At 11:39 AM 9/20/99 EDT, you wrote: >Another contributing factor to the the War Between the States was States >Rights. The federal government was trying to dictate to the southern states >on matters that should have been state issues and not federal issues. >I am not real well versed on all of the factors leading up to the War but I >do know that it was not just exclusively about slavery. >Sandy I remember as a kid in the 1960s hearing my southern relatives debate states rights.... and if someone was running for office, if he did not come by your house, introduce himself and shake your hand, my Grannie said she would not vote for him. Let me tell you, as far as my family was concerned in 1860 from what I can piece together, they gave a heck about the Federal government. They were more interested what the dang government was doing in Little Rock, they seem to have not cared much for politicians....no matter where they were from. Local elections were hot and furious, with lots of speech making. they sure took politics serious, and every man chose a side. Not like today when we can not be bothered to go out and vote. They seemed to think every man's vote counted. And I also hate to admit this, but many of my ancestors were in the 10th Arkansas Inf at beginning of war, and there was a bit of a mutiny there. Seems they did not agree with the way things were being run. I have always thought poor Jeff Davis had his hands full with his own officers and the feelings of different groups. Why should Texas go fight in Virginia? Why didn't Davis send troops to help on the western front - Arkansas sure needed them......and so on. Ole Peter Turney of Turney's 1st TN Regiment...he was later Governor of TN......seems he was really upset when the first vote was taken and TN voted to stay in the union, he tried to break from TN and form another state ....... seems no matter what was going on, my family was in the middle of it ready to fight somebody. Anyway, sorting out all the fussin and fightin sure has been fun. Mary