Willis: Anglo-American Law 
175 
was the author of the doctrine of “implied powers”. Burr’s 
final quarrel with him won over his support of Jefferson. 
His death at the hands of Burr was chiefly responsible for 
the abolition of the practice of dueling. He was a leader of 
leaders, not of the rank and file, and only Marshall had more 
to do than he with the foundations of our federal govern- 
ment. For sheer intellectual power probably he was never 
surpassed by any other lawyer in the United States. 
Pinckney (1784-1822). 92 William Pinckney was one of the 
great orator lawyers of the age of Wirt, Martin, Hopkinson, 
Clay, and Webster. He was born at Annapolis, Md. and was 
the son of a Tory, but he sided with the patriots and was 
a member of the convention which ratified the Constitution. 
Before practicing law he tried medicine. One after another 
he held the offices of state attorney-general, United States 
minister to England, United States minister to Russia, senator, 
and United States attorney-general (under Madison) . He 
fought in the battle of Blandenburg and was wounded in 1814. 
He argued many cases before the United States Supreme 
Court, and was largely responsible for the development of 
international law and admiralty law in the United States. 
He appeared in the Dartmouth College Case (tho late), 93 
McCullough v. Maryland , 94 Cohens v. Virginia, 95 and Amiabele 
Isabella 96 In 1816 he offered to let Story take over his 
practice in Baltimore when it was paying him $21,000 a year, 
but Story decided to remain on the bench, tho his salary at 
the time was only $3,500. He was at that time the head of 
the bar of the United States. He was foppish, vehement, 
but absolutely overwhelming. He had few, if any, equals, 
either in argument or eloquence, especially when he was talk- 
ing before an audience made up partly of ladies. 
Clay (1777-1852). 97 Henry Clay was another great orator, 
but he is better known as a statesman than a lawyer. He 
is noted for his arguments for protection, for his support 
of the Missouri Compromise of 1820 and his authorship of the 
Compromise of 1850, and for his candidacy for the presi- 
dency. However, he was also a great lawyer, argued many 
92 15 Green Bag 301 ; 23 Case and Com. 87 . 
93 4 Wheat. 518 . 
94 4 Wheat. 316 . 
95 6 Wheat. 264 . 
96 6 Wheat. 1 . 
97 37 Am. L. Rev. 1 . 
