How are they not traitors the same as benedict arnold??
they fought AGAINST the US specifically to enforce slavery...
98 percent did not own slaves and were just fighting to defend their homeland against the invading forces. This is honorable and courageous, certainly not treason. Also, secession is secession, not treason. The north subjugated the south to the point of the south demanding to be free to set it’s own path. The north couldn’t allow this, they had to retain their enslaved southerners to sustain their economy which basically was raping the south. Lincoln followed the orders of his bosses and allowed over 600,00 young men to die so the north could continue to economically rape the south. This is the ugly truth about what happened. This could never be admitted as the truth, so “freeing the slaves” became the convenient toilet paper they used to wipe their stinky behinds with. I appreciate your ignorance because it allowed me to respond with the truth. Thank you.
There was no reference to the concept of a US citizen in the Constitution at the time; a person could only be a citizen of his respective state. Because the US had no citizens, Confederates could not be charged with treason against the United States.
That changed with the 14th amendment. All Americans are now citizens of their state AND the US.
Also, this quote has been attributed to SCOTUS Chief Justice of the time, Salmon P Chase:
“If you bring these leaders to trial, it will condemn the North, for by the Constitution, secession is not rebellion...His [Jefferson Davis’] capture was a mistake. His trial will be a greater one. We cannot convict him of treason.”