How can you be "re-admitted" to something you never left?

Question

The Union government and Abraham Lincoln never recognized the right of the Southern states to secede, and maintained that they never left the Union. Yet after the war was over, all of the former Confederate states had to be "re-admitted" to the Union, a condition of which was ratification of the 13th Amendment. How can this be? How can you be "re-admitted" to something you never left?

Genevieve's Mom: Here's the definition of "treason:" "trea·son (trzn) KEY NOUN:

Violation of allegiance toward one's country or sovereign, especially the betrayal of one's country by waging war against it or by consciously and purposely acting to aid its enemies.

A betrayal of trust or confidence."

Since the Southern states left the Union, the United States ceased being "their country." Hence, no treason.

You have to remember that the English called the colonist's actions treason, too....but we called it something else, didn't we?

Rabbitmedic: "Suspending the rights" of citizens is not the same thing as leaving the Union, and still doesn't explain why the states had to be re-admitted when the Union said they never left.

Answer 1

Whether the Union admitted it or not, the Confederate States did secede, did send letters of secession, and disavowed their allegiance to the government of the United States of America. That's clearly an act of treason. So in order to return to the flock, they had to adopt new constitutions on the state level, ratify constitutional amendments on the federal level, and enact changes that would prevent future secessions.

It's like one spouse filing for a divorce and the other refusing to come to court for appearances. Just because you don't show up doesn't mean the breakup isn't happening. When the final decree comes down, you can get a judgment against you without signing a thing and admitting it ever happened.

Answer 2

While the Union never officially recognized the Conferate states leaving, They did suspend the right of the citizens to act as legal US citizens. They therefore lost certain rights under the Constitution. These right were then reinstated when the states were re-admitted to the Union. This also kept any countries that the confederate states owed money from forcing the US to pay the bill. "They made the debt. Not Us!"