Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1859-11-19
NOVEMBER 10, 1859.

Mr.. Hunter is apparently about fifty-Gve
years old, is six feet tail, very erect, and
well proportioned. His countenance is
always agreeable, though scared with
many lines, and his elegance of manner is
equal to his dignity of presence He does
not not at all resemble the picrures ofhim that
have been published.
aa.. CHARLES H. HARDING. =.
This is an unfortunate man. That a
lpersontso enslavcd by degrading habits
I.shOuld be intrusted. with the delicate and
responsible Office he holds speaks i'll for
the judgment of the citizens of f1Charles-
town. He is the regular prosecuting at
toaney for the district. lie has legally the
right to conduct all cases which come be-
tore'tlie court in which the invaders have
recently been tried. lie has, to be sure,
been Induced to waive u portion of his
right, for the past few weeks, to Mr. Hunter.
but his uncomfortable wits have often,
during that period, got the better of him,
and he has broken in upon the regular flow
OF proceedings after fashion which Sc
YeFcly tried the patience of the Court.
Toward the end, lac became intolernblc.
and was icily cut short whenever he strove
to lncUmbcr the way OF Justice. Repeated
snubbings nearly drove him frantic, and
more than dozen times have heard him
delivering street addresses of great vio-
lCnce, declaring defiance to the judge. to
Mr.. Hunter, to Governor Wise, to the
American Union, and to all the universe.
The way he has been ridden ovcris another
proof0f the tlexibility of legal restrictions
| in this locality. The right he has claimed.
OF managing the cases, are clearly his, but
as he would have fallen in an instant be-
IN oh 4
OF the lawyers who came in for the defense,
| it was deemed safest to hold him in
close restraint. But for this, indeed there
would. have been no hanging in Jcilerzon
County next month. Mr.. Harling's daily
occupations are not of a nature to fit him
for the management of an important case
On the first day of Browns trial, after deiiY-
ering the opening speech for the Govern
ment, he issued forth from the Court House,
and, flushed with imagined triumph. enter
cd, into conflict with n blind negro, and
got rather badly beaten. Naricgatrd. dis
hgurements clung to his face for many
days thereafter, and furnished amusing
topics of conversation for the juries in
succeeding cases. think, however, that
Mr.. Harding's evident inclination to bfiug
all possible injury upon the prisoners,
saves his reputation in the public Cstecm
ton. He is happiest when picturing to
himself and hearers the horrors of the fate
which is in waiting for them lie is pleas
ed with every rcminiscence ofinsult which
has been flung upon Brown. heard him
yesterday nnrrating lively 0nccdotc of
the captain of one of the volunteer comp0-
nlcs which hastcned to Iarpcrs Ferry as
soon SIS the United States troops had done
all the hot work. 1t ran somewhat thus:
The captain approached Brown, who lay,
seemingly dying, upon the wagon which
was bearing him to Charlcstown sWo1l,
old Brown" he said, show is ii: are you
going to die?" s'Oh, no" said Isrown, :sI
think not" "Wcll, RESPONDED the jccul&r
warrior, "if you were going to die, Isliould
take one of Your teeth, but, as YOU mean
to live, III only tallc-u piece Of your hair
TO remember you"-wltich he did. Mr.
llarding's tcrocious eXul!ation over this
and many kindred rccitals is enough to
make the heart sick to witness. I have
never heard more monstrous cruclties of
language, not even in Virginia, than habit
unlly proceeded from him.
In person Mr.. Harding is unprcpossiug
lie carries the worst marks of intemper-
ancc. His face is Yindictivc us we'll as a
degraded one. His long curved nose seems
always on the point of collision with Ills
rising chin. There is no speculation in
his eye. His very dress indicates his utter
recklcssness TO nprcaranccc. His manner
is an outre rs his aspect. ITo is forever
ridicuicd. He commands no respect
When he talks in Court the Judge falls in
to rcvcrie, the lawyers turn their backs
the bystanders jeer. Hc never seems to
heed it, but after saying his word-lonr or
short-fnlls back into his chair, and slecrs
while the nearest of his ncighbors tickles
his nose with straw. Excepting in the
air of general dilapidotion, he, too, is
wholly unlike the published portraits of
him. e