Newbern weekly progress. [volume] (Newbern, N.C.) 1858-1863, 1860-11-06
NUMBER 10.
DANIEL wEBsTER's FIRST CASE

Ebenezer Webster, father of Daniel, was a far
mer The vegetables in his garden suffered con
slderaoly from the depredations of awoodchuck
whose hole aud habltation near the promises
Daniel, some ten or twelve years old and his
brother Ezekiel, had set steel trap. and at last
succeeded IN capturing the trespasser Ezekiel
proposed to kill the animal, and end at once all
further trouble with him; but Daniel looked
with compassion upon the meek, dumb captive
and offered to let him 90. The boys could not
agree, and each appealed to their father To decide
the case.
Well. my boys said the OLD gentleman
Will be Judge. There Is the prisoner" pointing
to the woodchuck, land you shall be the counsel
and plead the case for and against his life and
liberty"
Ezekicl opened the case with a strong arru-
ment. urging the mischievous nature of the Grim
inal, the great harm he had already done, that
much time and labor had been spent IN his can
ture and now II be was suffered to live and 60 ut
large, he would renew his depretations and he
cunning enough not to suffer himself to be caught
again, and that he ought now to be put to death
that his skin some value and that make
the most of him they could. it would not repay
half the damage he had already done His argu-
meht was ready, practical. and 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 on his sou
who became Il distinguished urist i'll his man
hood.
Now, Daniel. its Your turn I'll hear what
You We got to say
1t was his first case Daniel saw that the plea
OF his brother had sensbv affected his father the
Judge, as his large brilliant black eyes looked up-
on the soft tlmid expression of the animal and
rs he saw 1T trembe with fear in its narrow pris-
on-house, his heart swellcd with pity and he ap-
pealed with eloquent words that the capt1ve
might again go free God, he said had made the
woodchuck he made him to live to enioy the,
bright sunshine the pure air, the free fields and
woods. God has not made him or anything in
vain; the woodchuck has as much RIGHT rs auy
other living thing; he was not destructive AMI
NAL as the fox or wolf was; he simply ate :; few
common vegetables, of which they had plenty
and could well spare part; he destroyed moth
ing. except the little food he needed to sustain
his humble life; and that little food was as sweet
to him, and as necessary TO his existence, :s was
to them the food on their mothers table.
God furnished their own food ; He gave them
Ill they possessed and would they not spare a
little for the dumb creatures who really had rs
much right to his small share of Gods bounty IT'S
they themselves had to their portion. Yea more
the animal had never violated the laws OF his ma
ture, or the laws of God, often did, br.t
strictly followed the simple instincts he had re,
ceivcd from the hands of the Creator Of
all things Created by Gods hands, Ire
had right from God to life, to food, to liberty:
and they had no right TO deprive him of either
He alluded to the mutc but earnest plcadinCS of
the animal for that life, as sweet as dear to him
as their own WAS to them; and The first Judgment
they might expect, if III selfish cruelty and cold
hearedncss, they took the life they could not res
tore again.
During this appeal. tears had started to the old
mans eyes, and were fast running down his sun
burnt checks Every feeling of a fathers heart
was stirred within him. he the futre great
of his son before his eyes, and 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 compass
sion and the stroug appeal for mercy and for
getting the Judge in the man and the father, he
sprang from his chair (while Daniel was i'll the
midst of his argument without thinking that he
had already the case.) and turning to his
older son, dashing the tears from his eyes, he cx-
cl;rimed.
s.X,he Iel,r Let that Iynndrlu