The Planters' banner. [volume] (Franklin, Attakapas Co., Lou.) 1849-1872, 1853-08-11

Anecdote Of Daniel Webster.-The
Boston Traveller tells capital story of
the early days of the great expounder:
Ebenezer Webster, the father of
Daniel, was a farmer ~-~7etahle.
In MS garden had suffered considerably
from the depredations of woodchuck,
whose hole and habitation were near
the premises.
Dahiel. some ten or twelve years old,
and his brother Ezekiel, had set and
finally succeeded in capturing the tres
passer. Ezekiel proposed to kill the
animal, and end at once all further
trouble from him; but Daniel looked
with compassion upon his meek, dumb
captive, and offered to again let him
go free. The boys could not agree, and
each appealed to their father to decide
the case.
"Well, my boys said the old gen.
tieman, '' | will be the Judge. There
is the prisoner" pointing to the wood
chuck, "and you shall be the counsel,
and plead the case for and against his
life and liberty"
Ezekiel opened the case with a
strong argument, urging the mischiev-
Gus nature of the animal. the great
harm he had already done, that much
time and labor had been spent in his
capture, and now, if he was suffered to
live and go again at large, he would
renew his depredations and be cunning
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 that, to make the best of him they
could, it would not pay the damage he
had done.
His argument was ready, practical,
10 the point, and of much greater
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 his first case. Daniel saw the
plea of his brother had sensibly affected
his father, the Judge, and his large,
brilliant black eyes looked upon the
soft, timid, expression of the animal;
and as he saw it tremble with fear in
its narrow prison-house, his heart
swelled with pity, and he appealed with
eloquent words that the captive might
again go free.
God, he said, had made the wood
chuck; he made him to live, TO enjoy
the bright sunlight, the pure air, the
free fields and woods. God had not
made him for any thing in vain. The
woodchuck had as much right to live as
any other living thing; he was not
destructive animal as the wolf and fox
were; he simply eat few vegetables
of which they had plenty, and could
well spare part; he destroyed nothing
but the little food he needed TO sustain
his humble life; and that little food
was sweet TO him, as necessary to his
as was to him the food upon
his mothers table. God furnished
them their food; he gave them all
they possess; and would they not spare
a little for the dumb creature, who re-
ally had as much right to his share of
Gods bounty as they themselves had to
their portions Yea, more: the animal
had never violated the laws of his ua-
ture, or the laws of God, as man often
did; but strictly followed the simple,
harmless instincts be had received ffom
the hand of the Creator of all things.
Created by Gods hand, he had a right,
> night from God to life, to food, to lib
erty and they had no right to deprive
him Of either; he alluded TO the mute