The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1853-05-28
Auecdo,e Of Daniel Webster.

! well remember hearin. my father tell the f,l
lowing 'necdote, Illustrative Of the early eepiu.
OF that great man, whose loss 4 might na,ior
nAurns:
/ Ebrnez"r Webster, the father Of Daniel wa. q
farmer. The vegetable. IN his garden had sutr.rsJ
considerably from the depr-Iaiions Of a wood
chuck whose hole and habi,atiun was near tho
premises II mel some ten or twelve wear. Old
aad his older brother Ezekiel bal set a irsp and
/ finally succeeded in captnrin, the trpl,',-.cr
| Ezekiel proposed to Kill tue animal and end u,
onre all further trouble from him but U.ui,l
locked with compassion upon IT,, ne,! dr,ph
captive, and Offered To- let him 20 frepsssp III,
/ boys could not agree, and each appealed 10 their
father to d.cide the case We'll, nv bow. sald
the old gentleman, Il will be tha Judge There
/" the prisoner, lpon'ng to the voodchucL and
You shall be the counsel and plead tie ca for
ana against hi life and liberty"
| EIrkml opened the case with a strong sryu.
ment urging the misrhicvuus nature Of the Grim
InHi. 'h" great harm he had already dom. said tho,
much tim. aH Labor had b-en spent in his ran
/ tur", and now II he waa suirrr. To live and 20
again at large hc would renew h- drpred,,iors
and be cunning enough not To suffer himself to be
caught agan. and that be- ought now to le nut Ia
death; that his skiu was uf some value. and that
to make III" most Of him ,hey could. il would not
repay bali tie damage he had already done. His
argument was r"aiy practical to the point and
OF much greater length Than our limits vi allow
Us to occupv in relating the story.
IHe n'her looked with pri,La upon bis son. who
| became a Distinguished iurist in hi- manhood
Vow, Daniel 1t Is your turn; I'll hear what YOU
have TO say'
Twas hi. first case Daniel saw that the pIeo
of III brother had scn-ibly affected his father lie
Judge. and a. his large. brilliant black eyes look
ed upon the Sp't, tmId expression Of the animal
and as h" saw It trembr with fear in lts narrow
prison house hI- heart sweI,td wl'h ptly, aud be-
appealed with eloquent words that The captivp
rIgh' again - free. God. he said bad made the
wond'huck ; be made him 10 hive TO enjoy tie
bright sum sht, the pure air. the free Erds and
woods. God had not made him or ANYTHING IN
vain, the wo1d,huCk had as much uyhi 10 iltp as
any other h'ug thing; be Wa, not a destructive
-uimai, a the 3 of and tuy were: ho simply ATE
lew common vegetables, uf y h,h tlrv had
p'eu'y and could well sp,reapafi: he DESTROYED
nothing except ih" little food hr needed TO ,us
tain his humble life and that l,tle food was a.
sweet to hlm, and necessary to his existence a.
WAS to them the food upon his mothers table
God furnished heir own food: h. gave ,kvm adj
they possessed, aud would they no, spare little
Tor tlr dumb creature. whl really had az much
night 10 h.s small share uf Gods bounty as they
'hrm-e,yes had % their portion yea more; ,Le
animal had never violated tie laws Of nature Or
the Laws If God, IS man often did, tut strictly
,u.i wed The snp.,, harmless instincts he had II.
cei'ed tom ile hand ui the Creator Of all th.uss
Created h' Gods hand. he had rruht. a ri.l,
lfum G.i, to life, 10 food. to liberty; ard they
iai II risDg Co deprive HIM of p,jh,r uc alluded
o. ....f l.