il
confusion, when tai! and powerfully ball
stranger, who had just entered Texas from
| the States, came forward and addressed the
multitude
81 am a stranger and also n man, and
owe my life, health ana appiness--all-al
to woman--to my mother. III turn 3
deaf ear to the prayers Of an innocent wo-
man, asking my aid against a villain. may
my mother and God carse me- If you
stay behind, 90 for one to fight 2 edra>
and his armed raYishers Of poor wives an
daughters. .
The speech was received with tremendou,
cheers, and general shout that seemed to
shake the solid earth, uttered the first pea
Of the revolutions.
We will 60, Death 10 the tyrant.--
Freedom for Texas, and the giant shall be
| our leader.
And then TIE first time in the land of the
wild, was heard the name destined to be-
come an echo to the pulsation of all hearts,
the name Of Thos. S. Rlssh.
The next day he led his raw recruits to
the attack Of Nacogdoches, and stormed
every position against immense odds. after
an assault Of four hours, the carnage being
dreadful OH both sides. Fortunately among
the slain was the dead body of the atrocous
villain pedras
Such was the dcbut of Rusk in Texas,
and from that day his popularity has gone
on steadily increasing, without even sc
much as a cloud to dim its splendor In
vain for three years Gen. Costa demanded
his arrest, Mexico had not soldiers en-
ough to take HAN, and in l8l5-G lie assisted
to chase the last out of the country. AT
forwards he amassed fortune at the Tex
as Bar; ahl was chosen one Of the first
Senators Of the new State arnexed--a place
he may hold for life if he wills it.