New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-11-17
JOHN BROWNS INVASION.
Correspondence Of The y. Y. Tribune.
CHARLEsTowS, Va, Monday, Nov. H. 1859.
Personal PORTRAITS.

OF many Of the Distinguished persons whom the re-
cent stirring events have attracted to this place no
special descriptions illustrated otherwise have been
offered TO tie public. There is unairness in this Most
OF be artists who have here, have shown per-
riseni iaItaity for criminal portriture, which can
only be accounted for the ground that the people Of
tie country prefer rather gaze upon vicious North
ern than viFtuous Virgibian counieuances. do not
zee why prisoners should monopolize all pictorial at
teniicns. believe that Jailer siss personal eharac
teristic have good right to DO diused those Of
jaiee Stephens, although to be the latter is
bandscner man; and that the features of Col Davis
Lave some claim 10 wood-cut immortaltes, well rs
those Of John Brown, notwithstanding that John
Browns are infinitely fuller Of dignity and yigor.
sha endeavor to remedy this serious neglect; by giving
as fully be briefly and verbally done, few like
nestes Of the most eminent Of the Charestown COM
munity. They shall be as accurate ss can make
them, and as find by the illustrated papers before
me, that either owing 10 haste in engraving some
Other cauFe number of the portraits therein contained
rather wide of truth, will also attempt to rectify
Of their defects remember that, the arrival
Of one of these papers, legal uminary after studying
the sketch of himself for several Minutes declared his
most delicate instincts outraged, and made horrible
threats against tie libeler of his nose but believe
these were never carried out. His wrath showed,
however that some dissatisfaction was felt by certain
gentlemen at the in which they had been put
before the world. trust they viii be better pleased
with my fidelity. | will try and not swerye from
correctness in any way. First, of
HOS. AsDREw HUsrER.
This gentleman take to be a sort of modern Cesar,
who would rather be the first man in g village than
the second in an empire. In Other way can ac-
count for hs hiding his talents in dresry and desc
late place this. In intellect in stature, he stands
lofty above those by whom be is surrounded. He
leads the town. The course Of public affairs in the
late disturbances has been wholly directed by him.
Engaged by The Government TO conduct the prosecution
of tie prisoners and suppy the admitted deficiencies
of the regular prosecuting attorney he has all along
controlled events, and shaped circumstances as he
cho,e He has held within his grasp the popuece the
officers Of Justice the Court ITSELF have many times
seen tie Judge awaiting Mr.. Hunters gesture of a.
sent or dissent before determining disputed point.
Public opinion too has been guided by him, although,
IA il common enough, has often far beyond the
limits of his precepta and tumbled into all sorts of
wild extravaganza. Perhaps bis welEuown relations
with Gov Wise have contributed to his superiority
of position at this time. He has been in
and Between Them they have managed matters
pety much as they pleased with very little regard to
10 TIE voice Of the people. or the camors OF legal
routine the latter sometimes yoclferousy uttered by
his osenpble coadjuor the regular Prosecuting Attor
uey. Mr.. Hunter in fact, has been the man OF this
OCCASION He has condemned to death all the prisoners
that came before bin, except one, whom he has re-
served for the purpose of aiding in the capture of
I I1 Ifrnaal rrp1l cd
He bas suspended trials at his pleasure in spite of all
opposition. He has even been so confident in his
strength that he hes used, comparatively, little exer
ton in the disposition of Court affairs His indictments
were most bungngly Drawn up, showing a careless
ness that in any but Virginia Court would have been
fatal to his cases. His arguments except when reused
70 unwonted energy, were careless and ineffective,
though usually TO the point. As for discussing the
questions of law, which were raised in profuson by
Mr. Sennou he never thought of it. Sure of his
object. be would simply say tuat be was obliged
70 purse his voice, which threatened to fail
him; or that be had often before made such
and such a subject clear to the Court or that the
time pressed TO that degree that he absolutely must be
excused from entering upon irrelevant details. Know
ing that he was arguing upon foregone conclusion,
he naturally shrank from over exercise of brain and
body which, after all, could in reality nowise affect
TIE result that being already settled. But when urged
10 great efforts. as he sometimes was Mr.. Hunter gave
abundant evidence of his real power. More impress
siye forensic orators His manner OF speak
ing is mostly quiet and grave. His tone of voice Is
deep and FULL singulaily ike Rufus Choate'S- HIS
gestures are few but always replee with expression.
Generally bis stye is that Of subdued conversation,
and very persuasive it is; but at times he rises to an
81 he omar md
moves listeners approving outbursts that call for
slreaton by sheriff and constable. In the case of the
negro Green, aluson made by the counsel for the
delense 10 an attempt introduce impertnen evidence
respecting the advances Of the prisoner toward mu-
aito girl at the time Of tie midnight entrance into the
limitations Mr.. Hunter pursued his answering argu-
uent quietly, until he reached this point and then,
lifting himself to his full hight, and COMPRISING his
fine features 70 unwanted sterness for he usually
wears a smile), be turned upon the negro and with
raridy that certainly exhibited wonderful acquain-
snee with the vocabulary ofinvecve hurled for while
neessant denuneiaton upon the guilty passion when
be assumed to have inspired Shields Green to join the
exIed,cn. How the negro ever sat 20 stohd UNDER H.
cannot understand but the crowd that filled the hall
bla7ed with fury and clenehed fists in agonies of vtu
our Indignation suppose that the consciousness Of
having offered endless similar impure examples never
entered their minds at all. Mr. Hunter, however,
0aned new ard blushing honors. 1t was his beet dis
tsy Of the season. and far surpassed anything offered
by other orators.
Mr.. Hunter, although the first man in Chsriestown,
is not free from narrow preudices and does not hes
tate TO exercise his power in very unworthy ways
He has counsnanced all the irciviiities which have
been so freely extended to ladies from the North and
has tscitly acknowledged the propriety Of expelng
all suspected strangers. He too, frst interfered with
Mr. Senno,t in bis intercourse with John Brown, CIV