In an earlier Supreme court case, The Santissima Trinidad, 7 Wheat. 283 (1822) [decided 12 Mar 1822], the court held that with the US declaration of neutrality 'each party is therefore deemed by us a belligerent nation.' A point reiterated by Grier when he wrote the 'parties belligerent in a public war are independent nations.'
It's not written in Greek.
It's got nothing to do with the Rebellion.
You lied; you got caught.
Walt