Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-12-17
EV VENING STAR.
THE WEBSTER FAMILY.

In the Now York Journal of Commerce we
find the following incident in the youthful
days Of the late Hon Daniel Webster Doubt.
less some of our readers may have read il,
still i. will always be found interesting, and
proves how the finer feelings were inherent in
his nature, and shone forth consplcuously at
an early period in the life of that truly great
and good man.
Ebenezer Webster, tao father of Daniel, was
farmer The vegetables in h's garden had
suffered considerably from the depfedstious Of
= woodchuck whose hole and habitatiGe vas
near TIRE premises. Daniel, some ten or twelve
years old, au3 his older brother Ezekiel, had
set trap and finally succeeded in capturing
the trespasser. Ezekiel itcyosed TO kill the
animal and end at once all fG2r.h., trouble
from him; but Daniel looked with cOmpnssion
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
old gentleman, 81 will be the judge. There
is the prisoner" tpointing 10 the woodchuck,)
and you shall be counsel and plead the case
for and against his life and liberty"
Ezekiel opened the case with a strong argu
ment, urging the mischierous nature of the
criminal, the great harm he had already done;
said that much time and labor had been spent
III his rapture, and now if he suff sred to live
and go on again at large, he would renew his
depredations, and be cusning enough not TO
suffer himself TO be caught again, and tn ut
to make the most Of him tsev could, il would
not repay half the damage he h-d already
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 "NOw, Daniel, it is your turn I'll
hear what you have TO say"
Twas his fret case. Daniel saw that the
idea Of his brother had sensibly affected his
father, the Judge, and as his large, brilliant
black eyes looked upon the soft, timid express
sion of the animal, and as be saw il tremble
with fear IN its narrow prison house, his heart
sweiied with pity, and ne appealed with elo-
quent words that the captive might again 90
free. God, he said. had N lde the wOodchuck;
he made him TO live, to enjoy the bright sun
light, the pure air, the free fields and woods
God had not made him, or anything in vain; the
uoOdchuck had az much right to live as any
other living thing-he was not a destructive
animal, as the wolf and fox were he simply
ate few common vegetables Of which they
had plenty and could well spare part Re
destroyed nothing except the little food he
needed to sustain his humble life and that
little food was as sweet to him, and as necss-
upon his mothers table. God furnished their
own food he gave them ell they possessed,
and would they not spare a little for the dumb
creature, who really had as much right to his
small share of Gods bounty as they them
selves had to their portion Yea, more the
animal had never violated the laws of his
nature or the laws Of Ged, as man often did
but strictly followed the simple, harmless in
stincts he had received from the Creator Of al
things. Created by Gods hand, he had a
right, right from God, 10 life to food, to
liberty; and hey had DO right to deprive him
Of either. lie alluded to the mute but earn
est pleading Of the animal for that life, as
dear TO him as their own was 20 them; and
the just judgment they might expect if in sell
nsh cruelty and cold heartIessness they took
the life they could not restore again, the life
that God alone had given
During this appeal the tears had started to
the old mans eyes, and were fast running
down mis- sun burnt cheeks; every feeling of
fathers heart was stirred within him he
saw the future greatness Of his son before his
his eyes; he felt that God had blessed him
and his children beyond the lot of common
men his pity ard sympathy were awakened
by the eloquent words Of compassion, and the
strong appeal for mercy; and forgetting the
Judge in the man and father, he sprang from
his chair while Daniel was in the midst of
his argument, without thinking he had al
ready won the case,) and turning to his older
son, dashing the tears from his eyes, ex-
claimed, Zeke, Zeke, you let that woOdchuck