▁order ▁to ▁prevent ▁war ▁between ▁the ▁sections . ▁ ▁But ▁after ▁the ▁war ▁broke ▁out , ▁he ▁returned ▁to ▁a ▁position ▁of ▁out right ▁opposition ▁to ▁sla very ▁and ▁began ▁to ▁call ▁for ▁" im mediate ▁em an cip ation " ▁of ▁slaves . ▁His ▁dem ands ▁for ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁sla very ▁grew ▁stronger ▁as ▁the ▁war ▁progress ed . ▁By ▁the ▁height ▁of ▁the ▁Civil ▁War , ▁when ▁Kennedy ' s ▁opposition ▁to ▁sla very ▁had ▁become ▁much ▁stronger , ▁he ▁signed ▁his ▁name ▁to ▁a ▁key ▁political ▁pam ph let ▁in ▁Maryland ▁oppos ing ▁sla very ▁and ▁calling ▁for ▁its ▁immediate ▁end . ▁ ▁There ▁is ▁cons ensus ▁among ▁histor ians ▁that ▁Kennedy ▁was ▁critical ▁of ▁sla very ▁to ▁some ▁degree ▁for ▁dec ades , ▁strongly ▁opposed ▁to ▁sla very ▁by ▁the ▁height ▁of ▁the ▁Civil ▁War , ▁and ▁strongly ▁opposed ▁the ▁Confeder acy . ▁In ▁Maryland ▁state ▁politics ▁and ▁char ity ▁leadership , ▁Kennedy ▁was ▁also ▁known ▁to ▁help ▁other ▁minor ity ▁groups , ▁not ably ▁Jews ▁and ▁Irish ▁C athol ics . ▁When ▁the ▁E man cip ation ▁Pro clam ation ▁did ▁not ▁end ▁sla very ▁in ▁Maryland , ▁Kennedy ▁played ▁a ▁key ▁leadership ▁role ▁in ▁campaign ing ▁for ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁sla very ▁in ▁the ▁state . ▁ ▁Because ▁Maryland ▁was ▁not ▁in ▁the ▁Confeder acy , ▁the ▁E man cip ation ▁Pro clam ation ▁did ▁not ▁apply ▁to ▁the ▁state ▁and ▁sla very ▁continued ▁there . ▁Since ▁there ▁was ▁no ▁active ▁ins urre ction ▁in ▁Maryland