[donmeaker]

they were never out of the union. They had to ratify the various amendments to regain self government after their insurrection.

[moehoward]

"they were never out of the union."

"The Civil War caused in part by Chief Justice Taney's dictum in the Dred Scott case that Congress could not bar slavery from the territories, resulted, of course, in the destruction of slavery. The Thirteenth Amendment formally abolished the institution. The Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments, which the Southern states were forced to ratify in order to get back into the Union, made Blacks citizens, prohibited the states from depriving "all persons" of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law, and made it illegal to deny anyone the right to vote "on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude." - Quarrels That Have Shaped the Constitution. 2nd ed

It's my old ConLaw text I just happened to be re-re-reading.

[CodeToad]

“They had to ratify the various amendments to regain self government after their insurrection.”

Terrible attempt at bigoted spin since re-admission dates were established, government documents written stating re-admissions, etc.

You just don’t want to admit the southern States were considered having formally left the union because it destroys many of your bigoted arguments including the one you hold dear that the southern states were in a state of insurrection when they actually were a country of their own.

If the States had not actually left the union then the requirements mandated for them to be allowed privileges of a State, such as the mandate that they pass the 13th amendment and the fact that their representatives would not be seated in Congress, would make all such mandates unconstitutional.

South Carolina:
-Seceded: Dec. 20, 1860
-Admitted into C.S.: Feb. 4, 1861
-Readmitted into U.S.: July 9, 1868
-Local rule reestablished: Nov. 28, 1876

Mississippi:
-Seceded: Jan. 9, 1861
-Admitted into C.S.: Feb. 4, 1861
-Readmitted into U.S.: Beg. 23, 1870
-Local rule reestablished: Jan. 4, 1876

Florida:
-Seceded: Jan 10, 1861
-Admitted into C.S.: Feb. 4, 1861
-Readmitted into U.S.: June 25, 1868
-Local rule reestablished: Jan 2, 1877

Alabama:
-Seceded: Jan. 11, 1861
-Admitted into C.S.: Feb. 4, 1861
-Readmitted into U.S.: July 14, 1868
-Local rule reestablished: Nov. 16, 1874

Georgia:
-Seceded: Jan. 19, 1861
-Admitted into C.S.: Feb 4, 1861
-Readmitted into U.S.: July 15, 1870
-Local rule reestablished: Nov. 1, 1871

Louisiana:
-Seceded Jan. 26, 1861
-Admitted into C.S.: Feb. 4, 1861
-Readmitted into U.S.: June 25, 1868 or July 9, 1868
-Local rule reestablished: Jan. 2, 1877

Texas:
-Seceded: Feb. 1, 1861
-Admitted into C.S.: Mar. 2, 1861
-Readmitted into U.S.: Mar. 30, 1870
-Local rule reestablished: Jan. 14, 1873

Virginia:
-Seceded: April 17, 1861
-Admitted into C.S.: May 7, 1861
-Readmitted into U.S.: Jan. 26, 1870
-Local rule reestablished: Oct. 5, 1869

Arkansas:
-Seceded: May 6, 1861
-Admitted into C.S.: May 18, 1861
-Readmitted into U.S.: June 22, 1868
-Local rule reestablished: Nov. 10, 1874

Tennessee:
-Seceded: May 6, 1861
-Admitted into C.S.: May 16, 1861
-Readmitted into U.S.: July 24, 1866
-Local rule reestablished: Oct. 4, 1869

North Carolina:
-Seceded: May 21, 1861
-Admitted into C.S.: May 16, 1861
-Readmitted into U.S.: July 4, 1868
-Local rule reestablished Nov. 28, 1876