[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

How do you prove rebelship?

Why it's in that pesky 14th amendment. It kept people who had declared themselves members of the confederacy from later regaining office.

. No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.

So even though there was a blanket pardon, they couldn't serve in office unless officially forgiven by congress. (And eventually there was a blanket forgiveness.)