[DiogenesLamp]

Look up the Confiscation Acts of 1861 and 1862.

Why? Do they contain a constitutional amendment in there that has somehow been overlooked by history?

If the constitution says you *WILL* do something, I cannot grasp how congress can do anything about it short of an amendment.

The Confederacy also had confiscatory policies, if I am not mistaken.

Who cares? The USA was not bound by the laws of the Confederacy. It is bound by the laws of the US Constitution. Except when Lincoln chose to ignore them, of course.

[Bull Snipe]

Which Supreme Court ruling found these laws unconstitutional

[BroJoeK]

DiogenesLamp: "The USA was not bound by the laws of the Confederacy.
It is bound by the laws of the US Constitution.
Except when Lincoln chose to ignore them, of course. "

But even more important than any of that minor stuff, the USA is bound by the Constitution's previously unnoticed pre-preamble which makes DiogenesLamp's interpretations inviolable, indisputable and final word on what it says & means, period.

So "x", you're simply out of order here.

;-)