94               The Maryland Constitution of 1864.            [440

tude of the more extreme pro-slavery Democrats. In op-
posing the Constitution, this paper said—"Would to God
we could picture sufficiently plain the importance of the
issue now pending in this state. We ..... leave the reader
to decide for himself whether he will perpetually rob his
neighbour of his happiness, or whether he will vote against
the inhuman, illegal and unjust instrument, and thereby
declare himself a friend to the oppressed....... Should this
infamous instrument be adopted, a perpetual line of demar-
cation will undoubtedly be drawn both in political, social
and business life. No man who entertains any regard for
his liberty, will, after the adoption of this Constitution, aid
in the support of those who vote for it, and for his oppres-
sion."

But the Union party was none the less active in its sup-
port of the new Constitution, and the state was vigorously
canvassed by Montgomery Blair, Thomas Swann, Henry
Winter Davis, William T. Purnell, Archibald Stirling, Jr.,
Henry Stockbridge, John V. L. Findlay, and other promi-
nent men of that party.

The arguments advanced by both sides in this campaign
were largely a repetition of those brought forward by the
Union and Democratic members of the Convention in
their discussion of the provisions in regard to submitting
the Constitution to the people.⁵

Throughout the entire movement leading to the Consti-
tution, President Lincoln had been a close and interested
observer, and had given it his constant personal encour-
agement.⁶ Being requested to aid in this final contest, on
October 10 he wrote a letter to Henry W. Hoffman,⁷
which was read that evening at a Union mass-meeting in
Baltimore. In this letter he stated that he would be
"gratified exceedingly if the good people of the state
[would], by their votes, ratify the new Constitution."

⁵ See pages 89-90.

⁶ Nicolay and Hay, "Life of Lincoln," viii, 465. ⁷ Ibid., p, 467.