While I certainly agree with you assessment that the 14th amendment reconizing the legitimate war debts of the United State as opposed to those debts incurred by the Confederate Government,, even thought the United States Government claimed that those states were in rebellion and therefore still apart of the United States when they incurred those debts. The present day proponents of the 14th amendments do imply that the Presdient does have the authority under that proviso to determine which debts can be honored for payment and which debts are not to be paid.

That is the 'hair in the buttermilk' as grandpa would say. I agree that the Constitutionalist take the view that you present. But unfortunantly our court systems and our Congress are not overly populated with Constitutionist.