The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1856-04-30
DANIEL wEBsTER's FIRST CASE.
nEA ZOE 4 rooa wooDoHvck.

!
5sa
l we'll remember hearing my father
tell the following aneedote illustrative
of the early genius of the great States:
man
Ebenezer Webster, father Of Daniel,
was a farmer. The vegetables in the
garden suffered considerably from the
depredations Of the w oodchucl, whose
hole and habitatioh were near the premi-
ses. Daniel, some ten or twelve years
old, and his older brother Ezekiel had
got trap, and finally succeeded in cap
turing the trespasser. Ezekiel proposed
to kill the animal and end at once an
further trouble from him but Daniel
looked with compassion upon the meek,
dumb captive; and offered to let him 90
again free. The boys could not agrees
and each appealed to their father to de-
eide the case. Well my boys, said
the old gentleman, viii be judge
There's the prisoner, (pointing to the
Woodchuck) you shall be his counsel,
and plead the case for and against his
life and liberty"
Ezekiel opened the case with strong
argument, urging the miscbieyOus nature
of the animal, the great harm he had az
ready done, and that much time and la.
Dor had been spent In the capture, and
now if he was suffered to live and go ah
large again he would renew his depreda-s
tions and be cunning enough not to-
suffer himself to be. caught again, and
that he ought now to be rut ts death )
and his skin was of some value, and that
to make the most of him they could, it,
would not repay half the damage he had
already done. His argument was ready
practical and to the point, and of muck
greater length than our limits viii alleN
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 IN
say.
It was his first case Daniel saw thas
the plea of his brother had sensiblf af-
feeted his father, the judge and his
large brilliant eyes looked upon. the soft
timid expression of the animal, and asz
he saw it tremble with fear in its mar
row prison house, his heart Swelled with
pity, and he appealed with eloquent
words that the captive might again. 20.
free. God, he said had made the Wood
chuck he made him to live and enjoy
the bright sunlight, the pure air, the
free fields and woods. God has not
made him or any thing, in vain; the
Woodchuek had as much right to live
as any living thing; he was not des-
tructiye animal as the-wolf and fox were;
he simply ate a few common vegetables,
Of which they had a plenty and could
well spare part; hs. destroyed nothing
except the little food he needed to sus-
tain his humble lie; and that little foeF
was as sweet to him and as necessary to-
his existence, rs was to them the food
of his mothers table. God furnished
their own food; he gave them all they
possessed; and would they notsspare a
little for dumb creature; who really
had as much right to his share of GodiS
bounty, as they themselves had to their
portions yes, more, the animal had never
violated the laws OF his nature Or Tie
law Of God, as man often did, bat strict
ly followed the simple, harmless inseets
he had received from the hand Of the
creator of all things. Greatedby Gods
hands, he had right from God, to lifsf
to food, to liberty; and they had no right
to deprive him of either. He alluded to-
the mute but earnest pleadings of the
animal for that life, as sweet, as dear to-
him as was their own to them, and the
just judgment they might expect, If in
selfish cruelty and cold heartedness they
took the life they could not restore again,
that life that God alone had given.
During this appeal the tears had start
ed to the old mans eyes, and were fast
running down his sunburnt cheeks; eve
ry feeling of father heart was stirred
within hims he saw the future greatness
of his son before his eyes; he felt that
God had blessed him and his children
beyond the lot of common men; his pity
and sympathy were awakened BY the
eloquent words of compassion, and the
strong appeal for mercy; and forgetting
the Judge in the father, he sprang kom
his chair, twhile Daniel was in the midst
of his argument, without thinking he
had already won the case, and turning
to his older son, dashing the tears from
his eyes, exclaimed -" Zeke, Zeks, yoss
let that there Woodcbnck gog''
EE Old Heinelspergsr, few days
since, gave to his only son, tpromisina
specimen of 81 oung Germany;is') an an
male goose, and told him be
might fatten the fowl and sell it in mar
ket. A short time after, the old gentle
man discovered the gander near Che
woodpile, minus that important appen-
dage, a head He called his Son, aud, In
an angry tone, demanded
"Shonny, vet you kill the goossy shiek-
en-; eh !?
Shonny shook hiss fist at the deoapita-
goose, and answered