George if it was a non-issue and already a reality, then why all the fuss? Why would Cleburne even bother to propose something that was already an accepted practice ? Why would Johnston and Walker and Davis so strongly react and openly oppose the Cleburne Memorial if it was already such a common practice and a non-controversial issue? Their reaction would have been a huh and a shrug, and a scratch of the head. Why would any editorials and speeches and congressional debate take place a year or more after the memorial? Why would Lee need to take a firm stand in 1865 and say "we must do this thing" if it had already been done?

Did CSA leaders see a need that didn't exist? Were they delusional? Why propose, or oppose, doing what was already accomplished?

To believe you would be to believe that all these men were all incompetent fools who argued endlessly over a non controversail done deal, had bitter quarrels over standard accepted policy, who made much out of non existant problems, held endless arguments and speeches and debates and editorials and memorials over non-existant issues. If that is the case, they had no hope of ever winning a war or governing a nation.