The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1853-06-30
1853 WHOLE NUMBER 6l5
Anecdote of Daniel Webster.

] EbeneZer Webster, the father OF Daniel
was farmer. The vegetables in his gar
den had suffered considerably from the dep
relations Of woodchuck, whose hole and
habitation was near the premises. Daniel
some ten or twelve years old, and his older
brother Ezekiel, had set trap and finally
succeeded in capturing the trespasser
Ezekiel proposed to kill the animal and end
at once all future trouble from him, but
Daniel looked with compassion upon his
meek, dumb captive, and offered to let him
again 60 free. The boys could not agree
and each appealed to their father to decide
the case "Well, my boys" said the ole
gentleman, Il will be the Judge. There il
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 ar
gument, urging the mischievous nature OF
the criminal, the great harm he had already
done, said that much time and labor mad
been spent in his capture, and now, if ne
was suffered to live and 60 at large, ne would
renew his depredations, 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
that to make the most of him they could, 1t
would not repay half the damage ne had al
ready done. His argument was ready, prac-
teal, to 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
bis manhood. "Now, Daniel, it is your turn;
I'll hear what you have to say" twas nus
first case. Daniel saw that the plea OF MS
brother had sensibly affected his father the
inaoe, 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 narrow prison-house, his heart
swelled with pity. and he appealed with elo-
ruent words that the captive might again
90 free. God, he said, had made the Wood
ehuck: he had made him to love, to enjoy
the BRIGHT sunlight, the pure air, the tree
fields and woods. God had not made him,
or anything, in vain; the WoodchucR mas as
much right to live as any other hvlng thlng;
he was not destructive animal as the Won
and the fox were: he simply ate few COM
mon vegetables, OF which they had plenty
and could we'll spare part; ne DESTROYED
nothing except the little food ne needed 70
sustain his humble 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 thew not spare little for the
d,,mb creature. who really had as much right
to his small share of Gods bounty, as they
themselves had to their portion! iea' ihoie,
the animal had never violated the laws ol
his nature or the laws of God, as man o1teh
did: but strictly followed the harmless IN
stincts he had received from the hand OF the
Creator Of all things. Created oy Goas
hand. he had right, right from God, 10
life. to food, to liberty; and they had no
rgbt to deprive him of either. He alluded
"a the mute but the earnest pleadings Of
the animal for that life, as sweet, as Gear 70
him as their own was to them, anu the Jus.
Judgment they might expect II IN seinsh
cruelty and cold heartlessness they TOOK Tue
life they could not restore again, the lie ina,
God alone had given. During TINS appear
tbe tears had started to the old mans eyes,
and were fast running down his sunburnt
cheeks: every feeling OF fathers heart was
stirred within him; he saw the future great
ness 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-
thv were awakened by the eloquent words
of compassion, and the strong appeal ior
mercy; and forgetting the Judge in the man
and the father, he sprang from his chair
(while Daniel was in the midst OF his argu-
ment. without thinking he had already won
his case and turning to his older son, dash
inu the tears from his eyes exclaimed, "Zeke,
Zeke, YOU let that woodchuck go!"-Boston
Traveller.