Maryland’s Wm Pinkney to James Monroe re:King /Major Thornton 1806 ALS document For Sale

Dated 1806. Maryland’s William Pinkney to ( US Minister to the United Kingdom ) James Monroe in London, mentioning the King ( George III ). Also mentioned is a Major Thornton , likely Sir Charles Wade Thornton, who was born in Northumberland County , Virginia VA, and whose family moved to England before the Revolutionary War and after his father’s death. That Charles Thornton later became lieut. general in England and was lieut. colonel by 1811, before which, a major—so the Major Thornton in this 1806 letter would seem to match. Furthermore, Sir Charles Wade Thornton was apparently very close to the Duke of York, whose life Thornton saved in the Flanders Campaign during the War of the First Coalition in the Low Countries. It would seem that the duke of “the Duke’s Apartments” mentioned in the letter was likely the Duke of York ( Prince Frederick , Duke of York and Albany , second son of George III ), with Pinckney and Monroe to meet up there with the “King [who] comes to town today at 12”.

Pinkney and Monroe proposed the Monroe-Pinkney Treaty to deal with pre-War of 1812 boarding of American ships by the British Navy in pursuit of British naval deserters.

Monroe would later become President of the United States. Pinkney was a US Congressman, envoy to Russia, US AG during James Madison’s administration , the Maryland AG , a Maryland State Delegate and Senator , and Mayor of Annapolis. He immediately succeeded Monroe as US Minister to the United Kingdom. Pinkney also served as major during the War of 1812.

(Major—>…General) Sir Charles Wade Thornton was knighted by King William IV and was a Knight Commander in the Hanoverian Royal Guelphic Order .

What looks like a small stamp (at very bottom left on the obverse) of the name MADLENER would seem to lend provenance of this letter once being held in the Madlener Family US Presidents Collection. It later came to sale through a large, well-known sale company in the US.

There appears to be some kind of repair, or at least reinforcement, along some of the edges of the letter, as seen in some of the last photos. No text is affected.

The photos were taken without a flash. Apologies for any glare from overhead light(s). Please judge condition for yourself from the photos provided. If you need any others, please ask.