The Also-Rans: Charles Cotesworth Pinckney
No I didn't add Charles Cotesworth Pinckney to the list of also-rans that I planned to write about just because he had such a unique name, though it is quite the handle. I've tried to balance the selections as follows: one Democrat, one Republican and one oddball. The oddballs have been some of the most interesting, and actually, for all he accomplished, Charles Cotesworth Pinckney deserves more respect than to be written off as an oddball, even though running for president wasn't the most successful area of his life. He was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, a delegate to the Constitutional Convention and twice ran for president on behalf of the Federalist Party.
Charles Cotesworth Pinckney (known as "C.C." - fans of the show New Girl can relate) was born into a family of aristocratic planters in Charleston, South Carolina, on February 25, 1746. His father, Charles Pinckney, would later serve as Chief Justice of the Province of South Carolina and his older brother Thomas Pinckney, later served as Governor of South Carolina, as a U.S. Representative, and as a diplomat during George Washington's administration. In 1753, Pinckney's father moved the family to London, England, where Charles and his brother Thomas were enrolled in the Westminster School. Both brothers also studied at Oxford University. Pinckney graduated from Oxford with degrees in science and law. He was called to the bar in 1769, but he continued his education in France for another year, studying botany and chemistry.
In 1773, Pinckney married Sarah Middleton, whose father Henry Middleton served as the second President of the Continental Congress and whose brother Arthur Middleton signed the Declaration of Independence. Sarah died in 1784. In 1786, he remarried to Mary Stead.
When Pinckney returned hom to South Carolina from Europe, he practiced law in Charleston and was elected to a seat in the colonial legislature in 1770. In 1773 he served as a regional attorney general. When the Revolutionary War began in 1775, Pinckney joined the revolutionary cause serving both as a legislator and as a soldier. In 1775, he volunteered for military service as a full-time regular officer in George Washington's Continental Army. Given the rank of captain, Pinckney led the Grenadiers of the 1st South Carolina Regiment. He participated in the successful defense of Charleston in the Battle of Sullivan's Island in June 1776, when British forces under General Sir Henry Clinton attacked the state capital. Later in 1776 Pinckney took command of the regiment, with the rank of colonel, a position he retained to the end of the war. Pinckney led his regiment north to join General Washington's troops near Philadelphia. They participated in the Battle of Brandywine and the Battle of Germantown. In 1778, Pinckney and his regiment, returning to the South, took part in a failed American expedition attempting to seize British East Florida. Later that year, the British Army captured Savannah, Georgia. In October 1779, the Southern army of Major General Benjamin Lincoln, with Pinckney leading one of its brigades, attempted to re-take Savannah but the attack was disaster for the Americans, who suffered numerous casualties.
In the 1780 defense of Charleston, Major General Lincoln surrendered his 5,000 men to the British on May 12, 1780, and Pinckney became a prisoner of war. He was released in 1782. He was promoted to Major General during his subsequent service in the South Carolina militia.
Pinckney returned to the lower house of the state legislature and represented South Carolina at the constitutional convention of 1787. He advocated the idea that slaves be counted as a basis of representation and opposing abolition of the slave trade. He also advocated a strong national government and opposed the election of representatives by popular vote. He also opposed paying senators, who, he thought, should be men of independent wealth. He also opposed placing a limitation on the size of a federal standing army. Pinckney also played a prominent role in securing the ratification of the Federal constitution in the South Carolina convention of 1788, and in the drafting of the South Carolina Constitution in the convention of 1790.
In 1789, President George Washington offered Pinckney a position in his cabinet but Pinckney declined the offer, choosing instead the role of Ambassador to France in 1796. Relations with the French were not good. The Jay Treaty between the US and Great Britain had angered the French and the French Navy were seizing American merchant vessels found to be trading with Britain, with whom France was at war. When Pinckney presented his credentials in November 1796, they were refused, with the Directory stating that no ambassador could be accepted until the outstanding crisis was resolved.
In 1797, a commission composed of Pinckney, John Marshall, and Elbridge Gerry was established to mend fences with France. After a preliminary meeting with the new French Foreign Minister Talleyrand, the commissioners were approached informally by a series of intermediaries who spelled out French demands. These included a large loan to France and substantial bribes for Talleyrand and members of the Directory. This incident became known as the "XYZ Affair" when documents concerning them were published in 1798. Talleyrand, was aware of political differences in the commission. (Pinckney and Marshall were Federalists who favored Britain, and Gerry belonged to the Jeffersonian Republicans, who favored France.) The breakdown of negotiations led to what became known as the undeclared Quasi-War (1798-1800), which pitting the two nation's navies against each other.
In the 1800 presidential election, Pinckney was the Federalist candidate for vice-president, running with the incumbent president, John Adams. This ticket was defeated by the Democratic-Republicans Thomas Jefferson (who became president) and Aaron Burr (who became vice president). In 1804, the Federalist Party nominated Pinckney to run for the presidency against Jefferson. But Jefferson, was very popular due to the acquisition of the Louisiana Purchase and booming trade, and he defeated Pinckney in a landslide. Pinckney won only 27.2% of the popular vote and carried only two states, Delaware and Connecticut.
In 1808 he was again the Federalist nominee for president, running against Jefferson's Secretary of State, James Madison. Pinckney did not do much better against Madison, carrying only five states and winning 32.4% of the popular vote. This ended his political career and he returned home to South Carolina.
C.C. Pinckney died on August 16, 1825 in the same city he was born in, Charleston, South Carolina. He is buried in St. Michael's Churchyard in Charleston and his tombstone reads, "One of the founders of the American Republic. In war he was a companion in arms and friend of Washington. In peace he enjoyed his unchanging confidence."
Charles Cotesworth Pinckney (known as "C.C." - fans of the show New Girl can relate) was born into a family of aristocratic planters in Charleston, South Carolina, on February 25, 1746. His father, Charles Pinckney, would later serve as Chief Justice of the Province of South Carolina and his older brother Thomas Pinckney, later served as Governor of South Carolina, as a U.S. Representative, and as a diplomat during George Washington's administration. In 1753, Pinckney's father moved the family to London, England, where Charles and his brother Thomas were enrolled in the Westminster School. Both brothers also studied at Oxford University. Pinckney graduated from Oxford with degrees in science and law. He was called to the bar in 1769, but he continued his education in France for another year, studying botany and chemistry.
In 1773, Pinckney married Sarah Middleton, whose father Henry Middleton served as the second President of the Continental Congress and whose brother Arthur Middleton signed the Declaration of Independence. Sarah died in 1784. In 1786, he remarried to Mary Stead.
When Pinckney returned hom to South Carolina from Europe, he practiced law in Charleston and was elected to a seat in the colonial legislature in 1770. In 1773 he served as a regional attorney general. When the Revolutionary War began in 1775, Pinckney joined the revolutionary cause serving both as a legislator and as a soldier. In 1775, he volunteered for military service as a full-time regular officer in George Washington's Continental Army. Given the rank of captain, Pinckney led the Grenadiers of the 1st South Carolina Regiment. He participated in the successful defense of Charleston in the Battle of Sullivan's Island in June 1776, when British forces under General Sir Henry Clinton attacked the state capital. Later in 1776 Pinckney took command of the regiment, with the rank of colonel, a position he retained to the end of the war. Pinckney led his regiment north to join General Washington's troops near Philadelphia. They participated in the Battle of Brandywine and the Battle of Germantown. In 1778, Pinckney and his regiment, returning to the South, took part in a failed American expedition attempting to seize British East Florida. Later that year, the British Army captured Savannah, Georgia. In October 1779, the Southern army of Major General Benjamin Lincoln, with Pinckney leading one of its brigades, attempted to re-take Savannah but the attack was disaster for the Americans, who suffered numerous casualties.
In the 1780 defense of Charleston, Major General Lincoln surrendered his 5,000 men to the British on May 12, 1780, and Pinckney became a prisoner of war. He was released in 1782. He was promoted to Major General during his subsequent service in the South Carolina militia.
Pinckney returned to the lower house of the state legislature and represented South Carolina at the constitutional convention of 1787. He advocated the idea that slaves be counted as a basis of representation and opposing abolition of the slave trade. He also advocated a strong national government and opposed the election of representatives by popular vote. He also opposed paying senators, who, he thought, should be men of independent wealth. He also opposed placing a limitation on the size of a federal standing army. Pinckney also played a prominent role in securing the ratification of the Federal constitution in the South Carolina convention of 1788, and in the drafting of the South Carolina Constitution in the convention of 1790.
In 1789, President George Washington offered Pinckney a position in his cabinet but Pinckney declined the offer, choosing instead the role of Ambassador to France in 1796. Relations with the French were not good. The Jay Treaty between the US and Great Britain had angered the French and the French Navy were seizing American merchant vessels found to be trading with Britain, with whom France was at war. When Pinckney presented his credentials in November 1796, they were refused, with the Directory stating that no ambassador could be accepted until the outstanding crisis was resolved.
In 1797, a commission composed of Pinckney, John Marshall, and Elbridge Gerry was established to mend fences with France. After a preliminary meeting with the new French Foreign Minister Talleyrand, the commissioners were approached informally by a series of intermediaries who spelled out French demands. These included a large loan to France and substantial bribes for Talleyrand and members of the Directory. This incident became known as the "XYZ Affair" when documents concerning them were published in 1798. Talleyrand, was aware of political differences in the commission. (Pinckney and Marshall were Federalists who favored Britain, and Gerry belonged to the Jeffersonian Republicans, who favored France.) The breakdown of negotiations led to what became known as the undeclared Quasi-War (1798-1800), which pitting the two nation's navies against each other.
In the 1800 presidential election, Pinckney was the Federalist candidate for vice-president, running with the incumbent president, John Adams. This ticket was defeated by the Democratic-Republicans Thomas Jefferson (who became president) and Aaron Burr (who became vice president). In 1804, the Federalist Party nominated Pinckney to run for the presidency against Jefferson. But Jefferson, was very popular due to the acquisition of the Louisiana Purchase and booming trade, and he defeated Pinckney in a landslide. Pinckney won only 27.2% of the popular vote and carried only two states, Delaware and Connecticut.
In 1808 he was again the Federalist nominee for president, running against Jefferson's Secretary of State, James Madison. Pinckney did not do much better against Madison, carrying only five states and winning 32.4% of the popular vote. This ended his political career and he returned home to South Carolina.
C.C. Pinckney died on August 16, 1825 in the same city he was born in, Charleston, South Carolina. He is buried in St. Michael's Churchyard in Charleston and his tombstone reads, "One of the founders of the American Republic. In war he was a companion in arms and friend of Washington. In peace he enjoyed his unchanging confidence."