[Bubba Ho-Tep]

Washington Parke Custis allowed 5 years for the training of his "former" slaves in business so they could support themselves.

But what Lee did was keep them doing the same plantation work at Arlington and to try to lease them out so that he could pay off some debts. In the end he kept them for two months past the five years that his father in law had stipulated. The slaves, who had been promised their freedom when George Custis died, were not happy to learn they weren't to be free for five more years and three of them tried to escape. They were quickly recaptured and, according to one of them, Wesley Norris, Lee had them all flogged--50 lashes for the two men and 20 for the woman.

Maybe that's the training you're talking about.

[James Ewell Brown Stuart]

Of course, because all Southerners are Simon Legree in disguise. We like nothing than to make our slaves hoe the cotton and pick the corn while we drink pink lemonade from the shelter of the veranda and discuss how we are going to usurp the Constitution by seceding from the Union. I thought everyone knew that. Didn't you get the secret pamphlet and the decoder ring that comes with it.

The will provided for all of Custis' slaves to be emancipated, "the said emancipation to be accomplished in not exceeding five years from the time of my decease."

So, they were promised their freedom, but Custis gave his executors up to five years to see it done.

Ah, the cheap shot designed to cause me to feel shame. Right on time too.