“but if the statute of limitations for stolen property is seven years for everyone else, then the same rule ought to apply to the Government.
I’m tired of different standards for the powerful.”
In most cases the statute of limitations only shields people from criminal prosecution, not an obligation to return stolen property. I am not a lawyer so I could be wrong here, but I don’t believe there is any statute of limitations that negates the rights of property owners to the return of stolen property. There have been lots of cases of stolen art work that has been missing, in some cases for decades, that when found has been ordered returned to its rightful owners. This principal has also been applied to property looted by the Nazis.
I have myself pondered this point, and it occurs to me that while there may be no clearly defined law saying such, the practical experience of most is that if a case is too old, you are simply out of luck.
So far as the government is concerned, I am cognizant of the Trail of Tears and that stolen property having never been returned or compensated.