| Maryland's ratification of the 13th Amendment
GENERAL ASSEMBLY (Joint Resolutions) 1865 No. 5, MdHR 50,029-19 [MSA S967-19, 2/12/2/18]
According to Carl Everstine's The General Assembly of Maryland, 1850-1920 (Charlottesville, VA: The Michie Company, 1984), "The General Assembly considered and approved the 13th Amendment within a period of three days. Governor Bradford received it from the Secretary of State in Washington on February 1, 1865. He sent it immediately to the House, expressing hope that Maryland would be the first state to ratify it." (Everstine, 199). Everstine does not document his assertion that Bradford received the amendment from the Secretary in Washington, D.C. In fact Bradford received the 13th Amendment from Seward in Annapolis when Seward arrived on his journey to City Point for the conference with the Confederate Peace Commissioners.
The Baltimore American of February 2, 1865, reports that Seward met with Governor Bradford in the Executive chamber shortly after his arrival in Annapolis. "During the interview the Secretary communicated the fact of the passage by Congress of the amendment of the Constitution of the United States abolishing slavery throughout the land, and the Governor immediately dispatched a communication to the General Assembly on the subject... On the conclusion of the brief interview in the Executive Chamber, Secretary Seward proceeded to the Naval Academly..." (Baltimore American, 2 February 1865, p. 4 col. 2)
The Baltimore Sun only notes "President Lincoln is expted to arrive here during the day. Secretary Seward came in the early train." (Baltimore Sun, 2 February 1865, p. 4 col. 3)
GOVERNOR (Proceedings) Feburary 1, 1865 [MSA SM172-5, M3163] as posted on the Archives of Maryland Online
Transmittal letter of Secretary Seward and reply of Governor Bradford as recorded in GOVERNOR (Letterbook) [MSA SM170-3, M3169] as posted on the Archives of Maryland Online
GOVERNOR (Miscellaneous Papers) 13th Amendment, 1865, Box 79 Folder 19 [MSA S1274-79-19, 1/7/5/62] (See notes for 600 dpi images of Feb 1865 transmittal and amendment text. See also msaref MSA SC 5458-51-3350.)
Caption text: Maryland State Archives Governor (Miscellaneous Papers) Transmittal of the 13th Amendment, 1865, MSA S1274-79-19, MdHR 6636
Proceedings of the House of Delegates -
February 1, 1865 pp. 119-122
February 3, 1865 p. 145
Index to Proceedings, p. 769
Proceedings of the State Senate -
February 1, 1865 p. 58
February 2, 1865 pp. 63-64
February 3, 1865 pp. 69-70
Index to Proceedings, p. 460
1865 Joint Resolution No. 5
List of Resolutions passed during the 1865 regular session
GENERAL ASSEMBLY (Joint Resolutions) 1865 No. 5, MdHR 50,029-19 [MSA S967-19, 2/12/2/18]
Illinois was the first state to ratify the amendment, by doing so on February 1st. Rhode Island followed on February 2nd. Maryland was one of 5 states to ratify on February 3rd.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirteenth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution
|
