To Doug and All,

    The bottom line, it seems to me, is that Virginians are Americans and 
they always have been.  Virginians in the mid-19th century experienced a 
somewhat different history than say Californians or New Yorkers but this may 
be the present concern of only a minority of Virginians.  Moreover, over 40% 
of Virginians in 1860 were African-Americans, mostly slaves.  Many, many 
white Virginians, particularly in the mountain west (think West Virginia) 
were Unionist.  Since the overwhelming majority of blacks, slave and free, 
favored the Union over the CSA and given the considerable Unionist sympathy 
amongst Virginia's white population, it isn't even wise to presume that a 
majority of Virginians supported the CSA.  The laws that governed 
enfranchisement in 1860-1861 determined that Virginia would vote for 
separation from the Union.
    By the way, if this argument makes sense regarding Virginia, think about 
South Carolina, Mississippi, and Louisiana, which all had black majorities 
in 1860.
    The assumption that "Virginia" (substitute other southern states) swears 
by its CSA heritage suffers from a racial and political myopia.  But as a 
historian I know who will remain nameless here told me years ago, snooping 
through his great grandfather's papers, he discovered something interesting, 
which he announced at grandma's Thanksgiving dinner.  "Grandma," he said, 
"if your father was a southern veteran of the Civil War, why did his pension 
checks come from Washington, DC?"  Grandma said "hush!!"

Harold S. Forsythe
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Douglas Deal" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, February 15, 2007 6:55 AM
Subject: Re: Long memories & "wayward Virginians"


> Clara asked about my phrase "wayward Virginians."  For "wayward," Webster 
> will do just fine: taking one's own way; disobedient; froward. The wayward 
> Virginians I was referring to were those who for a brief four-year period 
> rebelled against and departed from the federal Union they have been a part 
> of for the other 200+ years since that Union was created.
>
> Doug Deal
>
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