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The attempt is to insinuate that the Founding Fathers or anyone ‘spoke, wrote, understtod’ French or any other foreign [like Obama foreign] langauge.

If by suggesting that they [The Founding fathers/Framers] mis-interpreted Vattel, they would a minor leg to stand on. However is well documented that The Founders were very well versed in language like French, as Ben Franklin was the ambassador to France for a number of years, so was John Adams.

Just like the serpent in the Garden of Eden, they attempt to twist, lie, distort everything that fails to meet their need. In this case instead of ‘hath God said, it’s hath ‘whatever’ really means’.

> The first english version was printed in 1759 if I recall correctly.

The first London English translation is pegged between 1759-1760.
http://openlibrary.org/b/OL18683993M/law_of_nations_or_Principles_of_the_laws_of_nature
Vol. 1: 1760; v. 2 : London : Printed for J. Coote, 1759.

There's also an even lesser-known 1787 Dublin English translation said to be “remarkably fluent and elegant”, but lacking substantive notes of the original French version — and more importantly — the notes added to the posthumous French edition of 1773, intended by Vattel for a 2nd edition that he did not live to complete.

Looking at the list of who was on the "Committee of Detail", as well as the Second and Third "Committee of Eleven" — who likely debated the "Natural Born Citizen" qualification in Article II, Section 1, Clause 5 — it's very possible key players such as Gorham, Rutledge, Williamson, Butler, Madison, Morris and others had their hands on other copies of the French 1758 or 1773 London English versions, or the 1760 London or 1787 Dublin English version:

First Committee of Eleven
Proposed and appointed July 2, on the question of equal represenation in the Senate

Abraham Baldwin (GA)
Gunning Bedford (DE)
William Davie (NC)
Oliver Ellsworth (CT)
Benjamin Franklin (PA)
Elbridge Gerry (MA)
Luther Martin (MD)
George Mason (VA)
William Paterson (NJ)
John Rutledge (SC)
Robert Yates (NY)

Committee of Detail
Proposed July 23, members appointed July 24, to create a constitution containing all issues agreed to by the convention
Result: August 6 Draft

Oliver Ellsworth (CT)
Nathaniel Gorham (MA)
Edmund Randolph (VA)
John Rutledge (SC)
James Wilson (PA)

Second Committee of Eleven
Proposed and appointed August 25, to consider issues concerning uniform duties and fees

Pierce Butler (SC)
Daniel Carrol (MD)
Jonathan Dayton (NJ)
William Few (GA)
Thomas Fitzsimons (PA)
Nathaniel Gorham (MA)
John Langdon (NH)
George Mason (VA)
George Read (DE)
Roger Sherman (CT)
Hugh Williamson (NC)

Third Committee of Eleven
Proposed and appointed August 31, to address tabled issues and committee reports not yet acted upon

Abraham Baldwin (GA)
David Brearly (NJ)
Pierce Butler (SC)
Daniel Carrol (MD)
John Dickinson (DE)
Nicholas Gilman (NH)
Rufus King (MA)
James Madison (VA)
Gouvernour Morris (PA)
Roger Sherman (CT)
Hugh Williamson (NC)

The first english version was printed in 1759 if I recall correctly.

You were correct:

“Translated from the French. Volume I: London: Printed for J. Newbery, J. Richardson [et al. ], 1760; Volume II: London: Printed for J. Coote, 1759. Two volumes in one. Quarto (10” x 8”). Contemporary calf, rebacked in period style with raised bands and gilt-stamped title. Moderate rubbing and some scuffing to boards, corners worn, hinges cracked but secure, front free endpaper detached, upper corner clipped from front free endpaper and title page. Volume I title page, with small copperplate vignette, printed in red and black, woodcut head and tail-pieces. Toning to text, faint dampspotting to preliminaries and a few other leaves, internally clean. * First edition in English, Volume I a reissue of Coote’s 1759 edition with a cancel title page. First published in French in Neuchatel with a false London imprint in 1758”

http://www.alibris.com/booksearch.detail?BID=10051636846&pwork=0&siteID=tTHlYyiyyBY-EjAcXej9.fPdEn3LmwMOjw

Shaking the dust off an old thread.