Adams.

This is coolbert:

In his famous/infamous movie, Fahrenheit 911, the "documentarian" Michael Moore goes around Capitol Hill attempting to confront Congressmen who voted for the resolution authorizing the American President to wage the current war against the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein. And Moore, when confronting these Congressmen, always is of the habit of asking, "are any of your immediate family members or any relatives serving in the military fighting in the war in Iraq??"

And the implication here is quite clear. Moore's intent is to embarrass these Congressmen. The idea being that not too many Congressmen will have close relatives or immediate family members fighting in the Gulf war. This makes these Congressmen look really bad. Or so it seems. "You are willing to send someone else's son or daughter to fight, but no one from your family is going to have to go and fight!!"

[I believe there was one Congressman who did have two close family members involved in the current Gulf war fighting. As a matter of choice, Moore DID NOT show that confrontation in his documentary].

But, generally speaking, it can be safely assumed that NOT a whole lot of Congressmen or Senators DO have immediate family members of close relatives either serving in the military or involved in the fighting of the current war.

There is a precedent for the attitude of "willing to put your body where your mouth is!!". A precedent that in an inadvertent way, greatly assisted the Federal effort during the American Civil War.

It seems that early on during the Civil War conflict, Charles F. Adams Jr. enlisted in the Union forces.

Charles F. Adams Jr. was a descendant of the great John Adams and John Quincy Adams. Both Presidents of the U.S. John Adams in particular is considered along with Thomas Jefferson to be the two men that most influenced the movement for the American thirteen colonies to declare independence from England. John Quincy was renowned for his anti-slavery positions in the years prior to the outbreak of the Civil War, and was reviled throughout the South.

It should be noted that Charles F. Adams Jr. enlisted in a Federal combat unit [as an officer, befitting his station], and DID SO AGAINST the express wishes of his father, Charles F. Adams. The observation was made by Charles Jr. to his father that in of all the illustrious history of the Adams family, NONE of the Adams predecessors have ever deigned it proper to wear a military uniform.

In the fight against slavery, and the Adams family did see the war as being a war against slavery, Charles Jr. was an aspiring and willing military leader. [WILLING TO PUT HIS BODY WERE HIS MOUTH WAS [Jesse the Body Ventura!!]].

This enlistment of Charles Jr. was to pay unexpectedly great dividends when Charles F. Adams was appointed Ambassador to the Court of St. James in England by President Lincoln.

Charles the father, as a diplomat during a crisis of the greatest magnitude to the Federal Union, had to apply extraordinary skill to prevent the major European powers, England and France, from entering the fray "between the states". And entering the fray on the side of South.

It seems the aristocracy of both England and France were WELL DISPOSED and sympathetic toward the Southern aristocracy, having a "natural affinity" for their "equals" in America. To counter this dangerous affinity, Adams, as Ambassador, DID employ considerable diplomatic talent and skill with aplomb. And is generally credited with having played a crucial role in keeping both England and France from "entering the fray".

And during conversations with European aristocrats, skeptical of Union intent, Adams WAS able to point to the actions of his son, Charles Jr., serving admirably in the Union cavalry, and participating in the battles of Antietam and Gettysburg both!!

The enlistment and subsequent combat service of Charles Jr. [final rank of General officer] turned out to be quite a BOON for the diplomatic career of Charles F. Adams, something the father had originally been dead set against from the start!!

An irony, but an irony with a decided positive outcome!!

coolbert.