born Feb. 25, 1746, Charleston, S.C.
died Aug. 16, 1825, Charleston, S.C., U.S.
U.S. soldier, statesman, and diplomat.
A cousin of Charles Pinckney and the brother of Thomas Pinckney , he was an aide to George Washington in the American Revolution , commanded at Savannah, Ga., and was promoted to brigadier general in 1783. He was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention . Appointed minister to France (1796), he was involved in negotiations that ended in the XYZ Affair ; when one of the group of French negotiators suggested that the U.S. representatives offer a gift in order to gain a peace treaty, Pinckney is said to have replied, "No! No! Not a sixpence!" He was the unsuccessful Federalist candidate for vice president in 1800 and for president in 1804 and 1808.