William Wirt. strength that neither time nor force can beat them down." Such was his ideal of lasting greatness. But his exuberant fancy often led him to throw such beauty and splendor into his forensic arguments as were scarcely com patible with the "rude and Gothic" style which he eulogizes. These qualities were conspicuously displayed in his speech on behalf of the government in the prosecu tion of Aaron Burr for treason. The trial had proceeded to the partial examination of the witnesses for the prosecution, by whom it was proved that an armed force had as sembled on Blennerhassett's Island for the ultimate purpose of capturing the City of New Orleans. Burr was not shown to have been present at this warlike demonstration. His counsel therefore moved that the court interpose to prevent the further examina tion of witnesses. Upon this motion, Mr. Wirt spoke at length and, while the point was a purely legal one and was argued with strength and cogency, he infused into the discussion a play of fancy and brilliancy of rhetoric which, for many years, marked the speech as a classic. Most prominent of these passages was that in which he first describes the character of Burr, —. fascina ting, indefatigable, ambitious, dark and dangerous; following with a description of Blennerhassett, — a man of letters, a lover of science, and of nature, living in peace, tranquillity and innocence, till the repose of the scholar is broken by the arrival of Burr. He depicts Burr's insidious advances, the resulting change gradually wrought in Blen nerhassett's life, his desperate thirst for glory, his abandoned home, his deserted wife, his wild ambition and utter ruin. The coloring is vivid, and the passage was often quoted as one of the most splendid displays of oratory of the time. Mr. Wirt's eminent talents had placed him in the front rank of the lawyers of Vir ginia, and in 18 16 he made his first appear ance in the Supreme Court of the United
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States, where he was destined to figure as one of its most prominent practitioners. In his first cause he was opposed by the suc cessful lawyer and admired orator, William Pinkney, and from the encounter Wirt derived but an indifferent estimate of the ability of this leader of the American bar. From Wirt's modest and disparaging ac count of his own argument, we may never theless gather that he himself spoke with energy and determination, and that his blows fell with telling effect. This contest quickened his ambition for further practice in the Supreme Court, for he felt his strength and privately declared that he did not fear any man on that arena, not even the re nowned Pinkney. His second attempt was to him far more satisfactory. The occasion, the trial of a prize case, attracted many of the leading men and women of Washington, besides numerous foreign residents who were indi rectly interested in the cause. The subject afforded no opportunity for rhetorical dis play, but so well was the argument handled, that the audience remained during the four hours of the speech, and from both sympa thizers and opponents Mr. Wirt received the warmest praise for his successful effort. From this time his Supreme Court practice constantly increased and prepared the way for the performance of his duties as At torney-General of the United States. No characteristic of the professional ca reer of Mr. Wirt is more striking than its continued and steady advance. From crim inal lawyer to general practitioner, from general practice in subordinate courts to that in the highest courts in the State, from these to the highest Federal Courts, and from these to the attorney-generalship, were the regular stages in a progress ren dered possible by superb talents and unre mitted industry. Throughout his life, Mr. Wirt discounted all aid afforded by mere chance. In his letters of advice to those whom he was desirous of assisting, he con
