Perhaps, and there are lots of different types of stone and how to stack them.
My garden walls are of blue lias which is a bit like slate (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Lias) it lends itself to flat 1-6" thick blocks that lay into quite neat horizontal rows whilst still being disjoint and allowing water to flow out. Weeds do grow in the cracks and the woody ones at least should be removed.
As you say a thicker wall will be more stable. Water and soil pressure will be most intense at the base, so make the base thicker and thin out as you move up. A slight deviation from vertical will allow for the soil expanding. For example my walls were rebuilt after a dry spell so a few degrees off vertical allows for the clay to absorb water and expand.
My garden walls are of blue lias which is a bit like slate (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Lias) it lends itself to flat 1-6" thick blocks that lay into quite neat horizontal rows whilst still being disjoint and allowing water to flow out. Weeds do grow in the cracks and the woody ones at least should be removed.
As you say a thicker wall will be more stable. Water and soil pressure will be most intense at the base, so make the base thicker and thin out as you move up. A slight deviation from vertical will allow for the soil expanding. For example my walls were rebuilt after a dry spell so a few degrees off vertical allows for the clay to absorb water and expand.