When the South seceded, congress adjourned "sine die," unable to reconvene at a set date.  Essentially, the 1787 republic, the result of a runaway convention, went into limbo. This explains why Lincoln was able to shred the constitution so easily - it was defunct.  Finally, the Act of 1871 establishes a corporation posing as the de jure 1787 republican government with its charter mimicking the Constitution FOR the united States of America with the subtle changes, The Constitution OF the United States (Inc) of America. The original 1787 Constitution has the 13 original amendments, and its demise lead to the deletion and replacement of the the 13th amendment, the Titles of Nobility amendment. So, if the original, de jure 1787 Constitutional republic is restored, the Constitution reverts back to the original 13 amendments.  Think of the ramifications of that!  Multiple terms for Trump? Only landowners vote? No women vote? The de facto corporate charter begins by replacing the 13th with the one we all are familiar with and it goes on to enslave us all with the 14th amendment. Courts have ruled many, many times that US citizens have no rights, but state citizens do.