Mr. Clay manifested great sagacity in discerning and turning to his advantage a technical law-point, involving doubt. The following case illustrates this. A man by the name of Willis, indicted for murder, escaped conviction by the disagreement of the jury, and was put upon his trial the second time for the crime alleged. After hearing the arguments of the prosecuting attorney, he brought forward the well known rule of law, that the life of no one shall be put in jeopardy twice for the same offence, and insisted on its applicability to the case under consideration, contending that the trial, according to that rule, was manifestly illegal, and that therefore conviction would be impossible. At first the court was disposed to rule out his objections, which was met on the part of Mr. Clay with a prompt refusal to proceed with the case, unless allowed to view it in this aspect, and actually left the room for that purpose. He was soon recalled and permitted to proceed, and, without the remotest reference to the testimony previously given, he obtained an acquittal solely on the ground assumed. In only one instance do we find him engaged as public prosecutor, in which he procured the conviction of a slave for the murder of his overseer. With great reluctance he discharged the duties of his office in this case, and has often been heard to regret that he had any agency in procuring the execution of the friendless black. In civil suits he also won great celebrity. In the settlement of important land claims, he rendered himself very conspicuous. It is related of him that being engaged in one that involved immense interests, he associated with him a prominent lawyer to whom he intrusted its management, as urgent business demanded his absence from court. Two days were occupied in discussing the legal points that were to govern the instructions of the court to the jury, on all of which his colleague was frustrated. Mr. Clay returned before a decision was rendered, and without acquainting himself with the nature of the testimony, or ascertaining the manner in which the discussion was conducted, after conferring a few minutes with his associate, he prepared and presented in a few words the form in which he wished the instructions to be given, accompanying it with his reasons, which were so convincing that the suit was terminated in his favor, in less than an hour after he reëntered the court room.