6672. PINCKNEY (Charles), Political ambition.—
There is here a great sense of the
inadequacy of C. Pinckney to the office he is
in. His continuance is made a subject of standing
reproach to myself personally, by whom the
appointment was made before I had collected
the administration. He declared at the time
that nothing would induce him to continue so
as not to be here at the ensuing Presidential
election. I am persuaded he expected to be
proposed at it as V. P. After he got to Europe
his letters asked only a continuance of two
years; but he now does not drop the least hint
of a voluntary return. Pray, avail yourself
of his vanity, his expectations, his fears, and
whatever will weigh with him to induce him to
ask leave to return, and obtain from him to be
the bearer of the letter yourself. You will render
us in this the most acceptable service possible.
His enemies here are perpetually dragging
his character in the dirt, and charging
it on the administration. He does, or ought to
know this, and to feel the necessity of coming
home to vindicate himself, if he looks to anything
further in the career of honor.—
To James Monroe.
Ford ed., viii, 289.
(W.
Jan. 1804)
