PINKNEY, Wit.m.tm (1764-1322). An American statesman. born at Annapolis. Alit lie was educated at King William's Seminary (afterwards Saint John's Colle!re), studied law under Justice Samuel Chase, and was admitted to the bar in 1736. In 1783 he was a member of the convention to ratify the Federal Constitu tion, and was elected to the House of Delegates the same year. In 1796 he was appointed a commissioner to England to determine the com pensation due :\merican mereharts under the Jay Treaty (q.v.). and secured a claim of $8O0, (11)0 for Maryland on the Bank of England. Ile returned to practice law in Baltimore in 1804, and was elected Attorney-lIeneral of .larylanil in 1805. In 1806 he Was sent to England as Min ister Extraordinary to treat in conjtmetion with Minister regarding the violation of rights of neutrals. un the return of Monroe in 1807 he remained as resident Minister until recalled at his own request in 1811. On his return he was elected
to the .Nlaryland State Senate, lint was appointed ...‘ttorney-tIeneral of the United States by Presi dent .Nladisom lie eommanded a regiment, of riflemen during the War of 1812, and \vas wound ed at Bladensburg. lie was a member of the na tional House of Representatives in 1815-10, and in the latter year was appointed Minister to Russia and Special Envoy to Naples. He resigned in ISIS to practice law, and was engaged in many important cases. In 1820 he was elected to the United States Senate, and opposed the admission of Missouri. Consult Wheaton, Life., Writings, and Speeches of William Pinkney (1826), which is condensed in vol. vi. of Sparks's American Biography. Consult also Pinkney,, Life of Wil liam Pinkney (1S53).