New Oregon plaindealer. (New Oregon, Iowa) 1859-1866, 1861-09-06
Hes Oregon plain Dealer,
Daniel Webslcr's First Case.

garden suffered considerably from the
depredations of woodchuck, whose
habitation was near the premises. Dan
lei, some twelve years old, and his
brother Ezekiel. had set steel trap.
and finally succeeded in capturing the
trespasser. Ezekiel proposed to kill
the animal, and end at once ali fur
Their trouble with him; but Daniel look-
ed with compassion upon this meek,
thumb captive. and offered to let him 60
free. The bows could not agree, and
each appealed to their father to decide
the case.
well. my boys said the old gen
tleman, i will he judge, There is the
prisoner, (pointing to the woodchuck, }
and you shall be the counsel, and plead
for and against his life and liberty.
Ezekiel opened the case with strong
argument, urging the mlschicvous ma
ture of the animal, and the great HARM
the had already done; said that much
time and labor had been sepnt in his
capture, and now if he was suffered to
live and 60 at large, he would renew
his depredations, and be cunning enough
not to suffer himself to Ike caught
again, and that he ought now to be put
to death; that his skin was Of some val
ue, and that to make the most Of him
they could, it would not repay half the
damage he had already done. His ar
sument was ready, practicas and to the
point, and of much greater length than
our limits will allow us to occupy in re-
luting the story.
The father looked with pride upon
his son, who became distinguished
.jurist in his manhood.
sNow, Daniel, it's your turn; l will
hear what you have to say
1t was his first case. Daniel saw
that the plea of his brother had sensi-
bly, affected his father, the Judge, and
as his large, brilliant black eyes look
ed 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 heap
pealed with eloquent words that the
captive might again 50 free. God, he
said, had made him to live, to enjoy
the bright sunshine, the pure air, the
green fields and the woods. God has
not made him or anything in vain; the
woodchuck has as much right to live as
any other living thing; he was not as
destructive, as the wolf and fox were;
he simply ate vegetables Of which they
had plenty, and could we'll spare
part; he had destroyed nothing 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, as was to them the food up
~on our mothers table. God furnished
their own food; he gave them all they
possessed; and would they not spare
little for the dumb creature, who re-
ally had as much right to his small
share of Gods bounty as they, them
selves, had to their portion; yes more,
the animal had never violated the laws
of nature or the laws of God. as man
often did, but strictly followed the in
stiucts he had received from the hand of
the Creator of all things. Created by
Gods hands, he had rig ht from God
to life, 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 their own
was to them; and the direct judgment
they might expect, if, in selfish cruelty
and cold heartedness they took the life
they could not restore again.
During this appeal, tears had star.
ted to the old mans eyes. and were
fast running down his sunburnt cheeks;
every feeling Of fathers heart war STIR
red within him; 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
al.a,,oa LIZ 4l,o Gla....o.,s .,.a,,l, &C