William, Nope..... an oath for ones country/flag is not breakable except by death....... A contract is what you have with the finance company when you can't pay cash. It is pears and peaches........ jerree

I have to stand by Jerree on this one Cuz., William. There was a time when the signing of legal papers was just a formality and perhaps a visual reminder of one's given word. I think in days gone by, not so long ago, a person's word was their oath and it wasn't given unless they took the "responsibility" to see that oath carried out. Unfortunately, in the case of the War, circumstances arose that caused a division of loyalties. Lee was against slavery, but he loved his native Virginia and Virginians. I suppose he decided to abandon a lofty, unseen ideal, ie. the United States, to remain faithful to what for him was the here and now, his family, friends and neighbors. It couldn't have been an easy decision for any person of honor and many had to do just that. When you read the history of the Civil War you will see that many of the officers and probably volunteers and enlisted men who fought against each other during that time had been comrades in arms in the war against Mexico just a decade or so prior to the split of the Nation Many of the officers had been students together at West Point and served together afterwards in Texas. It had to be agonizing to make these decisions, leave life long friends and know you may meet those friends on a battlefield. As far as I am concerned, these weren't cases of cowardice and selfishness, but heroism. Elaine ----- Original Message ----- From: <Katt1930@aol.com> To: <TNMONTGO-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, August 21, 2002 9:26 PM Subject: Re: [TNMONTGO-L] question for true southerners > William, > > Nope..... an oath for ones country/flag is not breakable except by > death....... > A contract is what you have with the finance company when you can't pay cash. > > It is pears and peaches........ > > jerree >