The Gonzales inquirer. [volume] (Gonzales, Tex.) 1853-current, 1853-08-27
Anecdote Of Daniel Webster.

The Boston Traveller tells capital story Of
tho early days of the great expouny.cr:
Ebenczcr Webster, the father of Daniel, was
n farmer. Tho vegetables in his garden had
suffered considerably from The dcpredatons of
y woodchuck, whose holo and habitation were
near the premises
Daniel, some ten or twelve years old, and his
brother Ezekiel, had set and finally succeeded
in capturing the trcspasser. 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 60 free. The boys
could not agree, and each appealed to their ia.
thcr to decide the ci,sc.
swell, my boys said tho old gentleman,
~ will be the judge. There is tho prisoner"
pointing to the woodchuck, land you shall be
the counsel, and plead the case for and against
his iifa aud liberty" !"
Ezekiel opened the case with strong argu-
ment, urging the mischievous nature Of tho an.
inal, the great harm he had already done, that
much time and labor had been spent In his
capture, and now, If no was suffered to live and
so again at large, he would renew his depreda-
tons and be cunning enough not 10 suffer him
self to be caught again, and that lie ought now
to be put to death, that his skin was Of some
value, and that, to make tho best of him they
could, it would not pay the damages he had
done.
His argument was ready, practical, 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 his man.
hood.
you have to say"
Twas his first case. Daniel saw the plea O
his brother had sensibly affected his father, tn,
Judge, and his large, brilliant black eyes locke,
upon the son, tiinid, expression of the animal
and as ho saw II trcmble with fear in it's mar
row prison-house, his heart swclled with pity
and hc appealed with eloquent words that tn
captive might again 90 free.
| God, he said, had made the woodchuck; h,
made him to live, to enjoy the bright sunlight
the pure air, the free fields and woods. Cox
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 a destructive
animal as tho wolf and fox were; ho simply
eat few vegetables Of which they had plcn.
~, and could well spare part he destroyed
nothing but tho little food he needed to sustain
his humble life; and that little food was sweet
to him, ms necessary to his existence, as was
to him tho food upon his mothers table. Go,
furnished them their food; he gavo them all
ivy pVSsoSnt WiN Wtuiu ulcy uot tVaTe " Hts
tic for the dumb creature, who really had az
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 nature, or the laws Of God, as man oi,cn
did; but strictly followed the simple, harmless
instincts he had received from the hand of the
! crcator Of all things. Created by Gods hand,
he had right, righ, from Gca to live, 10
food, to liberty; and they had 40 right to 'ic.
privc him az either; bc alluded 10 the mute
ho, earnest plcadings Of the animal Coz that
lite, as sweet, rs dear to him as their own was
to them, and the just Judgment they might
expect, if In selfish cr,,cf.y and ccid hearted.
ness they ,epk the lifc they could no, rcstosc
again the life that God alone had given
During this appeal the tears had started TO
the old mars eyes. and were CAST running
down his san.borat checks every feeling of 4
iatlicrs heart was stirred within him he saw
the future greatness of his son before his eycs,
he he that God had hlessed him In his ehil.
drvn bes@si the los Of other mcn; his ,ssy and
ymrathy wvre awakened by his eloquent
wcssts of compassion. and %, strong appeal les
merry. AMI Forgetting the Judge in ,he man
snd the father, he spssaE frcm his char twi,sls
bsnlst wss ia tbs ussss.s II bis argameat. With
cat thsnkinx he had slscsdy wcn hss case. \ ans
turning TO sss ssies son. siashln9 The tEAss sseu
his eyes exsissmssi
sEsls ~. 80. Ia 49, IA. ~.