They waged war against the United States, attacking the seams of this very country's unity, which by even the Constitution's purposely narrow definition, is treason.
They were pardoned for their treason because they were traitors.
Laws and Constitution amendments were written and passed to exclude ex-Confederates from the democratic process, but they were rendered moot once everyone calmed down and realized it was better for the country to reunite as one nation.
These false narratives villifying and dividing the country long after the Civil War concluded are nonsense.
They waged war against the United States, attacking the seams of this very country's unity, which by even the Constitution's purposely narrow definition, is treason.
They were pardoned for their treason because they were traitors.