Letter from William Pinkney to James Monroe

Access and use

Location of collection:
George Mason University
2400 Fenwick Library
Special Collections Research Center
Fenwick Library MS2FL
George Mason University
Fairfax, VA 22030
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Mieko Palazzo
Phone: (703) 993-2220
Fax: (703) 993-2669
Restrictions:

There are no access restrictions.

Terms of access:

Public Domain. There are no known restrictions.

Preferred citation:

Letter from William Pinkney to James Monroe, C0538, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries

Summary

Extent:
.01 Linear Feet 1 folder
Creator:
Pinkney, William, 1764-1822
Abstract:
Handwritten letter from William Pinkney to James Monroe likely while Monroe was serving as Secretary of State under President James Madison.
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Letter from William Pinkney to James Monroe, C0538, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries

Background

Scope and content:

Handwritten letter from William Pinkney to James Monroe likely while Monroe was serving as Secretary of State under President James Madison. The letter is undated, but content suggests it was most likely written circa 1811. In the letter Pinkney writes of his intention to accept a position offered to him by Monroe on behalf of the President, indicating the letter likely contains Pinkney's acceptance of the position of Attorney General, which he was formerly appointed to on December 11, 1811.

The reverse side of the letter includes a note written in pencil with estimated date and context information on the letter's content. It is unclear where this information originated or when it was added.

Biographical / historical:

William Pinkney was born in Annapolis, Maryland on March 17, 1764. He studied law in Baltimore under Judge Samuel Chase and was admitted to the bar in 1786 and set-up practice in nearby Harford County. In 1788 he served as a member of the Constitutional Convention, ultimately voting against ratification, and afterward served as delegate to the Maryland House of Representatives (1788-1792) and as a member of the Maryland state executive council (1792-1795). In 1796, President George Washington appointed Pinkney as a commissioner to London under the Jay Treaty to settle claims against Great Britain until 1804. After a brief time serving as attorney general of Maryland in 1805, Pinkney returned to Great Britain with James Monroe in 1806 and served in various diplomatic roles overseas until returning to Maryland in 1811. This same year, on December 11, he was appointed Attorney General of the United States by President James Madison and would serve in this role until February 10, 1814. Pinkney then served as a battalion commander during the War of 1812 and was wounded at the Battle of Bladensburg, Maryland. From 1815-1816 he served as a member of the Fourteenth Congress and from 1816-1818 he served as Minister to Russia and Envoy to Naples. In 1819, he returned to the United States and was elected to the United States Senate as a Democratic Republican. Pinkney would serve in this role from December 21, 1819 until his death of tuberculosis on February 25, 1822. He is buried in Washington, D.C.'s Congressional Cemetery.

Acquisition information:
Purchased from David M. Lesser, Fine Antiquarian Books by Lynn Eaton in 2022.
Processing information:

Processing completed by Meghan Glasbrenner in August 2025. Finding aid completed by Meghan Glasbrenner in September 2025.

Arrangement:

This is a single item collection.

Physical location:
R 71, C 2, S 5
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard