<P> The issue of slavery was finally confronted by the constitution which the state adopted in 1864 . The document, which replaced the Maryland Constitution of 1851, was largely advocated by Unionists who had secured control of the state, and was framed by a Convention which met at Annapolis in April 1864 . Article 24 of the constitution at last outlawed the practice of slavery . </P> <P> One feature of the new constitution was a highly restrictive oath of allegiance which was designed to reduce the influence of Southern sympathizers, and to prevent such individuals from holding public office of any kind . The new constitution emancipated the state's slaves (who had not been freed by President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation), disenfranchised southern sympathizers, and re-apportioned the General Assembly based upon white inhabitants . This last provision diminished the power of the small counties where the majority of the state's large former slave population lived . </P> <P> The constitution was submitted to the people for ratification on October 13, 1864 and it was narrowly approved by a vote of 30,174 to 29,799 (50.31% to 49.69%) in a referendum widely characterised by intimidation and fraud . This was a controversial result, given the state's Confederate ties and sympathies . Those voting at their usual polling places were opposed to the Constitution by 29,536 to 27,541 . However, the constitution secured ratification after Maryland's soldiers' votes were included in the count . Marylanders serving in the Union Army were overwhelmingly in favor (2,633 to 263). Maryland soldiers who were fighting for the Confederacy, and therefore could not vote, would likely have overwhelmingly opposed it . </P> <P> The new constitution came into effect on November 1, 1864 and, while it emancipated the state's slaves, this did not mean equality for them, in part because the franchise continued to be restricted to white males . However, the abolition of slavery in Maryland did precede the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which outlawed slavery throughout the United States, and did not come into effect until December 6, 1865 . </P>

Did maryland fight for the north or south