Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1853-05-27
Anecd0te of Daniel Webster.

nlS cOuutIyWeu.-1 HuUietpttU C1H.
Anecdote of Daniel Webster.
l we'll remember hearing my father tell
the following anecdote, illustrative Of the
early genius Of that great man whose loss
mighty nation mourns -
Ebenezer Webster, tho father of Dan
icl, was farmer. The vegetables in his
garden had suffered considerably from the
dcpredations of woodchuck, ground
hog") whose hole and habitation were
near the premises. Daniel, some ten or
twelve years old, and his older brother
Ezekiel, had set trap and finally succeed
ed in capturing the trespasser. Ezekiel
proposed to kill the animal and end at
once all further trouble from him J.; but
Daniel looked with compassion upon his
meek, dumb captive, and offered to let
him again go free. The boys could not
agree, and each appealed to their father
to decide tho case. "Well, my boys"
said the old gentleman, "I will be the
judge There is the prisoner (pointing
to the woodchuck) and you shall be the
counsel and plead the case for and against
his life and liberty"
Ezekiel opened the case with strong
argument, urging the mischievous nature
Of the criminal, the great harm he had al
ready done, said that much time and la
Dor had been spent in his capture, and
now if he was suffered to live and 20
again at large, he would renew his dcpre-
dations, and be cunning enough not to
suffer himself to be caught again, and
that he ought now to be put to death ;
that his skin was Of some value, and tina,
to make the most Of him they could, ii
would not repay half the damage it had
already done. His argument was ready,
practical, to the point, and of much great
er length than our limits will allow US to
occupy in relating the story.
The father looked with pride upon his
son, who became distinguished jurist in
his manhood. "Now, Daniel, it is your
turn; I'll hear what you have to say"
Twas the first case. Daniel saw that
the plea of his brother had sensibly af:
fected his father, the Judge, and as his
large, brilliant black eyes looked upon the
soft, timid expression Of the animal, and
as he saw it tremble with fear in its mar
row house, his heart swelled with
pity, and he appealed with eloquent words
| 49,. .L- ~-rsivu nign1 again 60 free.
God, he said, had made the woodchuck; !;
he made him to live, to enjoy the bright
sunlight, the pure air, The free fields and
woods. God had not made him, or any
thing in vain; the woodchuck had a.
much right to life as any other living
thing; he was not destructive animal,
as tie wolf and the fox were; he simply
ate a few common vegetables, of which
they had plenty and could well spare a
part; he destroyed nothing except the
little food he needed to. sustain his hum
bic life; and that little food was as sweet
to him, and as necessary to his existence,
as was to them the food upon his mothers
table. God furnished their own food;
he gave them all they possessed; and
would they not spare little for the dumb
creature, who really had as much right to
his small share of Gods bounty, as they
themselves had to their portion? yea,
more the animal had never violated the
laws of his nature or the laws Of God, as
man often did; but strictly followed the
simple, harmless instincts he had received
from the hand of the creator of all things
Created by Gods hand, he had light, a
right from God, to life, to food, to liber-
ty; and they had no right to deprive him
Of either. He alluded to the mute but
earnest pleadings of the animal fer that
life, as sweet, as dear to him, as their own
was to them, and the just judgment they
might expect if in selfish cruelty or cold
heartlessness they took the life they could
not restore again, the life that God alone
had given.
During this appeal the tears had started
to the old mans eyes, and were fast run
hing down his sunburnt checks every feel
ing of fathers heart was stirred within
him; he saw the future greatness of his
son before his eyes; he felt that God had
blessed him in his children beyond the
lot Of common men; his pity and sympa- |
thy were awakened by the eloquent words
of compassion, and the strong appeal for
mercy I; and forgetting the Judge in the
man and father, he sprang from his chair,
(while Daniel was in the midst of his ar
without thinking he had already
won his case,) and turning to his older
son, dashing the tears from his eyes, ex-
claimed, "ZEKE, ZEKE, YoU LET THAT
vooDcHuck aow-Boston Trdreler: