In the political writings of Washington's day, we frequently meet with
the name of Pinckney; and, as there were several persons of that name
in public life, readers of history are often at a loss to distinguish
between them. This confusion is the more troublesome, because they were
all of the same family and State, and their career also had a strong
family likeness.
The founder of this family in America was Thomas Pinckney, who emigrated
to South Carolina in the year 1692. He possessed a large fortune, and
built in Charleston a stately mansion, which is still standing, unless
it was demolished during the late war. A curious anecdote is related
of this original Pinckney, which is about all that is now known of him.
Standing at the window of his house one day, with his wife at his side,
he noticed a stream of passengers walking up the street, who had just
landed from a vessel that day arrived from the West Indies. As they
walked along the street, he noticed particularly a handsome man who was
very gayly dressed; and turning to his wife he said:
"That handsome West Indian will marry some poor fellow's widow, break
her heart, and ruin her children."
Strange to relate, the widow whom this handsome West Indian married
was no other than Mrs. Pinckney herself; for Thomas Pinckney soon after
died, and his widow married the West Indian. He did not break her heart,
since she lived to marry a third husband, but he was an extravagant
fellow, and wasted part of her children's inheritance. Thomas Pinckney,
then, is to be distinguished from others of the name as the _founder_ of
the family in America.
The eldest son of Thomas, that grew to man's estate, was Charles
Pinckney, who embraced the legal profession, and rose to be Chief
Justice of the Province of South Carolina, and hence he is usually
spoken of and distinguished from the rest of the family as "Chief
Justice Pinckney." He was educated in England, and was married there.
Returning to Charleston, he acquired a large fortune by the practice of
his profession. A strange anecdote is related of his wife also. After
he had been married many years without having children, there came to
Charleston from England, on a visit of pleasure a young lady named
Eliza Lucas, daughter of an officer in the English army. She was an
exceedingly lovely and brilliant girl, and made a great stir in the
province. She was particularly admired by the wife of the Chief Justice,
who said one day in jest:
"Rather than have Miss Lucas return home, I will myself step out of the
way, and let her take my place."
Within a few months after uttering these words she died, and soon after
her death the Chief Justice actually married Miss Lucas. This lady was
one of the greatest benefactors South Carolina ever had; for, besides
being an example of all the virtues and graces which adorn the female
character, it was she who introduced into the province the cultivation
of rice. In addition to the other services which she rendered her
adopted home, she gave birth to the two brothers Pinckney, who are of
most note in the general history of the country. The elder of these was
Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, born in 1746, and the younger was Thomas,
born in 1750.
When these two boys were old enough to begin their education, their
father, the Chief Justice, like a good father as he was, went with them
to England, accompanied by all his family, and there resided for many
years, while they were at school; for at that day there were no means of
education in South Carolina. The boys were placed at Westminster school
in London, and completed their studies at the University of Oxford.
After leaving the University they began the study of the law in London,
and were pursuing their studies there, or just beginning practice, when
the troubles preceding the Revolutionary War hastened their return to
their native land. They had been absent from their country twenty-one
years, and were much gratified on reaching Charleston to witness its
prosperity and unexpected growth. The elder of these brothers could
remember when the first planter's wagon was driven into Charleston. This
was about the year 1753. Pointing to this wagon one day, his father said
to him:
"Charles, by the time you are a man, I don't doubt there will be at
least twenty wagons coming to town."
Often in after life, when he would meet a long string of wagons in the
country loaded with cotton or rice, he would relate this reminiscence of
his childhood, and add:
"How happy my father would have been in the growth and prosperity of
Carolina!"
These young men from the beginning of the Stamp Act agitation, when
they were just coming of age, sympathized warmly with their oppressed
countrymen on the other side of the ocean, and soon after their return
home they entered the Continental army and served gallantly throughout
the war. In 1780 we find Charles Cotesworth Pinckney writing to his wife
in the following noble strain:
"Our friend, Philip Neyle was killed by a cannon-ball coming through one
of the embrasures; but I do not pity him, for he has died nobly in
the defense of his country; but I pity his aged father, now unhappily
bereaved of his beloved and only child."
To one of his young friends he wrote soon after:
"If I had a vein that did not beat with love for my country, I myself
would open it. If I had a drop of blood that could flow dishonorably, I
myself would let it out."
It was the fortune of both these brothers to be held for a long time by
the enemy as prisoners of war. The elder was captured upon the surrender
of Charleston. The younger was desperately wounded at the battle of
Camden, and was about to be transfixed by a bayonet, when a British
officer who had known him at college recognized his features, and cried
out in the nick of time:
"Save Tom Pinckney!"
The uplifted bayonet was withheld, and the wounded man was borne from
the field a prisoner.
After the peace, General C. C. Pinckney was a member of the convention
which framed our Constitution. During the Presidency of General
Washington, he declined, first a seat upon the bench of the Supreme
Court, and twice declined entering the cabinet. During the last year of
Washington's administration, he accepted the appointment of Minister to
France, and it was while residing in Paris, that he uttered a few words
which will probably render his name immortal. He was associated with
Chief Justice Marshall and Elbridge Gerry, and their great object was
to prevent a war between the United States and France. It was during
the reign of the corrupt Directory that they performed this mission; and
Talleyrand, the Minister of War, gave them to understand that nothing
could be accomplished in the way of negotiation unless they were
prepared to present to the government a large sum of money. The honest
Americans objecting to this proposal, Talleyrand intimated to them that
they must either give the money or accept the alternative of war. Then
it was that the honest and gallant Charles Cotesworth Pinckney uttered
the words which Americans will never forget till they have ceased to be
worthy of their ancestors:
"War be it, then!" exclaimed General Pinckney, "Millions for defense,
sir; but not a cent for tribute!"
On his return to the United States, war being imminent with France, he
was appointed a Major-general in the army, and in the year 1800 he was a
candidate for the Presidency. He lived to the year 1825, when he died at
Charleston at the age of seventy-nine.
His brother Thomas was the Governor of South Carolina in 1789, and in
1792 was appointed by General Washington Minister to Great Britain.
After residing some years in England, he was sent to Spain, where he
negotiated the important treaty which secured us the free navigation
of the Mississippi. After his return home, he served several years in
Congress on the Federal side, and then retired to private life. During
the war of 1812, he received the commission of Major-general, and served
under General Jackson at the celebrated battle of Horseshoe Bend, where
the power of the Creek Indians was broken forever.
He died at Charleston in 1828, aged seventy-eight years.
Besides these Pinckneys there was a noted Charles Pinckney, a nephew
of Chief Justice Pinckney, who was also captured when Charleston
surrendered, remained a prisoner until near the close of the war,
and afterwards bore a distinguished part in public life. He may be
distinguished from others of his name from his being a democrat, an
active adherent of Thomas Jefferson. He served as Minister to Spain
during Mr. Jefferson's administration, and was four times elected
Governor of South Carolina.
Finally, there was a Henry Laurens Pinckney, son of the Governor
Pinckney last mentioned, born in 1794. For sixteen years he was a member
of the Legislature of South Carolina, and was afterwards better known as
editor and proprietor of the Charleston _Mercury_, a champion of State
rights, and afterwards of nullification. During the nullification
period, he was Mayor of Charleston, an office to which he was three
times re-elected.
Thus the Pinckneys may be distinguished as follows: Thomas Pinckney,
the founder; Charles Pinckney, the Chief Justice; Charles Cotesworth
Pinckney, the Ambassador and candidate for the Presidency; Thomas
Pinckney, General in the war of 1812; Charles Pinckney, the democrat;
and Henry Laurens Pinckney, editor and author.