[Colonel Kangaroo]

104,471 for secession to 47,183 against; I can see how you are doubtful---not.

Regardless of the results they were after the politicians illegaly took Tennessee out of the Union.

I'm not sure that the June elction returns are that impressive. Many questioned the fairness of that election with the state overrun with reb armies plus the reports that in many counties, the polling was tainted with Confederate intimidation. The fact is that the political class would stop at nothing to take Tennessee out of the USA. The slavery fanatics never accepted the voice of the people against secession as indicated by this quote after the February secession defeat that was recorded by Hurlburt in 1866:

"This election is a disgrace to the State, and Tennessee is disgracing herself by longer remaining in the Union. We will see Governor Harris and he shall call an extra session of the Legislature, and damn the State we will put her out at all hazards."

There's your Confederate concern for local self-rule. Judge Souter himself has no more contempt for the legally expressed voice of the people.

Was Tennessee a Confederate state? Certainly in some ways, but I'm not sure that Tennessee was truly a Confederate state in sentiment except in the minds of latter-day Tennesseans ignorant of the sordid Tennessee Confederate progress of 1861.

Naturally I didn't learn these facts by my "hooray for Dixie" publik skool education. I had to find them out for myself by researching what men actually said and did in the 1860s.

Hooray for private education and hooray for the party of Sumner, Stevens, Lincoln and Reagan.

[TexConfederate1861]

I believe Preston Brooks of South Carolina fixed Sumner’s “hash”.......(he should have just shot him in a duel, but that would have been beneath him, as Sumner was no Gentleman.)

As for Thaddeus Stevens, he just needed killing. What a pity someone didn’t do it.

[smug]

I had to find them out for myself by researching what men actually said and did in the 1860s.

That is odd, that is exactly how I learned the same exact opposite facts. Take your Brownlow for instance. He was After the WBTS elected governor (twice) of Tennessee when the voting was tainted. Then (appointed) Senator. However, I G Harris who you chastised, was elected four times to the Senate and to date is the second longest serving senator from Tennessee. To me that says volumes about the sentiment of his peers. they as a whole preferred Harris, oh By the way Brownlow was pro-slavery.

[smug]

Hooray for private education and hooray for the party of Sumner, Stevens, Lincoln and Reagan.

I am surprised that you include Stevens in this group. He was after all the Vice-President of the Confederacy. 8^)