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Charles Cotesworth Pinckney
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Federalist Party nominee for president in the election of 1804
| Born: |
1746
Charleston, South Carolina
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| Occupation: |
Lawyer
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| Married |
Sarah Middleton in 1773
Mary N. Stead |
| Died: |
1825
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Charles Cotesworth Pinckney was the Federalist Party nominee for president in the election of 1804, and again in 1808. He had served as an officer during the American Revolution, and later served as the representative from South Carolina at the Constitutional convention.
He was born in Charleston South Carolina on February 25th 1746. His father was an attorney, and a prominent member of the provincial government. His mother, Eliza Lucas Pinckney was one of colonial America’s most educated women. Her knowledge of botany led to the development of indigo, which was used for blue dye, as a major cash crop. Her contribution to the growth and development of colonial America was recognized by many, including George Washington who served as a pall bearer at her funeral in 1793. His brother Thomas served as a minister to Spain and Great Britain, and was Governor of South Carolina when the Constitution was ratified. His second cousin, also a Charles, was a delegate at the Constitutional convention and also served as Governor of South Carolina.
The family moved to England when his father traveled there as a representative of the provincial government. Charles Cotesworth Pinckney enrolled at Christ Church College at Oxford, and he also studied at the military academy of Caen in France. His studies included chemistry, military science, and his mothers favorite, botany. He received his legal training at Middle Temple and passed the English bar in 1769.
When he returned to South Carolina he followed his mother’s example and continued work in experimental farming. He shared his technique for growing high grade sea-island cotton with his fellow plantation owners. In addition to agriculture Pinckney also served as attorney general for some of the small towns. He also served as a member of the provinces’ Royal Militia.
He married Sarah Middleton in 1773. After her death he married Mary N. Stead. He had three daughters.
In 1775 Pinckney is elected to the provincial congress. With tensions mounting and calls for rebellion he is elected to the Committee of safety, and begins working on plans for an interim government for South Carolina. When war broke out he joined the Continental army as a captain. His skill as an officer, and no doubt his family prestige, soon advanced him to the rank of colonel. He fought at the battle of Brandywine, German Town, and the siege of Savanna. During the defense of Charleston he knew he was outnumbered, but he hoped to inflict heavy loses and give the British a pyrrhic victory before his retreat. But he waited too long and was captured along with his men. His brother Thomas had been captured at Camden New Jersey and cousin Charles was also captured at Charleston. During the raids the British destroyed his mother’s plantation leaving her financially ruined. After prisoners were exchanged in 1782 a grateful nation honored Pinckney by promoting him to the rank of Brevet Brigadier General. During captivity he had resisted the pleas of his captors to abandon the Revolution and join the Loyalist.
He returned to work with the government of South Carolina, and in 1789 he was sent to the Philadelphia convention to help revise the existing Articles of Confederation. When it became obvious that revision would not be enough, the delegates began debate on a new constitution.
It must be considered that although many of the delegates to the Constitutional Convention were in favor of a government that reflected the popular will of the majority of the people, there were also a good many delegates who represented and defended the sovereign rights of the individual states now being asked to submit to a central government. Later, in 1797 Samuel Adams would object to the Constitutions preamble. From 1001 Things Everyone Should Know About American History: “As I enter the Building, I stumble at the Threshold”. “We the people…establish this CONSTITUTION.” Adams would have preferred “We the States…”.
When it was proposed that America should have a king Pinckney responded, “Much has been said about the Constitution of Great Britain. I will confess that I believe it to be the best Constitution in existence; but at the same time I am confident it is one that will not or can not be introduced into this country.” He explained to the delegates the British Constitution and how it arose from the forests of Germany, but the “antiquity of the establishment of nobility” had not been clearly defined. He said that the new nation could not be compared to Greece, Rome, or any other previous republic. “Our true situation appears to me to be this –a new extensive country containing within itself the materials for forming a government capable of extending to its citizens all the blessings of civil and religious liberty- capable of making them happy at home. This is the great end of the Republican establishment.” Pinckney believed that because of our nations vast tracts of undeveloped land we would have very few poor people, or people dependent on society.
The Virginia Plan proposed a bicameral legislature similar to Britain’s House of Lords and House of Commons. The lower body would be elected by the people, and then the upper body would be elected by the members of the lower body. Under the New Jersey Plan the Articles of Confederation would remain, but a national congress would have the power to collect taxes and regulate interstate and foreign commerce. Pinckney favored a strong central government but he knew his constituents in South Carolina would never agree to join a union that could someday threaten its rights and institutions.
A legislative body that was to have one representative for a certain number people was viewed as giving too much power to the more populated States. After carefully taking into consideration the relative population of the Southern States he proposed the 3/5ths amendment. In what came to be known as the Connecticut Compromise the states would be represented in the House according to the total number of the White population and three fifths of the Negro population.
For those opposed to slavery it probably appeared that the plantation owners were getting the best of both worlds. Negroes could be treated as property just the same as horses or mules, but they could also be counted as “men” when it came to legislative representation. From the plantation owners point of view Negroes had to be fed, clothed and sheltered just like free people. Therefore it would be necessary to consider their needs as part of the population when passing any federal legislation. However the plantation owners did not want to accept Negroes as men with rights under the Constitution. Was the 3/5ths compromise that brought the thirteen states together worth the eventual cost?
The Senate would be the legislative body that would represent the rights of the states. Pinckney envisioned the Senate as a legislative institution made up of educated and accomplished men from aristocratic class. The privilege of serving in the Senate would be payment enough, an additional salary would not be necessary. He wanted the states to have dominance over issues involving foreign policy and proposed that the Senate be granted the power to ratify treaties made between the President and foreign nations.
The President was to be elected by the people, but how should the votes be counted? Pinckney joined those opposed to direct elections arguing that it would be difficult to collect and count votes from the general population and they reminded the delegates, “It took as long as two days to send a stage coach from New York to Philadelphia”. They also pointed out that there were not enough periodicals being published to adequately educate the public on the candidates and their stand on the issues. His colleague George mason of Georgia said, “Selecting a president by popular vote is to referring a trial of colors to a blind man.” The convention then made plans for the Electoral College.
Who should have the authority to declare war? Pinckney believed that the Senate should have that power. He argued that the House of Representatives would be too numerous for such deliberations. “The Senate would be the best depository, being more acquainted with foreign affairs and most capable of proper resolutions”.
When it came to the issue of slavery Pinckney defended Negro property not only as a right but as a necessity. “The nature of our climate, and the flat swampy situation of our country, obliges us to cultivate our lands with Negroes, and that without them South Carolina would be a desert waste.” He persuaded the South Carolina legislature to accept the new constitution saying, “By this settlement we have secured an unlimited importation of Negroes for twenty years”. He explained that there was no immediate plan to stop importation of Negroes, and that run away slaves would be returned no matter where they fled in the United States.
On May 12th of 1788 South Carolina’s legislature had many members who opposed joining a federal union. The resolution to hold a convention to consider the new national constitution passed by only a single vote. By the time the convention met on May 23rd more than enough delegates had been convinced that South Carolina could exist in harmony with the other states under a federal union. The Constitution was approved 149 to 73.
The constitution the South Carolina delegates accepted was the one presented to them by Charles Cotesworth Pinckney and his cousin Charles Pinckney, Would their state be obligated to continue its submission to the Constitution if the original terms of the agreement had been altered?
President Washington was grateful for Pinckney’s work in helping secure the new constitution and offered him a position on the Supreme Court or the office of Secretary of War, but Pinckney preferred to work in the South Carolina Legislature.
Near the end of Washington’s second term Pinckney was appointed to replace James Monroe as America’s minister to France. But the France of King Louis XVI was gone, replaced in a bloody rebellion by a committee known as The Directory. There was an undeclared sea war between England and France and the French objected to the Jay treaty which they interpreted as an alliance between England and America. The Directory refused to see Pinckney. He wrote a letter to the President complaining that he had not received the proper respect of a visiting foreign diplomat, then traveled to the Netherlands to await further instructions.
In 1797 President John Adams sent future Chief Justice John Marshall, and future Vice President Elbridge Gerry to join Pinckney in another attempt to establish diplomatic relations with France. The American diplomatic trio was met by French Foreign Minister Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-P’erigord. Talleyrand had been a Bishop in the Catholic Church and had just recently returned from a two year exile in Philadelphia. He informed them that a meeting with the Directory could be arranged if certain monetary obligations could be met, $250,000 for himself, and a promise of a $10,000,000 loan for the nation of France. It was reported that Charles C. Pinckney’s angry retort was, “No no! not a sixpence!”. When word of Adams plan reached America it became known as the “XYZ affair”.
In the election of 1796 the Democratic Republicans nominated Thomas Jefferson President, and Senator Aaron Burr of New York for Vice President. The Federalist nominated John Adams for President and Thomas Pinckney Vice President. The constitution’s rule for the election made the candidate with the most electoral votes President, and the candidate with the second highest total Vice President. Adams was elected President with his political opponent, Jefferson, came in second to became Vice President.
In 1800 Federalist Party leader Alexander Hamilton had hoped to replace Adams with a more favorable presidential candidate, Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, the brother of Adams running mate in 1796. But despite the pitfalls of the XYZ affair Adams was able to regain the nomination and Charles C. Pinckney was nominated as the Vice Presidential candidate. Once again the rule was, the one with most votes gets to be President and second highest gets to be Vice President. Jefferson was tied for the lead with his own party’s Vice Presidential nominee, Aaron Burr. After 36 ballots in the House of representatives Jefferson was elected President and Burr became Vice President.
A political irony: According to historian David McCullough in John Adams it was the counting of 3/5th of the Negro population that gave Jefferson and Burr enough electoral votes to defeat Adams and Pinckney.
Originally it was expected that local caucuses at the state level would choose the candidates but by 1804 Congressional caucuses were making the nominations. The Federalist nominated Pinckney as their Presidential candidate, and New York Senator Rufus King for Vice President. The Democratic Republicans nominated Thomas Jefferson for President and Governor George Clinton of New York for Vice President.
This time the electors would have separate ballots for President and Vice President.
Pinckney repeated the old accusations of the 1800 election accusing Jefferson of being an infidel and an atheist. He warned voters that Jefferson’s “unconstitutional” Louisiana purchase would cost voters as much as four dollars each. The Federalist candidates also tried to raise the fear of race mixing by telling the voters that Jefferson had an affair with his mulatto slave, Sally Hemmings. Pinckney’s cousin Charles campaigned against his fellow Pinckney by accusing the Federalist of putting too many tax burdens on land and slaves and claimed they got votes from, “the crippled, diseased, and the blind.”
According to the book Election Day, An American Holiday An American History during America’s early elections there was no uniform rule on what a ballot should look like. Some party organizations prepared their own ballots. Sometimes the ballots were pre-printed with the marked names of the parties candidates. Voters could scratch off the names they didn’t like, but Since many voters didn’t want to take the time this encouraged straight party voting.
When the electoral votes were counted Jefferson had 162 votes to Pinckney’s 14. The Candidate from South Carolina only carried Connecticut and Delaware, plus two votes from Maryland.
When the Federalist met in 1808 some of the delegates wanted to nominate the Republican’s Vice president George Clinton for President, but the majority decided that Pinckney and King would once again be their nominees. Jefferson officially endorsed his Secretary of State, James Madison, to be the Democratic Republican nominee and George Clinton was nominated to continue as the Vice President.
After war broke out between Britain and France in 1803 both nations began seizing American ships on the high seas. When the Chesapeake was attacked off the American coast, resulting in the death of several American citizens, Jefferson did not react by declaring war but instead asked Congress to end all trade with Britain and France. The Embargo act of 1807 was suppose to economically coerce the offending nations to respect the neutrality rights of American ships. However it was an economic disaster for those American farmers who depended on grain exports, and American merchants who profited from trade with Europe. The Embargo was called the “Dambargo” by the Federalist. They said it was a plot by the Virginians (Jefferson and Madison) to thwart New England trade and give favoritism to the French.
Despite the fact that America was suppose to be neutral it was difficult not to take sides. Favoritism for the French or the British often depended on a person’s livelihood or where he lived. “During the 1808 campaign The Albany Register suddenly revealed that Jefferson and Madison had been naturalized as citizens of France”. The Federalist plan to exploit any anti-French feelings failed when it was later revealed that the French Revolutionary Assembly had also made George Washington and Alexander Hamilton honorary French citizens.
The Federalist hoped that growing opposition to the embargo would make Jefferson’s candidate less popular on election day, but it proved to be an issue important only to a limited number of the elite. The Federalist received 47 electoral votes from some of the New England states and Delaware.
After his retirement from politics Pinckney moved to White Point on an Island off the coast of South Carolina. He started a plantation that continued to be productive until Union soldiers occupied in 1862. In 1975 it was donated to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and is now known as “The Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge”. He also enjoyed his Belmont Estate and socializing with Charleston’s upper class.
Pinckney served as a member of the board of trustees for the South Carolina College, later known as The University of South Carolina. He was a prominent member of a veterans organization for Revolutionary War officers known as The Society of Cincinnati, chief executive of the Charleston Library Association, and president of the Charleston Bible Society.
He died in 1825 and was buried at the St. Michael Episcopal Church in Charleston. An elementary school in Columbia South Carolina has been named in his honor.
As a candidate Charles Cotesworth Pinckney ran for President against two men who were to become American icons, the man we will remember as “The author of the Declaration of Independence” who opened the West with his “Louisiana Purchase”, and the man we now call “The father of the Constitution”. Like any candidate Pinckney probably could have done things differently, but would any candidate have been able to defeat Jefferson or Madison with their windfall of being able to offer American’s new land in the vast Louisiana territory?
Charles Cotesworth Pinckney is praised by historians as an American hero who fought for his country during the Revolution, and helped build a new America by negotiating compromises between the competing state governments. He has been ignored and forgotten. A major national book store chain had no biography or books on Charles Cotesworth Pinckney. Others have scorned him for his role in establishing slavery as an integral part of the American South. But all things considered, should it not be said that his bravery as a soldier in the Revolution and his proposals at the Constitutional convention made him a vital and necessary contributor to our nations growth and development?
Sources of Information
Charles Cotesworth Pinckney.
Eliza Pinckney – Plantation Manager- Indigo Dye Inventor.
Pinckney, Thomas. http://www.1upinfo.com/encyclopedia/P/PncknyT.html
Pinckney, Charles. http://www.1upinfo.com/encyclopedia/P/PncknyC.html
The Debates in the Federal Convention of 1787
reported by James Madison : June 25
http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/debates/625.htm
DEBATES IN THE LEGISLATURE AND IN CONVENTION
OF THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, ON THE
ADOPTION OF THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTION.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. IN THE LEGISLATURE,
WEDNESDAY, January 16, 1788 http://www.constitution.org/rc/rat_sc-l.htm
XYZ Affair. http://www.1upinfo.com/encyclopedia/X/XYZAffai.html
Morris, Richard B. Encyclopedia of American History. Harper & Row. New York, San Francisco 1976
Adler, Martin J., Moquin, Wayne. The Revolutionary Years, Britannica’s Book of the American Revolution. Encyclopedia Britannica Inc. Chicago, Toronto, London. 1976
Garraty, John A. 1,001THINGS EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT AMERICAN HISTORY. Doubleday, New York 1989.McCullough, David. John Adams. Simon and Shuster, New York 2001
Cooke, Joseph E. Alexander Hamilton. Charles Scribner & Sons. New York 1982,
Roseboom, Eugene H. A History of Presidential elections. The MacMillan Company
New York. 1964
Kelly, Kate. Election Day, An American Holiday An American History. Facts on File. New York, Oxford. 1991.
Boller, Paul F. Presidential Campaigns. Oxford University Press, New York Oxford.
1996
Dinkin, Robert J. Campaigning In America, A History Of Election Practices. Greenwood Press. New York. 1989.
Election of 1804. Election of 1808. http://www.multied.com/elections/index.html
Cunliffe, Marcus, the editors of AMERICAN HERITAGE The magazine of History. THE AMERICAN HERITAGE HISTORY OF THE PRESIDENCY. American Heritage Publishing Co. inc. Simon and Shuster 1968.
Selecting The President, From 1789 to 1996. Congressional Quarterly Inc. Washington D.C. 1996
Pinckney Island National wildlife Refuge South Carolina.
http://www.recreation.gov/detail.cfm?ID=(1566)
Charles Cotesworth Pinckney Elementary School.
http://www.laurel-bay.odedodea.edu/fjcp/
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Copyright
© 2002 The Junto Society - All rights
reserved. Permission to reprint granted
provided a link to this site [http://www.juntosociety.com]
is plainly accompanying the article.
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