We threw the English out.
The founders were using Vattel’s definition.
The children of foreigners were who the founders were excluding with the natural born citizen clause because they are not naturally Americans as they are also born something else.
John Jay to George Washington:
“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 Command in Chief of the American army shall not be given to nor devolve on, any but a natural born Citizen.”
The children of foreigners ARE foreigners, even if we foolishly give them citizenship.
The singularity of nationality is what the founders were requiring.
“The founders were using Vattel’s definition.”
Not likely since the one understanding was universally known and USED by the Founders in the 1770s, while Vattel’s mistranslation didn’t take place until AFTER the Constitution.
That’s right: “Natural Born Citizen” was not found in ANY translation prior to the US Constitution and was not found in the original French!
From Vattel: “Les Naturels ou indigènes font ceux qui font nés dans le pays de Parens Citoyens.”
And all translations at the time of the Constitution wrote, “The natives, or indigenes...”
It wasn’t until 1797 that an American translation was made that inserted “Natural Born Citizen” for “indigènes”. And remember, indigènes is French for “indigenes”.