[RightWhale]

There is a distinction. During the debates there was a great deal of mixing and matching terms and of the evolution of meaning. They were not in agreement, not most of the time, not on most of the issues. The final wording was enacted by vote and not all who voted for it liked it--as evidence the eventual secession of several states. We tend to treat the document as sacred when it suits our ends and as something to be interpreted if it doesn't say exactly what we want it to say based on our somewhat nebulous concepts of natural law, etc.

[AntiGuv]

Whatever the distinction may be, the Constitution says "private property" explicitly, and regardless of the convention debates.

We tend to treat the document as sacred when it suits our ends and as something to be interpreted if it doesn't say exactly what we want it to say based on our somewhat nebulous concepts of natural law, etc.

Heh.. Not "we".. ;^)