Who's to say who's in Rebellion? Earlier in the thread someone posted about Mayland. They wanted nothing to do with secession, but Union forces attacked them anyway. So did Confederate forces.
They were not in "rebellion" and were denied due process.
Does declaring a region in "rebellion" allow you to kill anyone you find in that region without trial? Is it the land that is in rebellion, or is it individuals who are in rebellion?
Collective punishments are wrong.
And the Civil War was declared officially "over" by whom, on what date?
"Legally, the war did not end until August 20, 1866, when President Andrew Johnson issued a proclamation that declared "that the said insurrection is at an end and that peace, order, tranquillity, and civil authority now exist in and throughout the whole of the United States of America."[297][298]"
Now you are engaging in hair splitting sophistry. The war was over when Lee Surrendered. Yes, elements fought in Texas later, but word had not yet reached them. This was like the Battle of New Orleans happening long after the war had concluded.
Once the states had stopped resisting, the war was done, and there was no further legal authority allowing them to do what they did.
On May 6, 1861 Confederates declared themselves to be at war against the United States.
That and that alone ended all lawful discussion of secession in Union states like Maryland.
From May 6, 1861 onward, any discussion in favor of secession was, by Constitutional definition, treason.
DiogenesLamp: "Now you are engaging in hair splitting sophistry. The war was over when Lee Surrendered. Yes, elements fought in Texas later, but word had not yet reached them."
Regardless of your pro-Confederate fantasies, the Civil War was declared officially over by President Johnson on August 20, 1866.