For ten days this vital point was argued. All the counsel on either side exerted themselves to the utmost. Wickham’s opening speech on the nature of treason was declared by as good a judge as Littleton Tazewell to be “the greatest forensic effort of the American bar.”[339] Luther Martin spoke fourteen hours, beginning with an almost passionate allusion to his idol Theodosia. William Wirt exhausted his powers of argument and oratory, and in the course of his address made the rhetorical display which became familiar to every American, and which introduced a sort of appeal to Blennerhassett to turn against the more guilty crew who were trying to sacrifice him to save themselves:-- “Who is Blennerhassett? A native of Ireland, a man of letters, who fled from the storms of his own country to find quiet in ours.” George Hay was neither so efficient nor so dexterous as Wirt, and either intentionally or by awkwardness succeeded in giving the impression of threatening the court:[340]-- “Mr. Bott says that we are now advocating opinions which on Fries’ trial we condemned.... I beg leave to assure the gentleman that the censure which the judge drew on himself was not on account of his opinions, however incorrect they might be, but for his arbitrary and irregular conduct at the trial, which was one of the principal causes for which he was afterward impeached. He attempted to wrest the decision from the jury, and prejudge the case before hearing all the evidence in it,--the identical thing which this court is now called on by these gentlemen to do.” That Hay, knowing well Jefferson’s thoughts and the magic that hung about the word “impeachment,” should have used these words inadvertently seemed hardly credible. If he did so, his clumsiness was as offensive as the threat could have been, for the idea of impeachment was in the air of the court-house. Burr’s counsel at once retaliated.[341] “It was very kind of the gentleman to remind the court of the danger of a decision of the motion in favor of the prisoner.” Hay protested that he had spoken innocently, and the chief-justice said that the allusion had not been taken as personal; but the unpleasant impression remained. “The gentleman plainly insinuated the possibility of danger to the court,” persisted the defence; and Luther Martin added,[342]-- “I do not know whether it were intended by this observation that your honors should be apprehensive of an impeachment in case you should decide against the wishes of the government. I will not presume that it was used with that view, but it is susceptible of being so misunderstood, however innocently or inadvertently it may have been made.”