that all white persons born within the territory of this commonwealth...
shall be deemed citizens of this commonwealth, until they relinquish that character in manner as herein after expressed.
This whole discussion is a great example of how determined those who make the arguments you're making are, to force things that simply don't say what you want them to say, to fit into your untrue theory.
Hey - nice ellipsis.
Not clever enough.
Waiting for your refutation of post 205
Be it enacted by the General Assembly,
that all white persons born within the territory of this commonwealth...
shall be deemed citizens of this commonwealth, until they relinquish that character in manner as herein after expressed.
This whole discussion is a great example of how determined those who make the arguments you're making are, to force things that simply don't say what you want them to say, to fit into your untrue theory.
You accuse others of what you do Jeff.
In Post 223 you used ellipsis to modify the meaning of the 1779 citizenship law in Virginia. You changed it to "all white persons born within the territory of this commonwealth... shall be deemed citizens" which is not what the law says.
That law in relevant part:
Be it enacted by the General Assembly,that all white persons born within the territory of this commonwealth
and all who have resided therein two years next before the passing of this act,
and all who shall hereafter migrate into the same; and shall before any court of record give satisfactory proof by their own oath or affirmation, that they intend to reside therein, and moreover shall give assurance of fidelity to the commonwealth;
and all infants wheresoever born, whose father, if living, or otherwise, whose mother was, a citizen at the time of their birth, or who migrate hither, their father, if living, or otherwise their mother becoming a citizen, or who migrate hither without father or mother,
shall be deemed citizens of this commonwealth, until they relinquish that character in manner as herein after expressed:
And all others not being citizens of any the United States of America, shall be deemed aliens.
The meaning is clear. It's plain English. It's basic rules of construction: the specific terms of a statute override the general terms, however inclusive may be the general language of a statute
So with regard to minor children:
All infants wheresoever born shall be deemed citizens if:the father - or if he is dead, the mother - are citizens;
OR
the father - or if he is dead, the mother - become citizens;
OR
migrate hither without father or motherExcept for foundlings which become citizens, the citizenship of the minor child follows that of the parents.
If the parents where not citizens and did not become citizens then the infant was not a citizen. That is what the law says.