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I know all that, but Vattel died in 1767, while the 13 colonies were still part of the British Empire. Although the "Law of Nations" was used as a template for the U. S Constitution, it is not, and never was U. S. law, and, after all, that's what we're addressing here, isn't it.

No, we are addressing the meaning of a term used in the US Constitution. That meaning is now, for Constitutional purposes, what it was in 1787. Only an amendment could change it, and the 14th amendment, the only one dealing with citizenship, did not do that. It just applied it to "all persons".

Re: No, we are addressing the meaning of a term...Only an amendment...

Your post makes my point. You want a law, but that would make anyone under that law a “statutory” citizen.

A statutory citizen (bestowed by man's pen) can never be a “natural born” citizen (bestowed by God/nature). A person who is natural born requires no laws to define their citizenship.

That's the point. A “natural born” citizen just is.

When Barack Obama was born of a Kenyan parent, his birthright, should he have chosen, was to affirm his Kenyan citizenship. He had a choice under the statutes (laws) of both the US and Kenya.

When John McCain was born in the Republic of Panama his birthright gave him a choice to affirm, should he choose, a Panamanian citizenship. He had a choice under the laws of both countries.

When Ronald Reagan was born in Tampico, Illinois, of parents who were American citizens (also born in Illinois), he was “at birth” a “natural born” citizen. he had NO choices.