371]           The Maryland Constitution of 1864.              25

tary force used did not materially affect the final result as
much as might have been expected, except in the First
Congressional District (Eastern Shore), where it is perhaps
doubtful if Mr. Creswell could have defeated Mr. J. W.
Crisfield, his opponent. The complexion of the Legisla-
ture under these different conditions is a mere matter of
guess work, for although it is nearly certain that the House
of Delegates would have still been favorable to the call of
a convention, yet the Senate remains an entirely uncertain
quantity. It is hardly necessary to state that the above
speculations refer only to the action in this election of the
nominally loyal voters, large numbers of whom were op-
posed to the Unconditional Union platform. As said at the
beginning, it is impossible accurately to estimate the sen-
timent at this time of the total population of the state.

In Baltimore City, the day of the election was very quiet.
The saloons were all closed, and the military at the polls,
under the immediate supervision of General E. B. Tyler,
is said to have neither intimidated, nor attempted to ob-
struct those who offered to vote.²⁹ The American of Novem-
ber 5 says: "Tickets of all kinds were in abundance at the
polls, and all loyal men voted their sentiments freely, so far
as the choice of candidates was concerned....... Mr.
Maffitt, the representative of the slave-holding interest, was
scarcely regarded as a candidate in the contest." The city
police, as well as the soldiers on duty at the polls, were
under strict orders to refrain from electioneering, and to
preserve the peace in every way.

As stated above,³⁰ the main force of General Schenck's
order seemed to be directed against the Eastern Shore. A
force of infantry or cavalry was sent to each of the eight
counties on that side of the bay, and detachments under
command of subaltern officers were stationed at the various
polls.³¹ The following proclamation³² was issued by Lieu-

²⁹ See daily papers.                                                    ³⁰Page 28.

³¹ Report Senate Committee on Elections, Doc. "D", 1864.
³² "Documents Accompanying Governor's Message," House and
Senate Doc., 1864.