Crossing your fingers behind your back when you sign a contract does not relieve you of the obligations of that contract.
The interesting words in the Virginia Ordinance of Secession are:
This ordinance shall take effect and be an act of this day, when ratified by a majority of the voter of the people of this State cast at a poll to be taken thereon on the fourth Thursday in May next, in pursuance of a schedule hereafter to be enacted.In other words, "We're going to do this right now and let the people vote on it to make it official in a month or so, after it's a done deal."
Stating reservations, in writing, "when you sign a contract," does...