I understand it very well. The federal government owns most of the land in states like Nevada. It has always owned that land, and why shouldn't it? It either bought it (Louisiana Purchase and Gadsen Purchase) or acquired it through treaty. So it can do what it wants on it's territory, like test nuclear weapons, and the land remains the property of the federal government unless Congress disposes of it.
In the case of Sumter, the land it was built on was the property of the state of South Carolina. Title to that property was deeded to the federal government by an act of the South Carolina legislature on December 31, 1836. The test of the legislation granting title is included in this site here. Once granting title to the federal government, the state no longer had any legal claim to it.
Show me. Tell me where it says that.
The Constitution grants to Congress the power to create states and to approve any changes in their status (Article IV, Section III, Clause 1) By implication this includes the ultimate change in status, leaving altogether.
Ah, and that would explain why they blockaded off their own states...
Those states had launched an armed rebellion against the federal government. The blockade was a tool for supressing that rebellion.
Ok, I'll grant the deed aspect of your argument (Though as to whether or not SC was legally bound still remains for another time)I did learn something there.
"The Constitution grants to Congress the power to create states and to approve any changes in their status "
To "create a state" is to say, bring in Puerto Rico. It is the same as changing it's status, as Puerto Rico is still a Commonwealth. For a State, acting via representatives, to leave, is "approval of the Senate"
And according to Clause 2, same passage: "nothing in this Constitution shall be so construed as to Prejudice any Claims of the United States, or of any particular State. "
"... any particular State"
And also, in Clause 1: "without the Consent of the Legislatures of the States concerned as well as of the Congress."
States concerned and Congress. And to the last of my knowledge, the South had an abundant amount of influence in the Senate.
And as for when the Blockade happend: Lincoln proclaimed it exactly one week after Fort Sumpter. Given the expanse covered by such a blockade, I think we can all rest assured it was thought of and planned for well before the seige took place in SC. "Quelling the rebellion" my arse. Lincoln wanted the South to get little aid in the war he knew was coming (yet did not prevent)