Thanks, Liz, for the further details, etc, etc. The Slavery issue was so hotly debated in the Constitutional Convention (the original) that it came down to, "Slavery with an America, or no union in the colonies at all." If you read people from the mid 1800s -- evangelist Charles Finney comes to mind -- you come up with some pretty interesting stuff. That America was so divided over the issue that people from opposing camps couldn't even TALK about it peaceably. That there was talk of passing legislation FORBIDDING the discussion of the slavery issue in public. Finney's point was that if we can't even discuss the matter, then something's REALLY wrong. He was a hellfire and brimstone evangelist (makes Jerry Falwell seem gentle and kind) who served as President of Oberlin College for a time, a leader in its day in the antislavery and women's rights movements. So deep, moral divisions existed from day one, really, and a series of compromises were made to keep the country together. And it all came to a head eventually. As you pointed out, the war didn't end the compromises -- they lasted into the late 60s and early 70s, and we are still battling their effects today. Jim "The written word is a power of such magnitude that only pedants would try to reduce it to rules. Or the French." --F.K. ___________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]