Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1881-08-27
Daniel Web.tcr's First Plea.

Ebenzer Webster, father of Daniel,
was farmer. The vegetables in his
garden suffered considerably from the
depredatiOns of wOOdchuck whose hole
and habitatiOn was on the premises. Dan
iel, some 10 years old, and his brother had
set trap, and at last succeeded in catch
ing 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, and offered to let him 60.
The boys could not agree, and each ap-
pealed to their father to decide the case"
"Well, my boys" said the old gentleman,
81 will be the Judge and you shall be the
counsel to plead the case for and against
his life and liberty"
Ezekiel opened the case with a strong
argument, urging the mischeviOus
nature of the animal, the great harm he
had already done, said that much time
and labor had been spent in his capture,
and now, if suffered to go at large, he
would renew his depredatiOns, 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 it would not repay half
the damage he had already done. His
argument was ready, practical and to
the point, and 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; I'll hear
what you've got to say"
1t was his first case. Daniel saw that
the plea Of his brother had affected his
father, the judge; and his large, bril-
liant black eyes rested upon the soft,
timid expression of the animal, and he
saw it trembled with fear in its narrow
prison house. His heart swelled with
pity, and he appealed with eloquent
words that the captive might go Free
God, he said, had made the woOdchuck;
he made him to live to enjoy the bright
sunshine. and pure air, the fields, the
woods. God had not made him or any
thing in vain. The woOdchuck had as
much right to live as any other living
vegetables, of which they had plenty,
ed nothing except the little food he ate to
sustain his humble life; and that the
food was as sweet to him and as neces-
sary to his existence as was to them the
food on their mothers table. God fur
nished their own food. He gave them
all they possessed and would they not
spare little for dumb creature who
really had as much right to his small
share of Gods bounty as they themselves
had to their portion? Yea, more, the
animal 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 the Great
or of all things. Created by Gods hands,
he had right from God to food, to
liberty, and they had no right to deprive
him Of either. He alluded to the mute
but earnest pleading of the animal for
that life as dear to him as were their
own, and the just judgment they might
expect if, in selfish cruelty and cold
heartedness; they took the life they could
not restore itagain.
During the appeal the tears had
started in the old mans eyes, and were
running down his sunburnt cheeks. 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 the man and the father, he
sprang from his chair (while Deniel was
i'm the midst of his argument, without
thinking he had already won his case),
turning to his eldest son, dashing the
tears from his eyes, he exclaimed: "Zeke,
Zeke, you let this woOdchuck gOP'