[Blood of Tyrants]

But there are many legal twists, including the sticky little fact that the state denounced the Constitution, including the Bill of Rights, when it seceded from the Union.

So this gives the Union soldiers the right to steal anything they got their greedy hands on? It doesn't matter WHAT was written on the parchment, it still belongs to the state of North Carolina.

[dbehsman]

For crying out loud! Wouldn't the statute of limitations come in to play at some point here?

[Gianni]

This should be fun to watch... On one hand, you've got court precedent stating that the rebels were never out of the Union (meaning that the constitution and bill of rights applied, regardless of NC's stance on same). On the other, you've got Lincoln's orders on confiscated property, which are clearly in violation of that bill of rights - regardless of Union claims that it was still in effect!

Seems like the court, in deciding this case, will have to rule on the legitimacy of either the confederacy or Lincoln's order.