VP Beast Butler?

[L Verge]

Could compensation for emancipation/manumission (what's the difference between those two terms?) have turned the tide?

Scott - I just have to make a personal comment related to your idea of slavery being the keystone that holds the ancient arch together. As many of you know, our old Huntt home was destroyed by arsonists back in May - a total loss. Three tall chimneys still stand, and Dutch tiles around the fireplace one in the former dining room are still intact as are red tiles surrounding the fireplace in what used to be the parlor. A lesson to build your home with brick.

What we just realized yesterday, however, is that a large, wooden arch in the main hallway was still intact. This arch was added in 1872, when the house was remodeled, and marked the spot where the old portion (ca. 1840) joined the new portion. Everything around that arch has been reduced to charred rubble, but the arch stands firm.

My creative mind just took your post about slavery being the keystone to the Civil War to make the analogy that the issue of slavery still is a keystone to our country ever being able to successfully overcome racial enmity. 150 years ago, we had charred rubble all around us; sixty years ago, we had riot-based charred rubble around us; just weeks ago, we had charred rubble around us caused by separation of the races. It seems that the fires continue, but Scott's keystone of slavery cannot be pulled down.