Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1873-01-15
Daniel Webster's First Plea.

bochSAci w SOotSi iatuSi VI OauiOii .
was u farmer. Tho vegetables in his
garden suffered considerably from the
depredations Of wood chuck, whose
hold and babitation was near the
premises. Daniel, some ten years old i,
and his brother Ezekiel, had set trap,
and at last succeeded in catching the
trespasser. Ezekiel proposed to kill
the animal and end at once all further
trouble with him; but Daniel looked
with compassion upon his meek, dumb
captive, aud offered to let him 60.
The boys could not agree, ard each
appealed 10 his father TO decide the
case.
"Wcll, my boys" said the old gen.
tleman, "I will be judge and you shall
be counsel to plead the case for and
against his liberty"
Ezekiel opened the case with n
strong argument urging tho mischicv-
ous nature Of the criminal, the great
harm he had already done, said that
much time and labor had been spent
in his capture, and now, If suffered to
60 at large, he would renew his dep
relations, and be cunning enough not
to be caught again, and that he ought
now TO be put TO death /; that his skin
was Of some value, and that, make the
most of him they could, il would not
repay bali the damage he had already
done. His argument was ready, prac.
teal, and to the point, und OF much
greater length than our limit will allow
US TO occupy in relating the story.
The father looked with pride upon
his son, who became a distinguished
jurist in his manhood.
"Now, Daniel, it's your turn; Ill
hear what you have got to say"
II WAS the first case. Daniel saw
that the plea OF his brother had sensi.
bly, affected his father, the judge, and
his large, brilliant black eyes rested
upon the soft, timid expression of tho
animal, and he saw il tremblc with
fear in it's narrow prison house His
heart swellcd with pity, and he ap-
pealcd with eloquent words that the
captive might 20 free. God, he said,
had made the woodchuck lie made
him to live to enjoy the bright sun.
shine, tho pure air, the fields and
woods. God has not made him or any.
thing In vain, The woodcbuck had
as much right to live as any other
living thing; he was not n destructive
animal, like tho wolf; he simply ate a
few common vegetables, Of which they
had plenty, aud could well spare .
part he destroyed nothing except
the little food he ate TO sustain his
humble life; and that little food was
AS necessary to his existence MS was
to them the food on their mothers
table. God furnished their own food.
He gave them all they possessed, and
would they not spare u little for a
dumb creature who really had as
much right to his small share Of God .
bounty as they themselves had to
their portiony Yea, more the ami
NAL had never violated the laws OF his
nature or the laws Of God, as man
often did, but strictly followed the
simple instincts he had received from
tho hands Of the Creator Of all things.
Created by Gods hands, he had a
right from God to food, to liberty, and
they had no right TO deprive him OF
either He alluded to the mute but
earnest pleadipgs of the animal for
that life, as dear TO him as were their
own, and the judgment they might
expect, If in selfish cruelty and cold.
heartednoss they took the life they
could not restore again.
During the appeal tho tears had
started in the old mans eyes, and
were fast running down his sunburnt
checks. Every feeling Of fathers
heart was stirred within him, and he
felt that God had blessed him beyond
the lot Of common men. His pity was
awakened by the eloquent words OF
compassion and the strong appeal for
mercy and forgetting the judge in
tho man and tho father, he sprang
from his chair (whilc Daniel was in
the midst of his argument, without
thinking he had already won his casc),
and turning to his eldest son, dashed
tho tears from bis eyes, he exclaimed :
"Zekc, zcko, you let tha, woodchuck
60"