"“Permit me to hint, whether it would be wise and seasonable to provide a strong check to the admission of Foreigners into the administration of our national Government; and to declare expressly that the Commander in Chief of the American Army shall not be given to nor devolve on, any but a natural born Citizen.”
The Convention agreed and without debate the provision suggested by Jay was written into the Constitution.
That Jay’s advice was taken is not surprising because in his career Jay was President of the Continental Congress, Chief Justice of the New York Supreme Court, 1st Chief Justice of the United States, Ambassador to Spain and France, Secretary of Foreign Affairs (Secretary of State) and Governor of New York, among other things. He wasn’t a man whose advice could be ignored. Note that what particularly concerned Jay was not a political issue but a military issue arising because the President is Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the United States. He was bothered by issues of National Security."
I was surprised that FR was down for so long today.
There is a case currently in front of the US Supreme Court regarding this matter.
Docket# 08A407
Leo C. Donofrio, Applicant v. Nina Mitchell Wells, New Jersey Secretary of State
Anyone can find the case on the www.Supremecourtus.gov website.
It was originally denied on Nov. 6 by Justice Souter due to a procedural techicality but on Nov. 14 was resubmitted to Justice Thomas.