John W. Crisfield - Congress, War and The Question of Slavery

Congress, War and The Question of Slavery

In 1861, Crisfield was elected as a Unionist to the Thirty-seventh Congress from the 1st Congressional district of Maryland, serving one term from March 4, 1861 until March 3, 1863.

Although Maryland remained loyal to the Union at the outbreak of the American Civil War, Maryland was divided on the question of slavery and the emancipation of Maryland slaves remained by no means a foregone conclusion. On December 16, 1861 a bill was presented to Congress to emancipate slaves in Washington D.C., and in March 1862 Lincoln held talks with Crisfield on the subject of emancipation. Crisfield however argued that freedom would be worse for the slaves than slavery, especially in time of war, but such arguments could no longer hold back the abolitionist tide. In the summer of 1862 Congress passed the Second Confiscation Act, which permitted the Union army to enlist African-American soldiers, and barred the army from recapturing runaway slaves. In July 1862 Lincoln offered to buy out Maryland slaveholders, offering $300 for each emancipated slave, but Crisfield rejected the offer. In 1862 Congress passed the Emancipation Proclamation which declared all slaves in Southern states to be free, but Maryland, like other border states, was exempted since she had remained loyal to the Union at the outbreak of war. However, in 1863 and 1864 growing numbers of Maryland slaves simply left their plantations to join the Union Army, accepting the promise of military service in return for freedom. One effect of this was to bring slave auctions to an end, as any slave could avoid sale by simply offering to join the army. In 1863 Crisfield was defeated in local elections by the abolitionist candidate John Cresswell, amid allegations of vote-rigging by the army.

After being defeated at the polls, Crisfield resumed the practice of law.