This was a memorable campaign on account of the effect produced by the
John Brown raid upon the State of Virginia and the capture of Harper's
Ferry, which had a disastrous effect upon Mr. Scott's prospects, owing
probably to which he was defeated.

At the outbreaking of the war of the rebellion he espoused the Union
cause and gave it his hearty support during the continuance of the
struggle, and remained a consistent Republican until his death.

In 1864 he was a delegate to represent Cecil county in the
Constitutional Convention, his colleagues being Thomas P. Jones, George
Earle and the late Joseph B. Pugh. He was assigned to a place upon the
Committee on the Elective Franchise and had more to do with originating
that section of the Constitution which provided for the passage of a
registration law than any other person on the committee--probably more
than any other member of the Convention. He was an intimate friend of
Henry H. Goldsborough, whom he had previously nominated in the
Republican State Convention for the office of Comptroller of the State
Treasury, which office he still held, and whom Mr. Scott also nominated
for President of the Constitutional Convention in the Republican caucus,
and, as was very natural, was often called upon by Mr. Goldsborough to
preside over the Convention in his absence, which he did with that
_suaviter in modo_ and _fortiter in re_ for which he was remarkable and
with great acceptability to the members of both political parties.

During the invasion of the State in July, 1864, he was one of the most
active members in urging upon the loyalists of Annapolis and the
military authorities in that city and at Camp Parole the necessity of
defending the Capital of the State. He held the handles of the plow with
which the first furrow that marked the line of the fortifications around