Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

To: DiogenesLamp

“It did not “define” it, it alluded to it...”

When it “alludes” to it and then defines it, to me and most people that is a definition.

“...but that language was stripped out in the next version which they created in 1794, if I recall correctly.”

That matters not at all. It was not stripped out of the Constitution.

“You cannot define natural citizenship by law.”

Then why did the Founders, who debated over every jot and tittle that was written, put it in the Constitution, if it cannot be defined by law. The Founders consulted Blackstone’s works, it is in his writings. The Founders used the term “citizen” quite frequently, but “natural born citizen” only once in a very critical place. That is asinine.

“It is like trying to claim an adopted child is an actual child of your blood. It is not, and it cannot be. It can only be an adopted child.”

That is also an asinine comparison. Nobody, but nobody, would ever think to claim that. Hasn’t anything to do with citizenship of parents.


243 posted on 08/30/2023 2:51:02 PM PDT by odawg
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 196 | View Replies ]


To: odawg
That matters not at all. It was not stripped out of the Constitution.

The definition was never put into the constitution.

Then why did the Founders, who debated over every jot and tittle that was written, put it in the Constitution, if it cannot be defined by law.

Precisely because it is a product of natural law, and not man made law. It was not subject to meddling by congress.

The Founders consulted Blackstone’s works, it is in his writings.

It is absolutely *NOT* in Blackstone's writings. Some years ago someone posted a link to the complete works of Blackstone, and I did word searches for the word "citizen."

If I recall correctly, "Citizen" was in there about 5 times, and it was always used in the context of a "citizen of London" or some other city.

"Citizen" was not a common word in the English of 1776. The normal word was "subject", which is what does actually come from English common law.

Our modern meaning of the word "Citizen" comes from Switzerland, which was the only Republic in the world in 1776.

Here is an English dictionary from the 1768s. See how it defines "Citizen."

A dictionary of the English language. by Samuel Johnson, 1768.

247 posted on 08/30/2023 3:05:38 PM PDT by DiogenesLamp ("of parents owing allegiance to no other sovereignty.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 243 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson