Seven States in United States require a religious test for public office holders.

[Ben Kenobi]

Are you actually retarded?

I'm shocked you actually admitted that Texas was spared. Texas had a well-organized army lead by Kirby Smith at the end of the war. But, you knew that already. I'm impressed they actually taught that in England.

[dannubis]

Are you actually retarded?

Rhetorical question, fundamental definition it is...

[kentonio]

I'm shocked you actually admitted that Texas was spared. Texas had a well-organized army lead by Kirby Smith at the end of the war. But, you knew that already. I'm impressed they actually taught that in England.

It was largely spared because the confederacy had surrendered. If the confederacy had not surrendered Texas would have suffered the same fate as the rest. Texas did not incidentally have a 'well organized army' it had the dispirited broken remains of a once well organized army.

In the spring of 1865, Texas contained over 60,000 soldiers of the Army of the Trans-Mississippi under Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith. As garrison troops far removed from the main theaters of the war, morale had deteriorated to the point of frequent desertion and thievery. News of the surrender of Lee and other Confederate generals east of the Mississippi finally reached Texas around April 20. Local Confederate authorities had mixed opinions on their future course of action. Most senior military leaders vowed to press on with the war, including commanding general Kirby Smith. Many soldiers, however, greeted frequent speeches whose theme was "fight on, boys" with derision, or simply failed to attend them.

The month of May brought increasing rates of desertion. News of Joseph E. Johnston's and Richard Taylor's surrenders confirmed that Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas were now essentially alone to continue the Confederate cause. On May 14, troops in Galveston briefly mutinied, but were persuaded to remain under arms. However, morale continued to sink. Generals John B. Magruder and Kirby Smith (who had already corresponded with Union Maj. Gen. John Pope regarding surrender terms on May 9) no longer sought to rally their demoralized troops, but rather began discussing the distribution of Confederate government property.

[Dr Strangelove]

The "parts of Florida" which declared independence were West Florida, an area consisting of what is now Louisiana east of the Mississippi, coastal Mississippi and coastal Alabama. James Madison declared that those territories were included in the Louisiana Purchase and they were simply asorbed into the US in 1810. What is now Florida was never an independent entity. Florida was purchased from Spain in 1821, though much of Florida had been de facto seized by Andrew jackson in 1818 during the Seminole War.

The California revolt was actually instigated by an American officer, John Fremont. Less than one month after its formation Fremont arrived with a company of American troops and seized control of the Republic. California was not so much convinced to join the Union as it was duped into staging a mock revolution so that the US government could seize the area without the move appearing to be the naked land grab that it was.

[MrFun]

Oh jeez. Mr Fun look what you did... you made me agree with HC.

Then don't agree with him.

[MrFun]

For federal office.

Nope. The particular clause also includes the states.

[giblets]

Are you actually retarded?

No, he's not. Texas totally could have kicked the Union's butt single-handedly but instead decided to surrender because Texans are nice guys.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Then don't agree with him.

Then stop being wrong

[MrFun]

Then stop being wrong

Is there a book, "Stop Being Wrong for Dummies" that I can buy?

[Imran Siddiqui]

Is there a book, "Stop Being Wrong for Dummies" that I can buy?

If there was, we would have bought it for Ben 10 years ago!

[snoopy369]

There would have to be actual damages. As long as it's totally unenforced there's no opportunity to challenge it.

You sue TO enforce the rule, of course.

[MichaeltheGreat]

Nope. The particular clause also includes the states.

Actually, the relevant section of the particular clause only addresses the United States. The oath or affirmation clause requires state officials to make an oath or affirmation to support the Constitution, however the religious test clause only addresses any office or public trust "under these United States." In every instance in which a provision of the Constutition was imposed on the states (insert edit) , e.g. Full Faith and Credit Clause, Privileges and Immunities Clause, etc. The same office "under these United States" construct is used in Article II, Section 1, to prevent elected or appointed federal officials from being chosen as electors.

edit: to be added above: ",then the state or states were explicitly referenced, as either "the several States" for a collective state-level obligation, or "the States" or similar when refering to a context which would involve only a single state's action in any given instance."

[MrFun]

Actually, the relevant section of the particular clause only addresses the United States. The oath or affirmation clause requires state officials to make an oath or affirmation to support the Constitution, however the religious test clause only addresses any office or public trust "under these United States." In every instance in which a provision of the Constutition was imposed on the states, e.g. Full Faith and Credit Clause, Privileges and Immunities Clause, etc. The same office "under these United States" construct is used in Article II, Section 1, to prevent elected or appointed federal officials from being chosen as electors.

I thought "under these United States" means to include state level offices, as well as federal level offices when it comes to prohibiting religious tests.

[Ben Kenobi]

It was largely spared because the confederacy had surrendered. If the confederacy had not surrendered Texas would have suffered the same fate as the rest. Texas did not incidentally have a 'well organized army' it had the dispirited broken remains of a once well organized army.

The difference between, "actually defeated", and "would have been defeated", is the magic of the subjunctive. Historical fact says that the Texas army under Kirby Smith remained undefeated throughout the civil war.

[Ben Kenobi]

If there was, we would have bought it for Ben 10 years ago!

I'm actually working on a book, called 'conservativism for dummies, a reference for the rest of us!'

It points out how to stop looking like a moron before all your conservative friends, neighbours and family, and actually gain their respect.