Conspiracy in Canada

[L Verge]

To clarify the slave situation in Maryland as asked by John above: One of the little carrots held out to the Marylanders by the Lincoln administration - in order to prevent secession by this critical state that surrounded the nation's capital on three sides - was the promise of compensated emancipation. This was promised to other border states also, but I believe that only Delaware received any compensation and not for long.

Another carrot was the promise that Marylanders would not be forced to fight against the South. And then came little things like the First and Second Confiscation Acts, the draft, the recruitment of slaves into the Union army, and lack of compensation. Needless to say, this irritated Maryland planters, and by mid-1862, they were plotting their own measures.

Just one more note: Remember that Maryland and the three other border states were considered so crucial to the Union effort that they were not affected by the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. Maryland retained her slaves until a new state constitution went into effect in November of 1864. Please note that November of 1864 is precisely when JWB makes his first of several appearances in Southern Maryland. Coincidence? I think not...