Harold, I thought ratification of the 13th, 14th and, after 1870, 15th amendments were conditions for re-admission. Am I mis-remembering? It suddenly flits through my memory that Mississippi's legislature only ratified the 13th amendment in the 1990s (evidently the post-civil war era legislature had declined to do so on the gorunds that it was already in force as part of the Constitution so a ratification vote from them was "unnecessary"). I am in agreement with your statement that "the fantasy of certain states' reservations from the Union is just that." Amen. David David Kiracofe History Tidewater Community College Chesapeake Campus 1428 Cedar Road Chesapeake, Virginia 23322 757-822-5136 >>> Debra Jackson/Harold Forsythe <[log in to unmask]> 02/27/07 9:59 AM >>> All state admissions are and always were subject to Congressional scrutiny and conditions. Texas's readmission to the Union was unconditional. There is, I think, in law and more importantly, practically, no alternative to the USA as it is now constituted. To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html