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Excellent summary. They played all kinds of BS games wrt the ratification by Oregon and Ohio.

Then there is the matter of the Southern states. They fought the war on the basis of their claim that these states never rightfully left the union. They accepted their ratification of the 13th amendment after the war.

THEN when they rejected the 14th amendment, they turned around 180 degrees and claimed these states were somehow “out” and needed to ratify the 14th amendment to get back “in”. They imposed occupation governments in these states even though there is no provision to do so in the Constitution. They also disenfranchised the vast majority of the voters in the Southern states even though once again, nowhere in the Constitution does it say that the federal government or other states have the right or the power to determine who gets to vote in a particular state.

The votes for the 14th amendment’s ratification by Oregon, Ohio and every Southern state are invalid. Without those votes, it simply doesn’t pass. Yes, I’m well aware that it was imposed by force and that it has been recognized as legitimate ever since. That does not however mean I have to say it was legitimately ratified when it clearly was not....not under the US Constitution....not by lawful means or with the consent of the governed.