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361] The Maryland Constitution of 1864. 15
Union League Convention nominated Henry H. Golds-
borough, of Talbot County, for Comptroller, and also nom-
inated Mr. Seabrook for Commissioner of the Land Office.
The division was complete, and these two factions, both
loyal to the Union, had now for the present become separate
parties, and could only fight out their principles at the
polls. The conservatives, hereafter known as "Conditional
Union," while protesting their loyalty and desire that the
war be carried to a successful close, opposed President
Lincoln on account of his "unconstitutional acts"17 in his
aggressive war measures, and also opposed the radical pro-
gram of emancipation and the agitation of the slavery ques-
tion, preferring a policy of compromise and delay. On the
other hand, they announced themselves as favoring the
submission to the people of the question as to the desira-
bility of calling a constitutional convention. The State
Central Committee on September 11 issued an address to
the people of the state embodying these principles. It was
signed by Thomas Swann (chairman), John P. Kennedy,
Columbus O'Donnell, John B. Seidenstricker, Thomas C.
James, George Merryman, Augustus M. Price, William H.
Stewart, and John V. L. Findlay.
The radicals, hereafter known as "Unconditional
Union" men, came out for an aggressive policy, and forced
their candidates to the front as standing on an uncompro-
mising platform advocating a constitutional convention,
the extinction of slavery, and complete and absolute sup-
port of the National administration. To carry this out
it was absolutely necessary that they should secure a ma-
jority of the Legislature, so that they could push through
a bill for submitting to the people a call for the convention.
Their address was issued on September 16, and was signed
by William B. Hill, Henry W. Hoffman, Horace Abbott,
James E. Dwindle, William H. Shipley, S. F. Streeter,
John A. Needles, Robert Tyson, Milton Whitney and Wil-
17 Frederick "Examiner," November 4, 1863.
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