16                The Maryland Constitution of 1864.            [362

liam H. Baltzell. The Unconditional Union State Cen-
tral Committee, authorized by the Union League Conven-
tion of June 23, organized on September 29 and issued a
second address urging upon the people the principles ad-
vocated in that of September 15.¹⁸

A vigorous campaign was organized by both parties,
and active work immediately began.

The Democratic party was almost dead and practically
without organization, and although candidates were nom-
inated in the lower counties, and in the First and Fifth
Congressional Districts, it abandoned the field in Balti-
more and the northern and western counties to the two
Union parties.

The campaign was most actively carried on throughout
the state, the candidates and party leaders making numer-
ous speeches, and usually urging that the result of the elec-
tion would show the sentiment of the state on the dominant
subjects of emancipation and a new Constitution. The
newspapers supporting the Unconditional Union candi-
dates also adopted the same tone, while those supporting
the opposite side were, as a rule, very guarded in their
statements, often entirely omitting all controversy, as they
evidently feared repression by the military authorities.
The most potent organ on the radical side was the Balti-
more American, which printed a series of strong anti-
slavery editorials,¹⁹ and on October 12, 1863, stated its posi-
tion by saying: "The American is not the organ of any
party—does not desire to be the organ of any party—and
never has had any aspirations for party leadership.......
Our idea is to get rid of Slavery in the state of Maryland
at the earliest practicable moment that such a result can be
obtained." On November 2 it further urged the people
to carry the state for emancipation as the "debt of gratitude
which Maryland owes the [National] Government."

¹⁸ Nelson, "History of Baltimore," 155.

¹⁹ See issues of October 7, 10, 12, 20, 21, 29.